About Us

Lets Start From The Beginning

Our story starts in 2018 with Masala Scents. It was created on an evening when I was missing the feeling of home and booking a plane ticket while juggling Law School, an Arts Degree and Legal Internships was just not an option.

My creative side came truly to life as I turned my nostalgia into a first of it’s kind South Asian candle brand rooted in eco-friendly materials.

Masala Scents grew into more than I could imagine. A space for joy, connection and warmth. The scents of Gulab Jamun, Chai and Gulab brought the community of Aotearoa together as I continued to make them with pyaar (love).

Then Came Masala Bazaar

While struggling to balance life and business (as new entrepreneurs often do), I found support in the most unexpected place.

The hidden Desi gems of the Instagram business community.

A community that had emerged from lockdown woes, a tribe of creatives who were eager to let their talents shine. We were all of South Asian heritage. We shared struggles. We shared wins. We shared culture.

This feeling of family was so amazing, I knew it had to be shared so that everyone else could feel its warmth! We had our first Masala Bazaar in November 2020 and it was a smashing success, to say the least.

Fast forward to June 2022 - I did something a little crazy. I quit my job, took a break from being in law and decided to pursue Masala Bazaar full time.

Since 2022 we have found our home in Parnell and were soon recognised by the NZ Herald, Radio New Zealand and regularly recommended by Urban List. We even celebrated being a finalist for Excellence in Community Contribution at the 2degrees Auckland Business Chamber Awards.

Over three years, we uplifted over 60 South Asian and WOC creatives from around New Zealand and created iconic workshops that bring our community together like Paint & Chai, Candlemaking and 'Karigari' Blockprinting. Like a true bustling bazaar.

But, where to from here?

Our Why

After nearly five years, in a post-Covid economy, I found myself contemplating my why? again. What drives Masala Bazaar?

The answer is - the love for my heritage, for art and for honoring our planet that was instilled in me from a young age by my great grandmother (Nani).

She was a partition survivor and her 1947 journey of building a life from nothing in the face of colonial rule, has shaped my worldview.

Nani came into the world and saw the ban of Indian cotton exports, the end of Bengal Muslin, the devaluing of Zardozi, Kantha, Phulkari and the collapse of the artistic industry leaving our artisans in poverty.

Yet her generation fought for the survival of our culture, heritage and art.

And when we see fast fashion, mass manufacturing and labour exploitation continue to rob our artisans.

Our why is to continue that fight.

We champion and honor our artisans for all that they are able to create despite history and the modern day's attempt to take it from them, from us.

Our Pieces

At Masala Bazaar tradition, slow fashion and creativity intertwine.

We honor the hands that shape our world by curating artisan-made treasures from the Indian Subcontinent and beyond.

From hand woven Indian cotton, sculpted Sindhi ceramics and natural Arab oud.

Each piece is a story passed from hand to hand. One that transcends borders and unites us. Each piece is created through skilled craftsmanship that has fought to be preserved through generations.

We partner with brands that align with our values. Those who create employment and ethical working conditions for artisans.

The brands that believe in slow production and slow fashion.

The brands that believe in the power of uniting people through art.

Today, across the world the value of artisanal craftsmanship is being lost to fast fashion. We challenge the culture of mass manufacturing that harms our planet at the expense of our artisans.

From Ajrak's deep indigos to Tatreez's intricate stitches, each of our pieces serve a reminder that art is the thread of resistance that ties us together.

Together - we can protect the environment, champion handmade, and empower artisans by creating, consuming and celebrating art that stands the test of time.

Our Bazaar

What is a bazaar? A community of creators.

Inspired by the bustling bazaar's of Karachi where artisans create, bond over cutting chai and the people connect with their craft.

We honor our heritage by inviting you to step into our world and create instead of consume.

Our creative workshops are curated to connect people to their inner artisan through scent, through block printing and through art.

Whether its an afternoon with a friend, a milestone or a birthday, our workshops spark meaningful conversations and create lifelong memories at the bazaar.

Proudly Featured On

Over the years we have become the favorites of our people and recognised by Industry leaders

Our Values

Community lies at the heart of what we do at Masala Bazaar. We exist to uplift our group of small business owners by being generous with our resources, our advice and our opportunities.

Millions of workers around the world are exploited every day because our global industries lack transparency and accountability. We uphold high standards of integrity at Masala Bazaar. We charge our vendors fair, competitive rates to ensure they have access to our platform. We also do not charge our customers hidden extra costs - the price you pay to shop in person and online is the same.

We are an inclusive space that features various vendors of different South Asian, Latin and Middle Eastern descent , religion and upbringing. We have a strict non-discrimination policy and treat our entrepreneurs, customers and creatives with kindness and compassion.

It’s no secret that we own too much stuff, from fashion to homeware. While we aim to empower South Asian businesses, we also practice conscious consumerism. That means we don’t have ongoing sales, we don’t aggressively push to purchase and we definitely don’t follow you around the store until you buy something. We encourage you to ask yourself if you truly need or want something before you buy it too.

We prioritise minimising our waste and carbon impact within the space. Focusing on slow batch productions, handmade items and even implementing a trade-in system so that your wardrobe can be currency in store!

Some of our vendors use recyclable packaging and sustainable materials for their products. We’re definitely not perfect - you’ll still see the odd plastic packaging in the store - but we are working towards making improvements and encouraging our vendors to be more Earth-friendly too!

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Salam, Kia Ora, Welcome!