EXPANSION PLAN FOR SABYASACHI IN THE UNITED STATES RUTUJA S. MAHAJAN
M.A. FINAL PROJECT
EXPANSION PLAN FOR SABYASACHI IN THE UNITED STATES RUTUJA SATISH MAHAJAN LUXURY AND FASHION MANAGEMENT SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ARTS AND DESIGN SPRING 2018
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ABSTRACT Sabyasachi Mukherjee is an Indian fashion designer best known for his ornate bridal collection. Bright colors, rich textiles and intricate embroidery form the base of his collection. His work gives him an international presence. He is not only known for his designs but also for his love for Indian heritage through his collection. The brand’s products include bridal wear for the bride and the groom as well as sarees for ceremonies, occasions and festivals. Recently, Indian ethnic wear has started gaining exposure not only in India but also worldwide. Due to globalization, people are interested to know about various cultures and their clothing as well. In the US, the demand for Indian wear has grown in the recent years due to increased number of interracial marriages and cultural diversity. Sabyasachi flagship store in New York will open its doors for the brand to increase its awareness. His online presence in the US is not sufficient for the increasing demand in the market for Indian ethnic wear. This project will mainly be focused on creating a experiential store for customers to experience essence of Indian heritage through the designer’s collection and store ambience. It will not be restricted to traditional methods but incorporate digital technology for promotions to target the Millennials. There is not much competition in Indian wear in the US when it comes to luxury Indian designers. This will prove as an advantage for the designer to establish his first flagship store in the US. The objective of this project to provide a platform to get India’s most well-known designer’s apparel and jewelry collection to be available in the US for customers who want a cultural experience.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION
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2 COMPANY OVERVIEW ...............................................................................................................................10 3 COMPETITORS .......................................................................................................................................... 44 4 INDUSTRY OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................................. 52 5 RESEARCH ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................... 68 6 CONSUMER ................................................................................................................................................ 80 7 STRATEGY .................................................................................................................................................. 92 8 FLAGSHIP STORE ...................................................................................................................................... 98 9 PROMOTIONAL PLAN .............................................................................................................................. 124 10 FINANCIAL PLAN ..................................................................................................................................... 142 11 APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................................ 152 12 BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................................................... 186
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INTRODUCTION
When it comes to Indian weddings, Sabyasachi is the designer who every girl wants to be dressed in. Known for excellent craftsmanship and preserving the Indian heritage through his designs, he has attracted Indian as well as international followers. Instagram is one of the strongest tool for marketing to the brides of today followed by Facebook. Sabyasachi Mukherjee operates through four flagship stores in India and sells through third party retailers worldwide. Known for his bespoke bridal wear, the label offers beautiful masterpieces worn by famous Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities. With collaborations with Christian Louboutin, Pottery barn and Forevermark, Sabyasachi Mukherjee has already established his name in the global market. Despite of his fame in the fashion industry, he does not have a platform to offer his products and services in the US. This project aims to launch Sabyasachi flagship store and to establish his presence in the US. Opening the store in the US, will open doors to the brides to receive the exceptional service offered to Sabyasachi brides and with incorporating with a different culture to attract the non Indian audience as well.
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2 COMPANY OVERVIEW 11
Every Indian girl dreams of being a ‘Sabyasachi bride’ whether she is an ordinary girl or a public figure. Sabyasachi has become a very common name when it comes to weddings. No wedding plans can be completed without surfing designs from Sabyasachi label. Sabyasachi is one of the leading wedding designers in India and has successfully expanded in the Global market. Known for his wedding couture collection, he has recently added heritage and fine jewelry to his portfolio. The designer has achieved this fame and status over his extraordinary talent, entrepreneurial skills and immense hard work.
SABYASACHI COUTURE PRIVATE LTD.
Sabyasachi Couture Private Ltd was founded by Indian designer Mr. Sabyasachi Mukherjee in 2006. The brand focuses on Indian ethnic wear specializing in bridal wear. Indian weaves and embroideries form the base of the brand. The brand has been a part of many international fashion shows. In 2012, the company received investment from L capital, part of the LVMH group for around $31.26 million. The label focuses on mostly on Indian textiles and techniques. However, the designer loves to experiment with the color palette. Indian handiwork is known for its bright and intricate work. Sabyasachi through his designs has tried to recreate India in a very different way. Every collection has a new style but the essence of the brand remains. His collections are shot in the same signature poses and the models are all standing in a group. The shoots also take place in major forts or palace, reminiscing Indian heritage.
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ABOUT THE DESIGNER
Sabyasachi Mukherjee is a visionary and an aggressive designer. Raised in a middle class family, he built an empire for himself to showcase his ideas. His love for India and his appreciation for art are clearly visible through his designs. He believes in storytelling rather than just selling merchandise. Sabyasachi is a graduate from National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kolkata. Shortly after his graduation in 1999, he started working in a small workshop which was also the workshop for his label. He is one of the only Indian designers to have showcased his work in New York, London and Milan fashion week. His clients includes Bollywood, Politicians, Businessmen in India, sportsmen and majorly NRI (Non-Indian residents). He is the face of the brand, and the label reflects his ideology and his appreciation for art.
“Personalized imperfection of the human hand� -Sabyasachi Mukherjee
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BRAND PHILOSOPHY
Sabyasachi believes in the philosophy, ‘Personalized imperfection of a human hand’. The brand philosophy is to express the heritage of India through storytelling. Every collection has a story connected to it. While designing the flagship store of the label, the designer believes in 10% of retailing and 90% of storytelling. He believes that experience should be sold and not only merchandise.
VISION
Sabyasachi label believes in preserving the Indian essence through its brand. The vision of the brand is, ‘International styling with an Indian soul.’ Every accessories, store decor, outfits have a very Indian touch to it through contemporary styles.
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REVENUE
The design house has seen a great financial growth in the recent years. Sabyasachi was introduced in the Rs.100 crores ($15.38 million) turnover category in 2014. His business crossed the benchmark of Rs.100 crore and saw a growth in the company which mainly came from his wedding ensembles. In 2015, there was an increasing growth and the turnover surpassed Rs. 120 crore ($18.45 million). Sabyasachi Couture Private Ltd. revenue 2014-2017
Financial Year 2016 recorded revenue of $26.69 million and the financial year 2017 is estimated to be $32.97 million. There was a growth of 11.6% in this year. This was mainly because of the various collaborations and the celebrity weddings in the year 2017. He designed a wedding outfit for Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli, which saw an increase in Menswear collection by 13%. This increased the brand’s popularity in menswear category. 85% of his overall sales come from weddings every year. 15
GROWTH POTENTIAL
The brand has seen great success since the past several years. They have tapped an international audience with various collaborations and fashion shows. There is growth seen in the revenue of the company over the years, and the company aims to grow even more. Currently apart from wedding ensembles, the label is working on increasing their pret line at a affordable price to reach out more audience. The sarees under this pret line start from Rs. 29,000 ($447). Expansion plans:
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Introduction of kids wear line called as Chota Sabya
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Introducing organic pret line of clothing
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Ready to wear for menswear
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Open flagship stores in Dubai, London and New York
CSR INITIATIVE “SAVE THE SAREE” The designer is very well known for his Indian essence in his designs, but what gave him fame was the introduction of Sarees. Sarees are a traditional attire of India and worn by majority of women in India. However due to western influence and evolution of attire into more comfortable clothing, Sarees were no longer in trend. The perception in the late 90s was that Sarees were only for the older women or to be worn only for special occasions. This notion was broken by Sabyasachi by introducing the Saree in a very modern way. In 2012, 45% of his annual turnover was from Couture sarees.
