In Anna Nagar, (2nd avenue, near Santosh) I found a wholesaler selling fabric from Chirala, AP. Huge but unassuming godown, loads of fabric from soft clothing material to curtain and upholstry material. Great range of Kalamkari and "daboos" fabric that is lovely for making the kind of clothes I wear. There are nice soft, chanderi and raw silk varieties too.
I find that for retail customers who walk in, the pricing is a bit arbitrary - I got the feeling that they just randomly quoted a number. Price ranges from 85 - 100 bucks per meter on an average, with expensive fabric retailing at Rs.120.
The range is great, the fabric quality is exceptional, and while I don't know if the price is a steal, buying 2.5 meters and having a kurti made will still work out to about 40% cheaper than buying at fabindia, which is the only readymade store where I've seen sensibly stitched kurtis in these fabrics.
I have a vague memory of Madarsha (Purasawakkam) having really cheap kalamkari fabric (I am talking about rs. 60 / meter), but not sure if it was the same fabric quality. Must walk into fabric stores in T Nagar too, and take a lookie.
There is also the good old pantheon road with its streetside fabric merchants, but again, must check t see how the quality compares.
Anyway, back to the wholesaler I found, a couple of my friends raided the place really well, while I remained true to my no-more-new-clothes mandate, didn't buy any. Bought some curtain material for MIL though, upon her request.
A propos the dress shopping embargo, the 40 kurta thing is still bugging me. I'm gonna give away at least 10. They are all well used, but still perfectly usable. Might as well give it now when someone can still use it. And if I pare my wardrobe down, later in the year I can eventually pick up some fabric for myself too, maybe ;-B
I find that for retail customers who walk in, the pricing is a bit arbitrary - I got the feeling that they just randomly quoted a number. Price ranges from 85 - 100 bucks per meter on an average, with expensive fabric retailing at Rs.120.
The range is great, the fabric quality is exceptional, and while I don't know if the price is a steal, buying 2.5 meters and having a kurti made will still work out to about 40% cheaper than buying at fabindia, which is the only readymade store where I've seen sensibly stitched kurtis in these fabrics.
I have a vague memory of Madarsha (Purasawakkam) having really cheap kalamkari fabric (I am talking about rs. 60 / meter), but not sure if it was the same fabric quality. Must walk into fabric stores in T Nagar too, and take a lookie.
There is also the good old pantheon road with its streetside fabric merchants, but again, must check t see how the quality compares.
Anyway, back to the wholesaler I found, a couple of my friends raided the place really well, while I remained true to my no-more-new-clothes mandate, didn't buy any. Bought some curtain material for MIL though, upon her request.
A propos the dress shopping embargo, the 40 kurta thing is still bugging me. I'm gonna give away at least 10. They are all well used, but still perfectly usable. Might as well give it now when someone can still use it. And if I pare my wardrobe down, later in the year I can eventually pick up some fabric for myself too, maybe ;-B
I am verrry prouddd of your determination... :D but it was definitely crazy trying to just look through their stuff... MAN..!!! And it is a gold mine for people like me who prefer to pick up the fabric and get it stitched.. Super find da...
ReplyDeletehey fabindia is reasonably priced in Madras and are absurdly high-priced in Delhi. now i understand why we have such differing opinions:)
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