(From top) The garment corner at Darbari; the lifestyle section at the store; actor Arjun Chakraborty at the inauguration. Pictures by Rashbehari Das

Housing an array of saris, kurtis, suits and tops, Darbari at P-249A, Purna Das Road was pretty much an exclusive garment boutique. But from Monday, the store has a completely new section to boast of.

The lifestyle wing, based on a unique concept, was unveiled by actor Arjun Chakraborty on the store’s seventh anniversary. “The new section offers a direct retail outlet to various groups of artisans and craftsmen of Bengal, who otherwise have difficulty showcasing their works to urban customers,” explains Sudatta Chakraborty, a spokesperson for Darbari.

Art appeal

What makes the lifestyle section unique is the fact that the products are all made by various organisations dealing in different kinds of traditional craft.

For instance, there are cushion covers, mobile bags, tops, kurtis, evening purses and casual bags made by members of Self Help Handicrafts Society, an organisation comprising a group of 150 women.

Groups of Madhubani artists offer framed paintings and dokra artisans offer their large repertoire of contemporary home accessories such as lamps, bookends, hooks and soap dishes.

Silence, an organisation working with the hearing impaired, has a vast range of candles, distinctive in design. Howrah Pilot Project, a group of over 50 women and high-school children, are present with their collection of dupattas, hand-painted letterheads and much more.

Contemporary designs and affordability mark the collections of all the groups.

Apart from this new addition, the store is divided into two other sections housing exclusive lines of saris and ready-to-wear garments.

Says Sujata Dey, proprietor of Darbari: “Comfortable shopping is the keyword at Darbari. To ensure our shoppers can pick up what they want without having to waste much time, we have divided our store into three sections, with further sub-divisions.”

Sari section

The racks here house three categories of saris ? casual, semi-formal and formal.

The casual collection offers a wide range of cottons in block prints, gold and silver khari prints, applique work and Tangails with embroidery and zari borders. These are priced anywhere between Rs 300 and Rs 1,200.

The semi-formal section boasts exclusive brocades and tissues, sometimes a subtle combination of the two.

The other picks include vibrant crepes, georgettes and chiffons. The saris here are priced between Rs 1,200 and Rs 2,500.

Exclusivity is the word describing the formal section. Here one gets to choose from some fine hand-embroidered stuff, the forte of Darbari.

Embroidery forms like kantha, Kashmiri, Parsi and zardosi, to name a few, adorn the saris. The price point begins at Rs 4,000.

so on offer here are patchwork blouses that create a gorgeous effect when teamed with even the simplest sari.

Pret picks

Here again, there are three sub-sections to choose from. The casual section houses kurtis in various hues, skirts and tops that can be mixed and matched.

In ethnic wear there are embroidered kurtas, salwars and Patialas on offer. The collection of dupattas, starting at Rs 350, is the show-stealer in this section.

The semi-formal line boasts salwar suits in georgettes, blended crepes and chiffons in vibrant colours. The highlight of the kameezes are the innovative necklines.

The party line in semi-formals starts from Rs 1,350 and goes up to Rs 2,000.

Nothing beats the collection of formals in this section too, as one gets to choose salwar sets in pure georgettes, cotton tussars, raw silk with block prints, aari, chikan and sequin work.

Liberal use of semi-precious stones makes the garments suitable for occasion wear.

Men’s domain

The men’s section at Darbari is really tiny, but the stuff matches the women’s wear in exclusivity. Kurta-pyjama sets in striped textured fabrics come for Rs 525 and above.