A graduate from NID (National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad) and L’École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, Rouka’s founder Sreejith Jeevan works intently with native handloom weavers from Chendamangalam, who he rallied to help throughout the 2008 floods. His designs reimagine the standard kasavu with colored applique and Kerala-inspired embroidery particulars and motifs corresponding to elephants or snake boats, so that purchasing a dhoti or sari from Rouka virtually looks like carrying a bit of Kerala with you. The label, which runs out of his retailer on Durbar Hall Road, additionally affords ready-to-wear choices like shirts, anti-fit tops, attire and extra. In 2017, he created an all-black kasavu, an experimental tackle the basic garment.
Where: Durbar Hall Road, Opposite Rama Varma Club, Ernakulam
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BAKR
BAKRBAKR
BAKRBAKR
BAKR’s breezy and breathable separates are perfect for Fort Kochi’s unsparing solar. The label operates out of designer Mohammed Hizqeel’s house in considered one of Fort Kochi’s bylanes, the place an ethereal balcony and part of his workspace make up the shop. Hizqeel’s creations use natural cotton to create free, comfortable silhouettes. Designs are hand-printed or hand-painted and dyes are naturally derived. Kalamkari- and ajrakh-style portray and printing is used on anti-fit T-shirts, sweatshirts, stoles and handspun denis.
Where: Kunnumpuram street, Fort Kochi
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Crafters
CraftersCrafters
CraftersCrafters
Given Fort Kochi’s vibrant and deep historical past, its antiques maintain particular attract for informal consumers and seasoned collectors, and each are seemingly to discover one thing to cherish at Crafters. The flagship retailer, previously a warehouse in Jew Town, is full of items so beautiful that one worries about knocking one thing over whereas navigating it. Brothers Sunny and Johny Malayil, hailing from a household of spice merchants in Alapuzha, established the shop in 1989. The Malayils usually travelled throughout the state and the nation, visiting previous estates, havelis, Chettiar mansions and the like. Crafters assembles their haul in an enviable array of uncommon artifacts, from architectural salvage items and classic jewelry to heritage furnishings. Prized choices embrace Kerala’s ubiquitous hanging lamps and ground lamps (nilavilakkus), the round uruli or varpu, crafted from bronze or bell metallic. One of the most important urulis in the shop weighs 51kg with a 36-inch diameter. Additional finds embrace Thanjavur panchaloha idols, picket jewelry bins, ceramics, Nagaland cane baskets, Chinese jars and cast-iron furnishings.
Where: Jew Town, Fort Kochi
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Pepper House
A must-see on anybody’s Fort Kochi journey checklist, this Sixteenth-century historic Dutch spice warehouse turned fashionable artwork area on Kalvathy Road is the place town’s vacationers, artistic sorts and hipsters mingle. With a big courtyard in the center, the japanese facet of Pepper House opens up to the Vembanad Lake the place the Periyar River meets the Arabian Sea. A gradual stream of holiday makers come right here for its in-house café after which hold round to discover its artwork gallery and lifestyle shop, which rotates collections from well-known indie trend labels corresponding to No Nasties, Anushe Pirani, Cord and extra. They would possibly share area with lesser recognized homegrown creations corresponding to House of Urumi by designer Anjali Ashok, which does linenwear bearing conventional Kerala motifs, Malai Eco or Harsha Ambady, who sculpts geometric designs from iron and brass alloys. The retailer additionally has a house décor part the place one can shop for sculptures, lighting fixtures and handwoven objects, amongst different issues.
Where: Kalvathy Road, close to Hotel Seagull, Fort Kochi
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Byhand
Byhand is a cross between a boutique retailer and a giant retailer. The house owners have tastefully made use of a giant area close to Oberon Mall, on the NH Bypass, by stacking wares on open cabinets and on material poles. Founded by entrepreneur Rajendra Prasad in 2017, Byhand blends conventional Indian textiles with up to date design, providing quite a lot of ladies’s put on, menswear and kidswear. The collections characteristic crafts like ajrakh, kalamkari, conventional Kerala kaithiri (set mundu), chanderi, batik and extra. Byhand additionally affords footwear and kolhapuris in enjoyable, conventional design; and distinctive house decor items like intricately painted lampshades and different knick-knacks like tiny jars and extra.
Where: NH Bypass, Palarivattom, close to Oberon Mall, Ernakulam
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Ethnic Passage
Ethnic Passage is an attention-grabbing area to be in, should you haven’t made up your thoughts as to what to purchase from Kochi. It is a café, artwork gallery, a guide retailer, an vintage and garment retailer. Situated in a 360-year-old Dutch constructing close to the Paradesi Synagogue, the constructing is owned by Rockey Neroth, an antiques supplier. The retailer is actually a passage via the constructing that was initially constructed by a German architect, Karl Damschen, who renovated the constructing in 2008. There are rooms on both facet of the passage that leads immediately into the synagogue. Each of the rooms serves a special objective– guide retailer, garment retailer, and so on. The gadgets on the market have fun the native crafts, artworks, textiles and historical past of the area. One may choose up significant souvenirs from right here, as the shop affords gadgets made out of coir, accents and equipment with picket carving particulars, conventional textiles just like the set mundu, Kathakali masks and mural work.
Where: Opposite Paradesi Synagogue, Jew Town, Mattancherry, Fort Kochi
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