Understated luxury is what defines everything Sanjay Garg creates. Be it his intricately woven sarees, thoughtfully done campaigns, or artistic fashion shows, Garg’s masterstrokes bring different aspects of design together. The founder of the much-loved Indianwear label Raw Mango has now opened a new store in New Delhi’s Lodhi Colony. A 25-foot arched doorway welcomes ardent saree aficionados, leading them down a cobblestone path to a beautiful, sprawling courtyard, which allows visitors to soak in Raw Mango’s earthy elements.
The store has been designed by Garg, Adityan Melekalam along with Loulou van Damme. Step in, and you find classic, wooden covered closets housing Garg’s exquisitely crafted sarees and lehengas. The space is sparse, with the focus on the products and the experience of what Raw Mango stands for. For example, Garg, an avid art collector, has displayed 30 of his most valued sculptures, including a marble sculpture of King Neptune, who presides the courtyard and is a symbol of strength. “At Raw Mango, we have always designed our spaces with respect and understanding of the local culture, heritage and history, from the exterior to the core of the building,” says Garg.
Lifestyle Asia sat down with him to understand the inspiration behind the store.
Raw Mango was being retailed out of your farmhouse thus far. Why did you decide to open a store now?
As we continue to grow, not only are we continuing to engage and innovate, but we also wanted to focus on retail expansion.
Can you elaborate upon the concept of the store?
The architecture and interiors are designed Raw Mango’s in-house design team, marking an important milestone of self-designed properties for the design house, lead by myself and Adityan Melekalam, along with Loulou van Damme. The essence and forms that constitute Raw Mango’s design philosophy have been designed with a respect and understanding of materials, placing an importance on the function of furniture, reflective of India’s diverse culture, heritage and history.
What’s new in the store which is not there at the Angoori Badi farmhouse facility?
Both Angoori Badi and the Lodhi Store are each unique and different in their own way – how they are designed and architecturally.
What will be the customer experience like?
The idea is to cater to something more than what meets the eyes – from the moment you step inside our stores you are enveloped in a visual experience that is rooted in culture, heritage, and history. Everything from our textiles, visual merchandising to the various cultural events we host in our spaces.
Can you decode the trends for SS ‘ 19?
We have chosen to explore textiles that do not come and go year after year but that could serve a purpose, either towards the silhouette or any ornamentation. Summers in India are extremely hot and dry, which is why I would recommend lightweight and airy/breathable fabric or textile – whether that is sooti (cotton), organza, or Chanderi.
Anupam Dabral
Sr. Associate Editor
It was while studying fashion journalism at London College of Fashion that Anupam developed a keen interest in the anthropological aspect of the discipline; for him, fashion only makes sense when seen in the context of its environment. He is always on the hunt for great stories, and in his spare time binge-watches films/shows starring Whoopi Goldberg, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders.
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