dishoom loves

Issue XL, May

May arrives with a deeply familiar and enticing scent – the glorious mango – finally in season for a few fleeting weeks. Long, fruitful evenings of sticky grins and messy chins await. Join us in celebrating the centrepiece of Bombay summer, not simply as cherished treat, but also as artistic muse, fine flavourer of vodka, and most stylish jewellery inspiration.

We’re in good spirits, thanks to:—

Desi Daru, purveyors of smoothest vodkas and collectors of countless spirit awards. A delightfully fruity serve, the Alphonso Mango vodka is crafted for liberal pouring among friends – swirl into cocktail glasses for thirst-slaking spritzes and coladas. The coveted mango sweetens (and loosens) lips.

Sip ripest mangoes

We’re looking good enough to eat with:—

Street Adab, a slow-fashion brand, crafting heritage-rich attire. Often embedding Urdu text from early to mid-century advertisements, fine examples include their unisex pieces: the Ghalib & Mango Shirt and Vest. Vivid oranges and greens are delicately hand-painted upon silkiest cotton. Delectable mangoes, usually fleeting from plates, made lasting and wearable.

Swathe yourself in mangoes

We’re sparking joy with:—

Maachis, where matchboxes are refashioned as tiniest canvases. Honouring the Indian tradition of decorating these everyday objects with eye-catching art, rousing politics and cultural icons, blank spaces are replaced with rich detail – the famed three-mangoes motif among them. Set candles and incense alight with most splendid storytelling, captured in miniature.

Strike a match

We’re glittering, thanks to:—

Anisha Parmar, our friend and much-admired jewellery designer. Her Mangoes and Marigolds collection revives nostalgic delights for modern wearers, imagining mangoes for the skin rather than the spoon. Growing up, Anisha giddily waited for her mother to return from Ealing Road, laden with the sweetest of boxes – ripe, inviting mangoes snug within. Adorn yourself with radiant pieces, rooted in childhood joy.

Embellish ears and necks

We’re decorating walls with:—

Studio Ashna, creator of vibrant art, resplendent with joy and colour. Contemporary works tenderly draw upon South Asian visual heritages, such as intricate Pichwai paintings and handblock printing. Uplift empty walls and lonely mantelpieces with brightest hues – perhaps Ashna’s vivid mango season memories translated into luminous risograph prints.

Curate your space