Two giant white terracotta lions stand guard at the doorway. As I step in, the late afternoon sun’s rays spin a swerving web of light from the chandelier above. Via a stairway leading down, a montage of bright red poppies on the side wall, I arrive at the landing, awash in crimson, more mirrors and a headless mannequin in red, cheekily perched upon the table. I gasp.
Ritu beri in her expansive office overlooking the greens
| Photo Credit:
Ashay Phadke
The sound of gushing water from a fountain near a vintage statue invites my gaze to fall upon the bright red façade of the mansion. The place is enveloped in a thicket. As I am walked in through the gardens, we pass what was a cave-like structure, now the bar. A few steps below is a amphitheatre-like space and the garden café.
The bright red façade of the mansion
| Photo Credit:
Ashay Phadke
A leafy retreat
I’m in Escape, a creative, new destination by fashion designer, Ritu Beri, located in a 200-year-old Portuguese villa in Socorro. It blends fashion, art, and culture into a seamless experience, offering more than just shopping. “I didn’t choose the place, it chose me”, shares Ritu Beri, “When I was offered the space in January 2024, I instantly knew it was the perfect canvas. The transformation happened fast. Imagine this place, surrounded by forests, the trees over a hundred years old!”
Escape is a sanctuary where Ritu’s creativity flows freely. But, it is also a no-holds-barred, maximalistic space. ”That’s just me. It’s my style. I believe you do everything, or nothing. There’s no such thing as in-between.”
The interiors of Escape
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
As we pass through this fantasy-land of glittering chandeliers, all 29 twinkling in unison, bright Uzbek kilims (Ritu Beri is the cultural ambassador of Uzbekistan in India), large, white Baroque-style statues, and bright pop-art inspired cushion covers; all punctuated with strong accents of red, it does bring out the whimsy and creative style of the designer’s layered approach.
The retail space houses Ritu’s resort wear designs, her ‘stylish love affair with Goa’ as she refers to it. The kaftans, flowing dresses and chic swimwear are playful and flamboyant; effortless from beach to bar. There are a few others who share space here, like Jasbir Gill’s bags, and an intriguing line of perfumes from Maison De Fouzdar, whose gender-fluid scents are captivating.
Kaftans, flowing dresses and chic swimwear are on display
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Bites and brews
Hidden in between the veil of lush greens, is the garden café, open through the day, and the bar. The menu for both has been curated by Stanzin Namgyal of the erstwhile royaly family of Ladakh, now known for Willow Kitchen & Bar in Leh. The café menu is tight and non-fussy, and you could expect the usual bruschetta, arancinis, quinoa salad, burger, serradura, chocolate tart and a few pasta dishes thrown in for good measure.
The bar menu has not more than eight cocktails, with their own twist on the signatures like picante and an Escape Negroni with the zest of mandarins, aged in the claypot. Although not a big whisky cocktail fan, I did find The Prince rather interesting and with depth, with aged cheese-washed whisky, hazelnut, oak smoke and a chocolate rim.
Creative expression
Looking around the space and tracing her journey, Ritusays, “It’s been three decades of an exhilarating ride across Paris, Dubai, Mauritius, Cairo and beyond. Every step has been about evolving, experimenting and pushing creative boundaries.”
An exterior shot of Escape
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement
Part of National Institute of Fashion Technology’s (NIFT) first batch, Ritu was a contemporary of Rohit Khosla, the late Rohit Bal, Rina Dhaka, and Hemant Trivedi and even in those early days, had aced the art of personal branding since her first show Lavanya in 1990. I ask her this, just as I recall her careful sculpting of her own brand story, “I launched my label Lavanya in 1990; no blueprint, just passion and persistence,” she tells me. “Fashion was still a niche concept then, and we were stepping into uncharted territory. With no roadmap, we had to pave our own way.”
And, now? “Fashion is now a lifestyle, not just an occasion. People are dressing for themselves; style has become a daily statement. But with that, the challenge is to stay fresh, relevant and fearless,” shares the designer, who seems to have done that, on this blank canvas in the sleepy village of Socorro.
With Escape, Ritu Beri has gone all out in terms of creative expression. And, surprises.
Published – February 17, 2025 12:47 pm IST
