One of South Bangalore’s favourite addresses for handloom and handcrafted apparel, accessories, and roomy quilts, Desi represents all things eco-friendly and indigenous. Desi Shop started by Prasanna, founder of Charaka, one of the pioneers of modern Kannada theatre, the store is dedicated to handloom clothing and accessories made by artisans (mostly women) in Bheemanakone, near Shimoga. Desi’s regular clientele includes theatre folk and culture vultures in the city. Set like a cosy home, the main hall stocks menswear: shirts, kurtas, and waistcoats, all in basic, natural-dyed colours (indigo, green and brown).
Check out the store’s stock of patchwork quilts, quilted cloth bags in styles such as the sling bags, pouches, and travel bags. An inner room houses apparel for women dominated by cotton kurtas — Chinese-collared long kurtas, block-printed ones, kasuti-embroidered kurtas, and shorter tops. Stock up on salwar bottoms, dupattas and yards of Kalamkari fabric here. Their collection of handloom sarees made with vegetable-based dyes will tempt you to buy plenty. They also have a range of kids wear, which includes pretty dresses, shirts, and coats. They start at INR 350 and upwards.
If you are looking for decor and stationery, you could get notebooks, photo frames, and photo albums made of cardboard, and pen stands and file folders made of banana fiber. Spot handmade jewellery boxes, carpets with Kalamkari print, wall decor and terracotta pots. Breakfast mixes, as well as soaps and bottles of coconut oil, find a place on their shelves too. They are operational currently but do take safety measures before venturing out. Their-ecommerce website is under construction and will be launched shortly. You will find the link to this in their Instagram bio.