It seems Luxury Brands are in a store-opening spree.
Premium luxury label HERMES is set to open its major flagship in India, in Mumbai at the beginning of August. The new Hermes store which will cover over 4.000 sqf will be situated in the Fort area, in a heritage building, completely restored.
This will be Hermes’ third store in India, the first two being in New Delhi and Pune. unlike all other international luxury brands already present in India (Vuitton, Gucci, Armani, Zegna etc), the Hermes flagship will be the first stand alone, street location, all other brands being situated within hotel shopping galleries and malls.
I never understood the ‘Birkin Mania’! The bag is pretty basic in looks. In fact many find it outrightly ugly – it’s the Crocs (those ugly footwear) among Bags. Anyway thanks to Hermes’ marketing genious and the deliberate ‘waiting list’ gimmick, Birkin has achieved the cult status.
Like Scotch Whiskey where Delhi gulps down more Scotch than what’s produced in Scotland, it also has more Birkins than what Hermes manufactured.
Now coming back to unveiling the Delhi’s Birkin queen, well it’s a lesser known wifey of a rich guy – Pallavi Puri. Her hubby, Vicky Puri has got her a Birkin in almost every colour and size. Someone told me she’s got four Crocodile Birkins. And yes Pallavi’s collection is Original!
WHOW the kind of money people splurge on frivolous vanities make my head spin!
This week, Hermès, the ultra-luxe brand opened its second store in India. Housed in the plush Ista Hotel, Pune, this store—like all other flagships of this label—has been designed by RDAI, interior design agency from Paris. The current well-rounded collection of Hermès products has shelves stocked with everything from handbags (even a Birkin, which you can see in the pic above!) and jewellery to perfume. Hermes is slated to open a larger Mumbai store at the Taj Mahal Hotel by May 2011.
Hermès is the only luxury label to have opted for Pune to open its store. I guess it’s got something to do with the common love for HORSES that binds Hermès and Pune. Hermès started off as a company making hand-stitched saddles and other equestrian accessories. And of course we have moneybags like the Poonawalas and Natasha Poonawala is quiet a shopaholic and the infamous Hasan Ali, the man with multiple Swiss Accounts.
Just the other day, on Saturday afternoon I walked into the Hermes store at The Oberoi and was rather surprised to see a Birkin on display. I asked the sales staff if the Birkin was just for display or one can buy it. The answer was, “Yes, it’s for selling.” There’s no WAIT LIST for Birkin Bag anymore! I am sure now the snob value of the Birkin will take a dip too. I feel sad for Anu Dewan who painfully collected Birkins in every colour and size 
I confirmed the news. “It seems that the wait list for the Hermes Birkin Bag is a victim of the recession”, SheFinds reports. When Portero Luxury began advertising Birkins alongside text that read, “The Wait Is Over. Get Yours Now!” the SheFinds editors “called around to Hermes, and found out there is no more silly waiting list–they told us we could walk right in and get one today.”
The cheapest styles still cost Rs. 3Lacs, so it’s still quite the life decision…but impulse shopping just got that much easier.