All That Jazz

A record number of lifestyle exhibitions mushrooming around the city and the arrivals of wedding invitations every other day are signals that the wedding season is officially on. So,the launch of a designer store for women is indeed well timed. Though these days,the epicenter of all the action is the city’s largest mall,Elante,it’s a pleasant change to see Meenabazar’s first independent designer brand,Aliyana,open doors in the city’s oldest retail hub,Sector 17.

The first thing that strikes you as you enter Aliyana is the vibrant collections all around. Styled like a designer studio with contemporary overtones,the interiors are plush. The store has theme-based floors with the ground floor offering Indo-western collections; the mezzanine floor houses designer saris and suits such as Anarkalis and churidaar suits,while the first floor reserves space for a high-end couture variety including a heavy duty range of lehengas. “We have brought on board 50 young designers from Mumbai,Kolkata,Delhi,Jaipur and other cities,who are exclusively working for Aliyana,” says owner Rajnish Jain.

Besides the boutique,Aliyana showcases a range of matching accessories including handbags,shawls and stoles to complement one’s style. Floor-length gowns are another USP,but the dramatic styling will please a bride-to-be looking for jazzy ensembles.

The Aliyana range is also pocket friendly. The Indo-western collection starts at Rs 3,000 while you can get a variety of pre-stitched suits upward of Rs 5,000. For those not looking for ready made suits,the store also makes space for fabrics and we found them attractively priced,starting at Rs 1,500.

What truly wins Aliyana brownie points is the fact that there is a baby-care room as well for the convenience of young mothers visiting the store. Now that’s truly an out-of-the-box idea.