Sabyasachi ‘save the saree’ tins
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‘Save the Saree’ was one of his initiatives. He believed that Indian heritage or culture should be preserved and with changing time, there can be changed in the work, fabric, silhouette or the materials. But the trend of the Saree should not fade. He is known for his Benarasi sarees, which are hand woven by weavers from Andhra Pradesh and Benaras. For his initiative, he retailed handloom sarees and the amount collected was directed to the weavers rather than his label. This was also a part of his CSR activity. The Sarees were not sold at a very high price. The minimum price was $50 for these Sarees. This initiative proved successful as he he could help the weavers at the same time revive back the Saree. Save the saree campaign was launched in 2010 alongside with his collection. Recently the company has extended their global reach by being a part of various e-commerce websites and through wedding exhibitions. As a part of the CSR activity, they have another company named Sabyasachi Artisan Designs India pvt. Ltd which mainly provides support to the Indian artisans and weaver to sustain themselves so that the ancient art of textile weaving is retained and they can have a better future. 18
SABYASACHI ART FOUNDATION
Artwork made by Sabyasachi Art Foundation artists
Sabyasachi Art Foundation was founded by Sabyasachi and his sister Payal Mukherjee in 2012 as a tribute to hi mother. Sabyasachi's mother was a very talented artist who appreciated art and thus Sabyasachi Art Foundation was created as a platform to support indigenous artists and craftsmen in India. There are many artist who are a part of this foundation. For his collection, Endless Summer, all the outfits with florals were painted by these artists. 19
HELP THE HATHI
‘HELP THE HATHI’ is an initiative by the Elephant family to preserve Asian elephants. The Elephant family, a UK based non-profit organization, organised an elephant parade in India and showcased 101 artist’s work in India. This project was successful and raised funds for the project. Sabyasachi's Elephant was showcased amongst the 101 elephants. Sabyasachi Art foundation artists painted the Elephant. The theme was Sundarban (magical, exotic forest) and it took 14 artists to paint the entire elephant sculpture. Sundarban elephant for ‘Help the Hathi’ initiative made by Sabyasachi Art Foundation artists
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COLLABORATIONS Sabyasachi label has been in fame in the recent years due to its growing followers and clients. He has been growing his empire in India since 2006. The designer has great international influence, but 2017 has especially been a great year for the designer. The label collaborated with few big names in the industry and gained more fame Internationally.
CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN
Sabyasachi and Christian Louboutin have been working together for many years. Louboutin used to design shoes for Sabyasachi’s runway looks. This duo came together to collaborate in 2017. Sabyasachi’s collaboration with Mr. Christian Louboutin opened doors in an international market and was great in terms of brand awareness. Mr. Louboutin designed and made the shoes using embroidery and textiles from Sabyasachi's collection. An iconic collaboration of two most talented people in their respec-
Sabyasachi & Christian Louboutin
tive field was a great success. They showcased their collection at Harrods, Dubai Mall, Bergdorf Goodman, USA, Christian Louboutin flagship store in Los Angeles and Lane Crawford, Hong Kong. 21
POTTERY BARN
Pottery Barn best known for its home furnishings in the US, and it collaborated with Sabyasachi in 2017. He designed an exclusive homeware and home furnishing collection for pottery barn in the US. The collection consists of more than 50 pieces which includes bed linen, table runners, jewelry boxes, decor and so on. These collection pieces are exclusively designed by Sabyasachi and crafted by artisans in India under the label Sabyasachi Art foundation. The collection is available in stores in the US and online platforms in India. Sabyasachi was very enthusiastic about this collaboration as he stated in one of his interviews, "My goal with this collaboration was to bring exotic whimsy and colour into American homes."
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LANE CRAWFORD
Sabyasachi joined hands with Lane Crawford, the first omni-channel retailer in Greater China. Lane Crawford has its presence in China and Hong Kong and has a few of the best pieces from the Asian designers. Sabyasachi found an opportunity to collaborate with Lane Crawford which opened new platform to target the audience in Asia. He designed a contemporary capsule collection of 39 pieces to suit the needs of the Chinese consumers, which are crafted by skilled artisans and made with heirlooms and intricate work.
Sabyasachi collection for Lane Crawford (Hong Kong)
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FOREVERMARK
Forevermark is best known for its flawless diamond jewelry and partnered with Sabyasachi. Sabyasachi's love for jewelry has been always present and thus he recently started his own jewelry line which focuses on Heritage jewelry. But for Forevermark, he created a Zanyah collection which is inspired from Urban Royalty. The collection was recently launched and has become a huge success. The audience has been pondering their love for the collaboration as the Indian wedding market is always excited for jewelry and especially diamonds.
