Levitate

If you have ever suffered from the urge to wear earrings made of wood or rings of ceramic, but were helpless due to the severely restrictive choice available at the local malls, there is good news for you. Hyderabad's revival is assured with shops like Levitate rooting themselves firmly in place.

Opened as a branch of Levitate Bangalore, this quaint little store is a real trove of junkies that you can imagine in your wildest dreams. Replete with exotic groovies collected from all over India, the shop is a respite from the 1-size-fits-all ideology followed by most fashion-setters.

Here you can find earrings made of wood and bone china, priced between Rs. 60 and Rs. 380. Lac junkies start at Rs. 80, Plaster of Paris and clay rings at Rs. 60, colored bone rings at Rs. 80, and rings of shells and sequins at Rs. 60.

There are bracelets made of wood, ceramics, bones and silver foil, and priced at Rs. 100 for 4. Terracotta jewelry is priced between Rs. 200 and Rs. 250, and Lambdon chokers at Rs. 500.

Levitate discloses the bonhomie spirit of Hansa, the originator of the idea, as it is well stocked with treasures acquired from all over India, especially Karnataka, Orissa and Tamil Nadu. Zari work cushion covers, tie and dye bed spreads at Rs. 650 and above, Kachi work durries at Rs. 18,000 and above, and Lambardi work durries at Rs. 9,000 and above, honor the painstaking journeys taken for them. There are paper lampshades from Nepal, and some indigenous crochet work lampshades.

Levitate has a good collection of silver jewelry, with silver rings starting at Rs. 50 and earrings at Rs. 70. Kundan set in silver, a design which is not readily available anywhere in Hyderabad, is a specialty of this curio shop. There are also low-cut pajamas, vegetable dye and cotton kurtas, silk kurtas, halter-tops, reversible silk tops, nightwear at Rs. 300, brocade kurtas at Rs. 1,500, hand-painted stoles at Rs. 190, and scarves at Rs. 50.

Levitate is doing well in giving a taste of difference and an alternative style, to the Hyderabadis overfed with apparel cliched.