New Delhi: More than five international luxury brands, including Roberto Cavalli, Armani Junior, Tumi and Hackett, opened shop at the capital’s swish DLF Emporio mall this year. For officials of these brands, choosing the destination was half the battle won because of its elite clientele and the presence of other “exquisite brands”.
Spread over 320,000 sq feet, the DLF Emporio mall in south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area had opened in 2008. Spread over four levels, the mall is home to 65 international brands and 129 Indian designer brands. The list is growing each year. Tumi, one of the world’s leading brands for travel, business and lifestyle accessories, debuted at the luxury destination in July. Armani Junior, a subsidiary of international fashion label Giorgio Armani, opened doors for the Indian market in September, and so did British men’s clothing and accessories brand Hackett London.
However, it was the launch of Italian designer brand Roberto Cavalli’s first flagship store in the country here that stole the limelight this year. Cavalli himself flew down for the launch. His store, spread over approximately 400 sq ft on the ground floor, resonates with the brand’s trademarks - bold patterns and exotic animal prints.
“Keeping Roberto Cavalli’s brand aesthetics in mind that eludes luxury and class, there would have been no better place than DLF Emporio to open our first-ever store in the capital,” Cavalli said during his visit, when he also launched his world-renowned Cafe Cavalli.
As a visitor to the mall, one would see a distinct crowd - often suited-booted men with well-dressed women, clutching expensive designer bags in hand, emanating a strong whiff of luxury perfumes, and with their heads held high. Of course, the stores and their products’ prices only suit specific and limited pockets, given a minimum price of `5,000 for even a small item like a card holder. Dinaz Madhukar, senior vice president of DLF Emporio, agreed.
“There is a different customer base that comes to DLF Emporio. Our main idea of bringing in the luxury at the place is to familiarise people with the brands because the more they know about the brands, the more the brands will get business. Yes, we have an elite customer base and we are trying to make sure that people get the opportunity to experience the best at any given point of time,” Madhukar said.
The mall also saw the opening of leisure and resort wear brand Turquoise & Gold (T&G) in August. “Our brand’s primary focus to position itself as an exquisite luxury brand. As such, the clientele that frequents DLF Emporio is a perfect fit for us,” Samara Mahindra, T&G’s head of marketing and communication, said. Emporio already houses well-heeled stores of international brands like Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Gucci, Christian Louboutin, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tom Ford, Bottega Veneta, Ermenegildo Zegna, Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Dior, Paul Smith, Canali, Hugo Boss and Burberry, among others.
IANS
