Furnishings For all

Plump cushions spread all over, coverlets flung back to reveal silk sheets and bed curtains tied back over a pile of pillows. It's all av...

Plump cushions spread all over, coverlets flung back to reveal silk sheets and bed curtains tied back over a pile of pillows. It8217;s all available at Sarita Handa, the spanking new store at Lajpat Nagar that offers an exclusive home line range.

The driving force behind it all is, you guessed it, Sarita Handa. 8220;My husband convinced me to take up a job with an export firmin the late 8217;70s,8221; she recalls, 8220;Before I knew it, this hobby had became a full time profession.8221; She learnt all about the trade, when she became a Sourcing Officer for Macy8217;s, New York in 8217;82 and began travelling all over South East Asia. Ten years later, having established herself in the field, she launched her own export line, Sarita Handa, along with her husband and two daughters Salina and Suparna. 8220;Though it was a success, I8217;ve always dreamed of opening a retail outlet in India,8221; she explains, walking around the classy Benares wedding collection, the ever-popular Rose display and the racks of cushions and pillows.

While Handa learnt on the job, Suparna has studied at the Fashion Institute of Technology in London. 8220;As a housewife, I8217;ve always been interested in homeware,8221; agrees this entrepreneur, 8220;Training is important only when coupled with job experience.8221; She8217;s now built up a team of young, self-motivated professionals, who 8220;just leave the dreaming to me.8221;

Local tastes are quite different from what she exports but the same wash-care8217; quality is ensured. 8220;In this dusty and hot climate, no one goes in for whites or silk.8221; Even the method of selling is different. 8220;Abroad, you can sell through catalogues, here customers want to touch and feel,8221; says Suparna, proud of the display at the store.

8220;More than our products we sell a lifestyle,8221; says Handa, mouthing the cliche proudly. 8220;People who can8217;t afford interior designers, get this service along with their purchases.8221; They want to aim at double income, yuppie8217; homes, though right now the clients belong to an older, more affluent bracket. 8220;In a way, we8217;re building awareness on accessorising ones beds, 8217; says Suparna. They now plan to expand to other metros too. 8220;I8217;ve not stopped dreaming, there are still plenty more to be fulfilled,8221; smiles Handa in conclusion.