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CLIENTS
There is a great influence of celebrities and Bollywood on Indians. Sabyasachi started designing for Bollywood movies since 2005. Black was the first movie he started his Bollywood career from. He has always been the favorite designer for Bollywood celebrities. Along with Bollywood, cricket is another weak point for Indians. And Sabyasachi managed to tap both these sectors. The marriage of Anushka Sharma, an Indian bollywood actress, to Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli was huge news. All the outfits for the functions were designed by Sabyasachi for the bride and the groom. He has already made a mark in the hearts of Indians, but with the outfits for this famous couple, he dominated the internet. There was an increase in his revenue and made him even more famous. He has also dressed many celebrities. He recently dressed Miss World, Manushi Chillar. Apart from Bollywood he has also designed for many socialites and businessmen in India. His clients are majorly brides and grooms and majorly Non-Residents of India. He has been a favourite designers for many in UK, Australia, Dubai, Europe, Japan and the US. Brides fly all the way to India for their bridal lehengas. Virat Kohli and Anushka Sharma wearing Sabyasachi for their wedding
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Naomi Campbell, Oprah Winfrey and Kim Kardashian wearing Sabyasachi
Sabyasachi’s clients even include international names like Oprah Winfrey and Naomi Campbell. Oprah winfrey visited the Sabyasachi flagship store and was in complete awe with the ambience. She requested the designer to design a saree for her on her next visit to India. Sabyasachi kept his promise and gifted Oprah with a beautiful pastel green saree. Naomi Campbell walked as the showstopper for Sabyasachi's runway show at the prestigious Lakme Fashion Week. Sabyasachi designed a saree for Kim Kardashian for her Vogue shoot for Vogue India, March 2018 issue. The red sequin saree became the talk of the town and Kim Kardashian looked gorgeous in the Sabyasachi saree. 26
COLLECTIONS The label leverages on Instagram to launch their collections and promotions. The recent collections the label worked on were: Bridal 2017 (Devi and Gulkand):
This collection was focused mainly on couture Bridal collection. The collection was divided into two segments, Devi (meaning Goddess) and Gulkand (meaning Rose Petal jam). Devi collection was inspired from Raja Ravi Varma paintings and made with Kanchivaram tissue fabrics. The collection had a language of the royal and the elites. The collection was styled very well using vintage cars and creating the royal effect. On the other hand, the collection Gulkand, included heavy ornate bridal lehengas in deep red tones and striking gold embroidery. The work is made using 22k gold embroidery.
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An Endless Summer:
This collection was launched in February through the instagram platform. This collection is inspired from memories of Summer. Inspired from bright colors and intricate embroidery works, this collection has beautiful color blocking techniques. The famous actress Anushka Sharma, opted her wedding lehenga from this collection. The color has beautiful hand painted floral motifs on the outfit for the brides and well as the grooms. This collection has a contemporary take on the collection compared to his previous collection. The colors and silhouettes gives a sense of freshness to the collection.
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Le Club de Calcutta:
The label’s latest collection launched is Le Club de Calcutta. As the name indicates, the collection is inspired from Paris and Calcutta. Even though the French influenced only a few cities in India, this collection recalls that influence. The collection is inspired by smokey shades, black tones and diamonds. As mentioned before, Sabyasachi takes inspiration from different parts of the world. Taking influence from the Chinese cheongsams, his hand painted sarees are paired up cheongsams inspired blouses and their prints.
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MARKETING MIX PRODUCT Sabyasachi’s designs are inspired by different Indian architecture and art. Every collection is based on a story which are inspired from Indian history and culture. Every outfit is perfectly made while taking care of every minute details. His bridal lehengas are mainly made to order. He also has a pret line which includes sarees and the blouses are altered to every individual’s choice. His collection included men’s collection as well. Recently he has expanded into jewelry and designs Heritage and Fine jewelry. His product assortments also include clutches and hair accessories.
Product mix are as follows: Bridal Lehengas Sherwani for Grooms Benarasi Sarees Sarees (Basic to Bridal) Kurta set (men) Clutches Hair accessories Jewelry - Heritage, Fine, Jadau
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PLACEMENT Sabyasachi’s flagship stores are present in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and New Delhi. Apart from his flagship stores, his collection is available in many luxury multi-designer stores like Aza, Ensemble, Ogaan, Elahe, Evoluzione in major cities Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi and Ahmedabad. In an international market his garments are available in multi-designer stores in London, Atlanta, Dubai and California. Through e-commerce platform, his garments are available in many countries like Kuwait, UAE, Russia, Switzerland, Kenya, Germany etc. The designer is a part of three stores in USA which are: Pia ka Ghar, Los Altos Hills, CA The Grand Trunk, Pleasanton, CA The Bollywood closet, Atlanta, GA
USA
India
UK
UAE
Flagship stores Multi-designer stores
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SABYASACHI TRUNK SHOW IN THE US
The Bollywood closet and The Grand Trunk are the official retailer in the US for Sabyasachi. Due to high demand of Sabyasachi garments, these retailers came up with trunk shows in the major cities like New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Dallas. These trunk shows takes place in the month of May, which is a popular time for preparation for weddings. The garments displayed in these trunk shows are up to the latest trend. These trunk shows took place mainly in areas which are highly populated by Indian Americans. Recently, Sabyasachi trunk show was hosted in Houston which included 50 outfits (lehenga, sarees and gowns) from the Fall runway collection. Sarees worn by famous Bollywood celebrities were showcased at the Trunk show. The hostess Asha Dhume mentioned that the response was phenomenal and the women were absolutely crazy to look the latest collection of the designer.
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Sabyasachi trunk show in Houston, Texas
PRICE
Sabyasachi price range begins from $900 to $30000 depending upon the work and time invested on every garment. Most of the consumers are celebrities and people belonging to high income level. Their pricing strategy targets the luxury segment. Sarees - $2000-$10,000 Lehenga -$5000-$15,000 Celebrity (Bridal Lehenga) - $20,000 onwards Celebrity (Groom Sherwani) - $15,000
PEOPLE
Sabyasachi’s employees in his stores are dressed in Indian ethnic wear but not necessarily Sabyasachi. Every Friday all the employee dress in Indian wear as a tribute to Indian handloom. Employees in the store should have knowledge about the collection and should be passionate towards the brand. As the brand believes in storytelling, the store speak for itself. The employees in the store are very passionate about art and proud of their Indian heritage. The designer believes his employees, workers and artists are the most important as they are the ones who speaks for the brand. The label started with a team of five and has currently expanded to 900 employees which includes artists, workers, designers, marketing team, finance, HR and legal team. The label also aims to provide more employment to weavers and artists because the ancient art of weaving and handwork is fading away due to industrialization, and these artists are unemployed. 33
PROMOTION
Sabyasachi uses omni-channel platform for brand awareness. He also expands his presence through different platforms like magazines, newspapers, his flagship store, trade shows, exhibitions, television shows and fashion shows.
