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Journalism of Courage
In the late 19th Century, orders for custom-made luggage in Paris from the Maharajas of Kapurthala, Kashmir, Jodhpur and Baroda outnumbered those by the rest of the world. In the 1930s, when the Great Depression made it tough for luxury brands in Europe to stay afloat, our maharajas still chose their own leather, locks and designs for the most expensive trunks in the West. Now, three quarters of a century later, much after the privy purse was abolished, post Independence and liberalization, India8217;s new maharajas8212;the tech czars, tycoons, Bollywood stars, and the thousands of nouveau riche millionaires that litter the country from Mumbai to Ludhiana8212;are back to spending on luggage.
Louis Vuitton8217;s ubiquitous handbag sported by every socialite worth her blonde highlights in India will soon face competition from its monogrammed canvas strolleys. The LV store in both Mumbai and Delhi has seen a sharp increase in sales in their luggage segment this year. The collection, an understated blend of traditional leather and modern design, comes in black and tan leather and can cost upwards of Rs 1,00,000. Of course, it flaunts the LV logo. 8220;The season for travel is in April-May and we see a lot of sales then,8221; says Tikka Shatrujit Singh, consultant, LVMH in India. 8220;Sometimes, husbands and wives buy matching 8220;his and her8221; sets. Handbags are our fastest selling items, no doubt, but the luggage market is evolving fast in India as well,8221; adds Singh. 8220;People are placing special orders. They draw their own locks, choose their colours while some want their initials monogrammed on the suitcase.8221; A Delhi businessman recently placed an order for a special picnic hamper, made of handcrafted leather, with sections for wine, cheese and sandwiches within. The cost: Rs 2 lakh.
The boom in aviation in India has certainly contributed to the spurt in luxury luggage stores setting up shop in India. After all, you never know whom you might meet in business class. As people travel all the time, luggage has become a fashion accessory to be used to up your style quotient. 8220;A smart, trendy carry-all says a lot about who you are,8221; says Kalyani Chawla, brand ambassador for Christian Dior in India. 8220;It doesn8217;t make sense to carry a handbag for Rs 2 lakh and walk into the airport with a cheap strolley.8221;
Dior has launched its line of luggage Dior Homme here, a collection of small pieces for women. Longchamp, another brand from France that already has stores in China, is also in negotiations for retail space in India. Aigner has a store at Delhi8217;s Maurya Sheraton hotel. Louis Vuitton, which so far has only had shops in 5-star hotels in Delhi and Mumbai, is now taking up space in malls in Delhi and Bangalore because they are confident that the greater footfalls in these mass retail areas will eventually increase sales.
LV has also documented how many more Indians are opting for custom-made luggage, maharaja style.
If you can8217;t shell out a lakh plus for hand luggage, there8217;s no need to panic. Competition from overseas has forced others besides the luxury players to come up with something snazzy. VIP8217;s latest range is colourful and compact, and international couture king Alexander McQueen has designed Samsonite8217;s new range of luggage. Guess, the American brand available in Delhi and Mumbai, has come up with trendy overnighters and tote bags for women. 8220;These are add-on products for us. They go with our fashion sensibility and are reasonably priced between Rs 4000 and Rs 6000,8221; says Sukanya Dutta Roy, GM, Guess India. Benetton has strolleys available at similar prices in neon colours, for both men and women.
So, go ahead, bag up, and watch the baggage handler at Indian airports like a hawk. You don8217;t want him flinging your Dior bag around.
