Clutching the luxury tag

With the launch of Hidesign Couture this week, an Indian company has taken on the challenge of the "luxury" tag that international players are bringing into the country.

As international luxury brands set shop to seduce Indian shopaholics, domestic leather accessories brand Hidesign too has taken the leap forward. "Our answer to luxury brands in India," as Dilip Kapur, president, Hidesign calls it, "Hidesign Couture will be beauty, exclusivity, elegance and practicality, all rolled into one."

The need to launch a premium mass luxury brand was felt by Kapur a year-and-a-half ago as he saw that people were willing to bet a good amount of their money on just bags.

"The wealthy constituent," he says, "has been continuously growing with people willing to spend anywhere between $500-1,000 on bags."

The brand has grown 26 per cent over last year's turnover of Rs 84 crore (both, domestically and internationally) with nearly Rs 2 crore invested in Hidesign Couture.

To maintain the exclusivity of a premium brand, Hidesign Couture will initially be available at standalone stores. The brand's launch at its flagship store at MG2 in New Delhi will be followed by "exclusive Hidesign Couture stores in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai in the next one year," informs Kapur.

Internationally, the couture brand will be seen at an exclusive store at the Hong Kong airport, in Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur and even China where, according to Kapur, "the brand directly competes in the mass luxury market." With 32 stores already operating in different parts of the country, Kapur has planned 17 more for 2006.

Some prominent Hidesign stores will have a separate section for the couture brand that will be priced 40-100 per cent higher than other Hidesign products.

Four new collections will be launched for the couture brand and Kapur admits he's finding it difficult to find exclusive locations for stores in India. "Departmental stores are a strict no-no and hotels too don't gel well."

The bags are designed by Alberto Ciaschini, a well-known accessory designer from Italy and the look is clean with strong detailing. Kapur says, "The details are exclusive and impossible to copy. What's more, we use the highest grade of leather with no finish (naked leather) along with solid brass fittings."

The colour coral dominates the Hidesign Couture collection followed by browns and tans. "There are blue tones too but one has to be careful with blue as a totally blue bag can give a streetwear look," says Kapur, adding, "We will be focussing on elegant tones though we might use yellow too."

While Kapur harps the "luxury brand" tune, the prices of these bags are actually moderately priced between Rs 3,000-6,000.

Quiz him and he admits, "We are trapped in a strange position in the mass luxury market. Though we are priced lower then others, the designs, quality, craftsmanship and exclusivity of Hidesign Couture will ooze luxury." Kapur's game plan is to price his couture range of bags at almost double the price for the international market.

With a growing number of stores, an exclusive couture brand and an eye on the international market, Kapur's own expansion bag looks loaded.