Art that will give you the heebie-jeebies

Meet me at the gallery

Need an excuse to duck out of the heat (or the rain)? The art world has you covered. Start with Paper and Play at Gallery XXL in Delhi. The exhibition features a fun mix of books, zines, games, and paper-based curiosities that change every week. For something moodier, Slow Rot at Method, Delhi, trades pretty pictures for uncomfortable truths. Featuring 10 artists, the show explores themes of alienation and vulnerabilities via unsettling works. And in Bengaluru, one of the most interesting shows comes from an artist who is only 15. Bindu & Rekha by Sai Akhil Anand looks at patterns found in the natural world. His work looks at the unexpected overlap between the world of art and mathematics. Over in Mumbai, there’s a new gallery on the block. Gallery Maxima has opened its doors at Kitab Mahal with Dream Girl, Maithili Chaturvedi’s solo show inspired by the Bollywood film heroine—the muse, icon, fantasy, and cautionary tale. —Sheya Kurian

Paper and Play is on at Gallery XXL in Delhi, with new drops and events every Thursday until August 22

Slow Rot is on view at Delhi’s Method Gallery till July 3

Dream Girl opens at Gallery Maxima in Mumbai on June 27

Bindu & Rekha is showing at the Sandeep & Gitanjali Maini Foundation in Bengaluru from June 14 to 30

A sneaker for your inner Viking

A few months ago, Almost Gods turned eight. Designer Dhruv Khurana has spent much of those years giving us utilitarian pieces, like the now-iconic red hoodie, graphic sweats, and everything in between. The last year and a half, though, was spent making Tether, the brand’s first sneaker. With a military- and Viking-inspired design, the GAT (German Army Trainer) has a clean low-profile silhouette with a gum sole and heel tab first developed in the ’70s (Adidas and Puma are still fighting over bragging rights). Almost Gods’ sneaker drop features a wrap-around lacing system that covers the entire upper and comes in a brushed hairy suede for a raw, deconstructed quality. Pick from two colourways—denim blue and sandstone brown. —Heer Joshi

Available at almostgods.com

Buy and browse

There are multiple ways to escape the summer heat—you can go scoop-shop hopping, stay indoors until the sun sets, or even better, go shopping. At Sand by Shirin’s first-ever flagship store at Jio World Drive, BKC, Mumbai, browse the brand’s breezy holiday-ready collection in a space decorated with stone plinths, mosaic details, and woven textured surfaces.

In the same neighbourhood, Italian label Max&Co., sibling brand of Max Mara, has made its debut in the city. The spring/summer 2026 collection is housed in a clean, modern space with pops of bright red and yellow that instantly make you crave an Italian summer.

Close by, in Bandra, you can now finally shop all those homegrown labels and independent designers you’ve been eyeing on Instagram. Broadway, the 40,000 sq ft department store, which already has a presence in Delhi and Hyderabad, houses buzzy brands such as Unfiltrd, Comet, Super You, Bird Eye, and Inde Wild, to name a few. Hunger pangs don’t have to wait either; the in-house Food Stories offers gourmet bites alongside organic, fresh produce and food pop-ups.

The capital, meanwhile, has a new literary escape. Tucked away in the tree-lined lanes of Meherchand Market, CMYK’s new outlet is the perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon browsing their collection of coffee-table books that span fashion, art, photography, and much more. —Nandini Gulati

Sand by Shirin: 1st floor, Jio World Drive, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai

Max&Co.: Ground floor, Jio World Drive, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra East, Mumbai

Broadway: F/1080, Hill Road, Bandra West, Mumbai

CMYK: 15-16, Meherchand Market, Lodhi Road, New Delhi

Gear up, Grand Prix fans

Can’t go to the F1 races this season? Don’t worry, because the racetrack is coming to you. The Racer, a new playfully illustrated cotton canvas tote by Mumbai-based Art-chives, known for its quirky, holiday-inspired bags, will be a good fill-in. It comes scribbled with the slogan ‘I dream in speed’ and promises to take you straight to the French Riviera and into the star-studded paddock. —Anushka

