House of Angadi’s K Radharaman speaks about their 18,000-square-feet store, his label Advaya, and textile innovation

K  Radharaman, founder, CEO and principal designer at House of Angadi, has very specific preferences. For instance, the warm sand-hued facade of the newly launched Angadi Heritage store in Jayanagar is constructed with a kind of stone inspired by Parisian architecture. “I love Parisian architecture. They use a lot of Seine stone, from the river Seine. I wanted to use a similar material for our new store. So after a lot of research, we zeroed in on a locally available option with the same colouring,” he says, when we ask him about the story behind the facade. The sprawling new space, is spread across 18,000 square feet and is split into four floors, each dedicated to different sections that complete the‘Angadi lifestyle.’ 

Beyond the glass doors of the ground floor, you are welcomed by an imposing antique lion, that is typical of South Indian temple architecture. “Its antecedents are from a temple in South India and it dates back a couple of centuries. We fell in love the first time we saw it because we thought it would be a standout piece in any store. The lion has symbolic meaning in Indian mythology and this particular piece defines the space,” explains Radharaman, whose family has been in the weaving business for over 600 years. The floor is peppered with traditional accents and antique fittings, capturing what the brand stands for. The highlight of the first floor is the epoxy flooring with a glaze finish and brass inlays on the walls. 

While the ground and first floor stock saris from the retail label, Angadi, and the designer label, Advaya, the second floor is dedicated to luxury brands that have a distinct Indian aesthetic. On the shelves you will find saris from Anavila, leather bags and accessories from Nappa Dori and other home-grown labels dedicated to skincare, casual wear and jewellery.  The third floor holds House of Angadi’s menswear collection ranging from jackets to waistcoats and bandhgalas, in addition to other labels such as Rajesh Pratap Singh and Suket Dhir.

Talking about the limited edition designer label Advaya, Radharaman says it’s traditional at its core, but is still unique and offbeat. “In terms of design, Advaya is an innovation- and textile-driven label. Most of my work for the last decade has been about pushing the boundaries of textile design and traditional Indian crafts. I’ve used Indian craft techniques and genres, but played around with the design element. The linen Kanjeevaram is a prime example. If you don’t innovate, there’s no point in calling yourself a designer,” concludes the self-taught textile designer.