Fine,Finer,Finest

On one of her trips to New York City,Devita Saraf visited a new boutique that stocks Indian designers such as Ranna Gill. “I picked up one of the pieces and saw that it was more expensive than it would have been in India,” she said. Saraf,CEO of Vu Technologies,felt a thrill of pride to know that an Indian luxury product was commanding such a high price abroad. “Usually,it’s the other way round,” she says,“Foreign luxury brands command a higher price in India.”

It is a rainy afternoon in Mumbai and 29-year-old old Saraf is sitting at the exclusive Willingdon Sports Club. She is impeccably dressed,in royal blue and charcoal grey,with big sparkling earrings and hair perfectly in place. She declares herself to be a consummate buyer of luxury,and it’s clear that Saraf is the right person to be at the helm of India’s first luxury awards. She is deeply committed towards making sure that India’s luxury makers and the market get the recognition they deserve,and the launch of the first ever Vu Luxury Awards,to be held in October this year,is a step in that direction. “In other countries,luxury consumption may have seen a downturn,but in India,it remains robust. It shows that this country is a very important market for such products and with the Vu Luxury Awards,we hope to make that clear,” she says. Even with international luxury brands,Saraf makes it clear that only the ones that have made a special effort to cater to Indian sensibilities will have a shot at the big prizes. “For instance,if a luxury brand does not make shoes in sizes bigger than ‘7’,then that shows they haven’t really made an effort for the Indian market,” she says.

The awards,organised along with The Luxury Society,will recognise both luxury products and services. The nominations have been divided into three categories: fashion,lifestyle,and travel and living. “In fact,India excels in the hospitality sector,we have some of the best hotels and spas in the world,” she says. When it comes to luxury products,Saraf believes that India can compete with the best in the world,if only these goods were marketed better. She recalls,“I was at the Hyderabad airport once,and walked into a store that sold pearl jewellery. The owner was practically begging me to look at his wares,and buy something,even though I could see that the jewellery in his store was exquisite in terms of quality and design. Such a thing wouldn’t happen in Paris. There,a necklace,which probably isn’t half as good as the ones in that Hyderabad store,will be more expensive and kept under a glass case,with a ‘Do Not Touch’ sign. That makes customers want it even more.”