Pit Stop

Delhi-Based designer Niki Mahajan,dressed in a flowing green and grey gown and a gajra in her hair,was spotted welcoming guests through the candle-lit doorways. Once inside,the swish set was seen enjoying sushi and wine,while schmoozing away to the staccato clicks of the photographers. The event was the opening of Mahajan’s flagship store in Basant Lok,Vasant Vihar,and the mood was vibrant,fun and ethnic.

The two-storey 1,100 sq ft ivory and claret store is designed with symbols from religious texts. The architecture resembles a temple,with pillars and beams inspired from ancient temples in Kerala. The look is further enhanced with Sanskrit shlokas written on the walls. “I wanted the store to be a perfect setting for my latest collection. It is ethnic and has a lot of heavy craft work,including old-fashioned patchwork,embroidery and thread work,” said Mahajan,whose collection includes saris,anarkali suits and lehengas.

Socialite Ramola Bachchan,who announced that she was a “big fan of Niki’s collection” picked one of the saris on display and draped it over her skirt to the joy of the shutterbugs. Also in attendance were designers Anju Modi,Poonam Bhagat,Anupama Dayal,Jatin Kochhar and Bobby Grover,among others.

Prajakta Hebbar