Jayanti Reddy’s couture-clad world: Mouna Reddy redefines classic regality in this Mumbai flagship

The sheen of the zardozi embroidery subtly reflects the warm glow of daylight and breathes life into the greys of the interior surfaces and the browns of rustic wooden doors. As you enter this gigantic cavernous store of fashion designer Jayanti Reddy in Mumbai, it immediately draws you into the hypnotic world of Indian couture.

The sheer height of the interiors gently nudges you in its grandeur. The space concocted by architect Mouna Reddy presents itself as a universe of its own — with luxury retail and fashion at its heart. The signature hues of Jayanti Reddy, from royal purples and luscious pinks to vibrant yellows and striking ivories. The Jayanti Reddy flagship in the locale of Kala Ghoda is the designer’s third store in India, taking forward her couture-clad legacy.

 

Rooted in Hyderabad, the design house is poised to enchant Mumbai with its classic couture experience. The muted palette of this boutique meticulously maintains the charm of her Delhi and Hyderabad stores. Mouna recounts that the focal point in crafting each of the three stores was to shape an immersive journey, evoking a sense of revelation.

The ideology behind the Mumbai store and what sets it apart is the studio’s exploration of techniques and materials. The brass elements added to the store and their interplay with the reflective grey floors, the ashen walls and the warmth of the wooden rafters are a testament to this exploration of materials. The store’s design manifests a captivating interplay of materials. The glint of the brass elements reflects on the floor. A sense of balance is then created by the ashen walls and warm wooden rafters.

At the entrance, in parallel companionship with the gently dressed mannequin, stands a tall partition. Its intricately hand embroidered panels give you a glimpse of Jayanti and Mouna’s shared vision – material play, forming a beautiful artwork on its own. Its motifs make a subtle statement of their own, its fabric and brass frame then whisper with the unusual pink stone clad feature wall, the earthen vase and the wooden stairs. The cohesive tone set by this interplay of brass, stone and wooden elements creates a subtle colour palette — a delicate blend of warm brass, soft pink, gentle grey and earthy brown.

The pink stone clad wooden windows welcome the natural light into the store. The couture then basks in its warmth, glowing through the tussle between the shapes, forms and sizes.

The vase adds an unrefined visual break from the soft colours of the space, preparing you for the vivid showcase ahead. Throughout your journey, you see a celebration of the old-world-charm of the space. The essence of the century-old space is accentuated by the fusion of minimalist contemporary and functional elements.

 

Looking back on the efforts put into rediscovering the buried marvels of the space, Mouna recollects the painstaking efforts taken in the manual removal of the decades of paint and polish that were layered on the wooden features. These classic elements—the wooden rafters, the wooden doors and the windows—are a rare sight in modern Mumbai spaces. They evoke a sense of nostalgia as they blend with the modern elements. The rafters add to the grandeur of the boutique, their larger-than-life presence is consistent with the longevity of the interior surfaces.

The space isn’t just a boutique; it’s an exploration experience. You are a traveller, exploring the past mystique of the space, marvelling at the beauty of hand-woven embroidery and the intriguing pink masonry, relishing the fabric and design bringing together the artistry of the historic cities of Varanasi and Hyderabad.

You are in a state of constant intrigue that starts with the hand embroidered panels as you enter, keeps you intrigued as you look up at the rafters, and ends with a curious eye for the couture. The consistency in the elements—the use of hand embroidered work carried forward by the hand embroidered frames on the walls—creates a visually restful setting.

 

The warm tones of the interiors, the gentle caress of the light and the traditional essence of the rugs bring you comfort. The decorative charm of the earthen vases and rustic bells resting on the table makes you reminisce about traditional craftsmanship (or ancestral artisanship). Your experience, like the designer’s decade long couture journey, is an exploration of materials and a celebration of India-Modern couture.

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