Luxury Retail Stores in India

chillibreeze writer — Gurpreet Wasi

I love Barney’s Communication! Not Barney, the purple dinosaur but Barneys New York, the luxe retail brand. I love the Barney’s website, the mailers, the catalog and those clothes. It’s a pity I don’t have the rich-Punjabi-husband!

I was reminded of Barneys while reading in the ET the other day – about Aditya Birla Nuvo’s plans to launch a chain of luxe stores in India, inspired by Harvey ‘Nicks’ and the Barneys concepts! The stores will be called ‘Collective’.

I remember, on my first geeky trip to London, I carried a list of all the ‘must-visit and be photographed at’ places. There was Harrods topping that list and I hadn’t heard of Harvey Nicks! But my upmarket friends in London told me that Harrods was where the oldies go and so I landed at the imposing corner building a few streets away from Harrods.

It’s been 10 years since Aditya Birla went shopping for the Madura Brands and things have been rather quiet since then. With ‘Collective’, the company will take a very big fashionable leap - targeted at the metrosexual male, the chain will have 12 stores to begin with in Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi. To support the backend, AFL Logistics has already set up the first-of-its-kind 12000 sq ft fashion and luxury retail distribution centre in Bhiwandi especially for the Madura Garments Lifestyle Retail Company. The second such luxury distribution center will shortly be announced in Bangalore.

What’s special about a luxury goods warehouse? Well, pleased to be educating you - it has automated biometric access, infrared security and surveillance with high-end cameras which are capable of motion based capture, customized racking and a fully mapped warehouse management system. Binning and picking guided by a first of its kind in India wireless radio frequency gun (RF gun) and more. Phew, are we impressed!

Aditya Birla has lined an impressive array of the brands to be showcased at the ‘Collective’ – VF’s 7 Jeans, True Religion, Kenneth Cole, Ted Baker and Valentino. This should make ‘Collective’ the hottest fashion spot for the ‘with-it’ Indian male.

Though, on another note can you imagine the possible remote consequences of pictures of Buddha playing the guitar? That’s ‘True Religion’ jeans for you. The Kenneth Cole homepage celebrates ‘gender identity’ by showing a transgender woman kissing her boyfriend. All that with the likes of Kenneth Cole and Valentino makes it a rather eclectic mix. In a country looking for excuses to make politics, everything has potential! And thank God politicians don’t read such pieces!

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—About our writer:

Gurpreet,

COO with Go Fish Retail Solutions, India's leading Retail Consulting practice. Also a passionate writer, teacher, painter, running enthusiast and pottery novice ! Moonlights as wife, mother, tinker and tailor while she is not playing a heavy vehicle driver!

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