Copper sulphate brown, fuchsia pinks, lemon greens, sunny yellows, blacks whites and a whole myriad of colours welcomes you as you walk into the modest little street which perhaps showcases the haute couture of Chennai's Fashion scene. For those still wondering what this is all about. Cotton Street is a place where you can pick up the loveliest of cotton dress materials at absolutely pocket friendly prices. Situated at Pantheon road 1st street, 'Cotton street' which it has come to be called fondly by its patrons, has turned out to be the fashion hub of Chennai city over the years.
Today, Cotton Street has become a must for visitors to Chennai. The buyers are not just bargain savvy people but also the so called car walas. On one side of the lane are pavement vendors, over 60 of them, displaying fabrics of different hues and textures.
The lane is in all its sprits from 2 p.m. when the vendors start setting their stalls. Accolades to their sense of colour combination and the competitiveness among the vendors! These vendors are open for business until 8 p.m. every day. The price on the street ranges from Rs 30 to Rs 80 per meter. A salwar suit of seven meters would cost Rs 240, The lower the price you get with better bargaining skills.
But what's truly amazing is the creativity and eye for colour that all hawkers have. And one walk down that road is enough to prove that. The unique combination of kurtas, Salwars and Dupattas can easily pass of as designer ones and that's exactly why people swear by Cotton Street. A leisurely walk down the cotton street you can discover exciting and unique facets of shopping different from being in a super mall.
So the next time you want to jazz up your wardrobe without spending a fortune, you know where to head. The cotton route to pantheon road is definitely worth taking.
