New at Label by Ritu Kumar

Not much has changed at Label by Ritu Kumar in the last couple of years - she's still making ill-fitting jersey dresses in a riot of floral prints, patterned  with beads and the same old embossed leather handbags.

But amidst all the dated merchandise, we did spot something new during a recent visit - fun neck pieces made from beaten metal, gunmetal chains and even ping-pong balls of cloth. Our  favorite was the necklace pictured above, nicely finished and gratifyingly heavy, with an adjustable string chain and leaves of copper and silver.

The best part? Even though it sheds the Label's customary mustiness, the jewellery retains the reasonable price (Rs 1,800), making it the perfect impulse buy. 

PS: The Nariman Point store had only a couple of more pieces after we snapped this one up, so go soon!

Getting there: F-52 Shopping Arcade, The Hilton towers, Nariman point, call 22846995, Rs 1,800.

Family Guy

Everyone has one – that drunk uncle who has one too many at the family dinner and talks to you like you're stone deaf. It's time to hide your alcohol-loving, mildly-annoying extended family in a closet for Wasted Fish opens in Bandra today, a store whose paraphernalia encourages inebriation and isn’t responsible for the behaviour that comes with. Here you’ll find everything your bar (and uncle) need to last through the season – glassware, booze accessories, ashtrays and drinking games imported from Ireland, Germany and beyond. How much should you buy? That’s all relative(s).

The Fins Behind The Sins

Wasted Fish was started this summer as a home delivery-only service by Chandni Shahani and Imran Rizvi, for whom getting high out of boring glasses was a big downer. That’s when the two boozy bums decided to sober up, “only momentarily”, to import all kinds of glorious glasses – tilted whisky tumblers, frosted wine goblets, steel champagne flutes and a bunch of long-stemmed shot glasses that look like tulips.  

What: Bibhu Mohapatra at Le Mill, by appointment only, call 23742415, 17-25 Nandlal Jani Road, next to new railway bridge, Wadi Bunder, price on request.

Why: The Orissa-born designer who took New York by storm (he’s dressed the likes of Angelina Jolie, Cate Blanchett and Sienna Miller) returns to the motherland this week, with a trunk show at the lovely Le Mill. He’ll be showing a good chunk of his Spring/Summer 2012 collection, as well as favorites from older lines. You can pick your outfit, and Mohapatra will have a new piece made to your measurements and shipped in from New York. Fancy that?

When: All day today, Friday, November 11.

What: Recycled picnic and “dabbawala” bags by Pink Brown Copper, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit the Facebook group here, start at Rs 750 for a woven plastic bag.

Why: Former “upcyclist” Nitya Amarnath along with marketing professional Nisha Castelino scour waste from textile factories to create these super cool picnic bags, painstakingly finished (a plastic bag takes fifteen days to weave) and in pop hues like cherry red and lemon yellow. We particularly like the psychedelic versions, perfect for a Goa rave or an afternoon of shopping. They do quilted cloth versions as well.

When: You want to be an eager weaver.

Taxxi Cuts

First it was Aazad Bazaar that packed up and left. Now, another Bandra boutique bites the dust. Taxxi & Vitamin K, a store that stood in the space between Bangkok boutiques and super pricey ones - you could find a fun dress for three grand - is taking stock and shutting shop after four years. But not before having a massive blowout sale just for you. Starting November 12, all Taxxi & Vitamin K merchandise will bear a flat 40% off tag!

The girls behind the store - Aarti, Prachi and Karishma - spot the the best sale deals for bpb: Rick-rack halter dress for Rs 2,160, rose chappals for Rs 960,  auto rickshaw top for Rs 900 and cycle border tunic for Rs 1,500 (all prices are post discount).

They've even found a way around calling the movers and packers - all the furniture at the store is up for grabs; the antique lotus cupboard (Rs 15,000) that otherwise opened to reveal sparkly rings and brooches, the green table (Rs 8,000) usually laid out with multi-hued bags and crystal chandelier (Rs 12,000) that lit it all up. Visit before the lights go out.

They're not sure where they're heading next, but we'll keep you informed.

Getting there: Taxxi & Vitamin K, 371 Linking Road, Next to Mango, Linking Road, Khar (W), call 65229200. Sale starts on November 12 at 11 am.

What: Sabi, ground floor, Neptune Building, Pali Hill, Bandra (W), call 31924744, start at Rs 2,000.

Why: Unable to find a space between “Bangkok clothes that disintegrate and Rs 15,000 dresses”, Papia Roy (ex-Barefoot) decided to start Sabi, her own fashion store for women. On the racks you’ll find pretty salmon pink linen pants and camouflage chiffon dresses, but also some not-so-nice sheaths with big shiny brooches. Pro: Their clothes aren’t just for skinny women. Con: There are multiple pieces of each design.

When: You need a clean sheath.

Your Tube

Fancy a tube of Swiss Dent toothpaste for Rs 1,500 or a pair of tweezers for two grand? How about a wooden paddle hair brush for a thousand bucks? Not even if it doubles up as spanking apparatus!

Everyday dressing tools cost a gazillion times more at Urban Shore, a new Delhi-based store that comes to Bandra with luxurious loot from international beauty brands, all of which are available exclusively through them. A few of the labels here include Menscience, Gentlemen’s Tonic, The Ten Party, The Refinery (for men), and This Works, Rodial, Ren, Philip Kingsley for women.  There’s also an official FitFlop rack (start at Rs 4,000), sandals for men and women by a UK-based company that claim to tone your legs as you walk.

Dummy's Guide To Buying a Dummy!

Think your boss is stupid? Say it with a dummy that looks just like him/her. bpb stumbled upon Excitinglives.com, an e-gift hub that can do a 3D caricature of your boss (or BFF or bull dog) and convert it into a bobble head for your dash board. Boss, can I have a raise? You can take that nod as a yes.

Here’s how it works: Send these guys a picture of the person you want the bobble head to resemble, pick hair, skin and eye colour and they’ll get started on creating a clone. Meanwhile, you can browse the site for a perfect body for the head to rest on. Women can choose from bodies clad in business suits, saris, golf gear, bath towels, Play Boy thongs, Marilyn Monroe’s flying dress, to name a few, while men can be seen playing a sport, surfing, wearing a tux and even shirtless and pumping iron.

What: Toddler clothes by Little Pixie, exhibit at White Peacock, no. 10, Link Corner, off Linking Road, Bandra (W), call 9920082065, start at Rs 700 for a t-shirt.

Why: Shannon Frandsen started Little Pixie because her toddler daughter refused to wear pants. “All she wanted were tutus, and I couldn’t find them at a reasonable price anywhere in Mumbai,” she explains. So she decided to make some herself, teaming up with designer Nishita Pocrani to create dresses, skirts, bags and handbags for kids between the ages of 1 – 4 years, all of  which she’s displaying this weekend. She takes custom orders as well. Top honours for this infantry!

When: Saturday, October 22 from 11.30 am to 9 pm.

What: From India With Love beeswax candles by Forty Red Bangles, buy online at www.fortyredbangles.com, Rs 1,000 for a set for four.

Why: Not only do these candles smell super they also wax eloquent, urging you to get “mogra high in Mumbai” or “sand me to Jaipur”. Inspired by four cities – Hyderabad, Pondicherry, Mumbai and Jaipur - these are encased in pretty individual boxes, manufactured by Crawford Market Candles and feature mad pairing of scents like black pepper mixed in with grapefruit and mandarin, coriander and champa.

When: You want a wick-ed flame.