Innholdsfortegnelse for 12 October 2025 i Business Today

WHEN THE FAIRMONT Udaipur Palace opened its doors this April, it did not slip quietly into Rajasthan’s backdrop of havelis, becoming another palace hotel. The sprawling 327-room Rajput-style structure built into the Aravallis and spread across ballrooms, gardens and terraces, launched with a spectacle: a 700-guest wedding. The hotel was sold out on Day 1. Over the next few weeks, it hosted 19 more weddings through the summer months (considered off season), each generating ₹5-6 crore. Starting October and all the way to March, when the high season begins, the property is booked for seven-eight weddings a month, with bills exceeding ₹10-11 crore per wedding. In India, the peak wedding season is between November and February, when business is brisk. “What Udaipur lacked was scale,” says Somesh Agarwal, Chairman and…

GOPAL ASTHANA is soft-spoken and picks his words carefully. It suits the slow-paced business he runs well. As CEO of Tata Cliq, he explains, the concept is to “encourage consumers to pause, reflect and engage meaningfully with the stories and heritage behind every brand and product.” Tata Cliq Luxury was launched in 2016 when the management realised there was a fundamental gap in India’s luxury retail landscape. “While the demand for luxury products was growing steadily across the country, access remained limited due to the scarcity of premium retail spaces,” he says. That was enough for the conglomerate to create a differentiated platform to bridge this gap. Asthana recalls that the timing was significant, since Indian consumers were becoming more digitally savvy, with growing confidence in shopping for high-value categories online.…

IN A CATALOGUE OF developing nations acting as close-lipped contributors to Europe’s uber-elite maisons, India’s name would be scribbled in invisible ink. Inputs of the subcontinent’s skilled craftspersons are an integral—and oft-ignored—part of production processes for luxury labels like Dior, Isabel Marant, Chanel and Hermès (to name a few). That tide has been shifting in recent years. India’s artisanship truly came to light in March 2023 at Dior’s grand Pre-Fall show at Mumbai’s Gateway of India, which aimed the spotlight on karigars of the Chanakya School of Craft—helmed by founders Karishma Swali and Monica Shah—under the stewardship of then Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri. This watershed moment was an acknowledgement-from the West of the silent labour behind Indian craft. Earlier this year, British brand Vivienne Westwood followed suit with its own…

IF JAY GATSBY—from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s fictional world of West Egg in The Great Gatsby—was transported to Mumbai, his parties would end not with champagne toasts but with the clink of crystal tumblers filled with smoky, tropically matured Indian single malt. The rise of Indian single malt over the last few years has also seen the creation of a market for personalised whiskey casks. These bespoke casks have become the ultimate luxury, enticing collectors to commission one-of-a-kind single malts rather than just purchasing bottles or special editions. From the balmy tropics of Goa, two alcoholic beverage (alco-bev) companies are leading this cask ownership revolution in India—Diageo India, with its India Rare Spirits programme, and John Distilleries, which has the Paul John Single Cask Program. From the uber luxury, invite-only offering…

AASHNA KHURANA is lounging in her living room when we arrive to see the K Villa, designed by architectural firm PSA Interiors and furnished by Design Consultant Heena Handa of EDC Space. A little later, we step out to go to the finely manicured lawn. Aashna walks barefoot from a plush drawing room through a large French door that brings in the verdant views of the lush green outside. We pass by the Buddha sculptures on the way to an animal pen where her five-year-old can play with goats, cows, chickens and ducks. The property has over 5,000 trees and plants and a two-acre food ‘forest’ where they grow fruits and vegetables such as guava, custard apple, oranges and kinu. The Miyawaki-inspired free-flowing forest surrounds the house, branches bowing gracefully…

Art has the rare power to transcend time and trends. It is significant how India’s artistic voices are resonating internationally INDIA’S ART WORLD has grown into one of the most dynamic emerging markets, with artists commanding international attention and the domestic ecosystem maturing in exciting ways. The market is experiencing unprecedented growth with record-breaking auctions of masters like M.F. Husain, Amrita Sher-Gil, S.H. Raza, and V.S. Gaitonde; rising contemporary art sales; and increasing institutional interest worldwide. Unlike the Western art market, which has had centuries to evolve, ours is still relatively young. The culture of living with original artworks is only now catching on, yet it is rapidly becoming a part of urban life. Unlike other forms of luxury, art has the rare power to transcend time and trends. This…

