There has been an avalanche of offline stores recently — it started with Masaba Gupta, with Sonam Kapoor launching her bridal wear in Mehrauli, Delhi. Then it was Punit Balana in the same space, Dhan Mill, of course, is ripe — AK OK in the offing, with a massive store among others. This year has seen an exponential growth in offline retail. Tarun Tahiliani launched his magnum opus for OTT, his pret label in Gurugram.

Gaurav Jai Gupta, who has taken a 2,000 sq.ft. space in Ballard Estate, Mumbai, believes that his focus is mainly textiles, which is a very tactile ingredient not everyone buys online. “The kind of product we do has a personal touch; people prefer a store – better engagement for the brand, continuation is more. Online, there is frankly no communication. The price points are important, and different, but I believe we have a long way to go for online growth,” says Gupta.

He adds, e-buying is only 15-20% of his clientele, those who know the brand offline, and are coming – aware of what they want. Online may have low price points or deals that a new buyer may find lucrative. “There is a lot more trust when you buy offline. You have seen the product and understood the quality. Offline is mostly impulsive buying; it works for a standardized product like saris,” he adds.

The store has end-to-end products – couture is made to order, he does take orders, but after personalized sessions; you can buy his ‘Moonrise’, ‘Blue’, and capsule lines targeted at a Mumbai customer, or try the chemical-free, handspun range, which is a bestseller.

Mumbai is more contemporary – a mature market, where western wear works. Delhi has more understanding of textiles; the vibe is different, Gupta says.

Rina Singh’s new store in Kala Ghoda, Mumbai, has an interesting rack called ‘clothes for poets’. What is worth a look are the handmade terracotta tiles, vintage furniture from Jodhpur. Being a Rajput, this was inevitable — paying homage to one’s roots. As her forte is textiles – hand block print, Jamdani, Sozni embroidery, and quilting, she wanted a place to showcase these crafts. “Brick and mortar are always a special idea. I could not have imagined not having a physical space. I should have opened five years ago, when COVID hampered my plans,” says Singh.

Online is an additional aspect — the consumer believes in the universe of the brand, not just clothes, she says, as textiles-led brands indulge in excessive R&D on even the basic weave. “Cottons you touch and feel; you can’t judge the counts online. It’s the same with the fall, or how block printing is different from what you see elsewhere. I think these details can’t be captured online,” she adds. Online, on the other hand, is more for marketing, visibility, and branding as sales depend on reliability, and relatability, which can only come from a physical space, as you then know the aesthetic of the brand.

Online’s not expensive. “The reachability is across the world. But you can’t see the intricacies of textile, as we are still an experimental label, not conventional Indian wear, thus a brick and mortar are essential. We can carry forward this convenience online in the future,” adds Singh.

House of Masaba launched its store in Mehrauli; bridal and fine jewellery with Amrapali Jewels (18-carat gold and detailed gemstones), in a 6,000 sq.ft. space. Masaba calls it “meditative, allowing brides to make thoughtful, stress-free decisions”, then she waxed eloquent on how her mom Neena Gupta grew up in Old Delhi, and it being the epicentre of wedding wear, mostly executed in crepes, and silks.

What happens when two NID, Ahmedabad graduates decide to pay homage to textiles. Studio Medium (Dhan Mill compound) takes shape. Dhruv Satija, media and film, his co-founder Riddhi Jain, textiles wanted to explore various mediums — art, food without losing an eye on crafts. Whether it was creating furniture for the store, or animation, installation to apparel, handwoven was the mainstay. They pushed the boundaries of surface techniques — Shibori to Bandhini. Their showstopper is Japanese Arashi hand-dyeing technique, the effect – diagonal stripes like storm-driven rain. They work extensively with craft clusters in Phulia, to Jamdani – mostly West Bengal – to offer ageless clothing, free sizes, best-sellers are ‘shape shifter’ series, though they began by selling just saris in 2017, as well as home products, but soon diversified.

“Our label was launched during COVID. Social media presence and a website was integral to survive, but a store offers a holistic presence, clothes must be seen – upclose and personal. You can explain the laborious processes easily, whether it is the tools we have displayed or the texture. When you feel it, you discover why it is so special,” says Dhruv. Online is different, impersonal, you read and connect the dots, but when you enter Studio Medium, you can spot the hand-dyed display. Also, the vessels used in it like the ‘patila’, half blackened (to dye naturally) to pay reverence to the origin of everything is placed in the centre.

Designer Siddharth Bansal, who opened his store at Dhan Mill believes it is always better to have your own store to express yourself. Multi designer stores have inadequate VM, you just get a rack; one can’t control the display, which is crucial for any designer. For Bansal it is an experiential store. The window display has a five feet wheel rotating behind mannequins. One can see lots of people taking pictures, as it almost looks like a halo behind. For good vibes there is the ‘Kamadhenu’ standing (wish granting cow, a muse he used since starting his brand).

The logo handles, Hamsa hand, another personal symbol reminding him of growing up in Old Delhi haveli, recreated colourfully. He designed his own wallpapers. The trial rooms have a heart that lights up using sensors when you walk in. Loveseat sofas are paisley shaped. Everything is customised reflecting the ideology of the label, started eight years ago. “I wanted a piece of Old Delhi, so the 12-ft pillars are carved by artisans who have been making this for 200 years. In Old Delhi, architecture is on pillars or beams. We wanted joy, so red seemed perfect, not traditional wooden planks. We deal in luxe products, so a store is imperative. Online is for affordable things, for those who have enough disposable income; they can return or just keep it. Or for those who are not able to go physically and buy, it is easy access online, smooth returns, plus customer care support. But a luxe shopper will try and buy — as she is adding another valuable piece of clothing to her closet, she must be 100% sure she wants it,” he adds.

That’s why the city of Shahjahanabad, where his forefathers grew up, mirroring the culture and history, fascinated him. Bansal gives South Delhi a piece of his childhood! “Sadly, old havelis have been turned into warehouses. Now everything here is commercial for it’s become a tourist destination,” he concludes. – Asmita is the Lifestyle Editor of NRI Focus. She is an award winning journalist who has been writing on fashion for the last 32 years