When Handmade Craft Enters a Mall

A new retail space in Delhi makes a bold bet: can design-led crafts become aspirational luxury and attract shoppers?

- Pooja Singh

Nelson Mandela Marg in Delhi is a go-to shopping destination in the city, drawing crowds from the neighboring states of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, and even further afield like Maharashtra and Gujarat. Three interconnected malls cater to all kinds of shopping desires, demands, and budgets. You can buy a Gucci belt or a Rahul Mishra gown at DLF Emporio, browse through the latest fashion and beauty trends at Zara and Sephora in Promenade, and purchase groceries at Ambience's Big Bazaar. Two weeks ago, the neighborhood welcomed a fourth mall, Kunj, conceived by the Union ministry of textiles.