Ethos Watches goes online; offers special services

Ethos Watches, a conglomerate which brings exquisite and luxury timepieces, has gone online as it launches http://www.ethoswatches.com portal. The portal, though doesn’t let’s you make purchases, but you can choose and also select watches you would want to purchase.

Customer, through the portal, can utilise the special support system called Luxury Watch Helpline where in he/she can dial in and speak to Luxury Watch Consultants for guidance in choosing the right watch. With this you can also get the Luxury Watch Consultant can arrange for an exclusive exhibition of the selected piece at the nearest store or even at your home.

The website has over 3000 watches on display, meticulously segregated by strap type, dial colour, watch size, brand to name a few and over 30 luxury brands including Carl F Bucherer, Hermes, Breitling, Blancpain, Omega, Tag Heuer and many more.

What more, flaunt your choices across social media. So go ahead, ‘Pin it’, ‘Share it’, ‘Like it’, or ‘Tweet it’.

Stefano Ricci plans India entry; awaits FIPB approval for 100% FDI in retail

India has been across various reports, has emerged as a luring destination for investors in various sectors. Of these  sectors, retail is seeing a splurge of investment, especially with FDI opening up in single brand and multi brand.

This time the high-end Italian brand, Stefano Ricci, plans to make an India entry as it awaits FIPB approval for 100 per cent single brand FDI. The brand retails luxury menswear with stores across Europe, US and Asia.

Reports suggest that the brand will open its first store either in Delhi or Mumbai.

Recently, even the crystal and gems brand Swarovski, has also filed proposal with FIPB for 100 per cent single brand FDI.

Luxury Connect Business School partners with International University of Monaco

Luxury Connect, which was launched in 2012 with an aim to nurture luxury retail training in India, partners with International University of Monaco to take the vision forward. With this tie up, LCBS (Luxury Connect Business School) now offers to its students various diploma programs in luxury management offering the possibility to undertake specific courses at IUM.

Manish Malhotra opens flagship store in Delhi

India’s ace fashion designer, Manish Malhotra, opens first flagship store in New Delhi. Located at Mehrauli, the store spells traditional luxury as the products strongly focus on bridal wear and couture collections for both men and women.

The designer brings the  ‘old world charm of opulent India’ in the city of old heritage by placing the standalone store in a haveli spread across 6000 sq ft. The decor is contemporary, and the primary colours used are grey and gold, which add an aura of elegance and encapsulates the mesmerizing charm of the designer’s signature style.
Store’s lavish grandeur retains the historic significance of an imperial haveli along with designer’s modern sensibilities to create a whole new world of refined luxury.

The store showcases the designer’s latest couture pieces, inspired from the 1930s to all his signature bridal collection and the latest Diffusion line, which is lighter and a modern collection that not just reflects the designer’s vision for younger minds but also his passion for Indian craftsmanship. It includes lehengas, saris, anarkalis, lighter luxe line of colour-blocked tunics with pants, cape tunics, sherwani jackets, ghagras and sharara pants for women. Men can choose from a range of bandgalas, bandi jackets, shirts and kurtas.
Collection showcases works such as Kashmiri, Chikankari, Phulkari, which have been important to Manish’s collections in the recent past.

Related articles

• 12 Best Manish Malhotra Bridal Collection of all time (zuri.in)
• Manish Malhotra to design for Kareena, Hrithik in ‘Shuddhi’ (vancouverdesi.com)
• Indian Bridal Look with Manish Malhotra Anarkali Lehenga (zuri.in)
• Bipasha Basu dazzles at Manish Malhotra’s show in London (niticentral.com)

Delhi leads to be the luxury capital of India

India is slowly and gradually accepting luxury and increasing the space for luxury in India. According to a recent report by Cushman & Wakefield, luxury in India will acquire 1.44 per cent of the total retail market by 2015 as against one per cent currently, while the total retail malls stock is set to increase by 27 per cent by 2015.

Highlighting the changing luxury retail scenario in India, the report suggests that total current operational mall space in the organised retail sector across the top seven cities of India is estimated at 66 million (approx.) sq. ft. of which luxury retail space is only 770,000 sq. ft.

Of the seven cities, Delhi/NCR leads the space acquisition at 38 per cent, followed by 21 per cent in Mumbai and 17 per cent in Bengaluru.Due to a strong mall culture and fashion hubs in the country, NCR and Mumbai lead the show while a great level of disposable incomes and a leading IT hub Bengaluru has become the third best destination.

’10 Must Haves’ this weekend – Luxury Special

The Indian luxury market is growing stronger as more and more brands enter the Indian market and the Indian consumer is all set to shell out. This weekend we bring to you a compilation of some Indian and international luxury products.

Here are the recommended must haves this weekend:

Overseas: Apple hires Burberry CEO to navigate its retail division

Now that’s some shift between two exclusive retail brands. Apple, the technology major, has appointed luxury brand Burberry’s CEO, Angela Ahrendts, for its retail division.

Apple, which has been known for launching benchmark products, will have Ahrendts to accelerate the future of Apple’s retail division. The brand thinks that Ahrendts’ experience in technology, fashion retail and commerce will prove to be helpful for the brand. The idea is to create innovative retail strategies that will not create monotony for the brand in the future.

Pic Courtesy: http://www.telegraph.co.uk

According to Los Angeles Times, during Ahrendts’ tenure with Burberry, the British luxury brand’s revenue grew to $5.1 billion in the year that ended March 31 from $1.1 billion in fiscal 2005, and its shares soared 268 per cent.

Related articles

• Angela Ahrendts: Everything You Need to Know About Apple’s New Style Maven (business.time.com)
• Apple Hires Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts To Rejuvenate Retail Stores (fastcompany.com)

Sephora to soon end ties with Genesis Colors; in talks with DLF Brands for tie-up

The French luxury cosmetics retailer, Sephora, is reported to soon end its ties with Genesis Colors, as LVMH owned L Capital plans to exit Genesis Colors.  Sephora is in talks with DLF Brands for partnering in India.

It was in late September this year that L Capital had asked Genesis Colors to buy out its 40 per cent stake in Genesis Luxury or sell the marketing arm altogether. Genesis Luxury holds brands including Jimmy Choo, Giorgio Armani and others.

Infact, Genesis has been asked to get its accounts audited by the ‘Big Four’ audit companies in the country.

 

Related articles

• Genesis Colors’ Sanjay Kapoor opens door to luxury in India (moneycontrol.com)
• DLF sells curtain wall arm Star Alubuild to Japan”s Lixil Corp (news.in.msn.com)

Hidesign experiences 215% growth in e-commerce

Hidesign, the luxury leather handbags and accessories brand, has seen nearly 215 per cent growth in its e-commerce business in the first half of 2013-14 in comparison to last year. The growth is due largely from the opening of new accounts, and is expected to maintain this rate into next year as Hidesign continues to open new accounts.

Sunglass Hut opens two stores at IGI Airport

The eyewear multi-brand retailer, Sunglass Hut, opens two stores at IGI Airport‘s Terminal 3. The stores have been opened in collaboration with their domestic real estate partner DLF.

The stores are located at the domestic and international terminal, each and are spread across 37 sq mts and 40 sq mts, respectively.

Pic courtesy http://www.rajeshsood.in

The stores will offer more than 20 international eyewear brands including Ray-Ban, Oakley, Burberry, Bvlgari, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Prada, Tiffany & Co. and Versace. High on customer service, these stores are key for the retailer as air travel takes a new leap of growth and also lets them reach their target audience who loves premium and luxury brands.