Kolkata studio The Gyspy Tales is bringing the best of North-Eastern weaves to you

If you’re always on the lookout for fresh, homegrown weaves from across the country, you’ll love everything about The Gypsy Tales. The brand new fashion studio which opened its doors in South Kolkata just this month is all about celebrating the diverse artistry and cultural heritage of the Northeast and features a range of indigenous and environmentally-sound fashion and lifestyle numbers. “I'm from Assam and I started The Gypsy Tales as a way of celebrating the Northeast, and we've collected silks, sarees, jewellery and weaves from the entire Northeastern region, we've mekhla chaddar from Assam, for instance, and some very interesting stuff from Shillong as well. Our focus is to bring the traditional attire and culture from the region into the mainstream narrative so people can get to know it better," Jahnabi Das, of The Gypsy Tales tells us.

The studio isn't just a multi-label lifestyle unit but actually strives to celebrate the individual stories behind each design. At their quaint Jodhpur Gardens outlet, you'll find a myriad range of unusual statement wear, from handloom stoles and gamchas, chaddar-style sarees, cotton handkerchiefs etc. Needless to say, The Gypsy Tales leans towards a sustainable approach; we love how the studio offers elements of organic living, which can help people understand their brand better.

One of their major mainstays are sarees made from eri silk which is also known as Ahimsa Silk or the peace silk. The fabric is so named as it involves a very humane production process, and it's made without killing the silkworm. The cruelty-free fabric is a favourite with slow fashion enthusiasts owing to its ethically conscious origins and is usually grown around Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur etc.

You'll also find clean, organic edibles like wild honey and spices in their line-up;  one of the most significant ones being Lakadong turmeric, grown in Jaintia Hills, which is considered to be one of the healthiest and most nourishing forms of turmeric as it has a high curcumin content and is thus a powerful anti-oxidant. When it comes to sustainable weaves, you'll find almost all the beloved alternatives at The Gypsy Tales.

"We have tried to mix it up with our range, in menswear, for instance, we have kurtas, khadi shirts, bandis (a festive sleeveless coat worn over kurtas) and even Khadi joggers, and for women we have sarees of course, and we also have a lot of ready-to-wear and embroidered options. We are also working with a lot of bamboo jewellery," Jahnabi tells us. The Gypsy Tales is also offering up perhaps the most economical range of clothing, as their shirts can cost you something between Rs 1,500 to Rs 6,000. Eri silk sarees start from Rs 7,000 and Rs 8,000 while chaddar mekhla starts from Rs 6,000