Magnetic Mumbai

Fashion designer Saloni Lodha opens her little black book and reveals the best places to visit in the megalopolis of Mumbai, which draws her back at least twice a year

- Oliver Giles

Saloni Lodha is a global nomad. The acclaimed fashion designer grew up in India outside the ancient holy city of Nashik, but has since lived in London, Seoul and Hong Kong, where she’s now based. But if there’s one city that always feels like home to her, it’s Mumbai. “I moved to Mumbai to study when I was 16,” she says. “I loved it, and it’s very special to me—it’s where I met my husband, where I had my first child.”

Saloni returns to Mumbai at least twice a year and often finds inspiration there for her eponymous label; her flattering, colourful dresses in vibrant patterns are favourites of the Duchess of Cambridge, Naomi Watts and women around the world looking for elegant, easy-to-wear wardrobe staples that are as comfortable in an office in Shanghai as they are on the school run in New York or on holiday in Paris.

Her success at designing clothes with such a global aesthetic—along with her own experience of the jet-setting life—have seen Saloni become something of a go-to guide for anyone in the fashion world looking for travel advice, particularly if it concerns India. “Sometimes it seems like everyone who ever goes to Mumbai emails me for tips,” says Saloni with a laugh. Her guide to this bustling melting pot of a city is far too handy to be kept secret, so here, in her own words, are Saloni’s favourite spots in Mumbai.

WHERE TO STAY

When I’m travelling with my family, I always stay at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. It’s without doubt one of the best hotels in India. The rooms are beautiful and the service is amazing. Once I stayed at the Taj for five weeks with my parents and kids, so the staff feel like family to me.