There is a distinct sense of antiquity as one walks in through the massive wooden door,more befitting a grand wada or haveli,into the design studio situated on Prabhat Road. Everything about Woven Mysteries,a new addition to the pret and Indian wear scene in Pune,exudes nostalgia. As we walked the modestly-sized store,we were pleasantly surprised by the array of colourful garments,accessories and jewellery neatly organised in rows. Opened a couple of months ago,the store is owned and run by mother-daughter duo Shobhana Datar and Sneha Datar-Limaye. Datar,who has been running the Woven Mysteries store in Nashik for over 20 years,recently opened one in Mumbai too. My mothers interest in clothes and fashion began when she started designing and stitching clothes for me when I was a little girl, says Datar-Limaye,a lawyer and trained Bharatanatyam dancer. It was only fitting that I join her, she adds. Datar-Limaye diversified into jewellery,home decor and other accessories after joining her mother. My mother travels across India to source directly from the weavers,thereby eliminating middlemen and ensuring that artisans are not exploited. She also works on a one-on-one basis with weavers to revive traditional designs and embroidery that are on their way to extinction. This personal rapport with the weavers and appreciation of their skills has translated into renewed enthusiasm to create new creations each day, says Datar-Limaye. One thing that caught our attention among the collection of saris and salwar-kameezes is that no two pieces are alike. This is because we experiment with weaves a lot, says Datar-Limaye. We liked a lovely fusion combination of a Kanjeevaram sari with a Banarasi border. We were also quite taken by the range of Banarasi saris in vivid yellows and oranges,quite unlike the traditional palette of the weave. Each item displayed at the 1,000 sq ft store has a story to tell,we are told. We particularly liked a contemporary sari (an in-house design) inspired from late 19th century Indian designs. The delicate zari on the cream and pale pink sari was a startling combination with the design on the pallu a breathtaking reproduction of a portrait by legendary artist Raja Ravi Varma. With the price of the saris ranging from Rs 8,000 to Rs 65,000,salwar-kameezes from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 and dupattas and stoles between Rs 2,000 and Rs 8,000,Datar-Limaye says the store saw a steady footfall during the festive season. It also has a modest yet eclectic collection of jewellery silver,polished with gold that comes for Rs 4,000 and above per piece.
