VRK Heritage, formerly known as Kalaniketan and now rebranded under the name focuses entirely on heritage sarees and bridal wear. Spread across four floors in Bengaluru, the store offers a wide range of traditional sarees from South, North, and West India, with a strong emphasis on handcrafted and heritage weaves such as Kanjivaram, Arni silk, Dharmavaram, Paithani, Patola, Ikat, and Banarasi sarees. Their specialty lies in bridal collections, with distinct South Indian and North Indian bridal concepts.
To balance heritage with younger consumers’ evolving tastes, VRK Heritage combines traditional craftsmanship with contemporary preferences such as pastel shades, contrast blouses, and modern styling. While brides still prefer classic darker shades like red and pink for weddings, younger customers increasingly choose softer pastel tones and elegant traditional designs over heavily embellished outfits. Reception looks may include embellished sarees, but the main wedding attire remains rooted in tradition.
Kanjivaram sarees remain the most in-demand bridal weave, especially in South India. The store works closely with weavers, vendors, and artisan clusters, particularly in Kanchipuram, where they also have their own manufacturing network. Their in-house artists sketch exclusive designs that are woven into unique sarees, especially in Kanjivaram silk, ensuring exclusivity and originality.
Transparency and authenticity are central to their retail experience. Staff are trained to explain the origin, weave, thread count, and distinction between handloom and powerloom sarees. For example, Arni silk sarees from Tamil Nadu are known for their understated traditional style, “kuttu” borders, and “Oosi” dot weaving patterns. Customers are educated about features such as zari purity, whether the saree contains pure gold and silver zari or fine zari blends, and certificates are provided for premium pure zari sarees.
The store also emphasizes customer experience through spacious interiors, seating areas, and knowledgeable staff who help customers understand the craftsmanship behind each saree. Their clientele includes local shoppers, NRIs, and customers from outside Karnataka who seek authenticity and exclusive designs.
Price ranges vary widely: silk sarees start from ₹6,000 and can go up to ₹3.5 lakh currently, with their most expensive past sarees reaching ₹7.15 lakh. Non-silk sarees range from ₹2,000 to ₹15,000. Menswear such as kurtas, sherwanis, suits, and Indo-western outfits are also available, making the store a complete wedding shopping destination for both brides and grooms.
Looking ahead, VRK Heritage plans expansion into cities like Pune and Delhi, maintaining its concept of one flagship heritage store per state while continuing to introduce new collections every two weeks.
Read the full story that first appeared in Femina here:
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