On Chennai’s bustling Khader Nawaz Khan Road, nestled between glittering storefronts and chic restaurants, stands a boutique that feels willfully at odds with its flashy neighbors. “It’s like someone plucked it straight from Milan,” quips Faisal Manzur, founder and principal of his eponymous Chennai-based design studio—the someone being none other than himself. But anyone familiar with Manzur’s flair knows that’s not quite true. After all, if there’s one thing this swashbuckling architect excels at, it’s not importing spaces from elsewhere but conjuring them from thin air—evoking distant places with such vivid charm, you’d swear you’d stepped into another world, or in this case, another country. No exception is this boutique in Chennai, which Manzur dreamed up for fashion designer Osman Abdul Razak in the manner of a Milanese tailor house, marrying European charm with the cultural soul of the city. “We wanted to ditch the usual retail vibe and create more of a lounge—something with a gentleman’s feel. The idea from the start was to design a space that reflects Osman’s craftsmanship as a Savile Row-certified bespoke tailor, with a focus on quality, sophistication, and a really curated, personal experience,” adds Manzur, who was assisted by in-house designers Anisha Panesar and Vazeema Rehana.
Travel Tales
Stepping into the store feels like stepping into the past—not just Razak’s own, woven from his travels, but also the storied elegance of Milan itself. Souvenirs and curios murmur of sun-drenched riverfront daydreams, while vintage horse paintings, handpicked by Razak at London’s iconic Portobello Market, add a dash of English charm. “The store’s decor is a thoughtfully curated blend of luxury and warmth, layered with elements from Osman Abdul Razak’s journeys that give it a personal, worldly character,” says Manzur, who made sure the city of Chennai wasn’t left behind. Through luminous, floor-to-ceiling windows, he framed the verdant streetscape, inviting the lush trees to play peek-a-boo. As for the furniture, sourced from Studio Mahek Lalan, the designer embraced a midcentury modern aesthetic, opting for custom shelving and rattan-accented cabinets with an emphasis on handcrafted details. “The walls and overall vibe have a collected, refined feel, with abstract art and sculptural pendant lights adding a cool, artistic touch,” continues Manzur, who used a constellation of lighting points—including hanging pendants from Atelier Lumys, Lampshaper luminaires, black table lamps from Hesperus, and a Hatsu floor lamp—to make the store glow like a jewel box.
Burgundy Beauty
Where he hushed the color palette for the walls, Manzur compensated with the curtains, enlivening them in plush rust velvet to create a sense of exclusivity. “They make the trial rooms come alive,” insists the designer, who designated the cubicles of this boutique in Chennai as the crown jewel, enveloping them with drapes. “With just 900-square-feet to work with, the challenge was to create a standout design element that would elevate the space without overwhelming it. Instead of hiding the trial rooms like most stores do, we decided to make them a focal point. The bold use of velvet dials up the drama, subtly enhancing the vibe while keeping the store’s understated elegance intact,” says Manzur. Ask him what he considers the design’s biggest drawcard, and Manzur cites, of all things, the circulation area as the tour de force. “The main challenge when designing the store was making sure we didn’t sacrifice functionality in the name of luxury—because as much as we love aesthetics, people still need to find the door and not mistake a chair for modern art,” he adds with a chuckle.
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