After foraying into the Indian market, Michel Sels, one of the founders of Belgian furniture and design company Sixinch Design, says while it is early to talk about expansion plans in the country, they can join hands with some Indian designers to add 'desi' dimensions soon.
Sels added the designers can "create iconic Indian pieces" with a "Sixinch twist".
Founded in Belgium in 2003, the company is known for blending innovation together with progressive design. The name resonates with creating, designing and manufacturing high-end foam-coated furniture without any support of wood or spring. The company has entered the Indian market in partnership as Sixinch India, a franchise owned by Namrata Seth and Gagan Deep Bhatia.
"We are just entering so it is difficult to judge how we will fare in the Indian market. I can only judge by my experience with other countries...yes there are differences but on the other hand they are similarities," he said.
"But I think what we will need to do is constantly work with architects and designers, I think that is the most important and there is entry level market of restaurants, bars, museums, special pieces for customers. And then I think we can set up corporation with Indian designers and see what they can do with the product," Sels told IANS.
He added: "We are not talking about designing but we are talking about product itself. We will be like this is the product, these are the technicalities, these are the options for colours and then maybe they can take some of iconic Indian pieces and try to put Sixinch twist towards it and make something that people identify with us."
When asked about the say of the other partners under the union, he asserted that they all have the creative freedom.
He shared: "That depends on the partners, what we do is that we back up all the technical information and tell them about all the limitations we know of. The big part of the arrangement is that they have every freedom. We don't limit them. We are here to support them."
The brand is also known for creating customised products, and uses technology to merge the designer with quirky trends and colours. It has expanded its base with manufacturing units in countries like Portugal, Japan, China, US, the Philippines, Italy, Belgium, and Russia with a distribution network spanning 40 countries. In India, the company has a factory set-up here in Chhatarpur.
Sels shares that there are never hiccups to explore a new market with cultural difference.
He said: "With the product that we have we have a market in almost every country we just have to place it into the right environment and then the market will explore itself".
As far as cultural change and weather conditions are concerns, Sels notes that the partners help them figure these small details about the country, and set them in the right direction.
On being asked whether they would also rope in Bollywood celebrities to get the eye balls, he mentions that stars like Shahid Kapoor and Imran khan, have bought the products for the personal use, adding that it is thing to be proud of.
