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Bags By Christina
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 Christina is a tiny, classy boutique with exquisite silk blouses and shirts, scarves, ties, dupattas (long, thin scarves for draping), and silk-edge purses and wallets.
What the above description fails to mention is that ''Christina'' the Boutique is more than a place to shop. It's a way of life for the fashionable desi, NRI and foreigners worldwide. Today, the crisp warm boutique has emerged from the brethren of mediocrity, eyeing global success in its pursuit of excellence. Since its inception in 1990 Christina boutiques have been sprouting throughout India with outlets in Mumbai, Delhi, and Pune. Now as the company looks West, Christina is poised to take European markets by storm with its savvy and flair. Shaaditimes goes on location to see what's in and what's been.
Christina is the brainchild of owner, designer, entrepreneur, Rutty Birdie, now in her sixties, yet still respected amongst her peers for her innovative vision and technical prowess in seeing her ideas morph into multi-dimensional and functional kaleidoscopic minuets of color and harmony. The many hues in the company's concept are a reflection of Birdie's Parsi background and upbringing indigenous to the Indian aesthetics.
Birdie designs the prints, and oversees the textile processing to the completion of the garment, shawl, and accessories. Also prevalent is Birdie's love for the Renaissance, as the colors of Renoir and Monet seem to dance through the folds of the weft and warp of fabric.
 One of the signature motifs distinguishing Christina from the hoi polloi is the meticulous usage of silk with leather. "Our company was once of the first to incorporate original printed silks with leather to create a range of accessories from bags, wallets, office sets, and diaries." boasts Rangoli one of the Managers at the Christina location in Juhu, Mumbai. Today the company has expanded its feminine clothing range to menswear offering shirts in stylized linen with classy desk accessories to make any guy's office ooze with chutzpah.
"Originally Her colors were muted beiges, creams, dusty rose, and soft pastels," says Rangoli and continues, "Over the years the colors have kept with the changing styles and trends and this years palette consists of pinks, maroons, turquoises, and earthy tones peppered with bright oranges, and mithai pinks."
Christina clients are loyalists with many shoppers regularly visiting the atelier since its inception at the Oberoi Hotel in Nariman Point, Mumbai.
 The label has branched out recently launching its own jewellery range a few years earlier and also ventured into men's wear concentrating on shirts in cottons and silks. Wistfully romantic slips of silk give a wanderlust quality to the collection. "In recent years the company has gone from exclusive floral labens, and squills to more ethnic Indian motifs. You will see mango (ambi) designs combined with scallops of tila and symmetrical vegetal tiling found in regional Indian art," says Rangoli.
"We've also added kari work, tila and swarovski crystals as well as semi precious type stones into our designs in keeping with the latest styles and fashion."
What makes Christina a must have in your wardrobe is a timelessness in quality and design and the mid-range prices. "You're getting European design reminiscent of French scarves and décor at Indian prices." Prices start from Rs.150 for accessories and Rs.1350 for clothing.
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Rohini Bhatia-Singh
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| | Cotton Kurta with Hand Block Kalamkaari Print | Wills Lifestyle Party Shirt | Tri Colour Long Cotton Skirt | Rs.800 ($20.51) | Rs.1,395 ($35.77) | | | Rs.569 ($14.59) | Rs.1,256 ($32.21) | Rs.750 ($19.23) | |
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