It is no secret that all luxury fashion brands are looking eastwards to test the Indian waters. None of the luxury brands have really been able to tame the complex Indian market yet, therefore it makes sense to be cautious and take one baby step at a time.
Kitsch, the multi-brand store by sisters Priya & Charu Sachdev, provides an apt platform to help connect luxe consumers and brands together. Luxury shoppers like the fact that they can mix and match from a variety of international brands from under one roof only. Expanding its offerings, Kitsch has now introduced three new brands which are available at its stores: Celine, Catherine Malandrino and menswear from Yves-Saint Laurent (the one we are most excited about!).
Both Catherine Malandrino and Celine will showcase ready to wear and accessories (shoes and bags) for women. YSL will introduce only menswear and accessories at Kitsch. MCQ, the second line of Alexander McQueen, is also being added to Kitsch’s fabulous offerings with both men’s and women’s ready to wear collections. “We are extremely excited to also introduce the iconic collectors’ item, the famous and super popular handbag – luggage Tote – by Celine,” said Ms Charu Sachdev, Founder & CEO, TSG International Marketing.
Celine, previously spearheaded by the extremely popular Michael Kors, is now helmed by Phoebe Philo. A recent interview with Ms Philo featured on July 16, 2011 in The Independent summarized the brand by identifying some staples: “There’s the collarless white shirt with ultra-long cuffs, designed to be worn with tails trailing behind; the fluid, wide-legged trousers; the sleeveless dress that stands away from the body as opposed to clinging to its curves; the crêpe jumpsuit. Celine has several highly covetable bags, such as the soft leather ‘cabas’ and the equally protean, small but perfectly formed ‘classic’ with its brushed gold clasp… It is safe to say [that] Celine is today the ultimate stealth wealth tag for the intelligent, modern woman to see and be seen in.”
Celine also happens to be Ms Charu’s personal favourite from all the brands available in her store now!
Born in the French Alps, Catherine Malandrino designed for Emanuel Ungaro, Louis Féraud and Dorothee Bis before introducing her own label. Her collections have been as varied as unique – ranging from feisty and rock-inspired to bohemian and street smart style. Her inspirations seem to come from around the globe, capturing different moods, cultures and styles.
As for Yves-Saint Laurent (YSL), all men worth their glitzy gadgets would know this iconic brand. The Autumn/Winter collection by YSL, available in Kitsch at the moment, is a mix of English elegance and French impeccability supplemented by superb tailoring.
Ms Charu doesn’t seem to be perturbed by brands like Canali, Corenaliani, Tom Ford and Ermenegildo Zegna which have been in India for a longer time – enough to make Indian men trust them. “I think YSL will be able to compete with these brands. It is the no.1 men’s fashion brand today and the most revered. Their styles sell out within days worldwide and Indian consumers have been buying into YSL for many, many years now,” she says.
Obviously excited about the new brands in their kitty, Kitsch plans to revolve a few marketing activities around them. The visual merchandising of the store will now revolve around YSL Homme, Catherine Malandrino and Celine. “We would like to invite key clients to have special preview of these brands. We are also focusing a lot on celebrity dressing,” elaborated Ms Charu.
However, Ms Charu doesn’t think that these new brands are over and above the previous ones or better than them. She summarises the uniqueness of each beautifully – “All our brands have a unique identity, yet they manage to compliment each other when creating a total look. You can wear a Catherine dress and carry a Celine handbag while matching the attire with an Alexander McQueen pair of boots. Similarly for men, one can pair a Lanvin shirt with a McQueen jacket and jeans or a trouser by YSL – thereby creating a unique identity that is your own.”
Kitsch is certainly a one-stop shopping solution now…
