Sanjay Garg | photo credit: special arrangement
Designer Sanjay Garg suffering a hangover from the launch party at the Raw Mango store in Hyderabad. After frantically posting ‘hi, hello’ to his staff, he finds that some of his loyal customers have become friends. They hug each other, congratulate each other and promise to keep in touch on WhatsApp. “Have you looked around? Not just the store, I want you to look outside the store as well,” Sanjay told him.
Finally, he sits down for a chat metroplus But not before, “First, did you look around the store? These tables are made here too, I just love the ‘raw’ look! he says, pointing to a round metal top table. By ‘raw’ they mean the dented surface and finish on the edges. Sanjay explains about the look and interiors, “This Hyderabad store has a modernist presence; This was a great opportunity to explore some of the designs and their history whilst examining their current relevance, accessibility and potential in our local contexts.
The space features reclaimed terrazzo flooring and in-house crafted furniture and fixtures that reflect the brand’s aesthetic sensibilities. The store has five different rooms, each dedicated to the brand’s collection of sarees, textiles, clothing and bridal wear.
The store, a spacious bungalow with an all-white exterior and just trees and plants, minus any urban landscaping surrounding the property, gives the place a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Sanjay says, “The place was way beyond my budget, but I felt that raw mangoes belonged here. My plans for a store in Hyderabad got delayed by three to four years due to lack of suitable location. I am happy because The delay allowed me to have this beautiful home.”
inside raw mango | photo credit: snd
The Step Garden in particular is where Sanjay would love to spend time. The store celebrates natural light. Large windows – a common theme in the space – allow natural light to flood the interiors. Walls have been knocked down to make way for large timber-framed glass doors and windows. Wherever one sits, one can see the sky and the trees on the ground floor of the bungalow. Sanjay says, “Nothing is more beautiful than nature and natural light. I could sit in this store for hours and stare at the sky. The planning and rebuilding that went into achieving this look is well worth it; I’m very proud of it.”
Various corners and walls of the store are decorated with quirky miniature figurines of Garuda, Gorilla, Swan etc., inspired by various motifs seen on sarees.
Sanjay is a fabric and textile designer to the world, but it would not be wrong to call him an artist who is somewhat obsessed with photography, sculptures and philosophy of life. His art collectibles at the store stand proof. “Textile designing is the medium through which the world knows me. However, any brand is more than a product; It shows the beauty of the designer. Be it the raw material, the music or the colour, I ask myself what this would mean for raw mangoes. Challenging and inquiring drives me to constantly think, design and improve.”
Does the need to create something new in the form of art make him a control freak? Embarrassed, Sanjay replied, “I am; Although I do not want it and dislike it. I want things a certain way, but I’m not obsessed with it.
Does this include dealing with anger issues? He simply replies: “My team has by now learned to deal with my creative side.”
Raw Mango’s 2021 Design Book reveals that designer Sanjay is also a philosopher. He laughs and says, “That was a phase in my life, I was in love; I’m still in love and in my 40s, I feel like a teenager. ,
Have they tried to make Raw Mango an aspirational brand for the salaried people? “Not really! My store, the design and the brand may sound intimidating, but to be honest, there are a lot of pieces in the ₹5,000-₹6,000 range.”
Sanjay believes that no one should be judged if a shopper purchases within a budget of ₹10,000 or less.