16 April 2007
Luxury Retail Malls to Debut in India
This year will see international luxury brands like Gucci, Armani, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana etc. set shop in India, inside malls that will be exclusively catering to upscale, premium lifestyle brands. With 4-5 luxury malls coming up in India, a deluge of international lifestyle brands is set to descend upon the country this year. According to a recent survey, high net worth individual households in India stand at 1.6 million, growing at around 14-15% annually. And with the luxury market pegged at Rs. 64,000 crores, the going is only getting better. There are at least 5-7 urban micro markets in India for luxury retail, namely, South Mumbai, North Mumbai, South Delhi, Central/South Western Delhi, Chennai and Bangalore, and possibly one in Punjab (Ludhiana or Chandigarh). Cities like Mumbai and Delhi can absorb multiple centers for luxury retail, in order for the brands to be conveniently accessible to the large expanse of the populace. In another 4-6 years, Bangalore and Chennai are expected to follow the trend.