Mumbai is one of the most dynamic and chaotic cities in the world. It is the centre of the Bollywood film industry as well as the Indian Stock Exchange, but most visitors come here for one reason: to shop. Some of the best items to shop for include textiles (hand blocked cottons as well as silks); shawls (from pure pashmina to wool and silk blends) as well as stylish housewares, all at a fraction of the price that they would cost in the west. To keep your sanity in check, hire a taxi for the day and take a targeted approach to shopping. Our Top Shops Mumbai guide highlights some of the best stores in the city, from silver at Ravissant to stylish hand blocked prints at Anokhi. Our favourite shopping areas are Colaba, in the south of the city near India Gate, as well as the trendy suburb of Bandra, which is about an hour north of Colaba but well worth the drive because of its high concentration of boutiques and cafes.

Ravissant
Think of Ravissant as the Tiffany of India. This shop specializes in exquisite silver, selling gorgeous silver tea sets, delicate filigree bowls and accessories like napkin ring and solid silver photo frames. Some of the tea sets have an Art Deco design element, and the shop also sells a well-edited collection of embroidered shawls (20-35,000 rupees) and cushions. There are two locations in Mumbai; one inside the Taj Mahal Hotel and a larger one just up the road from Soma.

Ravissant
Taj Mahal Hotel Shopping Arcade
Phone: +91 22 2281 5225

Atmosphere
This sleek store, just around the corner from the Taj hotel, sells a wide range of textiles in a calm, spacious setting. Everything from plain to embroidered silks as well as linen are available for both curtains and upholstery. Expect to pay 1500 rupees a metre for an embroidered silk. If you're planning to buy fabric, do it quick. Ordering can take three days to arrive from their warehouse in Bangalore and it's about a week to make up curtains.

Atmosphere
Vaswani House
7 Best Marg
Colaba
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 2283 1877

Soma
Soma is one of the best places to stock up on hand blocked textiles in India. The Mumbai location is just a few doors down from Ravissant, located on the second floor of a non-descript building. Everything from quilted tote bags to tablecloths and wash bags and quilts are available at reasonable prices, and there's a separate section for womens and childrens clothes.

Soma
A-2 Amar Chand Mansion
16, Madam Cama Road
Colaba
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 2282 6050

Oberoi Shopping Centre
For a pleasant one-stop shopping experience in the heart of Colaba, head to the Oberoi Shopping Centre. Located just behind the Oberoi hotel, the two story shopping centre has polished marble floors and a handful of jewellery and textile shops. Near the entrance to the mall is the Gourmet Shoppe and a few tables- a perfect place for a quick sandwich and a fresh lime soda. Some of the standout shops inside the mall are Shahenaz for fabrics (there are two locations inside the mall); Fantasia, which sells organza curtains and hand woven placemats; and Jilani Furnishing, which can whip up custom made curtains in just a few days. Most silks start at 600 rupees a metre.

Shehenaz
3 Oberoi Shopping Centre
Phone: +91 22 2288 0506 

Jilani Furnishings
27 Oberoi Shopping Centre
Phone: +91 22 5632 5518

Ritu Kumar
26 Oberoi Shopping Centre
Phone: +91 22 2287 5975

FabIndia
FabIndia has several locations around the country, including Jaipur, Chennai and Delhi, but one of the largest is in Mumbai. This two-storey shop sells a wide variety of cotton fabrics for both upholstery and curtains, as well as a line of clothing for men, women and children. There is also a wide range of hand-printed block print tablecloths, bedspreads and napkins, as well as a small selection of furniture. There are several locations in Mumbai.

FabIndia
Jeroo Building
137, M.G. Road
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 2262 6539

Phillips Antique Store
This huge store, just opposite the Regal Cinema, has been in business since 1860 and sells a wide variety of European and Oriental art and antiquities. There are both antiques and contemporary items, and some of the standout pieces included antique Burmese boxes and an entire wall of old prints- perfect for framing. They also have a large off-site furniture warehouse where you can browse for colonial era antiques. 

Phillips
Opposite Regal Cinema
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 2202 0564

Bungalow 8
Located near the Belgian Consulate, Bungalow 8 is a long, L-shaped store with glossy painted floors and open shelves. The store specialises in stylish homewares. Some of the standout items included a hammered copper leaf that can be used as a coaster, lacquerware, and mother-of-pearl tissue boxes. The prices are on the higher side but it's well worth it.

Bungalow 8
8, Carmichael Road
Vasant Vihar
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 2351 6103

Contemporary Arts and Crafts
If you like Bungalow 8 but want to save some rupees, head to the nearby Contemporary Arts and Crafts centre. There's a wide selection of ceramics, glasses, and carved wooden items. A square white ceramic plate will set you back 160 rupees, while a stylish horn soap dish is 300 rupees.

Contemporary Arts and Crafts
19 Nepean Sea Road
Mumbai
Phone +91 22 2363 1979

Neelam Jewels
Neelam is owned by Neelam Kothaari, a former actress who decided to do a career switch. Located in the suburb of Bandra, this store sells diamond, semi-precious and precious stone jewellery. There's also a branch in New York City, and some of their pieces have been sold in Sotheby's and Christie's. Everything from tiny diamond flower stud earrings to elaborate wedding jewellery is available. The store is located on Linking Road, across from Pizza Hut.

Neelam Jewels
101, Sushmore, 323 Linking Road
Khar(W)
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 5643 0855

Ananya
This small boutique in Bandra is marked by a potted palm lined marble entrance- and the occasional BMW idling outside. Ananya's signature pieces are embellished tunics. There are gauzy white linen tunics embroidered with gold sequins, as well as turquoise blue or lime green with a sequined collar. There's also a location in London's Notting Hill. If you need a shopping break, a few doors down is Birdy's, a small café selling gooey brownies, pineapple tortes and chocolate éclairs.

Ananya
Shop No. 3 Pluto Building
Turner Road
Bandra (W)
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 5583 0262

Salim Asgarally
The ground floor of this shop sells saris and tunics, but head upstairs for a small selection of perfectly decadent cushions. There are crushed velvet cushions with gold tassles, as well as embroidered cushions in hot pink and saffron yellow.

99 Abde Villa
S.V. Road
Khar (W)
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 5629 5265

Yamini
The Bandra location of Yamini has only been open for six months, and is a contemporary store selling all kinds of housewares, including cushion covers, towels, napkins and curtains (ready made and made-to-measure). Most of the fabrics used are cottons from Kerala.

Yamini
380 Shanti Niwas
14^th Road
Khar(W)
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 2646 3645

 

Anokhi
This Jaipur-based textile company specialises in hand-blocked prints, and it's designs tend to be a bit more sophisticated than Soma's. The Mumbai location sells clothing, quilts, and tote bags as well as cushion covers and bedspreads. Keep walking down Waterfield Road and you'll also pass the Seijo and Soul Dish, a great restaurant/club as well as Zeba for home furnishings. 

Anohki
Govinda Building
Waterfield Road
Bandra (W)
Mumbai
Phone: +91 22 2368 5761

and also at: 

Anohki
Rasik Niwas
Metro Motors Lane
Hughes Road
Mumbai

Phone: +91 22 2368 5761