SNOB
Showcasing: Our menswear continues to showcase a lot of lightweight linens with interesting interpretations on silhouette and prints. The most important aspect of our design language is style with timelessness. We want our customers to feel strong and powerful. You will find lots of interesting kurtas, shackets and shirts that come with this unique ability to be styled in so many ways.
What’s new is our womenswear that is giving women an unique option for them to wear at a work meeting, a get-together with friends, brunch, vacation or just over some wine celebrating quality, me time! The clothes are neo-casual with a lot of sophistication and ease. It’s clearly for an evolved woman who understands the importance of dressing right and, more importantly, the nuances of a good life.
The Weekend concept: The India Story is like a family and we love working with them. They are our favourite! We have grown with them, and the crew at TIS are all so professional. We love returning to Calcutta, especially when the city shows you so much love. Through The India Story — The Weekend, we hope to offer fun clothing that can be worn on vacations and holidays. It’s a great concept to address the needs for summer!
Summer classics: We believe in season-neutral clothing. These can be very much worn in summer, easily extended into winter, specially when the weather in a big part of India is moderate. In fact, we don’t really follow the traditional model of spring summer/autumn winter. We make clothes that are season agnostic. Our co-ord sets across menswear and womenswear are something to watch out for.
GOODNESS
Showcasing: A range of artisanal, small-batch food and beverages that are all probiotic rich, trans-fat and gluten free.
The Weekend concept: Intimate, curated events are always preferred! And, The India Story always tries to create new retail experiences that engage with customers on a more personal level.
Summer classics: Organic, refreshing, and made with fresh, unadulterated ingredients. Drinks like our Goodness kombucha are based on ancient wisdom and are a super delicious, low-calorie way to quench your thirst while also helping your gut!
PAPRIKA
Showcasing: We will be showcasing a fresh summer menu, which will be available at Paprika Kitchen as well. It’s healthy, light, and fresh for summers. We have Mushroom Puff, Lemon Tea Cake and sinful Chocolate Tarts for the indulgent shoppers.
The Weekend concept: This is a unique concept, which I am confident will be a success for the summer months, showcasing food and art together.
Summer classics: For me Bael Panna is a classic, it acts as a coolant for the stomach. As it’s the mango season, an Orange Mango Soda is the drink for me. Watermelon, cucumber mint and mango lemonade also are a must-try .
SAKSHI JHUNJHUNWALA
Showcasing: We are showcasing contemporary jewellery and belts perfect for your upcoming travel and destination weddings!
The Weekend concept: The Weekend by The India story is a great initiative. Now that everything is becoming normal and travel is blooming again, this pop-up is a one-stop solution to fulfil all your needs. It has a perfect blend of designers doing menswear, sustainable clothing, accessories, etc. I am sure people in Calcutta are looking forward to the event just like me.
Summer classics: I love wearing easy-breezy clothing to beat the heat. For me an oversized white shirt is a sure-shot winner with lots of layered chain necklaces and a stack of bracelets.
Butterfly Bath & Bubbles
Showcasing: We at Butterfly Bath & Bubbles are showcasing our range of clean, organic, and chemical-free bath products which include handmade soaps, body butters, lip balms and hair and body oils.
The Weekend concept: The summer exhibit is a great idea to showcase young and fresh home- grown brands and help create awareness in the community.
Summer classics: Summer is one of the seasons when your skin is most prone to sensitivities. Our summer classic is African Black Mousse loaded with skin-loving ingredients for supple and baby-soft skin.
CORD
Showcasing: We are getting an exclusive preview of our latest spring summer ’22 collection — Passerby. It is inspired by the traveller in us that sets us free every time we explore it.
The Weekend concept: We feel the concept is very fresh and the need of the hour, especially now that we are living in a post-Covid era.
Summer classics: Summer classics for us are easy-breezy silhouettes paired with prints that export us into a nostalgic world. It is functional, artistic, and fresh.
VIPUL SHAH
Showcasing: We are showcasing our new resort collection, perfect for your getaways as travel opens up this summer.
The Weekend concept: Resort collection is another opportunity to satisfy the globalised generation of consumers who travel all the time. Resort collection is important to buyers as they usually comprise the most “wearable” clothes, even from the most statement-y of brands and fashion houses.
Summer classics: For us it is essential that our summer collection is natural and lightweight. Cotton fabric is one of the most popular natural fabrics that are breathable and widely used and also durable. Summer colours are all about vibrant, rich and bold, taking inspiration from the sunshine, ocean and summer blooms.
Madhu Neotia in the middle
Our office is an industrial kind of a space. This was my husband’s (Harsh Neotia) first office.... This is something I have always wanted to do. This space was made for us to try a lot of things. I wanted to get the space moving and try things as and when we came across an idea. It also perks up the team and keeps the momentum going through the year and also helps being in touch with people who are part of The India Story.
We have started with fashion because we understand that better. We roped in Oiendrila Ray Kapur. She is doing such wonderful things and is so creative and talented and I felt it would be nice to bring in that young energy. We chose the theme of travel outfits because we felt that travel has now opened up and people now want to go back to dressing up. We wanted to do a young edit where travel becomes the focus
— Madhu Neotia, managing trustee, Neotia Arts Trust
It started with a call from Madhu’s team. They had this space which they wanted to use for different curated experiences. That kind of got me excited. If you walk into that space, it’s an old house and done up with a modern touch. It’s concrete and glass now and what I wanted to do was transform that place into this green oasis, something we hear about in Europe in summer. It’s almost like an enchantress who calls you in. There would be heaps of green and bunches of flowers, as if it has grown out of the meadows. Madhu is encouraging in the sense that she is open to a lot of new ideas. We are hanging all the things from the ceiling and we have this large tree kind of a structure and all the clothes will be hanging from the branches. It’s a nook of paradise
— Oiendrila Ray Kapur, who is doing up the space
What: Neotia Arts Trust presents The Weekend by The India Story, in association with t2
Where: 6/7 AJC Bose Road (Padatik Building)
When: April 22-23; 11am-7pm
Brands showing: Vipul Shah, Son of A Noble Snob, Butterfly Bath Bubbles, Naushad Ali, Sakshi Jhunjhunwala, Cord, Paprika, Goodness