The Armoire is a carefully curated luxe pop up shop which made its debut in Chennai in October 2015. It has since carved its name in the growing fashion landscape of the city as one of Chennai’s most anticipated events. Since its inception with only a handful of designers, The Armoire is now set to showcase a hand-picked selection of 45+ premium designers and labels from across the country at its eleventh instalment ‘The Celebration Edit’ on 12th September 2019 at Hyatt Regency, Chennai.
With each passing edition, The Armoire aims to introduce new designers and concepts across women’s apparel, accessories and lifestyle products. In keeping with the flavour of the season, The Armoire returns with its festive edition where one can look forward to a collection of eclectic Indian, fusion and western ensembles and accessories curated keeping the upcoming festive season in mind.
One of The Armoire’s strongest suits is its curation. The pop up shop is carefully curated to offer only the choicest fashion from brands one can trust, keeping seasonal trends, quality and pricing as its three main criteria. Care is also taken to ensure diversity and to avoid repetition of similar designers and products, thus offering a more refined and seamless shopping experience.
Another USP of The Armoire is its ability to cater to the ‘affordable luxury’ segment i.e. designer clothing without the hefty price tag. Chennai-ites now have access to fashion which does not compromise on quality or design, while still remaining easy on the pocket – a concept that is normally considered as mutually exclusive. Prices start at 2,000 upwards for accessories and 5,000 – 30,000 for clothing, to ensure that quality fashion is made accessible to women from all walks of life.
The line-up features well known designers such as Kavita Bhartia, I Am Design, Malasa and Kora by Anjali Kalia, while also giving a platform to upcoming designers from across the country to showcase their label alongside more recognised brands. A variety of styles are available for sale keeping in mind different aesthetics, age groups and occasions. From trendy indo-westerns to traditional outfits, from everyday essentials to destination wedding wear, The Armoire has something for everyone. Whether one is shopping for festivals, weddings, vacations or just looking to update their everyday wardrobe, one can be spoiled for choice at the pop up.
It should be noted that while it is the festive season, there are also plenty of designers who offer options that can be worn year round, such as Chennai based Kaveri, Ahmedabad based Purvi Kabra and Mumbai based Linen & Linens who are showcasing their latest line of cool cottons and linens which can be worn throughout the year owing to Chennai’s climate.
Lastly, through its participating labels, The Armoire also supports the revival of Indian crafts, weaving and dying techniques, embroideries and indigenous fabrics, which is extremely pertinent in today’s day and age of fast fashion. Many of the show’s participating designers are committed to supporting local crafts, artisans and sustainable manufacturing practices.
The Armoire is curated by founder Nandini Varshnei. After completing her degree in entrepreneurship at University College London (UCL) and a three year stint with a multinational bank, Nandini decided to follow her passion of putting together eclectic ensembles via carefully curated pop up shops. She asserts that The Armoire is very different from conventional exhibitions as it is personally curated, on trend, and offers customers a more refined shopping experience.
