The presence of international brands is hardly a threat to the homegrown ones li

xiaoxiao8c

Christian Louboutin entered the Indian market exactly one year back. "We knew we had a loyal customer base in India who shopped for Christian Louboutin products internationally. So, we were confident of good prospects here. We were already doing well in the wholesale business and a liberal policy regime here felt all the more inviting," feels Francois Ganes, area manager,christian louboutin, Christian Louboutin-Middle East and India. Ganes' optimism seems infectious. "We have seen the Indian consumer evolve over the years. Today, they are well travelled, informed and willing to pay for a good product. They are investing in accessories to compliment their look - from leather briefcases, christian loubouitn to wallets and belts," says Shantanu Mukerji, country head, Zegna. Ermenegildo Zegna entered the Indian market in 1999 through the franchisee route, because "that was the only corporate structure permissible then." Now they are more than happy with the change in the regulatory environment in single-brand retail.
1 B* e6 s+ p4 @! G9 T, L1 K) B The presence of international brands is hardly a threat to the homegrown ones like Woodland. Indians still swear by this "leather that weathers." The brand has also managed  to create a niche for itself abroad - be it Singapore or UAE. Though the brand is also into apparel, leather continues to dominate 60% of its pie. But isn't the presence of in-ternational brands affecting it at all? "There's  enough space in the market for everyone. Our customer base has ex-panded - people are more aware of all the brands now. Earlier we were only targeting the metros. Now we are moving into smaller towns as well. In fact the growth is more than we had ever imagined," Harkirat Singh, MD, Aero Club, the company behind Woodland, says divulging hesitatingly their turnover - "Rs 250 crore". Meanwhile Hidesign is trying hard to crack the international market to boost  its Rs 100-crore turnover. Having set up shop in Shanghai and also at Honk Kong airport, Dilip Kapur is trying to find the nerve of the market. "Culture plays a big role in determining this market. Unlike India, where women love structured shoes with sleek lines, the Chinese like their shoes to be huge, the flip-flop variety," says Kapur, founder, Hidesign. The Pondicherry-based affordable luxury brand, also present at the up-market Carmel in California where it shares space with the likes of Prada and Gucci, is now gradually trying to enter the niche segment.
相关的主题文章：

  
   Formerly displayed shoes are often priced at up to 60 percent cheaper [than thos
# o  _7 L# J! D8 d  
   This week's fashion show began even before the models took to the catwalk
6 h( b& Z3 X6 P$ ]  
   Louboutin's looked like modern towers or an Anselm Kiefer sc