Go mall-a-maal in Delhi

How about a classic leather laptop bag to go with a Betty Jackson? Or the latest Gucci and Elizabeth Arden? With glitzy malls becoming a ubiquitous presence in the city’s shopping circuit, tag chasers can now glean all the fun, albeit for a hefty sum. Indubitably the unmatched shopping capital of the country, Delhi, together with Gurgaon and Noida sports more than ten malls, with several others in the offing, that are popular destinations for the modern, moneyed and brand conscious.

Delhi’s first mall Ansal Plaza in south Delhi houses all major outlets—from United Colors of Benetton, Adidas, Lacoste, Lee, Reebok, Weekender and Color Plus, to Meena Bazaar, Planet Sport, Marks and Spencer and Spaces—where you can pick up anything from home furnishings to glamorous party-wear. At Square One Mall in Saket there is the Danish brand Ecco that has a tempting floor presence stocked with yak-leather sneakers from the 1960s! Elvy, the high-end lifestyle store at Square One, has a wonderful collection of tequila shooters that are sure to spike up your weekend party.

Trawling through the latest one kilometre long Ambi Mall is like doing a surreal window shopping through the world in an hour! All the foreign brands—in designer clothes, cosmetics or accessories—scream for your attention. Here you would find the British heavyweight Debenhams stocking Prada products. And for the French connection, check out FCUK’s spring collection at Shopper’s Stop in Rajouri Garden.

Gurgaon and Noida have witnessed an upsurge of mall-mania, thanks to a proliferation of malls. Pick up a Hidesign bag, a pair of Guess jeans or a delicious bar of handmade soap from Body Shop at Gurgaon’s MGF Metropolitan Mall. Redoing your home? Maspar showroom in DLF City Centre with its amazing collection of home furnishings will come to your rescue. And the multicuisine food court and entertainment centre for kids brings a brief respite to your long shopping spree.

Then there is the Sahara Mall, touted as the country’s first brand super mall. Not to be left behind either is DT Mega Mall, where you can raid the Gallerie Alternatives for a fabulous Manu Parekh piece. The Gold Souk—an exclusive jewellery mall (yes you’ve read it right!)—is worth trying for the very best in Indian as well as foreign designs. And while in Noida, check out the Centrestage Mall —eleven floors of blissful temptation and the Great India Place!

This is just a scratch on the surface. Drive around and you’ll find many other malls in the vicinity, each offering much more than just shopping—if you’re considering hanging up your boots already, that is.