Till a few years ago, a trip to Sreeleathers with their parents was a staple for any Kolkata youngster; and now that generation Z is all grown up, with a keen taste in global fashion, it only makes sense that their trusted footwear label should pave the way for contemporary styling.
The five-storey building of House of SL (a new and independent company, originating from the legacy of Sreeleathers) at the heart of Rash Behari, is hardly missable; the young label opened its doors on Poila Baishakh and has already built a steady base of millennial clientele who are looking for fresher and more wearable options, be it in footwear, bags or other accessories.
“Every brand has its own personality, at House Of SL, we wanted to focus on the dynamic fashion scene right now, targeted at youth, with a trend-driven line-up. So you’ll see numbers which are more utilitarian and hassle-free, something the millennials are always looking for," Rochita Dey, of House of SL, tells us, as she shows us a skinny cashless wallet, with multiple slots just for your cards, be it credit card, your metro pass or even your coffee coupon card. The line-up has been curated keeping in mind the fast-changing styling preferences of the Instagram age, and Rochita reveals this is winning the brand the most brownie points.
Besides casual and dressy shows, you’ll find a wide range of men’s shoes, sneakers, an impressive collection of handbags, smart backpacks, heels, purses, and the brand is even planning a line of leather jackets! We spotted some cow crunch leather numbers, which is a variant not easily available in India.
Also part of the line-up are pieces made of Saffiano leather which has a cross-hatched texture and is famously used by A-list global design houses like Prada and Michael Kors. We know Rochita was serious with her claims of relevancy because House of SL has also branched out to the sustainable, non-toxic leather accessories.
"People are luckily much more conscious about the environment now, and our vegan leather numbers are in very high demand. They are made from artificially produced leather which does not harm animals. We have to acknowledge the fact that fashion is the fourth largest contributor to the environment and act upon it,” we are told.
At House of SL, you'll also see a shift in design and in-store experiences, like an entire floor dedicated to accessories; we spotted the runway-approved street style staple, the belt bag. Seen ever-so-frequently on millennial icons like Kendall Jenner or Hailey Baldwin, the convenient belt bag is a great way to go hands-free. House of SL is also unbelievably economical, as their line of shoes start from Rs 150, while their bags start from Rs 200.