This Japanese-Inspired Store Sells Hand-Stitched Stationery, Custom Clothing & The Rarest Of Books

Gorgeous clothes ethically made, curated books swinging between Parisian cookbooks and feminist literature, and hand-stitched stationery itching to be scratched by a pen. Find these at Obataimu, one of Kala Ghoda’s first and finest gems.

Obataimu, the word when put through a translator means ‘overtime’ in Japanese. The choice between intepreting it as ‘overtime’ or nudging a small space between the two words to make it ‘over time’, is what defines this conscious Mumbai brand.

Slow and relaxed, giving each action, each purchase, each product a deliberate thought is what the founders of Obataimu believe in. That is why each of the clothing items in the store are there for representational purposes only. You must have the patience and intention to wait for it to be made just for you by their in-house tailors and manufacturers for seven days or more.

Thought is what we’ll highlight as the USP here. From the flooring which was once the base of a Mumbai bus, to roofs taken from air-conditioning vents, plant holders created out of sustainable fabrics and stationery which is hand-stitched, we were taken in by this little store with an even bigger workshop behind it where they have hired tailors, work force all of whom are paid good wages, and have a steady income.

If there’s any way a store can give us the bees knees, it is by adding a rad, thought-out collection of books. Along with the apparel for women and men, Obataimu has a wonderful collection of tomes that are not on your regular top hits. Spotted: handmade German zines, a cookbook entirely resting on porridge, short stories by Indie publishers, and even a fascinating book titled ‘Nobody Is Supposed To Know: Black Sexuality On The Down Low’. In other words, expect to find the unexpected here with handwritten summaries slipped between the covers.

Although the clothes are a splurge {starting at INR 3,750 for a plain shirt}, that’s because sustainability does not come cheap. Visit them for a deeper understanding of the store’s core values, or just a rather gorgeous fitting shirt – your pick.