Available for ₹17,500 at artchivesindia.com

Soda that loves you back

The summer heat has come for us all and reaching for an afternoon fizzy drink is a non-negotiable. And as much as I love a Diet Coke, a daily Diet Coke doesn’t exactly love me back. Fortunately for me, Hādo recently hit the market. With no artificial sweeteners or colour, Hādo’s crafted sodas are infused with ACV and hit your daily recommended fibre intake. The gut-friendly soda comes in four flavours so far (the Guava Chili is easily my favourite), is good for you without tasting like it, and makes choosing a mixer or a little pick-me-up that much easier, even if daily. —Saniya Jaffer

Available at drinkhado.com, amazon.in, and Blinkit

Dior wants to be in your home gym now

Leave it to Dior to make you feel underdressed at your own Pilates session. Cordelia de Castellane’s new Haute Wellness line takes the house’s decorative instincts to the home gym. The fitness range covers the bases: resistance bands, a yoga mat, a brick, weights, exercise rings. What makes it distinctly Dior is the cannage (that iconic diamond-quilted signature) running through all of it. The silk pillowcases and eye masks feel like a Dior Spa checkout gift. There’s also a journaling collaboration with The Five Minute Journal. Dior, it turns out, has a lot to say about your 7 am. —Sheree Gomes Gupta

The one where immersive fandom comes to India

C.O.R.E. (Culture of Real Experiences) is bringing together the worlds of anime, gaming, cinema, music, and creator culture in a highly immersive format. On June 20 and 21, this next-gen pop culture festival will transform Mumbai’s Jio World Convention Centre into immersive themed “streets”, each designed as its own universe of storytelling, experiences, merchandise, music, food, creators, and fandom. Conceptualised by Fanthology Studios in collaboration with Black White Orange, fans can expect everything from a Godzilla-inspired recreation zone to a life-sized ISRO space experience under one roof. Pick your experience through interactive AR and VR zones, fandom sets, cosplay championships, exclusive collectibles, and limited-edition merchandise drops, to name a few.

But that's not all. Starting June 19, The Friends Experience is coming to Mumbai! You can dance in front of the fountain (or fall in it like Ross), walk into Monica’s kitchen, pivot Ross’s new sofa or take a selfie on the couch in Central Perk. Get your cameras out, because could we be more excited? —Heer Joshi

C.O.R.E tickets available here

Book your Friends experience here

Seven days, many worlds

For your dose of films a step apart from the Bollywood blockbuster, head to the 19th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF). South Asia’s oldest and largest festival dedicated to documentary, short fiction, and animation, this year’s roundup gathers path-breaking films from India and across the world. The programme spans everything from an American artist who chases truth even as Alzheimer’s closes in (Bernard Aptekar: The Opera of the Floating World) to a mother fighting for her trans daughter’s marriage (Amma’s Pride), with masterclasses and panel discussions for anyone interested in a deeper dive. On from June 15 to 21 at the NFDC-Films Division Complex. —Nandini Sanghvi

For booking details, click here

Summer wedding style sorted

Summer doesn’t mean wedding season has come to a halt. Luckily, Swadesh’s latest capsule collection—a collaboration with Pooja Keyur—is perfect for any festive occasion that you have on your calendar. The line of kurta sets ranges from cropped kurtis paired with salwars to flowing anarkalis, kaftans, and straight-cut fits in soft summer pastels finished with intricate metallic aari and zardozi embroidery. This collaboration with Pooja Keyur comes right on the heels of Swadesh’s previous tie-up with Eka by Rina Singh. Expect more such creative partnerships in months to come. Watch this space. —Butool Jamal

Available at Swadeshonline.com

Caribbean jazz tunes for your soul

Just in time for World Music Day celebrations, Trinidad-born trumpeter, composer, and cultural storyteller Etienne Charles and his Creole Soul ensemble will treat you to some Caribbean calypso, reggae, and Haitian folk with American soul and jazz in not one but two cities. Hosted by Windmill Craftworks Bengaluru (June 25 and 26) and Hyderabad (June 27), it’s your best bet to enjoy good food and great music at once. —Nandini Sanghvi

Art, but make it fragile

Before luxury decor became a thing, Baccarat was making crystal into art pieces: the Canopée bowl, Service du Tsar, Trocadéro Bowl, et al. Now, these pieces, which date back to the 20th century, are being reissued as limited editions. Each piece is still made entirely by hand and available at Baccarat, The Chanakya, New Delhi. From this collection, the Tsar glass, first commissioned for Tsar Nicholas II, showcases Baccarat at its most exacting— double-cased crystal, diamond-point cuts, and a scalloped foot come together in a regal silhouette. —Tanvi Parekh