If you stop by Patkar Bungalow, a quaint Bandra villa on the bustling Turner Road, you’ll find a fresh-like-a-breeze store, Nicobar. A second for the brand in the city (the first one with a posh Kala Ghoda address) this space is true to its name and aesthetic and gives its customers a laid-back feel that’s also combined with a sense of ease. Each room here has a distinct story to tell yet is delicately intertwined.

Why Bandra?

We visited Good Earth’s sub-brand Nicobar, Bandra on launch day only to get a first look. Welcomed to the home furnishings and decor section, the store later leads to other spaces featuring men’s apparel, womenswear, and even a section solely dedicated to travellers. On interacting with Simran Lal (Creative Director and Co-founder of Nicobar along with Raul Rai) we inquired as to why the team decided on Bandra as their next stop given Good Earth has spaces in Colaba, Lower Parel and Juhu. “Where else? This is where our target customers reside, and the place truly resembles the image Nicobar holds as a brand,” Lal explained. Given it’s only been a year to Nicobar’s launch, we were curious about the brand’s expansion plans. Simran answered our queries, “We are definitely opening in Chennai, and are looking at cities such as Hyderabad and Bangalore as well.”

Minimal Yet Classy Designs

If you’re familiar with Nicobar’s designs, you’ll know that it’s hard to miss the impeccable detailing given to each garment. Designs that are minimal yet resonate class and sophistication, that’s what we’d call the Nicobar range. The cool colour palette as well as recurring stripes, especially in colours of blue and red, impart a nautical vibe. When it comes to silhouettes, Nicobar is all about comfortable pieces that are easy, relaxed and highly functional. The aesthetic is contemporary too, using fabrics that range from chanderi, linen, cotton and cotton silk. When asked if Nicobar, like Good Earth, believes in the idea of sustainability, Design Head (Clothing) of the brand Aparna Chandra said, “Our ideologies and core values are very much in line with Good Earth. This also reflects in terms of the fabric we use for our garments.” Talking further about how they managed to keep the collection new each season, given its ongoing tropical theme, she stated, “Our brand is a summer-centric one but the design differs every season. Moreover, we are also planning to release a winter collection.”

Varied Design Inspirations

Moving to the home decor and furnishings segment, we noticed a set of three different collections, each with a unique inspiration. While the celadon blue pottery is undoubtedly Japan-inspired, they also have mugs that are inspired by Indian wildlife. We couldn’t help but wonder how difficult it would be to create a market in home furnishings and decor, given the domain already has key players in India? Aparna claimed that their products are nothing like what is seen in the market, and we concur.

The Traveler’s Room

The last room is reserved for the best and instantly brings in you a holiday feel. In fact, it made us want to pack our bags and set off on a vacation ASAP. The so-called ‘Traveler’s Room’ is a space for every essential that will satiate your wanderlust. Novels and typewriters were among a few items that reflect a traveller’s mood. The collection majorly includes cotton and linen garments and have perfect travel bags.

Thankfully, a location in the suburbs that’s perfect for most Mumbai consumers, only adds to the charm of this store. We don’t know about you, but we sure will be spending some of our weekend hours at the cool new Nicobar store in Bandra. Story as it appeared.