Caravan finds itself a new, centrally located home

A freshly painted yellow wall with an ancient Gulmohar tree blocking part of the view calls out to you as you enter the quaint premises of The Hatworks Boulevard. The new space, set across the gravel driveway and next to the original 200-year old bungalow, which currently hosts a number of stores, beauty salons and spas, is the new home of Caravan, an apparel and accessories label that works with craftsmen and 
artisans. Earlier located at Phoenix Marketcity in Whitefield, the brand, founded by Kunal R Sachdev seems perfectly at home in its new address, far removed from discount sales, coffee chains and fast fashion. “We wanted a space where people who come in will be interested to know about the story behind the crafts that are represented at our store. And that’s not something you get in a mall,” says Sumedha Kandpal of Caravan. 

The store is bright and airy,  with enough room for all the 30-odd craftforms they represent. In addition, a corner is dedicated to artisans, who come in from West Bengal, Rajasthan, Andhra and beyond to showcase their skills. “Last week, we had two Jamdani weavers who used the handloom we have installed, to weave a sari,” reveals Sumedha. The focus continues to be on handloom muslin, Mangalgiri and other cotton textiles, with a touch of opulence from zardosi work on tunics, kurtas and tops. Their jewellery section is particularly fascinating with crafts such as thewa (a Rajasthani technique of gold leaf-embossing on clear glass invented by Nathu Lal Sonewal in 1707), bidri (silver inlay work from Karnataka) and filigree (from Cuttack and Karimnagar). 

Rs.1,200 upwards. At Cunningham Road. Details: 8884420019