STORES
Sabyasachi’s promotion is mainly through his stores. His store décor conveys his vision and his passion towards his brand. It spends time collecting the artifacts and décor for his stores. He loves art and wants to be displayed in his stores. He took 5 years to open his store in New Delhi because he was in search for the perfect art pieces. His store wallpapers are painted by artists from Sabyasachi Art Foundation. The store decor includes 63 art pieces by artists from Sabyasachi Art Foundation, 5 Tanjore paintings, 214 vintage Dutch plates, 112 antique carpets, 318 hand touched studio portraits, French furniture and 42 pieces of calendar art. Whenever any customers enter the store, they are served with special Darjeeling tea and provided with the utmost service. 34
FLAGSHIP STORES Sabyasachi flagship store emphasizes more on the experience over retailing. The brand story and philosophy is represented through the store decor. Every flagship store has a blend of history, art and craftsmanship to it. There are only four flagship stores in India, as the designer spends great amount of time to find the correct artefacts for the store and it is a time consuming process. The stores are located in major metro cities and in the major locations. Every location of the store either has a great historic value, tourist attraction or high footfall. The store ambiences comprises of the five senses which are see, hear, touch, taste and smell. The store interiors mesmerizes the consumer and he is immediately connected to the essence of the brand. The music playing in the store is very soft instrumental or vocals of Indian classical singers or tracks of instruments like sitar or violins. As soon as the customer enters, the burning incense sticks give a very soothing effect. The store also has Urlis (decorative bowl for floating flowers) with jasmine flowers which gives a very pleasant smell. Whether you purchase a product or dont, every customer is offered hot authentic tea as a part of the tradition. Each and every product in the store can be felt, touched and tried on to understand the look and feel of the product. The intricate embroideries can be touched and experienced. The flagship stores of Sabyasachi also form a major part of the brand promotion and the designer has got many collaborations and international clients mainly after they have visited the store. The four major flagship stores are located in Kolkata, New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. All the stores have a similar feel to it but the artefacts differ depending upon the city and its historical tale. The product offering are similar in every store. Despite of the fact that these stores are located inthe major cities where the cost of the property is very high, the designer chose to go fo huge square footage because of his idea of creating an experience. He also believes in 60% experience and 40% retail. These stores are also referred as mini museums by many visitors. According to the designer, ‘The idea behind the store decor is to make people feel very nostalgic and India proud.’ There is a similar sepia effect across all the stores.. 35
KOLKATA Location: P-545, Lake Road, Near Vivekananda park, Kolkata. Founded in: 2009 Area: 5500 sq.ft Products: Bridal trousseau, jewelry, ready to wear sarees, accessories, footwear, menswear, Lehengas. Interiors: There are beautiful curtains made of block printed chintz using 200 count thread khadi fabric, 25 chandeliers, 60 carpets, hand printed muslin drapes, Tanjore paintings and artwork made by Sabyasachi Art foundation.
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NEW DELHI Location: Kutub Serai No. 6-8 One Style Mile Kalka Das Marg Near Qutub Minar, Mehrauli, New Delhi Founded in: 2nd March, 2016 Area: 13,500 sq.ft Products: One wing: Bridal wear, couture jewelry and jewelry in collaboration with Kishandas and Co. Second wing: Ready to wear sarees, Kurtas, menswear, accessories, Trunks for trousseau and luggage in collaboration with Trunk company, Jaipur. Interiors: Sprawling staircase running through two floors, 732 attar bottles, antique mirrors, vintage photographs, hand fried Portuguese tiles, 112 rich carpets and rugs, 57 hand painted chandeliers, 63 pieces of art and sculpture by Sabyasachi Art foundation.
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MUMBAI Location: Ador House,6-K Dubash Marg, Fort, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001, India Founded in: 1, July 2010 Area: 8500 sq.ft (two levels) Products: Level one: Bride and Groom trousseau, ready to wear sarees, Indian and western casual clothes. Level two: couture jewelry, menswear, footwear, accessories, hand woven sarees (Save the saree initiative). Interiors: 22 vintage hand paintings, Iranian carpet vintage, 400 attar bottles, 52 antique rugs, period calendar from 20’s, hand wound clocks, recycled colonial furniture. For the opening of the store, the guests were greeted with Rose sherbet and roasted almonds and a renowned violinist performing.
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HYDERABAD Location: Plot No. 14, Road Number 10, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, Telangana 500034, India Founded in: 30, October, 2012 Area: 5000 sq. ft (two levels) Products: Bride and Groom trousseau, ready to wear sarees, sherwanis, accessories, couture jewelry Interiors: High ceiling, multitude of photographs, hundreds of clocks, embroidered lampshades, stained glass bottles, Old Nizami pedicure set (Nizams were rulers of Hyderabad), vintage perfume bottles, carpets.
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TELEVISION
Exhibitions are another form of great promotion. He is a mentor and designer for the TV show Band Baajaa Bride. This show is very successful and he has currently dressed 78 brides. It is a wedding reality TV show and he is also the producer of the Season 8 of Band Baaja Bride.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Apart from his stores, he promotes himself through magazines and newspaper. In a recent interview with editor of Harper’s Bazaar India, Nonita Kalra, he mentioned about the label’s promotional budget. He mentioned that around they will be investing around 15% of the entire annual turnover on advertisement. Amongst which they will be spending 7.5% on their Instagram advertisement. Social media platforms the brand has its presence are: Instagram has become a major platform for the label. Every new collection or any announcement is introduced through their Instagram, handle. The company has been investing more recently on their instagram as there are more engaging audience. Mainly for the brand presence, everyday at least two posts are posted on their instagram handle. They have also been reaching out to a great audience through instagram, as brides to be use instagram as a medium for their wedding inspirations. They also launch simultaneously on youtube and facebook. Their social media philosophy is brand presence. Instead of their website, they use their social media handles as their promotion strategy. The label has its presence on Twitter although not very active on their twitter handle. 40
Social Media Platform
Followers
Page
2.2 million
@sabyasachiofficial
1,239,340
Sabyasachi Mukherjee
1877
@sabyaofficial
Youtube
2404
@sabyasachiofficial
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INTERVIEWS
The designer speaks for his brand and has interviewed many magazines and media about his struggle, success and future plans for the brand. Recently, the designer spoke at India conference 2018 at Harvard Business School, Boston inspiring the students about the entrepreneurial path that he opted as a career.
