“This is just 2% of what I own,” says Sanjay Garg about the curiosities that fill up his brand Raw Mango’s new store in Chennai. Victorian-era busts, palm-sized ceramic dolls, flea market acquired objects, fill up the Art Deco building that was once a home and consequently a restaurant, in the Cenotaph Road region of Chennai. Touted as the largest Raw Mango store yet, the 5,600 sq.ft. two storey home-turned-store opened its doors this weekend with the stylish set of Chennai present. Made in collaboration with architect and visual creative director Adityaan Melekalam, the space finds new energy with Raw Mango’s iteration of it as a museum-meets-clothing-store.
At the launch of the store in Chennai this weekend, Vogue India had a glimpse into the antiquarian world of Raw Mango and Sanjay Garg. Every corner and corridor turns into a spot for something with a story to tell. From objects and curios to textiles and fabrics, the new address in the coastal town of Tamil Nadu’s Chennai is a cultural and craft hotspot.
On entering the space, large foliage skirts the store’s pristine white facade, a former Art Deco villa turned into the Raw Mango boutique. On Friday evening, the store opened its doors with a launch party—shehnai players and local instrumentalists serenaded people as they entered, fittingly adding the locale’s flavour to the new store address.
As with every Raw Mango store, the space speaks the loudest— ample floor space, large windows to let in the light, and clothes that cohabit corners and corridors seamlessly with silk Benarasi saris and hand woven jackets. This particular new pincode takes the Raw Mango ethos one step further, seemingly as a museum space housing all of Sanjay Garg’s collectibles through the years. For example, a Nehru bust stands at the entrance, walk in further and an apostle greets you in full-bearded glory. My personal favourite—a cherub in marigold ochre points you into the direction of the changing rooms, doubling up as a wall-hanging.
Interestingly, it’s a space that would look vastly different in the day than at night— it’s Art Deco geometric windows filling up the white space with unencumbered light. As Vogue India took a whirlwind visit to the coastal city of Chennai, Fashion Features Director, Akanksha Kamath sat down with the duo behind the space for a chat on what makes Malligai, No 2/15 Cenotaph 1st Lane, the best home for Raw Mango’s colourful craft and culture.
Akanksha Kamath (AK): Take me through the stories of some of the antiques and objects that are housed within the new store?
Sanjay Garg (SG): Like all Raw Mango stores, the Chennai store is also designed & built to be a gallery to showcase our collections and fascinations along with the products. The store houses many antiques and curiosities that I have collected over the years across India and the world. We have curated an eclectic mix of objects that seamlessly reside within the new store. As soon as you enter the space, you are greeted with the glazed ceramic bust of Sir Sri Rama Varma XV known as the Rajarshi of the Kingdom of Cochin sitting atop an antique Art-Deco wooden pedestal at the entrance, this is followed by the wooden statue of the Catholic Saint Roch, the patron saint of dogs, invalids and of falsely accused people dating to the 18th century that travelled to the South of India from Portuguese Goa. In yet another space, you will be met with the clay Golu dolls that are from in and around Tamil Nadu, a Burmese Ram Shaped Gullak (Piggy Bank) and the Farishta (Cherub), both mounted on the walls.
AK: Are there more where these came from? Tell me about your collecting journey? Have you been doing this for some time or is it a recent hobby? What are your go to places to pick up antiquities such as these?
SG: I have always been fascinated with collecting antique objects and textiles that resonate with me, they hold a very special place in my journey as a designer. Each one has a story to tell, more so, it is important to find your own value within things. These pieces are procured from private collectors, stores and even households.
AK: The Art Deco building that is now your store. We have to speak about this spot. How did you find it? What was the process? Why did you narrow down on this particular home for your clothes?
SG: While searching for a place that we could call home in Chennai, we found one that has a history to it and resonates with the brand.
The Raw Mango Chennai was created inspired by the histories and context of the building it resides in, yet at the same time, it is not too burdened by it. Hiding within its pockets are rich details inspired by various elements of traditional Tamil architecture, that elevate and transform the place in a subtle manner. The fact that the building was someone’s home with different styles of architecture and extending a sense of warmth, really caught my eye. The challenging part however was maintaining the integrity and character of the space and its original elements, and working around it, to lend a design aesthetic that matches all that Raw Mango stands for.
Adityan Melekalam (AM): We weren't looking for a certain kind of structure or style. Part of the excitement was not knowing what might come up. The building was once used as a residence and was built to reflect the needs and aspirations of a family probably. The Art Deco details in the building were not overbearing. It was a common-ised version of Deco that had just enough details to recognize the original inspirations but reduced to such an extent that it blended with its surroundings. We related to this version as these styles and movements are always layered.
There were parts and details of the original structure that were left as is but the idea was not to recreate the exact space it once was. We added details that while revealing the details of the building added a layer of elements that were more modernist.
AK: What’s next for Raw Mango? More India expansion or a focus on International / new product lines?
SG: We are looking at expanding within the country while scaling up our business to the international markets via our website.
AK: Why was Chennai an important spot for the brand to have a physical presence in?
SG: Chennai is one of my favourite cities, there is passion in the city in their language, flowers, culture, language everything. We knew this was the city our next store should be in. As a brand we look forward to seeing how Chennai receives us, through this unique space that we have built, and not just as ‘Raw Mango’ but for everything that we stand for as a design house. An interesting thing for us would be to see the younger women of Chennai embrace the brand, specifically our saris.
AM: I think Chennai complements Raw Mango’s philosophy and cultural outlook. Chennai has always been culturally active. I find it interesting that the cultural institutions and events have always enjoyed the patronage of connoisseurs and common folks alike. Arts, Crafts and Design are all imbued in the socio-cultural milieu.
Also read:
Take a page out of Sanjay Garg's black book while planning your Diwali party
How Sanjay Garg modernised Chanderi while supporting the weaving community
An expert's guide to collecting antiques that stand the test of time
