Quick fixers, copy cats and upcyclers: we round up six of the city’s quirkiest tailors to dress you up. Read our complete list and view the photographs on CNNGO.com.

Upsykle Cotier: Ring Out the Old

When National Institute of Design (NID) graduates Nitya Amarnath and Juhi Pandey turn old saris into 2,000 rupee totes, they call it upcycling. "Recycling is associated with inferior quality. We take old swatches and turn it into superior satchels," explains Nitya. The design duo will also buy old fabrics and antique tapestries you don’t need. Look out for their Upsykle Cotier label, launching soon at some of the city’s swishest fashion stores.

Call Nitya or Juhi on +91 9819212065 or +91 9820039110

Avocados mixed with the first mangoes of the season, strawberries and cream, coffee-tangerine, peaches dashed with honey - wipe that sin of your face! Or not. Skin Kitchen’s natural beauty remedies are delish and super fresh, with each product customised to suit your skin type and whipped up just minutes before you purchase it. Radiance a la refrigerator! And yes, men can bask in the glow too.

Top Chef

Diya Dembla, qualified skin aesthetician from the International Dermal Institute in Boston and magic alchemist at Skin Kitchen, has an organic fix for every part of your body, from your scalp to your sole. “We do relaxing face masks, beauty potions and foot scrubs, but also offer remedies for more serious conditions like acne and psoriasis,” she explains. Diya also guarantees that her products are 100% natural, and mostly contain fresh fruit, veggies, plants and herbs currently in season.

Rosemary’s Baby

At Skin Kitchen, a product is rarely dished out without a consult. Our diagnosis yielded a fresh rosemary cleanser and a strawberry nourishment pack stuffed with anti-oxidants and a shelf life of 45 days. These were subtly scented (read: lacking the cloying chemical aroma of most products) and left our skin feeling softer and brighter.

You can also get a more complex treatment at Diya’s by-appointment studio in Bandra. Just remember to take along your spoon. Bon Appetit!

Getting there: For an appointment at Skin Kitchen call 9870017000 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , products start at Rs 450, clean ups at Rs 1,250 and facials at Rs 1,500.

You’re suffering from a Holi hangover, and we’ve got the perfect cure: memo tiles by Asta Couture, which you can prop against the wall and draw, write, scribble on (with temporary markers) until you’re all doodled out. Wipe clean, and start all over again.

Made from ceramic, these are a fun spin on your drab soft/white board, come in a range of colours (blue, orange, white) and sizes, and can be customised to a large degree – juxtapose a bunch of different sizes and shapes together, and you’re guaranteed to get some pave reviews!

What: Fire twirling workshop, 4th floor, Naval Kunj, Linking Road, Bandra (W), call Janit on 9833879338 or visit the Facebook group here, start at Rs 700 per session. 

Why: Janit Gambhir - he’s a flaming wizard! - wants to pass on the torch to you. Learn how to hold, twirl, and set ablaze a fire staff while freestyle dancing on his Bandra terrace. Individual sessions available as well.

When: You deserve an exclusive (m)embership. Every Saturday and Sunday from 6 to 8 pm.

What: Short Note serenading workshop, call Kunal Basu on 9819758134, see his MySpace page here, Rs 1,000 for two sessions.

Why: bpb invent! You may not have the time (or talent) to become the next John Mayer, but the guitar guru who invented Chord Wizard is giving you a shortcut to getting some. Love. Even if you’ve never held a guitar before, his two session workshop will teach you how to play your partner’s favourite love songs. You can also opt for his standard tracklist - When you Say Nothing at All, Wonderful Tonight, I’d Love you to Want Me, Stand by Me, Love Me Do.

When: You want to (almost) Pay Nothing at All.

What: Made-to-order headgear for men and women from Nisha Abraham, call 9820479775, start at Rs 1,500.

Why: This racing season our money’s on celebrity madhatter Nisha Abraham’s quirky headgear. Having just helped the gamblers in upcoming Teen Patti keep their heads, she’ll now top yours with giant funky fedoras, metallic head corsages, and Brazilian carnival-inspired feather barrettes.

When: You need a band aid.

What: Dr. Art + Design aesthetic management company, Bajaj Onyx, ground floor, 36/37, Union Park, Khar (W), call 26463373, price depends on project.

Why: Just for you, we scouted out the geniuses behind Le Sutra, Mumbai’s hottest new art hotel (read our full review here). Dr. Art + Design, with their team of sculptors, installation artists, interior designers and textile specialists can breathe new life into any space, from a tiny cubicle to your entire apartment.

When: You want to heart deco.

What: Quirky origami ornaments, call Avni Uchat 9321131122 / 9930334774, view portfolio here, order at least 5 days in advance, start at Rs 30 per piece.

Why: An electronic engineer with a penchant for paper folding, Avni makes intricate origami bunnies, dragons, toads, tulips, ashtrays, baskets, fans. Hail Creaser! Also part of the crafty trio is her mum and sis, who’ll come over to teach you the art if you have a group of five or more.

When: You want to pa(y)per view. 

 As midnight approaches, we recap the biggest lifestyle trends of 2009 and ring in the New Year.

Back: 2009 had Mumbai’s name written all over it. Literally. This year, we were obsessed with personalising everything from jigsaw puzzles and golf balls to nails and sneakers.

Forth: Get a fresh lease of life with the new (and growing) rental asylums. Can't afford a Gucci tote? Hire one for a week. Here for just three months? Rent a four-poster bed. And if you're out of office space, hot desk in a community work hub. The newest landlord in town is Crezca toy library which, with its mini roller coasters, springy trampolines and vertigo-afflicted giraffes will make you feel like a kid again.

Getting there: Shop no 48, Link Square Mall, 33rd Road, opposite KFC, off Linking Road, Bandra (W). Call 32255222 or check out the Facebook page here. Membership is Rs 600 per month.

Laugh Lines

Crezca, a new toy library in Bandra, is really for children between the ages of ten months to six years, but some of its play things were more fascinating to us than the new Blackberry Bold. We gawked at candy-coloured splash pools and sandpits, rummaged excitedly through books sporting pianos and pop-ups of vertigo-afflicted giraffes, and had to use all our willpower to stop from climbing onto the springy trampoline and vintage rocking horse. 

Meet the Librarians

Harvard educated curriculum designer Faridah Bawani and management expert Jasmine Vastani are the women behind Crezca, which means growth in Spanish. True to its moniker, the library not just provides access to super cool toys that aren’t easily available in India, but also ensures that they aid child development. “Any book, activity set, toy or puzzle you borrow from us will enhance your child’s intelligence,” explains Jasmine, who follows the impressive-sounding Dr. Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory.

Bag, Borrow, Steal

Best of all, Crezca's membership is quite a steal: Rs 600 a month (minimum period of 3 months) allows you to borrow three toys a week.  And if you fall in love with your rental, you can even order it for purchase. Plus, in-store councillors stand by to advise parents on how to maximise the educational and fun aspect of each toy.

So the next time you want a blast from the past, stop by Crezca. You may not be able to fit into the toddler roller coaster, but it'll still make you smile.

Getting there: Shop no 48, Link Square Mall, 33rd Road, opposite KFC, off Linking Road, Bandra (W). Call 32255222 or check out the Facebook page here.  Membership is Rs 600 per month, along with Rs 100 registration fee and Rs 1,200 refundable deposit.