Garmento

We operate out of Purushottam Niwas on Park Road in Vile Parle East. It’s an old building, and our space is filled with the constant whirring of sewing machines. You can usually find scraps of thread and bits of fabric all over the floor by the time the sun goes down. We don’t have a fancy boutique front; it’s more of a workshop where the actual making happens. We spend our days cutting patterns and making sure the stitching is straight on whatever batch of clothes we’re working on. The neighborhood is mostly residential, so it’s a bit quieter than the main markets, but inside here, it’s always a bit chaotic. There are stacks of folded shirts and pants waiting to be packed into bags. We’ve worked with the same bunch of people for a long time, and we all know our roles. Sometimes the power goes out, and we have to take a break and sit out on the steps for a bit until it comes back on. It’s a simple life, focused on making garments that people can actually wear. We don’t do big fashion shows or anything like that. We just make the clothes, pack them up, and send them off to whoever ordered them. It’s honest work, and it keeps us busy from morning until night. We like the rhythm of the machines and the feel of the cloth.