Sanjay Garg feels Calcutta is definitely not a dead city. “Well, people have said that about Bengaluru, too. They said that about the sari and handloom, too. Calcutta is anything but a dead city, according to me. Here you can sit with anyone and argue on anything, and you feel enriched and enlightened, actually, right?” he smiles. The rebel from Mubarikpur, a small village in Alwar district of Rajasthan, with a handloom and textile cause, who dislikes being called a fashion designer, is annoyed by the word "trend" and loves minimalism, has always nurtured a love for the city, its cotton saris and red bindi. “Bengalis have great aesthetics. I want to see that in the crowd. I want to see at least 15 per cent of women wearing cotton saris beautifully. Sometimes I miss that when I come to Calcutta. The red bindi... that whole romance of Calcutta that I have in my head. You fall in love with it. I am not saying every woman needs to wear a sari, but till I die, the sari will be my first love,” he had told us once.
t2 gets you exclusive glimpses of the Raw Mango store, opening in Calcutta today at Pankaj Mullick Sarani, Ballygunge Circular Road
This December, Sanjay has deepened that love with Calcutta with his first store in the city, located at Pankaj Mullick Sarani, which opens today. “I have been wanting to come to this city for a very long time. It was always a part of the plan. It was just about finding the right time. This is the second building I own. So after Lodhi (Colony Market), this is the building I bought. I’m part of your city now. Calcutta definitely has a lot of emotions. It’s kind of a mini India, a cultural capital,” he smiles.
What really makes this trip special is how seamlessly the journey with the store flows into his show at The India Story (TIS), a Neotia Arts Trust Initiative, in association with t2, on December 19 at Swabhumi, Raajkutir IHCL Seleqtions, his ramp comeback at the lifestyle extravaganza after he kicked it off a decade back. In between, he has showcased at The India Story Wedding Diaries.
“The show was my first chance to explore the city. I remember we presented it on a staircase. I was surprised by the city of Calcutta; the crowd seemed so different from anywhere else in the country. I was drawn to their curiosity about textiles, details, art, culture, and the way they weave all of this together in their daily lives. What I really admire about the people of Calcutta is their appetite for conversation, debate, their inquisitive tendencies, and how they stay open to changing their opinions,” says Sanjay.
Over the years, Sanjay has enjoyed “the myriad of expressions” at TIS. “Brands, designs, creativity and products exist in a tactile manner; this allows us to interact and learn through touch. They created an India inside Swabhumi,” he says.
What does he admire about the Neotia family, whose dreamscape is TIS, helmed by Madhu Neotia, managing trustee, Neotia Arts Trust? “I am an admirer of the family’s collective accomplishments. They have a great collection of art and textiles; gyan pravah just runs in their family. They are an example of how to utilise privilege in a wonderful way. With this spirit, their legacy continues,” says Sanjay.
Sanjay Garg
Expect the show to be a complete Raw Mango experience, the textile and narrative-driven brand that Sanjay started in 2008, known for its gorgeous drapes. “We’ve brought together a synergy of music, light moods, and, of course, innovative textiles. The context in which we are showing is also supremely important,” says Sanjay.
The India Story, a Neotia Arts Trust Initiative, in association with t2, is on from December 19 to December 21, at Swabhumi, Calcutta, Raajkutir IHCL Seleqtions, 11am onwards.