Mumbai’s matrimonial season just got a little more bearable, thanks to Masaba.

All this month, the bpb office has echoed with horror stories of being mapped in wraps, cajoled into folds, mercilessly mummified into nine yards of cloth for the spate of weddings currently choking our calendars.  But just as we were about to take a weave of absence, Masaba Gupta opened her flagship store for Indian wear, compelling us to not shred our pile of invitation cards. Maybe there was hope.

Rebel with a Blouse

Small and unassuming, Masaba’s Juhu store is easy to miss (look for a festive marigold-strung tree) but houses outfits that are hard to ignore. The best of these are laidback-luxe saris (starting at Rs 6,000) in deliciously rebellious colour combinations, which go up fearlessly against typical shaadi outfits and more often than not, win the battle. Predominantly half-and-half (a style conceived of by Sabyasachi years ago and now distressingly common),  these are fun medleys of silk and cotton, print and colour, and feature surprising elements like scraps of velvet, non-traditional motifs, and even pockets  that can be added on order! bpb is up in palms for the black and white hand chaap silk sari with neon orange border and blouse, superbly satirical for a mehendi.

Plus, here’s a BIG bonus: Masaba offers bespoke blouses to go with her saris (start at a modest Rs 1,000) so you can kiss (or maybe not) your masterji goodbye. We also love that unused patches of fabric don’t go to waste here, but instead are twisted into tribal-ish cloth neck pieces. Anti-wrecklace!

Crush on You

The salwar kameezes are tamer and less fun, with crushed silk frills peeking out from under hems, lots of velvet (yikes!), and sexy scoop backs (start at Rs 8,000). Not really our style, but bpb would happily say “I do” to a juicy asymmetrical kurta, the colour of a perfectly ripe alphonso mango (Rs 4,000). You can also mix and match from a nice range of casual and formal angarkha tops and raw silk salwars (Rs 3,500). 

Also, don’t forget to check out the single pair of checked heels on display – if the shoe fits, Masaba can make it for you in any fabric you want.

Show Stopper

The highlight of our experience was when we spotted the kiddie line, featuring super cute tutu-inspired net skirts paired with Indian weave blouses. These, we found out, can be made for grown-ups too. Just imagine your aunt’s cousin’s daughter’s face when you skip into her wedding as an Indian ballerina. Pointe blank!

Getting there: Masaba, unit no 8, New Sujata CHS, plot no 28, Juhu Tara Road, opposite Satya Paul, Santacruz (W), call 65298694, or visit http://www.houseofmasaba.com, 10.30 am to 8 pm, shut on Sundays, start at Rs 3,000.