BBC: He is rewarded as one of best luxury Indian designers. His work speaks for him. In an recent interview with BBC, he had stated that Indians not living in India are more keen on wearing Indian outfits and especially his designs. He has expanded his International presence in a very short span and aims to reach out to more International audience. India Arch Dialogue 2017: During this speech he spoke about his stores and their interiors. Despite of having an interior designer for the store, the store is designed truly by the designer according to his dream. He also spoke about how he got the Pottery Barn collaboration only because of his store decor which has awestruck many of his international clients. Vogue: Sabyasachi interviewed Vogue India editor Anaita Shroff Adajania with Christian Louboutin. They spoke about their collaboration. The interview clearly spoke about their client and how two talented artists came together to make beautiful shoes. Forevermark: During his speech at the Forevermark conference, he mentioned how he got the collaboration with forevermark and the future investment plan of the company. He mentioned investing majorly on the instagram handle to attract more customers and brand awareness. 43
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3 COMPETITORS 45
COMPETITORS Indian designers and multi-designer stores in the US. There are many designers in India who specialize in Indian bridal wear. Most of them have a global presence through e-commerce. Their merchandise is also available through multi-designer stores in many countries. Main competitors present in India are: ANITA DONGRE: Anita Dongre strives to sustain the handicrafts of India through her designs. She founded the House of Anita Dongre limited in 1995. There are 5 brands present under her parent company namely Global Desi, Grassroot, Pink city, AND, Bridal Couture catering towards different target consumers. She is even rewarded as top 50 business women in India in 2015. Price range: $500-$900 Speciality: Inspired from handicrafts in India and focusing on sustainable luxury. Distribution: House of Anita Dongre operates through 1,090 retail partnerships, 280 exclusive brand stores and 820 multi-brand stores in over 105 cities in India. Apart from India, her stores are present in Dubai and Mauritius. Anita Dongre is the first Indian designer to open a store in New York. Anita Dongre merchandise are available through e-commerce platforms as well as her website. 46
Shraddha Kapoor wearing Anita Dongre
MANISH MALHOTRA: Manish Malhotra is best known for his Indian couture dresses. He has been associated with celebrities and Hindi film industry for around 12 years. He has created a mark for himself in the Indian fashion industry. He was associated with Femina miss India 2017. He designed Indian wear for the final round instead of Western silhouettes for the very first time in many years. He is a well known for his styling in Bollywood movies. Price range:$2000-$10000 Speciality: Indian Couture dresses, Costume design and styling for movies Distribution: Through flagship stores in Mumbai, New Delhi. Multi-designer stores in Hyderabad, Dubai, Mumbai and New Delhi. Available through online various platforms and his personal website. TARUN TAHILIANI: Tarun Tahiliani is known for his intricate work in luxury Indian couture. He started his design studio in 1990 and co-founded the first multi-designer store in Mumbai, Ensemble. He is a graduate from FIT, New York and continues to work an entrepreneur in India. Price range: $450-$9000 Speciality: Traditional Indian craftsmanship with Western tailored silhouettes Distribution: Stores present in New Delhi and Mumbai. Sells through multi-designer stores in India and online platform in other countries.
Deepika Padukone wearing Tarun Tahiliani
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COMPETITORS IN THE US
Indian ethnic wear is sold in the US through Indian boutiques or through online websites. The boutiques are owned by a designer carrying only the single designer or multi-designer store. There is not much competition in the US when it comes to Indian wear as not many stores are present and because of the limited styles being offered, brides prefer to travel for their favorite designer or look forward to trunk shows and exhibitions. New York and California have the maximum number of Indian wear mainly because majority of wealthy Indian population presence. Few of these stores carries Sabyasachi label but limited number of garments giving very little choice for the client. Here are the few competitors present in the US:
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Name: Sitara Owner: Nita Huda Founded in: 2015 Location: 6315 Roosevelt Ave, Woodside, New York Identity: Luxury fashion boutique offering multi-designer’s ensembles like Sabyasachi, Vikram Phadnis, Anita Dongre and in-house designers as well. Target consumer: Indian American brides and grooms, high income individuals looking for Indian wear for occasions, weddings or functions. Product categories: Bridal sarees, Sarees, Lehengas, Menswear, accessories, Indian casual clothing. Price range: $150-$13,000.
Name: Shennai Couture Owners: Sanjeev and Shirin Vinayak Founded in: 2004 Location: 315 5th Ave Ste 505, New York, NY 10016 Identity: Luxury fashion boutique offering multi-designer ensembles like Sabyasachi, Vikram Phadnis, Payal Singhal, Sabah Arenja Vig. Target consumer: High income Indian American brides and grooms, Indian wear enthusiasts for weddings and festivals. Product categories: Womenswear, Menswear, Kidswear, Bridal trousseau, casual Indian wear, sarees, Lehengas, accessories. Price range: $100-$10,000 49
Name: Khubsoorat collection Owner: Geetanjali Singh Founded in: 2011 Location: 336 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018 Target consumer: High income individuals. Their clients also includes celebrities like Raima Sen, Jay sean, Natalie Sean. Also featured in movies like Bend it like Beckham and Amar Akbar and Tony. Product categories: Indian traditional bridal wear, Indo-western gowns, menswear Price range: $200-$12,000 Name: Rajnish Malhotra Owner: Rajnish Malhotra Location: 325 W 38th St #1007, New York, NY 10018 Target consumer: High income individuals who are looking for a fusion of Indian and western attire, Bridal sarees and Lehenga, Sarees Price: $500-$8000 Rajnish Malhotra is a New York based designer. He has his origins from India. He is graduated from Fashion Institute of technology, New York. His designs are a blend of western silhouettes with Eastern influence. He uses fabric like silk, satins, brocades and so on and surface techniques of hand embroidery are used in them. 50
Name: Pure Elegance Owner: Sudip Ghose Founded in: 2010 Location: 1655 Oak Tree Road #230, Edison, NJ 08820 Target consumer: Middle to high income individuals looking for Wedding outfits, sarees and Indian ethnic wear Product categories: Wedding ensembles, sarees, kids wear, menswear, lehengas,ready to wear Indian wear. Price range: $50-$8500
Name: Sahil Owner: Nirmala and Babu Patel Founded in: 1991 Location: 1345 Oak Tree Ave, Iselin, NJ 08830 Identity: Indian and Pakistani ethnic wear for every occasion and wide price range Target consumer: Middle to high income South Asians in the US Product categories: Accessories, Bridal, menswear, casual Indian ethnic wear, festival clothing. Price range: $30 -$7000 51
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4 INDUSTRY OVERVIEW 53
INDIAN ETHNIC WEAR INDUSTRY (INDIA)
In the recent years, even due to western influence, Indians are investing in Indian ethnic wear. In India, women prefering to wear Indian Ethnic wear and sarees are in great demand. Sarees have become a favourite amongst the Millennials. Arun Sirdeshmukh, business head of Amazon in India has estimated a growth in Indian ethnic wear by 9% in 2019. In 2017 the Indian ethnic wear sales was $10.94 billion and are estimated to grow to $19.73 billion in 2019. TA associates management have invested $140 million in 2016 due to the growing Indian wear market. They have seen a potential in this segment. The international market is projected to increase by $2 billion through e-commerce sales. According to majority of the designers, NRI (Non Resident Indians) are the major buyers. According to Technopak, the Indian ethnic wear market is 10.26 billion USD. Out of which, 87% of the entire market is made up with womenswear, 3% menswear and 10% Kidswear. The market for Menswear is expected to increase by 8.5% due to the increasing demand and changing trend in clothing preferences.
INDIAN INFLUENCE THROUGH MEDIA AND FASHION
India is known for its handwork and various surface techniques. The country is best known for bright and vibrant colors. Textiles also forms the second major occupation in India. It has also been an inspiration for many fashion designers. The west has influenced the clothing of many Indians. Similarly, the west is seeking influence from the east for inspiration. Runway trends have also been inspired by Indian fabrics, surface techniques and prints. Many famous design houses have tried designing for the Indian market collaborating and creating a contemporary look. 54
Few examples include:
Carolina Herrera De Baez, Spring 2017 Carolina Herrera de Baez visited India in 2017 and launched a new fragrance Herrera Jasmine. Her collection has also been inspired from Jasmine motifs. She visited the Jasmine farm in Tamil Nadu state and interacted with people of India. She had recorded videos of her visit to India and was posted on her Instagram page and her stories. She used Jasmine as her inspiration for motifs in her collection and also for her fragrance.
