Under the watchful gaze of a tiger, woven into a signature Hermès silk scarf, Eric Festy, regional director for Hermès in South Asia is discussing the changing Indian luxury consumer. He has just opened the French luxury brand’s new store, at Mumbai’s Jio World Plaza, now joining an array of luxury names that have taken up residence in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). The open-plan store features silks, home decor and jewellery, the latter set apart by the use of bamboo marquetry and deep blue walls. Further towards the rear are the men and women’s clothing and accessories and a private salon.
A snapshot of the new Hermes store in Mumbai
| Photo Credit:
Six Ways To Sunday
Spread over 4,800 square feet, the new retail space has been designed by Paris-based architecture and interior design firm, RDAI which works with the brand for all of its stores worldwide. The space combines brand trademarks, like the mosaic floor, while also integrating nods to India with embroidered mustard walls, dotted with abstract motifs. On the façade are metal cubes that flow from the brand’s signature orange to deep Jodphur blue, which takes inspiration from the festival of Holi. The inaugural windows are by production designer and filmmaker Aradhana Seth, who has created the installation, ‘Faubourg in an Enchanted Forest,’ which like the name suggests, brings together the maison’s historic address (on 24 Rue de Faubourg Saint- Honore in Paris) with Gond-inspired artworks.
On quiet luxury
COVID accelerated this trend. What we used to call luxury 10 years ago is very different today. At Hermes, our specialty is not necessarily to go into logos, we prefer discretion and we prefer the hidden quality. Our bags are very good examples, in fact they are more sophisticated inside than outside. The more our customers know our products, the less they want logos on the product.
Eric, who has been with Hermès for over 30 years, discusses the Indian market, saying “We see that the base of customers is becoming wider and wider. More customers are discovering Hermès and the other luxury brands. The second big change that we see is that 10 years ago it was mainly about leather bags. Today, our Indian customers know better about our shoes, ready-to-wear collection, porcelain, and home products.”
Further towards the rear end of the store are men and women’s clothing and accessories and a private salon
| Photo Credit:
Six Ways To Sunday
He also notes that Indians have an inherent understanding of craftsmanship and as a result, “They are more demanding than the worldwide clients, because they know better what quality is about.” That though is not a deterrent for the brand. Eric says, “We like this very much because for us it’s a challenge.”
The brand’s presence in India has grown slowly, since it opened its first store in New Delhi in 2008, this is only the third store in the country and the second in Mumbai. However, Eric acknowledges the potential and says, “At Hermès, a new store opening is a rare moment and even globally, we plan this step-by-step, very gradually.” Last year, a 10-day pop-up store in Hyderabad’s Taj Krishna, “was a good way to test the local markets and the city.”
The store’s decor features the use of bamboo marquetry and deep blue walls
| Photo Credit:
Six Ways To Sunday
Eric goes on to say that after pop-ups, they plan to look at having an online store. He elaborates, “We have it in different markets, not everywhere, not in India yet, but it will come. I am deeply convinced this is the future for a country like India.”