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Westside, Mumbai
 Walk into the store and you walk into a celebration. There’s a magical pull around you that communicates one message loud and clear: it's the season for fun 'n frolic and joie de vivre. "At Westside, we add a dash of colour and sparkle to life through these events," says Mumbai store manager Bryan Dasilva.
Westside is a trendy lifestyle store, dedicated to giving the customer value for money. Keeping in step with the seasonal theme, here's a store full of surprises: A treasure trove of gifts…
The melodious chiming of wind chimes draws you to the a corner of the store full of delightful things. The chimes, made of metal and wood and based on the principles of feng-shui, bring peace and harmony to your home. They make great gifts too.
Also good as gifts are the variety of scented, colourful candles. Some of them are quite ornate, carved in red, silver, gold and other attractive colours. Complementing these light accessories are equally fancy candle stands in wrought iron.
Aesthetically pleasing fashion accessories…
Add glamour to your outfit with an elegant handbag, a silk scarf, or maybe just an unusual hairclip. At Westside, matching accessories to your favourite outfits becomes a fascinating experience.
While on accessories, don't miss the crochet handbags. Smart and trendy, they look good at work and with casual wear.
Colours of the season in western wear…
Westside's western wear range comes in soft and sensual pink, cobalt blue, lilac and fuchsia. This section has the maximum of new arrivals for the Christmas season, for, according to the store manager, western outfits are more in demand at this time of the year. A range of reasonably priced ethnic wear…
Ethnic wear is given an innovative touch by the store's in-house designers. Interestingly, churidars, kameezes and dupattas have each been placed on different racks. This has two advantages — the customer is free to mix and match as she fancies; and you don't have to pay for a whole set when all you want is the kameez or the salwar.
The pains the store takes to display its products and value them competitively is obviously paying dividends. As Himani Patel, a regular at Westside, says: "You get value for money, as this store offers a range of products at affordable prices."
Novel and arresting displays...
An array of meticulously arranged and artfully colour-coordinated bed linen and cushions tempts even the casual visitor to buy.
Something to look forward to...
Westside plans to start stocking a range of masks and sculptures, including wall masks in metal, with apparent tribal-Indian influences in terms of colour and look. These are coordinated with a range of sculptures in ceramic.
What shoppers have to say…
"It’s a great shopping experience as the entire family's interests are served. You find everything under one roof. The store also has a cafe which makes life easier as shopping and eating out go hand-in-hand," says Rohit Bhattacharya, a regular at Westside.
Sera Rebello, a resident of south Mumbai, visits the store with her children on weekends. She explains why: "The store is spacious, giving me the freedom to move around. The kids can safely wander around on their own, without me worrying about them."
When asked what was the unique feature of the store, a young college student browsing through the cosmetics section, replied, "It’s the ambience that makes a difference. As you enter the store there’s a sense of warmth and freshness in the air. Also, the theme of any festival is very artfully carried out, which makes shopping a more fulfilling experience."
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