Anthropologie shoot in Rajasthan, India Anthropologie is known for their Boho style of merchandise. Their sourcing strategy includes sourcing from various craftsman and artist and from different country and Indian being on of them. This 2017, Anthropologie chose Rajasthan state, one of the most vibrant and colorful states for their photoshoot. The state is best known for its handicrafts and history of the Maharajas. Anthropologie chose a historic Palace for their shot and was posted on their Instagram page. 55
Isabel Marant, Spring 2016 Isabel Marant has been inspired from India even before but 2016, the designer took inspiration from Rajasthan. Inspired from bright and vibrant colors of India, the collection also included Indian textiles and silhouettes inspired from Indian styles.
Elie Saab couture, Spring 2016 The collection was inspired from colonial India and had a mix of Indian and Edwardian influence. The collection was inspired from saree drapes and and the blouses paired were inspired from Nehru collars and capes.
Louis Vuitton menswear, Spring 2015 Louis Vuitton was inspired from the land of Maharajasa and Palaces for their collection. Smaller details like buttons, cuffs were made using mirro-work and the color were used were bright and vibrant.
Bollywood has been an influence for many in the US. One of the episodes in Fuller House included a Bollywood theme retirement party in 2016. Recently, there was a Bollywood dance performed during a NBA basketball match, Charlotte vs Miami in 2017. American dancers were seen wearing lavender colored lehengas and dancing on Bollywood music. 56
MARKET WEDDING INDUSTRY IN THE US
The wedding industry has become more commercial than before. Couples are ready to invest more to make their special day the most memorial. In the recent years, the wedding industry is growing and generating revenue. The wedding industry has given opportunities to many fields like wedding planners, decorations, designers and so on. According to Statista, marriage rate in the US has reduced over the years. 2016 noted the marriage rate to be 6.9 per 1000 of the population.
Market size for wedding dress in US
The wedding industry reports revenue $72 billion in 2016. Due to increasing economy, the wedding industry is seen growing. Even though the weddings have become more opulent or special, the generation of today spends according to a specific budget. On an average, a couple spends $33,391 on their wedding. The median age of the wedding couples in 2016, according to Statista is 30 years for men and 27 years for women. The best season for marriages in the US are Summer followed by Fall, Spring and Winter. According to IBSI report, the global wedding industry is worth $300 billion in 2017, out of which $76 billion makes up the US wedding market. The wedding dress market in the US records a growth of average 8.84% annually, from $13615 million in 2014 to $17553 million in 2017. The wedding market size is forecasted to grow by 26.6% in 2022 reaching $22229 million. 57
WEDDING INDUSTRY IN NY
Wedding in New York are seeing some changes in the trend. New York weddings are the most expensive and the average cost of a wedding in Manhattan is $76,944. Other locations like New Jersey costs $62,074 on an average and $61,113 is the average cost for a wedding in Long Island. The changes are mainly seen in the shift of venue mainly due to exorbitant prices. Traditional venues were hotel ballrooms or country clubs. However, couples are preferring museums, parks or breweries as the new venue. Since the weddings cost a lot, the parents are paying for most of the weddings. The couples now are looking more for an experience compared to just the tradition being followed. Hence, the weddings are also seen getting less formal than before.
INDIAN WEDDING INDUSTRY IN THE US
Indians have always believed in luxury weddings. With growing economy, the wedding sector is also growing. Indians are spending more on weddings in recent years. According to Assocham report, the wedding industry is estimated to grow by 25-35% by 2020. The wedding industry in India is worth $15.64 billion. ‘Big fat Indian’ wedding is the new trend, and on average there are 3-4 events per wedding. In the US, there are around 25,000 weddings per year. Every function includes average 500 guests and the average budget is $150,000. In Chicago alone, 400 weddings take place per year. Waterford Banquets in Illinois is well known for Indian weddings. 58
INDIAN WEDDING INDUSTRY IN NY
The highest population of Indian Americans reside in New York and New Jersey. There are many Indian weddings which take place in New York. The average budget for an Indian wedding in NY is $300,000. Around 900-1400 are the average budget of guests invited. When it comes to weddings, Indians compromises nothing. According to a famous wedding planner in NY, there have been a few changing trends in Indian weddings. Bollywood inspires a majority of the weddings and many families used to invite Bollywood celebrities to be a part of the wedding mainly for the Sangeet. But now a days the couple instead of calling a Bollywood celebrity prefer spending that money on Videographer, venue, outfits and so on. Brides on an average spend around $20,000 on their wedding outfits. The number of functions every Indian weddings includes are 3-4. Gotham Hall in New York is very famous for Indian weddings and occasions. In New York alone, there are 71 wedding planners.
Indian bride and groom wearing Sabyasachi for their wedding in Gotham hall, NY
59
CROSS CULTURAL INFLUENCE (MEGA TREND)
The number of cross cultural weddings have increased in the recent years. According to Pew research center, in 2015, there was an increase in cross cultural weddings by 17%. This change is due to globalization and increasing number of immigration. When Non-Indians attend an Indian wedding or an interracial marriage, they love to dress in the traditional attire. There is an increase in the Indian ethnic wear outfits due to interracial marriages. Band Baaja Baaraat, an Indian TV show, which is all about wedding planning and makeovers. One of the episode was addressed to a bride who was getting married to a Christian man. She wanted Sabyasachi to design a white gown with an Indian influence for her wedding outfit. The garment is a perfect example of mixing culture and interpretation of various cultures. There are many designers who are merging two different cultures as the brides and grooms of today want a contemporary style of outfits at the same time want to wear their traditional attire.
