Once the capital of the British empire, today Kolkata is the third-richest city in the country by gross domestic product, after Mumbai and New Delhi. With the fifth-highest concentration of millionaires in India, according to the Mercedes-Benz Hurun India Wealth Report, the City of Joy currently stands at a curious precipice: its potential as one of the country’s most prominent luxury markets, filled with affluent buyers and discerning patrons, can no longer be ignored.
While the rapid expansion of Western brands such as Grand Seiko, Burberry, Tod’s, Gucci, and Ferragamo within Quest mall—coupled with announcements of a FaceGym outlet and rumours of a Bvlgari store—have left little doubt about the city’s spending power, it is equally important to recognise Kolkata’s robust, craft-driven retail economy, which existed long before corporate brands arrived. For decades, the city’s shopping culture has been built around family-run businesses, state emporia, neighbourhood boutiques, craft collectives, and multi-generational relationships between artisans and customers.
The city’s most compelling retail experiences still thrive in the bylanes of Hindustan Park, tucked away within New Market’s ageing arcades or spread across open-air shopping complexes where generations of Kolkatans have bought everything from jamdani saris and silver jewellery to ceramics and contemporary design objects. Together, these destinations offer a glimpse into a retail ecosystem where craft, culture, and commerce remain deeply intertwined.
Byloom
Byloom’s Hindustan Park store in south Kolkata is spread across the ground and first floors of an Art Deco-inspired building, its canopied entrance complete with parakeets made from discarded textiles, hand-painted kettles, and bold fuchsia-and-lemon-yellow signage. The brand is an institution for its playful take on Bengal’s endangered weaving traditions, like their handwoven jamdanis with trapped sequins, batik-printed cotton and silk drapes, and ajrakh prints.
Byloom also gained cult status among younger shoppers for its unisex T-shirts featuring Nandalal Basu’s illustrations and quotes from Tagore’s Bengali primer, Shohoj Path, as well as references to other iconic works of Bengali literature. Today, these designs are a common sight on college campuses across Kolkata.
The Nod recommends: A pastel piece from their signature handloom cotton collection for hot summer days.
Address: 58B, Hindustan Park Road, Golpark, Hindustan Park, Gariahat. Open from Monday to Sunday, from 11 am to 8 pm. Call +91 33 24198727
Dakshinapan
The brightly lit, open-air shopping complex located in the Dhakuria neighbourhood of Kolkata is Bengal’s equivalent of the national capital’s fabled Dilli Haat. For generations, residents of the city have visited this shopping centre not only to purchase saris from its 141 stores dedicated to India’s rich regional craft and textile traditions but also for yards of handloom fabric. The options range from fine muslin jamdani weaves to intricate kantha embroidery and fuss-free handwoven taanth saris at the Biswa Bangla outlet on the ground floor. Then spend some time admiring the colourful mirror-studded phulkaris and bright bandhani dupattas at Garvi Gurjari next door. Be sure to make a stop at Mrignayani to explore their wide range of Chanderi and Maheshwari saris, before ending your shopping trail at Lepakshi, known for its carefully curated selection of Mysore silks, kanjivarams, and Narayanpet saris.
The Nod recommends: A cup of tea at Dolly’s The Tea Shop on the ground floor, run entirely by women and founded by Dolly Roy, India’s first female tea taster.
Address: 2, Gariahat Road South, Dhakuria. Open from Monday to Sunday, from 11 am to 8 pm
Sienna
Named after the shade of red soil found in rural West Bengal, Sienna began as a cafe more than a decade ago but has since blossomed into one of the city’s most sought-after restaurants, complete with a boutique showcasing the work of artisans who collaborate with their textile and ceramic studio in Santiniketan.
From indigo-dyed and charcoal-dripped ceramic homeware—including majhari (medium) diffusers and pasta and ramen bowls engraved with motifs of sardines and fish bones—to airy handloom cotton kimono jackets, jewellery, and block-printed shirts featuring everything from dragonflies and water apples, every object reflects a playful yet thoughtful approach to design.
The Nod recommends: The unisex handspun and handwoven cotton shirt with the store’s signature block print featuring the koi maach (a staple of middle-class Bengali fish curries).
Address: 49, 1, Golpark, Hindustan Park, Gariahat. Open from Monday to Sunday, 12:30 pm to 10:30 pm. Call +91 99036 08899
Balaram Saha
This family-run business rose to popularity in the 1990s for its close work with weavers from West Bengal and Bangladesh, which helped generate renewed metropolitan interest in the jamdani sari. From bespoke handloom jamdani creations crafted in high-count muslin and linen to more affordable jacquard variations designs typical of the extra-weft weaving technique, Balaram Saha remains a go-to for sourcing handloom weaves across both accessible and heirloom price points.
Today, the business has diversified considerably, with floor-to-ceiling display shelves stacked with a wide range of handloom textiles, including dhonekhali and taanth saris in cotton, linen, and silk alongside an assortment of tussar and block-printed options.
The Nod recommends: A linen dupatta or stole in a darker pastel woven with the jamdani extra-weft technique
Address: 1st floor, Gariahat Road, Falguni Sangha, Ekdalia. Open from Monday to Sunday, 10:30 am to 8 pm. Call +91 8910716724
Chamba Lama
Legend has it that no jewellery box in Kolkata is complete until it contains at least one piece from Chamba Lama, Hogg Market’s six-decade-old treasure tucked away in the bylanes of Esplanade. Derived from a Tibetan phrase meaning ‘Buddha of Maitreya’ (or friendship), this tiny jewellery store is run by Norkila Sherpa—or Norkila Aunty, as regular visitors affectionately call her. With its cluttered glass displays and deep-red walls, the shop is designed to feel like a cabinet of curiosities.
Offering a heady mix of silver and oxidised jewellery inspired by Nepali and northeast Indian design traditions, the store is a haven for collectors of jhumkas and statement rings that add effortless texture and character to everyday wear. Visitors should also keep an eye out for the displays lined with glass-bead jewellery—no longer just a staple from one’s grandmother’s jewellery box.
The Nod recommends: A pure silver cuff or kada with or without precious stones for your permanent jewellery collection
Address: 58, 59 & 60, New Market, Dharmatala, Taltala. Open Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 7 pm. Call +91 99034 90968
Vastra Kuttim
One of the most striking features of the Vastra Kuttim outlet is its two glass window displays: one filled with a cascading array of muslin jamdani saris in vibrant shades of red and orange, and the other showcasing pastel-hued Gadwal or tussar silk saris.
It’s your first glimpse of the boutique’s carefully curated selection of Bangladeshi jamdani saris—from pastel shades adorned with expansive floral motifs and zari borders to neutral tones of cream and beige accented with multicoloured borders, and finally the classic Bengali combination of red weft work on white base fabrics. Vastra Kuttim is the place you visit when you have a special occasion. Their matka silks and Benarasi silk saris come embellished with zari and gota embroidery or with sequin-trimmed borders and tasselled pallus, which make them perfect additions to a festive wardrobe.
The Nod recommends: A muslin jamdani sari in red and white—a forever classic.
Address: 13, 8, Anil Maitra Road, Ekdalia, Ballygunge. Open from Monday to Sunday, 11 am to 8 pm. Call +91 98362 43268