GROWING RICHER THE SIZE OF THE INDIAN LUXURY MARKET IS EXPECTED TO GROW RAPIDLY AS THE NUMBER OF TAXPAYERS WITH ANNUAL INCOME MORE THAN ₹50 LAKH HAS RISEN FROM 192,000 IN FY14 TO 940,000 IN FY24 SOURCE CMIE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK 318,000 THE NUMBER OF TAXPAYERS WITH ANNUAL INCOME BETWEEN ₹1 CRORE AND ₹10 CRORE IN FY24. THIS INCREASED 320% IN 10 YEARS 6,600 THE NUMBER OF HOUSING UNITS PRICED OVER ₹6 CRORE SOLD IN H12025. A TOTAL OF 132,000 UNITS WERE SOLD, OF WHICH 11% WERE PREMIUM (₹3–6 CRORE) AND 5% LUXURY (ABOVE ₹6 CRORE) WHERE THE MONEY GOES INDIANS SPEND THE MOST ON JEWELLERY WHILE AMERICANS SPLURGE ON APPAREL AND FOOTWEAR SOURCE KEARNEY ANALYSIS LUXURY HOMES THE SHARE OF LUXURY AND PREMIUM HOUSING IS RISING AT A STEADY PACE…

THE RAVI SHANKAR SUITE at The Taj Mahal Palace in Mumbai is the epitome of luxury. Named after the sitar maestro, this is the room where, in the mid-1960s, he taught George Harrison of The Beatles how to play the sitar. Quite appropriately, it is the venue for a chat on luxury with Puneet Chhatwal, MD & CEO of The Indian Hotels Company. Edited excerpts: How has the Taj journey been? We are a 122-year-old brand. For the first 70 years, there was only one Taj, where we are currently seated. We then had a couple more like Rambagh Palace in Jaipur and Taj Lake Palace in Udaipur. One became three and three became five, and in 2017, we had 33 Taj hotels in operation. Today, that number has trebled,…

TATA GROUP BUSINESS SEGMENTS ▶ Jewellery, hospitality, automobiles, slow luxury PROMINENT LUXURY BRANDS ▶ Tanishq, Taj Hotels, Jaguar Land Rover, Tata Cliq Slow Luxury RELIANCE INDUSTRIES BUSINESS SEGMENTS ▶ Fashion and lifestyle, luxury destinations PROMINENT LUXURY BRANDS ▶ 50 international brands, Jio World Plaza, One Jio Drive ADITYA BIRLA GROUP BUSINESS SEGMENTS ▶ Fashion and lifestyle, jewellery, and real estate PROMINENT LUXURY BRANDS ▶ The Collective, Indriya, Birla Estates, Galeries Lafayette (to open shortly) SOURCE MEDIA REPORTS…

HERMÈS SWIFT KELLY 50 RELAX TRAVEL BAG The Kelly 50 Relax takes one of the world’s most recognisable bag silhouettes and enlarges it for weekend duty. The Swift calfskin leather is soft and luminous, while palladium fittings keep the look crisp. The elongated handle slips over the shoulder, the turn-lock and clochette deliver theatre at the clasp, and the 50-centimetre width makes it a practical carry for short hops. The Relax variant appears periodically through top resellers and auction houses, which is part of its appeal. Price: ON REQUEST Available on https://www.hermes.com/us/en/content/106196-kelly/ ONKYO H900M HEADPHONES Nothing says decadent travel like shutting the cabin out with diamonds on your ears. Onkyo took its H900M over-ear headphones and created a made-toorder edition studded with 20 carats of diamonds on the earcups, with a…

The Indian luxury car market has two sets of customers. One has consumed luxury since childhood. The second is a first-timer. For Mercedes-Benz, both are equally important for the growth of the market. Santosh Iyer, MD & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, discusses the evolution of luxury in the Indian market in an interview with Chetan Bhutani. Edited excerpts: CB: Has the meaning of luxury changed for Indians from owning something expensive to experiences, personalisation, or even eco-friendly values? What does luxury mean for Mercedes-Benz? SI: I keep quoting Coco Chanel in many of my thoughts to our teams as well our partners: Luxury starts when necessity ends. Most of our customers have multiple vehicles, and it is an additional car for them. You must look at luxury from that perspective. For…