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Increase in the number of intermarriages in US
WEDDING TRENDS
Internet has made easy for aspiring wedding couples to plan out their weddings. It has given everyone a platform for inspiration and due to which, Do it yourself trends have been observed. This has affected the wedding planners industry. According to a survey, 65% of the brides use Pinterest for their wedding ideas. Destination weddings have become another trend. Irrespective of the religion they follow, theme weddings have become a big trend. Couples want to have a secluded wedding and invite only their close relatives and friends. Millennials today believe in enjoying the wedding planning process rather than treating it as a ritual. Instagram is another platform to follow their favorite designers or wedding trends or ideas. Traditional media like magazines are still very powerful. Brides read various bridal magazines to select or design their wedding gow, flower decoration, cake and so on. There are many TV shows which are catering towards aspiring brides. TLC offers many wedding shows some of which are reality shows. TV shows such as Four Weddings, Say Yes to the Dress, I Found the Gown and so on. Wedding magazines: The Knot Brides The real weddings Martha Stewart Luxury weddings
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BRIDAL DESIGNERS
White wedding dress had gained popularity in the western world, a trend started from Queen Victoria. New York Bridal week showcased few of the latest designs of white gowns. Designers have showcased their creativity over the years by using various techniques according to the current trends. But the trend for the white gowns are changing. Brides are opting for different colors other than white. Champagne and blush for more conservative brides and blue, lavender for more modern brides. There are changes in the silhouettes as well. Traditional southern brides prefer covering their skin are changing their preferences. Off shoulder or asymmetrical neckline are the new trends for the brides. There are different surfaces techniques seen for every bridal dress. 2019 saw a changing in the bridal dress with new color shades for wedding gowns, embroidery and prints, long capes and pant suits. This season the wedding dress style includes basite, brocade, charmeuse, chiffon and crepe. 62
WEDDING LEADING MANUFACTURES AND KEY VENDORS
•
Pronovias
•
Rosa Clara
•
De La Cierva Y Nicolás
•
Carolina Herrera
•
Pepe Botella
•
White One
•
Impression Bridal
•
Vera Wang
•
Amsale Aberra
•
Oscar De La Renta
•
Monique Lhuillier
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SUSTAINABLE WEDDINGS
Sustainable weddings is a new trend being observed among the young couples who are conscious about their surroundings and think beyond only spending to make their big day the best. Wedding planners are taking a step forward to offer their clients with options for a sustainable lifestyle. Few of the suggestions offered by the wedding planners are help clients reduce waste like flower decoration. The flowers after the wedding are reused at a nursery home or any other place instead of throwing them away. The couples are given an option of renting or re-selling their decorations. Teaming up with a vendor or caterer who understands and supports the client to reduce wastage of food by recycling and composting food. Some of the measures also include asking guests to donate towards charitable contribution rather than bringing the couple gifts.
DESTINATION WEDDINGS
Destination weddings have definitely become the new trend from the last few years. At the same time, travel has become the new luxury. Merging the two, couples today prefer destination wedding over the formal weddings. The couples are looking for more personalization and want very limited audience for the ceremony. They want to create a unique experience and hence major locations at the beach, tropical places, open spaces or more toward the nature. Video proposals at exotic places have been in trend. More than 340,000 destination weddings are being recorded annually. Destination weddings definitely demand for a large cheque but as it gives a special feel on their big day, they are opting for it.
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DIY WEDDINGS
Many millennials today prefer to have a DIY wedding rather than hiring a wedding planner. The couples are using the help of social media platforms like Pinterest, youtube etc to plan out their wedding. Themes like Boho, Bollywood, mystic and so on are also a new trend.
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CELEBRITY TRENDS
2017 saw many celebrity weddings and have created a trend amongst their fans. Celebrities like Pippa Middleton’s wedding dress became an inspiration for many brides-to-be. The wedding dress was compared to her elder sister Kate Middleton’s wedding dress. White laced high victorian neck, A line and keyhole back dress designed by Giles Deacon worn by Pippa Middleton became an instant trend. Serena William chose three different wedding gowns for her big day. The tennis player chose designer Sarah Burton to design her wedding dress. Serena Williams wearing Sarah Burton
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Pippa Middleton wearing Giles Deacon
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5 RESEARCH ANALYSIS 69
PRIMARY RESEARCH ANALYSIS Indian weddings are a great example of conspicuous consumption, and it is clear from the price range brides and grooms have set for their wedding outfits. When it comes to the selection of what designer to chose, it is also a question of prestige amongst the relatives and friends. Most of the brides prefer famous Indian designer and do not want to compromise on the price because they believe that it is a once in a lifetime event. There is a change in trends when it comes to inspirations for their weddings. Whenever there is a wedding announced in the family, the preparations begin right away and immediately the bride especially starts looking for inspirations for her big day. Brides previously followed Vogue India and Elle India magazines for ideas. But with the growing social media craze, Instagram has become the biggest platform for Bridal inspiration. When brides were asked which Instagram handles they follow, they mentioned individual designers along with handles which offer the entire wedding inspirations like Asian Wedding Show, Wedding Sutra, Vogue Wedding Show. Apart from these, Bollywood is always a major inspiration. Initially, outfits worn in movies were the major trend but now even the real-life weddings of the Bollywood actors have become a trend, not only in terms of wedding outfits but also a destination for their weddings. When it comes to spending on the attire, money is always secondary. The average budget for the brides is around $4000-$6000. The bride should be happy and content with their outfits. Most of these brides have Anita Dongre, Manish Malhotra, and Sabyasachi as their favorite designer. When it comes to the payment of the bridal attire, the couple still prefers their parents to pay for the outfit. The parents prefer to pay for the wedding because it is also a part of the culture, and they feel it is their responsibility towards their children. 70
When it comes to purchasing the garments, brides usually travel to India to get their outfits made. The major reason being latest trends are not as available in the US and also because they are not convinced of the authenticity of the garment. But this seems to be changing because the bride no longer has the time to travel to India because the majority of them work. So the best they can do is order from the Indian boutiques in the US and then the boutiques take care of the rest. But this is more like a compromise than a preference. One reason for this is because the time it takes to travel is too long. Minimum of 60 days required to make the dress in the US whereas if they travel to India, the time taken for the garment to be made is shorter. Thus, the brides prefer to have more luxury Indian designers in the US so they know for sure they are getting it done from an authentic source and the time taken for the garment is less as there will be an availability of the garment from the latest trends in the store. The bride wants to stand out from the crowd because it is ‘the day’ for her. The major trends the brides are looking for our Nakshi, Zardosi and thread work. This is also a requirement seen by the clients who prefer wearing Indian wear for functions. These embroideries are currently in style. Indian wear has a huge demand in the US and this is evident from an Indian Boutique owner interview. According to him, brides and grooms are still the biggest markets for Indian wear, but there is a growth seen because many are preferring to wear for Indian festivals, occasions or attend a friend’s or relative’s wedding. Apart from Indians, there is an increase seen in the non-Indian clients. Even though they do not aim to buy very expensive outfits, they do not mind spending a good amount because they want to dress in an Indian outfit when they are attending an Indian event. Some also consider it as an appreciation of art.
