A SPACE BEYOND THREADS

A WAY from road diversions, traffic snarls, and construction sites on Anna Salai, is a two-storey building, spread across 5,400 sq ft, in the serene Cenotaph Road.

- Sonu M Kothari

The property is surrounded by large, lush trees and has elegant white walls and bright lights. Believed to have been owned by a family in the 60s, as you step into this art-deco styled bungalow, it is an antiquarian wonderland you walk on sepia-tinted mosaic-patterned tiles, geometric details on the doors inspired by architect TH Robsjohn-Gibbings, and walls.

"The building was once used as a residence and was built to reflect the needs and aspirations of a family, probably," says Sanjay Garg, founder of the clothing brand Raw Mango.

"We were working with an untended property in Chennai's historic Cenotaph Road, and putting this particular store together was like a restoration project for the entire team." The brand's fifth and the city's first store, located in this six-room, four-common-space bungalow, is now known as 'Malligai'. The store was opened on June 17, 2022. Three years after its launch, the transformed space continues to celebrate the city's ethos. Beyond just being a fashion label, Raw Mango's store has integrated itself into Chennai's fabric, lending itself to become a space where arts and cultures meet.