A number of designers have their stores here and lovers of fashion, quaint quirks and some incredible nick-nacks are just at home amidst the winding lanes of Shahpur Jat. What better way to explore the area than with their biannual Open House?
The community brings the third Biannual day-long mela - where cafes, restaurants, studios, art galleries, fashion houses and concept stores across the urban village throw open their doors and bring in Diwali festivities with a mad mix of music, food, drinks and entertainment.
This year Open House turns it up a notch with a mega music theme, as all participating outlets will be setting up live performances; expect DJ sets, acoustic guitar bands, accapella groups and local music crews tearing up the streets. As for culture vultures and retail junkies - there are new fashion winter collections, promotional offers, free gifts and punch.
Sam Miller, a local resident and the author of Delhi: Adventures in a Megacity and Blue Guide India will lead a walk through the neighborhood of Shahpur Jat. The main park in Shahpur Jat will house a carnival for kids, complete with bouncy castles, merry-go-rounds and carousels. Look out for contemporary street performers, pop-up bakeshops, retro photobooths, rustic retail therapy as ‘thelas’ with designer-ware traverse the streets.
With forty stores participating this year Vivita Relan, the mind behind the Open House explains the objective. ' Shahpur Jat has always been a tucked away little village despite it being in the centre of South Delhi; always the poor little ugly step sister, wrong-side of the tracks to the other burgeoning urban village Hauz Khas, which seemed to be the darling of the alternative, liberal arts publications, but no heed was paid to poor little SPJ. This meant it had low rents, despite its central location, and hence attracted a motley eclectic mix of fashion designers, graphic designers, artists and its studios, photographers, event planners, yoga studios, social entrepreneurs and interior design outfits. Later, some of these graduated to commercial retail outlets, which were floundering because of the lack of footfalls. The market was known as the poor man's answer to shaadi kapde; so to publicise the word that the market was also filled with other super cool, indie stores and cafes that had a unique, creative offering, the Open house was created by 6 store owners: Lila, The Wishing Chair, Alecca Carrano, Olivia Dar, Second Floor Studio and Les Parisiennes,' she says.
With bake sales, tarot card readers, some great eats and even better shopping options - pick up a map and don't miss this!
The community brings the third Biannual day-long mela - where cafes, restaurants, studios, art galleries, fashion houses and concept stores across the urban village throw open their doors and bring in Diwali festivities with a mad mix of music, food, drinks and entertainment.
This year Open House turns it up a notch with a mega music theme, as all participating outlets will be setting up live performances; expect DJ sets, acoustic guitar bands, accapella groups and local music crews tearing up the streets. As for culture vultures and retail junkies - there are new fashion winter collections, promotional offers, free gifts and punch.
Sam Miller, a local resident and the author of Delhi: Adventures in a Megacity and Blue Guide India will lead a walk through the neighborhood of Shahpur Jat. The main park in Shahpur Jat will house a carnival for kids, complete with bouncy castles, merry-go-rounds and carousels. Look out for contemporary street performers, pop-up bakeshops, retro photobooths, rustic retail therapy as ‘thelas’ with designer-ware traverse the streets.
With forty stores participating this year Vivita Relan, the mind behind the Open House explains the objective. ' Shahpur Jat has always been a tucked away little village despite it being in the centre of South Delhi; always the poor little ugly step sister, wrong-side of the tracks to the other burgeoning urban village Hauz Khas, which seemed to be the darling of the alternative, liberal arts publications, but no heed was paid to poor little SPJ. This meant it had low rents, despite its central location, and hence attracted a motley eclectic mix of fashion designers, graphic designers, artists and its studios, photographers, event planners, yoga studios, social entrepreneurs and interior design outfits. Later, some of these graduated to commercial retail outlets, which were floundering because of the lack of footfalls. The market was known as the poor man's answer to shaadi kapde; so to publicise the word that the market was also filled with other super cool, indie stores and cafes that had a unique, creative offering, the Open house was created by 6 store owners: Lila, The Wishing Chair, Alecca Carrano, Olivia Dar, Second Floor Studio and Les Parisiennes,' she says.
With bake sales, tarot card readers, some great eats and even better shopping options - pick up a map and don't miss this!