Luxury Market in India Versus International Brands
On a recent visit to Bangkok, one of my dear friend from India came to visit me for an event. She chose an outfit from a famous high-end Indian designer for the occasion. But when she wore the outfit, I noticed that the garment was lacking a proper fit and the finesse required of a garment.
I love to follow fashion and am a keen follower of Indian and International luxury brands. When I travel, I love to check out the latest trends in fashion be it designer clothes, accessories, haute couture, makeup and beauty trends or jewelry brands.
As a Proud Indian, I strongly believe that the Indian Designer Haute Couture or Indian Jewelry is unparalleled in their designs, impeccable workmanship and the artisan skill. The Indian Designer luxury products have amazing designs, rich vibrant hues and color palettes to boast of.
On the other hand the International luxury brands are far superior and evolved when it comes to marketing, packaging and quality control of their goods. And score a way ahead in their customer services.
When I visit India, I love to check out my favorite indian designer clothes and jewelry. In most of the indian boutiques including the high-end ones, the garments are lacking the finesse of a finished product. Sometimes the handmade embroidery is falling apart, threads need to be fixed and at times one can see a variation of color in the fabric which is disappointing.
Customer Service is another significant aspect which needs to be improved. The value of customer’s time and experience should be given a high priority. The haute couture ensembles are taken on order by the designers and take a time frame of one or two months as they are handmade. Inspite of the designers hiring the quality control assistants to check on the finished piece, clients often find the final garment lacking the right fit and finesse.
The client again waits for the next alteration to be completed to his or her satisfaction till they can get the delivery of their luxury good. So the value of time is compromised here for the customer who is excited and looking forward to their purchase and can be a dampener for their experience.
I would like to mention an incident from my recent trip to Paris. I bought a white jumpsuit from an international brand and didn’t have enough time for the alterations of my garment. So their team got the alterations done in half a day and delivered it to my hotel on time. The altered white garment was spotless in its finish and had an amazing fit. A total satisfying experience I remember till date.
Another aspect which I love about international luxury brands is the fact that they have created their own niche and unique identity of their luxury goods which sets them apart. For example the signature Orange color done by the Hermes brand visible in their clothing line, handbags, accessories and packaging is a signature trait of their brand. The Louis Vuitton brand too is recognized by their signature L&V embossed logo.
The International jewelry brands too have their signature packaging like the red and gold Cartier boxes, black embossed Bvlgari jewelry boxes, blue leather Mikimoto boxes. Each of these jewelry comes with a printed certificate of authenticity to which a code or model number is added on purchase along with a stamp and signature to mark the date of the purchase of the jewelry. Very unlike the norm followed by the indian jewelers back home.
To conclude I being a Proud Indian would love to see my country India capture the luxury market at home as well as Internationally in the years to come, provided they can improvise the marketing, packaging and quality control skills of their merchandise and excel in their customer service.
