Best of the suburban Mumbai fashion boutiques

1. Butter

"Our USP," explains Butter's owner Nitika Dheer, "is that we stock merchandise that ranges from as little as Rs 200 to Rs 6,000 and up. We cater to all ages, budgets, and tastes." And all this in a store that's barely bigger than a closet. Jammed with clothes from China, Turkey and India, Butter is a must-stop for anyone touring the Bandra shopping circuit. Not only do they stock popular local designers like Karen Fernandes for clothes, Honey Kasturi for jewelry, and Purnima Menon for bags, but they also do a great deal of customization. "Bring in a picture of the dress you want, and we'll have it made by one of our designers that’s best for the job," explains Dheer. They even build accessories and jewelry from scratch, and recently crafted a bracelet with customized charms for a Sweet Sixteen birthday.

Butter, Rembrandt, Pali Hill, Nargis Dutt Road, Bandra (W); tel. +91 (0) 22 2605 6554

2. Mela

The fashion nomad without borders has always been designer Dilip Mehra’s muse. It seems about right then, that the bohemian designs at Mela bear no signs of rigid cuts, trend dictates, or designer labels. Besides catering to "free-spirited" women, Mehra claims that his store is also "the best kept secret" for several big designers and Bollywood stylists, who source here regularly. Mela is an offshoot of Saya, a label Mehra started in L.A., where he also studied fashion design and merchandising at the American College of Applied Arts. His brocade Afghan pants and dresses crafted from silk saris stand out from the dime a dozen harem pants and baby doll dresses to be found in Bandra. Which is why Mehra and his team of three don’t feel the need to customize. "Our pieces are unique as it is. Every stitch has meaning, every design has soul. That’s about as customized as you can get," he says.

Mela, 2 Fiffin Apts, Ambedkar Road, Bandra (W); tel. +91 (0) 22 2649 7562

3. Taxxi & Vitamin K Store

When Taxxi met Vitamin K, there was instant chemistry. The brands were different enough to have their own identities (Taxxi’s wearable day-to-night dresses never clashed with Vitamin K’s statement accessories), yet similar enough to want to move in together. "And that’s our USP -- two separate but co-existing vibes in one retail space," say the owners. Formerly copywriters, Taxxi’s Aarti Nichlani and Prachi Rashmi go beyond their popular flower chappals and sheath dresses to customize and wardrobe consult. "Recently, an old client from Dubai called to say she wanted ten dresses and hung up the phone. She didn’t even ask to see design sketches or fabric swatches! Our customers have come to trust us blindly," says Rashmi. Karishma Shanbhag of Vitamin K too, stretches herself to meet client needs. "Requests for modified laptop bags with additional pockets for make-up, a crazy clutch bag with someone’s name written half in Hindi and half in English -- I enjoy adding customers’ quirky layers to my designs," says the JJ School of Art graduate. They took bespoke it to another level this January, hosting the Recycle Fashion Workshop to to transforms your old threads (including duppattas and saris even) into custom-made new clothes and bags. 

Taxxi & Vitamin K Store, 3 and 4 Kusum Kunj, next to Mango, Linking Road, Khar (W); tel. +91 (0) 22 6522 9200

4. Attic

In the labyrinthine lanes off Linking Road lies an Attic of fashionable things, a jumble really, surprising and extraordinary. "People see stuff here that they’ve never seen before -- pop-colored baaltis-turned-stools, hologram Sita postcards, quirkily-cut skirts," explains Tinka Bhatia, who runs the store with partners Rixi Bhatia, Amrita Deliwala and Shweta Deliwala. But it's not just these unique lifestyle products that bring shoppers back. Attic is growing increasingly popular for its dresses, which are primarily supplied by in-house labels Half Full and Him, Her and The Apple. "The reason is that our dresses are completely devoid of bling," explains Bhatia. "We focus on fabric, colors, patterns and cuts, and create easy-to-wear clothes." These designs can be customized to a large extent: "we'll change everything but the basic cut of the dress," she finishes. Attic, true to its moniker, always holds the possibility of a truly wonderful find.

Attic, Bir Sagar, 396/20, Flat #1, end of 17th Rd, Santacruz (W); tel. +91 (0) 22 3216 9292

5. White Peacock

All year Bandra’s plush White Peacock proudly struts its stylish stuff. Carefully picked by a woman not formally trained in design, but compensated by what can only be a natural eye for fashion. Owner Ekta Mohanani’s four-times-a-year sourcing trips to Europe, US and Asia yield an eclectic mix of clothes and accessories that can’t be pigeon-holed into any one category. From a pair of sequined Goa sandals to a burnt rose Diane von Furstenberg dress probably picked up at a sample sale, White Peacock’s hues are constantly changing. With sourced clothes, the customization extends to minor modifications. "But in the Indian and fusion wear department -- supplied by up and coming labels like Purple Paisley, Rakhi & Vandana and Label N -- you can get an outfit made from scratch," the store manager informs us.

White Peacock, shop No. 10, Link Corner Mall, corner of 33rd & 25th Road, Khar (W); tel. +91 (0) 22 6521 5752