Store Review: Frette

Can you buy a good night's sleep? The designers of luxury bed linen would certainly like you to think so. They're poured hours of research into designing gorgeous linen from high-quality materials that aid better sleep.

Luxury bed linen brands such as Frette (they're based out of Milan) use natural fibres like Egyptian cotton, widely believed to be the best, and poplin to create their collections.

According to Nivedita Malcolm, executive director of Regency Retail, which has brought Frette to India, natural fibres have a tendency to adjust according to the season. "During the summer, they provide a cooling effect, and in the winter they create warmth," she explains. "The sleep that you would get in a Frette bed is unbeatable."

Frette, which has, for more than 140 years, been supplying Royal and celebrity households with high-quality bed linen, has arrived in Mumbai, with its two signature collections, Edmond - the younger, vibrant poplin/cotton blend line that Madonna (yes that Madonna) favours - and Couture, the more indulgent line. If you're wondering about thread counts, they start at 300 for the Edmond line and sore to almost 1000 for the couture line.

Why should these numbers matter? Because the higher the thread count, the finer, lighter and smoother the product, says Nivedita. One particular piece in-store is an elaborate bed set with an intricately-designed top cover. A sea shell pattern, in shades of blue (see top pic), has been weaved using a technique that closely resembles that used to create the Indian patan patola, says Nivedita. Also, what sets this bed cover, and probably the entire Frette range apart is the inclusion of a diagonal thread in the weave, which means that the durability of the product is longer.

The store, which shares floor space with Ravissant at Colaba, is neatly laid out, with examples of beds they can custom-make as well as pieces from Frette's travel accessories, clothes and very adorable kids' lines. 

Prices range from Rs 18,000 onward for the Edmond line; Rs 1 lakh for the Couture line; Rs 27,000 for the kids' line. Available at Frette, New India Centre, 17a Cooperage Road, Mumbai.