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PHOTO: T. SINGARAVELOU

ROOF TO PLENTY At the boutique you can pick from a wide range

Called Pondy Cre Art (Time with Creators), it brings different concepts and styles under one roof. Nestled just above Nirvana Boutique, it is a first of its kind effort mooted by two designers – Sabine and Anjali.

The gallery boutique has papier mache, organic tea, lamps, home furnishing, bags, chocolates, furniture and stationery made from recycled word and paper, garments and accessories, ikebana floral arrangements, pottery and fountains among other things.

“Puducherry is multi-cultured and you get to see the richness of cultures in the boutique. On display are brands that have carved out or are in the process of creating their own niche and clientele,” say Sabine of Nirvana Boutique and Anjali Schiavina from Alchemy the Concept Store, whose idea it was to put together this gallery boutique at 53 Rue Suffren.

A merging of music, light and movement is what French landscaper Laurent aims for when he makes his bamboo fountains. He has been making the 15-cm to 3-m tall fountains for two years now.

A designer who used to work for theatres back home, Laurence from Switzerland is an MGR fan! She has made shoulder bags, lamp shades and clocks with images from his films. “I have watched a couple of his films and everybody here seems to love him. His films are very colourful.” At Voodoo Dolls, she is “trying to create something very Indian”. And since Ganesha and Om motifs “have been done”, she has chosen the Tamil filmstar. Laurence has been in Auroville for the past seven years, and she now plans to have a small outlet in Kuyuilapalayam near Auroville. She also makes bags and t-shirts with the bullet logo.

Italian psychologist Valeria brings Ikebana flower arrangements to the store, and has been teaching the art to students at Auroville. “We use everything from fresh flowers, buds and roots to branches, dry leaves and grass. We look for the harmony in the arrangement; there is no hierarchy.”

Kengi, Valeria’s Japanese husband makes furniture using the Japanese style of joining wooden pieces.

Home Trotter Store brings home furnishing from all over the globe. They also have an outlet on Aurobindo Street. “We have customers in Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Some stores from Mumbai and Delhi have visited us and some new hotels come to us for furniture,” says, Pascal Lys.

Alchemy The Concept Store in Kuruchikuppam targets the women between 25 and 40 years, with contemporary designs.

Other creators who are participating in this effort include Marie Jose with paper machie products, Hamid with perfumes and organic tea; Ganeshan, an artist; Antara with pottery; Julien and Helen with paintings and home décor; Allen with chocolates; Punit with pottery and natural soaps; Red Courtyard and Nirvana Boutique with garments and accessories; Divaart with jewellery from recycled paper and accessories and garments; Abyba Home Furnishing with children’s garments and accessories; Arthena with accessories and home furnishing; and LA Furniture and Stationary with products made from recycled wood and paper.

Next time you walk through Rue Suffren, do make it a point to take a look at their products.

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