CHENNAI: Women walked out of Hotel Savera on Thursday bearing happy smiles. It was the 18th edition of Duchess Utsav — an annual two-day shopping festival. The first floor of the building was chock-a-block with around 80 stalls ranging from organic skincare, eateries, accessories, garments, bags and footwear. “We’ve featured brands from around the country.
Most of these are budding entrepreneurs who deserve a platform to showcase their collection. Organic and eco-friendly products tend to do better among the patrons. The list of brands was curated based on affordability and quality of products. Our team took four months to shortlist the brands,” said Nina Reddy, joint managing director of the hotel. She, along with her team members, was dressed in red saris. We found a mix of homegrown and outstation brands in the hall. One of the local stalls was Kanchi The Silk Street, which displayed Chennai-based designer Vandana Viswambharan’s Indowestern collection of saris with pants, kaftans, mirror- worked jackets, and chikankari kurtas. Her designs were inspired by comics. “We do custom made attire.
This collection is going well among the youngsters. More of such innovative designs will be brought in down in the line,” she said. Joya from Mumbai offered exquisite jewellery. The collection comprised rings, cuffs, earrings, neckpieces and bracelets. “We have pieces studded with Swarovski crystals and Jaipur gems. Akshay Kumar’s sister is a client of ours.
These patterns sell well among people from all the cities,” said Manju Banka, the owner. Nail enthusiasts thronged the nail art studio for mani-makeover. Many eateries offered sumptuous snacking options. JK Cheese N More stood out with its cheese, cold meat and exotic meat varieties. “Berries like blueberry, blackberry and raspberry sold well. People are aware of the exotic options available in the market and that’s a great step forward,” said Narayan, the owner.