For Condé Nast Traveller’s April-May issue, they gathered 50 local cool-hunters from around the world to suggest the best places to shop in their cities. Here are 14 great (and secret) places to shop in India:
1. Sanskriti Lifestyle, Pune.
"I always unearth exciting finds here – vintage furniture, striking artwork, jewellery boxes, Kutchi torans, and much more."
– Karishma Shahani Khan, founder and creative director, Ka-Sha Change by Design LLP
2. Rajasthan Fabrics & Arts, Jaipur.
"Located in the City Palace complex, this small shop sells an exquisite collection of vintage fabrics, jewellery, paintings and other antique treasures."
– Pippa Small, jewellery designer
3. Balaji Antiques, Bengaluru.
"It’s a treasure trove of original South Indian and colonial antiques."
– Sanchita Ajjampur, designer
4. Old City, Hyderabad.
"No visit to this historic place is complete without a trip to the Old City, with its bangle shops, pearl merchants, ittar walas and the iconic Charminar."
– Suhani Pittie, jewellery designer
5. Southex Books & Prints, New Delhi.
"I buy books from anywhere I can and read them in every form, but for a special present, I love to go to this vintage shop that has a great collection of old books and prints. The musty old store is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon and stumble upon real treasures. The last book I bought from there, The Artist, was a catalogue of Rabindranath Tagore’s paintings, written by his nephew, Abanindranath Tagore."
– Chiki Sarkar, publisher & founder, Juggernaut Books
6. The Qurio City Shop, Bengaluru.
"An antique shop run by Ramchandran, who also custom-makes products in recycled wood."
– Karthik Vaidyanathan, Founder, Varnam
7. Vimala Welfare Centre, Kochi.
"The centre teaches young women embroidery and sells the finished products."
– Sreejith Jeevan, Designer
8. Taherally’s, Chor Bazaar, Mumbai
"It specialises in vintage furniture, like rare mid-century pieces by Le Corbusier and Pierre Jennaeret."
– Ashiesh Shah, Architect
9. Nahoum and Sons, Kolkata.
"This Jewish bakery sells challah every Friday, as well as Kalimpong, Bandel and Guava cheese."
– Shaun Kenworthy, Chef
10. Vāyu, Delhi.
"Located in Bikaner House, this shop features unique objects, art and clothing from labels like Lacquer Embassy."
– Peter D’Ascoli, Luxury Fabric Designer
11. Munshi Ram Manak Chand Jain, Chandigarh
"Popular among the artist community, this shop sells canvases, charcoal and easels along with premium imported art supplies."
– Samar Singh Virdi, Photographer
12. Serendipity, Delhi.
"My favourite home and accessories store, it’s situated in a beautiful haveli."
– Naina Redhu, Photographer & Blogger
13. Cuero Handcrafted Luxury, Pune.
"Naman Shah makes beautiful handwoven shoes for both men and women; we have used their footwear for our ramp shows. I especially love the Three Tone brogues."
– Jayesh Sachdev, artist and co-founder, Quirk Box
14. The Shepherd Craft Project, Pahalgam, Kashmir
"The organisation sells embroidered bags and shawls made by the Gujjar and Bakarwal communities."
– Gulzar Hussain, Western Himalayan Ethnographer
