Early November will see the launch of Galleries Lafayette in Mumbai, and it has been one of the most hotly anticipated launches in the Indian luxury market. The store, based in the Kala Ghoda neighbourhood of South Mumbai, spans five floors across two iconic Mumbai buildings, and will house a gallery space and a personal shopping area.

The launch of Galleries Lafayette in Mumbai comes as a partnership between the French store, and the Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL) group after an agreement in 2022. The partnership will establish stores in Mumbai and New Delhi (to come) and a dedicated online platform.

“Luxury in India today stands at the threshold of transformation. With one of the fastest growing affluent populations in the world and a new generation of globally exposed consumers, the appetite for high-end experiences has never been stronger,” commented Aditya Birla’s Group chairman, Kumar Birla in an interview with Retail Insight Network.

Indeed, India has seen a boost in international interest and has quickly become one of the hottest places to be in international markets for European luxury brands. Just in the last two years alone, Mumbai played host to a fashion show by French fashion-house Dior, presented at the historical monument, Gateway of India, and a runway show by British fashion-label, Vivienne Westwood, at the same location.

November 2023 saw the launch of Jio World Plaza, a sprawling mall set in the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai that houses dozens of international brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Dior. It also saw the launch of Apple’s flagship store in India, marking the expansion of the luxury market in India, and signalling the demand by the Indian consumer.

The relationship of European international brands in India has often almost been indifferent against the broader fashion scene in India. While popular French maisons, such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès have had stores open for decades across Mumbai and New Delhi, they were seldom involved with the local fashion culture, often not having much activity within the local fashion community, nor having a presence at any Indian fashion weeks. Even the buying for the stores was conservative, as were the sizes of the stores themselves.

However, there has been a shift in this behaviour, and wider marketing strategies across international brands in general signalling change. International labels are now taking notice of India as a market that is driving change and has a strong purchasing power and consistent demand for luxury goods.

The opening of Galleries Lafayette is a net good for the Indian consumers, bridging access to more brands than ever before seen by the Indian market. Brands that were often too expensive to ship to India, or, when international shipping to India wasn’t an option, will now be available to shop in-person and online via Galleries Lafayette’s dedicated e-commerce platform. Even younger European brands that don’t have the resources to open their open retail storefronts in India now have the option to reach the Indian consumer.

The launch of Galleries Lafayette is ultimately also good for Indian designers. Being positioned amongst larger international brands, these designers would receive wider appeal and will also be positioned to be sold online, a feat which can be expensive for emerging labels.

It is also worth mentioning that an international collaboration of this scale, in retail, is the first of its kind in India. While other markets, such as the UAE, Qatar, Singapore and China have seen the launch of storied international multi-brand stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue, Harvey Nichols and Bloomingdales, this is a historical first for South Asia.

 Photography by Talib Chitalwala.