A Fashion Tour Of Bangalore If there's one thing there's no dearth of in beautiful Bangalore, it's fashion in all it's Avatars. today,Bangalore has it all. And that's meant to be a sweeping statement - encompassing everything from clothes, lingerie, footwear to leather goods. Bangalore sometimes feels like one large department store, with something for everyone.
Even the India Survival Kit, lists Bangalore as a fashion city. It warns visitors to dress well, at the risk of being snubbed by Bangalore's beau mode.
Gone are the days when a holiday to Bombay, Delhi or Calcutta was a thinly disguised attempt to pend endless hours shopping. One merely has to spend a few moments at Bangalore airport to see this virtual reversal of the "shopping craze" as departing visitors return to their homes laden with shopping bags from the Big Kids Kelp, Shoppers Stop, Littlewoods to name a few.
Yes, Bangalore's Brigade Road and Commercial Street have long been a shoppers paradise. Less than two hundred shops cater to the diverse needs of shoppers. That few shoppers return disappointed is testimony to the "complete shopping experience" Bangalore has to offer.
Speaking of the complete shopping experience, Bombay's Shopper's Stop has been the focal point for both locals and visitors. Bigger and better than Bombay's original Shopper's Stop, Bangalore's version has the luxury of floor space and parking - making it a singular experience summed up by the slogan "feel the experience".
Close on the heels of this mega store is the Big Kids Kelp - the world's biggest store. The Big Kids Kemp will soon move to their own premises - Kemp Fort - a wonderland built around a castle - Disney style.
Bangalore's definitive designer store Folio caters to upscale professionals. All major designers of the country are represented here - from Rohit Bal to Mona Pali, from Anu Mafatlal to Gitanjali Kashyap, to local designers like Jason Cheriyan, Manoviraj Khosla, Sujit Mukherjee to name a few.
You also have exclusive boutiques like Leena Singh's Options, Nagina Fazal's womenswear store Pretty Woman, Sunil and Lavina's Ranee's etc. For the trendy shoppers, stores like Saci's, Weekender and Warehouse offer unlimited options.
Then of course, there are all the international names in haute couture and casual wear - Benetton, Mexx, Pierre Cardin, Levi's, Lee, Wrangler's. And on a more formal note Louis Phillipe, Allen Solly and Van Heusen recreate the elegance of a European store.
The silk markets are as vibrant a fashion store as the made-up sector and buyers flock into town to access the fabulous variety of silk yardage for furnishing and fashion here. Silk retailers like Deepam command a nationwide audience for their store as does Vijaylakshmi, both neighbors on MG Road. The Pathi silk group are also a major presence on the Indian sari market, with their branded products available throughout India.
Admittedly, Bangalore has no Harrods, Saks, Marks & Spencers still the magic of shopping at Bangalore is no less. After all, what you can't get in one store is available across a delightful city.... that the world is beating a path to.
