As alluring as amethyst

The ambience says it all at Amethyst, the new lifestyle shop in Chennai. PUSHPA CHARI takes a look at the beautiful creations and writes.

AMETHYST IS as much an experience as a shopping destination. It is situated in a restored British Raj house of the late 19th Century, through whose cool, large rooms one can literally waltz through, while looking at the exciting lifestyle items, beautifully chosen couture clothes and saris, and accessories and jewellery to match.

Imagine walking into a gracious Raj bungalow with collonaded portico, slatted windows, magnificent drawing room and living rooms fanning out on either side. And walls painted with the right shade of Raj, "off white - heavy cream", high ceilings with plunging fans and airy rooms strewn with early Edwardian furniture with their unique mix of solidity and elegance. Restored authentically, "Sundar Mahal" is the ancestral home of Kiran Velagapudi. Its gracious precincts now house Amethyst, Chennai's latest lifestyle boutique whose offerings of traditional, Indo-Western and contemporary products complement its ambience.

Amethyst, the brainchild of Vinita Vijayaraghavan and Kiran Velagapudi, offers to the Chennai-ite lifestyle products rooted in traditional craftsmanship yet with a contemporary face in concept and design. The eco-friendly Neemrana line, which makes up the bulk of household linen and furnishings, includes lovely hand-made quilts in airy chintz and floral designs with curtains to match. The Neemrana range also offers elegant bone China tea sets with an old-world flavour, smart cutlery sets and quaint decorated storage boxes, jars etc. A wide and eye-catching range of beautifully crafted and silver-coated EPNS items include elegant tea and coffee sets, cutlery, plates, mugs and coasters. The home furnishing and linen collection also has lightweight quilts from Saurashtra, minimally embroidered cushion covers, block-printed bedspreads, sheer chikan work table cloths etc. Very unusual candles crafted by Dimple Kapadia and Natasha add charm to the interiors.

Amethyst's couture line has understated elegance as its motto. Cool block printed Maheshwari and Chanderi saris, minimally embroidered salwar kurta sets in black, white as well as cool and sherbati colours entice the viewer. The designer salwar kurta ensembles as well as a wide range of tops have all been designed by some of the top designers of the country. The couture range also includes embroidered tussar saris, yardage and salwar kurtas. Chikan embroidered georgettes, chiffons and sheer mulls are other top-of-the-line saris on display.

The jewellery section of Amethyst has a brilliant range of silver and oxidised silver jewellery, very chic elegant and chunky - contemporary, as well as semi precious stone jewellery. Fascinating silver gift items are also available.

As Chennai's forward-looking developmental face keeps pace with its ancient 'living' heritage roots, and the language of classicism mingles with that of computers and corporate houses, boutiques such as Amethyst become both part of the process as well as its reflection. In a lovely restored place of history, Amethyst offers to the ever-discerning Chennai-ite the best in contemporary crafts, textures and concepts.

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