You know just which stretch we're talking about — that seemingly never-ending line of fancy-shmancy clothing labels, peppered with premium jewellery brands thrown into the mix. Driving past that particular part of SV Road in Santacruz makes it very clear to us that you've got go here when the occasion's big (a wedding? An engagement? A big family reunion?) and calls for you and your family to look their bougie best. Below is everything you need to know about these stores. Read on!
Shaadi Shoppers! Here's The Why And Where For Ethnic Wear At Santacruz SV Road
Prima Czar
At the time of our visit, this particular outlet of Prima Czar was offering discounts to the tune of 50% to 70% on older ranges, and we rushed right in to investigate. So this brand offers formal, ceremonial, and bespoke clothing, exclusively for men. It's been around since 2012, and is pretty much a fundamental fixture in this line of stores. Get great belts, lovely ties and cool cufflinks from here, if you've already sorted out the rest of your outfit. Everything here is made to measure, and you'll love their range of fabrics.
Timings: 11 AM to 9 PM
Best known for: Men's formal clothing
Saawree
This one's great for women's ensembles that are for OTT occasions. They've got dress materials, ready-made lehengas, skirt and top combos, and saaris too! The range starts at INR 1,500, and we adored the huge range of embroidered fabrics with gota work on them. This one's a fundamental stop if you're looking for something that's opulent and stylish. Best part is they're ready to customise outifts too! Just visit at least two weeks in advance.
Timings: 10:30 AM to 8:30 PM
Best know for: Customisable ethnic wear
Manyavar
Ah, Manyavar. It's tough for us to get over those adorable ads, but we'll try (until the next one comes out, anyway). Manyavar's got a wide, wide range for men, women and kids. The range for men's sherwanis starts at INR 9,999 and it's not sober, in fact, the whole range is as regal as can be. There's also lovely brooches and neckpieces for men who'd love some (traditional) accessorising. The women's range starts at INR 9,999 as well, and follows the same regal theme. The kid's range is restricted to boys, but we're sure a lovely range for little girls is underway. All in all, this one's unmissable. But you already know that!
Timings: 11 AM to 9.30 PM
Best known for: Achkans
Telarica
Jinaam's Telarica is another men's wear store with a huge range of ethnic and formal wear for men. The range for formals starts at INR 800, and the range for ethnicwear starts at INR 2,000. Head here for wearable outfits that might work for you if you prefer keeping things super simple, and fairly pocket-friendly.
Timings: 10 AM to 8 PM
Best known for: Ethnicwear for men
Sama's
One of the few smaller designer boutiques in this stretch, this one's been around for nearly 15 years! We visited on a Tuesday, but it was full of excited shoppers. This store is retail-only, so if you need something quickly, this is the place to go. The range starts at INR 2,500, and goes up to INR 15,000. They've got mostly dressy kurtis and gowns.
Timings: 11 PM to 9 PM
Best known for: Kurtas and kurta sets
Kora
Kora's a bit of a legendary outlet in this area. Kora offers a mix of traditional and haute couture ensembles, and is a store that'll have you falling for many, many outfits. Kora offers ready-made pieces and bespoke tailoring as well, and we think going here is a rite of passage if you're a groom-to-be. We loved the range of bandhgalas, sherwanis and suits. The range starts at INR 10,000, and it's super premium.
Timings: 10AM to 8.30 PM
Best known for: Men's wedding clothes
Dressline
Dressline, too, is a chain, but the Santacruz outlet is definitely worth an exclusive visit. The range starts at INR 2,000 approx, and we're sure you'll love the clean, simple and breathable designs. While there is dressier stuff, it's still fairly minimalistic, and is lighter on the pocket. This one's a great bet for smaller occasions.
Timings: 10.30 AM to 8.30 PM
Best known for: Lighter wedding functions, daily clothes
Kalki
Kalki's a big name, and we're sure it needs no introduction! At the time of our visit, there were massive discounts, and we're told there's discounts nearly all-year round! The range starts at INR 10,000 for lehengas, INR 5,000 for anarkali suits, and the gowns start at INR 10,000. It's a win-win, because it's a big brand, and the prices are so reasonable. And if you're not in it for reasonable pieces, there's pricier ones too — we saw an opulent lehenga that cost around INR 60,000.
Timings: 11 AM to 8.30 PM
Best known for: Anarkali suits
Panihari
We know, shopping for readymades isn't ideal for the bride-to-be, so Panihari is a great bet for the bride who wants things exactly her way. The range starts at INR 5,000 for dresses, and for saaris, the range starts at INR 1,000 for and can go up to INR 5,000. This is another store you're definitely not gonna miss... It's expansive! This one's only for the ladies.
Timings: 10 AM to 9 PM
Best known for: Ethnic dresses
Basuree
Basuree's got apparel for men and women both. The range for men's salwar suits will cost the discerning groom INR 10,000 and up. The range of grand lehengas will cost you around the same, but obviously it can go up way higher. The range of saaris will start around INR 4,000.
Timings: 9 AM to 8 PM
Best known for: Salwar suits
Raas
And here's another one that's foolproof for an OTT bridal lehenga. And the OTT bridal saari. Raas is one of the more popular places .The range for bridal lehengas starts at INR 7,000, and the range for saaris starts at INR 3,000. There's also the option of having your outfit designed, if you need something super personalised!
Timings: 10 AM to 8 PM
Best known for: Bridal lehengas