India

Fashion brands like Dior, Ralph Lauren and Jimmy Choo are cosying up to a new generation of actresses, socialites and aristocrats who capture the zeitgeist in India’s rapidly growing luxury market.

PDS Limited founder Pallak Seth has created a next-generation sourcing platform used by brands like Zara and Gap, challenging the dominance of Hong Kong supply chain management giants.

Local fashion designers and jewellers benefit most from India’s elaborate wedding customs, but global luxury brands like Versace and Bulgari are also capitalising on this opportunity through imaginative marketing, design tweaks and collaborations.

Well-known designers like Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi Mukherjee are hoping that their reputation in luxury fashion circles will help bring them success in the highly competitive and price-sensitive beauty market.

H&M and Zara continue to expand in the country but local mass market competitors offer consumers a more complete wardrobe including popular ‘Indo-Western’ style outfits.

Affluent members of the Indian diaspora are underserved by fashion retailers, but dedicated e-commerce sites are not a silver bullet for Indian designers aiming to reach them.

The global industry is turning its attention towards India with a slew of international brands bringing their best selling products to the subcontinent. But local lines are leveraging their close proximity to the customer to produce products that have a perfect market fit for regional shoppers and the diaspora alike.

Spurred by rapid growth in the pure luxury market, global brands operating in lower-priced segments like contemporary fashion are entering the country or accelerating expansion plans.