LUX URY, HERE, NOW!

The Indian audience is top of mind for luxury brands globally. But beyond market-specific product Launches, how are brands appealing to the ever-elusive Indian buyer? Akanksha Kamath finds out

- Akanksha Kamath

A marked shift took place on March 31st, when Dior partnered with an Indian embroidery and craft house, Chanakya School of Craft, to show its Fall 2023 show in Mumbai against the backdrop of the Gateway of India. In that moment, the country went from an inspirational mood board for design houses to leading design through the threads and hands that worked on the collection in the ateliers. Key conversation themes simmered to the forefront after this event. The clearest rhetoric was that at a time when the rest of the world faced a luxury slowdown, India’s growing economy, growing wallet share, and increasing appetite for luxury was a beacon of hope for brands.

Ever since, the onslaught of international luxury brands targeting the Indian consumer, at home and away, has been undeniable. We saw Ranveer Singh become the face of Tiffany & Co. Hermès launched beauty in India (their lipsticks quickly became accessories in handbags and on social media feeds). The brand also hosted talks for its niche clientele around the restoration works it has been carrying out of the iconic David Sassoon Library in Mumbai. More behemoth brands opened standalone flagship stores at the Jio World Plaza Mall in BKC, Mumbai including Cartier and Dior, and the royal family of Jaipur opened their palace to intimate dinners and rarefied experiences for a select few with brands like Ralph Lauren.