Raw Mango in Colombo
Raw Mango founder and renowned Indian designer Sanjay Garg, celebrating the 10th anniversary of his brand was in Sri Lanka last week for a discussion with experts in fields adjacent to fashion followed by a presentation of sarees, textiles and garments at fashion concept stores PR and Rithihi.
Innovation was baked into the DNA of both PR and Rithihi from day one, which makes their collaboration extremely interesting as it re-writes the retail rulebook. They know the customer wants “experiences,” and they’re giving them to her. As well as looking after their customers, they are staying true to the unique ways they represent fashion, with Rithihi showcasing the textiles and sarees of Raw Mango and PR its garments. This protects their integrity and individuality as retailers.
When Raw Mango emerged in 2008, it was instrumental in introducing a new sartorial vocabulary, bridging the gap between the traditional aesthetic and modern sensibilities. “Raw Mango transformed the saree into a power move that made Indian women sit up and take notice. I wanted women to relate to the saree. I wanted simplicity, yet provocation was also important to me, and I approached it by way of colour, imagery and display,” says Garg.
Over the years, Raw Mango has nurtured and developed a clientele of accomplished women from all walks of life, including Bollywood. Anushka Sharma’s wedding trousseau included a Sanjay Garg design, Kiran Rao is an advocate and Deepika Padukone wore a Raw Mango saree during the promotions of her movie Padmaavat, to mention a few. But the brand speaks to a wider audience than just star power.
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York hosted Items: Is Fashion Modern? which ran from October 2017 to the end of January 2018. It was an investigation of 111 garments and accessories that have had a profound effect on the world over the last century and curator Paola Antonelli included a Raw Mango saree to feature along with iconic items like vintage little black dresses and the Birkin bag. In May, four members of the Mumbai-based charitable organization Myna Mahila Foundation (MMF) wore Raw Mango sarees to the wedding of Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle cementing the brand firmly in the global fashion psyche.
“We complete a decade this year, and the realisation of this milestone and planning for the future in terms of the growth of the business and new opportunities is top of mind. Especially to not become complacent within a narrow definition of design. We will continue to expand boundaries of the brand, and what I am as a designer through more stores of our own, and to sell our products to a larger audience both in India and globally,” Sanjay Garg said in a press release.