IN REAL ESTATE, what comes after luxury? Developers, investors, and affluent homebuyers, as if answering this very question, are shaping a new category in India—Branded Residences. Here, hotel operators lend their names, management, and design ethos to high-end apartments. These are now popping up across India’s wealthiest cities and leisure destinations. The ‘Landscape of Branded Residences Report 2024’ by hospitality focused research and advisory firm NOESIS Capital Advisors defines the segment as mixed-use developments where residential apartments are sold alongside a hotel with both jointly branded and managed. These residences are designed with hotel-like service standards, while still retaining layouts expected in a home—kitchens, multiple bathrooms, and living spaces adapted to Indian preferences. The promise? A blend of exclusivity and prestige, attributes that resonate with India’s expanding class of high-net-worth…

RICH WITH A sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms: And such too is the grandeur of the dooms”. British Romantic poet John Keats immortalised these lines in Endymion. The said ‘grandeur’ is eponymic to Jaipur, a royal city which has been a byword for opulence. Maharajas held court in sprawling palaces, artisans perfected the delicate art of meenakari, and the city drew nobles, traders, and travellers in search of jewels and spectacle. Over time, its splendour was preserved in sandstone façades and storied hotels, but its reputation as a living luxury capital faded, eclipsed by newer destinations. Now, the Pink City is staging a striking return. Consider this: In the last 12 months alone, marquee hotels such as Raffles Jaipur, Mementos by ITC Hotels, and Anantara Jewel Bagh have opened in the…

THE SYMBOLSof wealth are evolving. Where once a throaty V8 or a chauffeur-driven limousine marked status, today, it’s the quiet hum of an electric motor. Luxury in cars is no longer measured by speed and leather upholstery but sustainability, design, and the promise of a better future. The luxury electric vehicle (EV) segment grew 11% in the first half of CY2025 as against just 6% in the same period last year. At the heart of this exorbitant surge are Gen Z and millennial buyers. “The luxury electric segment in India is seeing strong interest from young, successful people. They are environmentally conscious and looking to connect with a brand committed to sustainability,” says Hardeep Singh Brar, President, BMW India. Around 65% of BMW and MINI EV customers are below…

1 Grain & Mash HIGH-QUALITY SIX-ROW BARLEY, MASHED AND FERMENTED INTO WASH 2 Distillation DOUBLE-DISTILLED TO CAPTURE THE “HEART” OF THE SPIRIT 3 Tasting & Consultation EXPERTS GUIDE CLIENTS THROUGH FLAVOUR TRIALS AND REFINEMENTS 4 Cask Selection CHOOSE FROM EX-BOURBON, SHERRY, RUM, WINE, OR SPECIALTY WOODS 5 Maturation TROPICAL AGEING IN INDIA ACCELERATES DEVELOPMENT 6 Personalisation CLIENTS TAILOR FLAVOUR, FINISH, BOTTLE DESIGN, AND LABELS 7 Bottling & Branding FINALISED EXPRESSION BOTTLED, OFTEN NUMBERED AND EXCLUSIVE TO THE BUYER 8 Delivery & Legacy A COLLECTOR’S TREASURE THAT IS UNIQUE, INIMITABLE…

BATH & SHOWER SKIN CARE FRAGRANCES HAIR CARE MARKET SIZE $4 BILLION $3.5 BILLION $2.5 BILLION $2.5 BILLION GROWTH RATE (CAGR) 8% 9% 12% 15% NOTE FIGURES FOR 2024 SOURCE BASIC ROOTS THE PULSE OF PERFUME • The Middle East is a key market for luxury goods with growing demand for attar-based products and a rise in high-end stores offering customised fragrances • Europe remains a major player in the global market, driven by strong demand for luxury, traditional, and handcrafted fragrances in France, Italy, and the UK NOTE ESTIMATED PER CAPITA SPENDING GLOBALLY IN $; DATA AS OF JUNE 2025 SOURCE BRICKWORK RATINGS…