Apparel Online India Magazine February 1st Issue 2019 | Page 35

FASHION BUSINESS
achieves that status, no matter
how creative or unique it is.
Two of the richest people
presently in France are Bernard
Arnault and François Pinault.
They both are CEOs of LVMH
and Kerring respectively, dealing
with luxury brands. So, luxury is
the future.
What is the role of young
fashion professionals like you
working with luxury brands?
Where do they fit in?
The most dynamic department of
a luxury brand is its commercial
department. Commercial
department deals with wholesale
and retail parts of the brand.
There are many hierarchical
posts in this department like
that of Retail Managers, Client
Managers, Store Managers,
Buyers, Visual Merchandisers,
etc. Many job opportunities
frequent in this department. It is
rewarding financially, and there is
a scope for promotion too.
How can brands in India
achieve true luxury?
In one of your previous
questions, I mentioned certain
parameters to define a luxury
brand. If a brand in India is
ticking eight out of these nine
parameters barring History
(as most of the Indian brands
are not dating 50-year-old),
then it can safely call itself a
luxury brand.
In Europe, many such brands
exist. They really make beautiful
products and yet are not called
luxury brands. It’s because
there is a big space to fill in for
them in order to be recognised
as luxury brands. The stakes/
investments are high. The
demand from clients are high. A
credible image around the brand
has to be made. It is not easy to
sell a € 8,000 leather bag to a
client every day.
Nevertheless, the five most
important points that make a
product a luxury product are:
1. Developing the aspirational
value (Storytelling) and image
of the brand
2. Showing a distinctive ‘savoire
faire’ for making the products
3. No compromise in quality
4. Choosing an elevated price
point that justifies the product
5. Providing impeccable service
www.apparelresources.com | FEBRUARY 1-15, 2019 | Apparel Online India
35