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Looking at the findings from interviews, there seems to be a huge demand for Indian luxury designers in the US who can offer the latest runway trends and options to suffice the market in the US. According to the best Indian wedding planner in the New York, maximum weddings take place in Northeast followed by California. New York is the hub for fashion, brides from all over the US prefer flying to New York compared to flying to India mainly because of time. The non-bridal Indian wear customers prefer buying Indian wear from boutiques in the US. Only if it is not available will they chose to shop online but that is not the major preference mainly because of the fittings. The number of outfits typically purchased for other Indian occassions is 3-4 a year for occasions like Indian festivals, ceremonies, friend’s wedding or while visiting a temple for prayers. KEY FINDINGS: •
Brides prefer to shop from the US, since majority of brides work, they do not have time to travel to India.
•
Huge and increasing demand for Indian wear.
•
Requirement of latest styles and trends in the US boutiques or through online platforms.
•
Need for more Indian boutiques or luxury designer stores in US.
•
Bride and groom are still the major clients
•
Increase in consumption of Indian wear for other occasions observed.
•
Inspirations come majorly from Bollywood movies and celebrity trends.
•
Style preference is mainly heavily embroidered outfits (Specific embroidery - nakshi, thread work, zardosi).
•
The brides and grooms still prefer their parents to pay for their wedding.
•
Increase in non-Indian clients because of cultural diversity, appreciation of the other culture handlooms and handicrafts.
• 72
Huge demand for Sabyasachi outfits.
73
SECONDARY RESEARCH ANALYSIS The wedding industry in the US was about $72 billion in 2016. There has been an increase in the market size of the industry. IBIS world report mentions the involvement of 585,000 business in the wedding market. The US produces over 18 million wedding dresses with a annual turnover of $2.8 billion. US is also the third largest producer of the wedding dress industry. The wedding dress industry is forecasted to grow by 26% in 2020. While the wedding dress industry is flourishing, there are some changes seen in the wedding dress. Brides are preferring to choose colors like Champagne/Ivory (37%), dark blue(32%) and gold (30%). Apart from the colors, wedding dress in trends are batiste, crepe, chiffon and brocade. The major players are Carolina Herrera, David’s Bridal and Vera Wang. There are some changing trends in the style of the wedding. Almost 20% of the couples prefer to have a destination wedding and believe to spend on quality and have an experience. DIY weddings are a huge trend observed and become more popular due to the increase of social media usage. Pinterest is one the most commonly use platforms. Almost 67% brides use pinterest as a platform for their inspiration followed by Instagram (57%). The average budget on wedding dress in New York is $2500-$3000. 6% of the brides prefer to wear their mom’s dress as a tradition while 23% brides plan to sell their bridal gown. 47% brides dream of wearing a designer dress, but they cannot afford it so they prefer to wear a pre-owned dress. Indian weddings in the US have always been lavish and have seen an increase over the years. Weddings are the most important event in every individual’s life, and Indians believe it should be celebrated luxuriously. According to the U.S. census bureau, there are 2,308,000 Indians in the US. And majority of the population is located in the New York area. Indians are well-educated and are amongst the highest average income holders. According to the secondary research, majority 74
of the Indian weddings takes place in North east. Manhattan is the most expensive location for a wedding and costs $82,000 on an average. Gotham hall in New York is best known for Indian weddings. Around 71 Indian wedding planners are present in New York itself which clearly shows the number of Indian weddings. Indian American brides love to dress up in traditional clothing because they believe in dressing up in the traditional attire for the rituals. Indian wear is mainly worn during weddings, attending weddings, function, festivals, ceremonies or visit to a temple. The demand for Indian wear is seen growing and also because of the Indian influence over the world. Celebrities, designers, brands are finding inspiration from India which has made Indian culture more global. Indian American brides love to dress up in luxurious Indian designers, and the favorites are Sabyasachi, Manish Malhotra and Anita Dongre. However there is a gap between the latest trend offered by the Indian boutiques in the US and the ones in India. The distribution of these famous designers is taking place through third party retailers, online, wedding exhibitions and trunk shows. Brides are not very satisfied since the brides of today are no longer willing to travel to India for their wedding shopping. Most of the brides are working and busy hence prefer not to travel. They chose e-commerce or Indian boutiques the best way to order their outfit. But there are issues with the fittings and most important is the lead time is too long, as a minimum 60-90 days are needed. There is always a fear of the garment not being according to their requirement mainly due to involvement of a third party retailer. Major inspiration for the wedding outfits is Bollywood movies and real weddings of the celebrities. With growing popularity of social media, brides get their inspiration from these platforms. However, brides do still prefer to read print magazines while preparing for their wedding. Extravagant Indian weddings in New York, invite a Bollywood celebrity to perform. However, a famous wedding planner Preeti Shah mentions, this trend is changing, indian americans spend more on quality weddings than calling Bollywood stars. 75
The clothing budget for Indian wedding in the India crossed $375,500 in 2017. 80% of the fashion designers in India focus mainly on wedding outfits. When price is concerned, it is a ritual, that the parents of the bride are suppose to pay for the wedding. The wedding outfits are paid by the bride’s parents however few couples have started contributing to the expense. When it comes to the bridal outfits, price is not a major constraint. Average spent on a outfit by a Indian bride is $4000$5000 and $8000-$10000 (high spenders) in the US. Indian weddings are a costly affair with 3-4 functions and guests exceeding 1000. The entry of the groom, the stage decor, flowers are few things which keeps changing according to the latest trend seen in movies or celebrity weddings. There has also been an increase in the Non-Indian customers as they want to be appropriately dressed while attending an Indian function. 76
KEY FINDINGS - PRIMARY AND SECONDARY ANALYSIS LATEST TREND
LEAD TIME
According to the secondary and primary research,
There is a lot that goes in planning a wedding, and the bride is
the Indian ethnic wear in the US is not according to
most excited about her outfit. According to the research, there
the latest trend as there is a delay of two seasons in
is lot of time involved in getting a wedding outfit done in the US,
for trends. The latest trends are not even available
usually minimum 60 days. The time differs according to the style,
through the e-commerce platforms. US customers
embroidery style and fabric of the wedding dress. The time taken
can access the latest trends through exhibitions and
is too long for the outfit alone. And there are chances of the fit-
trunk shows. This was the major reason why brides
tings going wrong and there is an involvement of a long process
specially prefered travelling to India. Although, the
like measurements taken in the US, sent to India and the garment
brides of today are not willing to travel mainly be-
is made. There is a human error involved as well. The high end
cause of time according to the famous Indian wed-
wedding brides in the US travel to India for their satisfaction, au-
ding planner Sonal Shah. The brides either buy
thenticity of the designer and perfect fittings. According to a wed-
their outfit through US boutiques which is a bit of a
ding planner, brides travel to India for a week, select the fabric,
compromise for some brides. The owner of Sitara
style, color and give their measurements and travel back. Within
boutique mentions in one of her interviews that their
1-2 months the garment is delivered. But this involves a lot of
boutique has observed a gap between the latest
time and money because of which the mindset of brides is slowly
trends in the US and thus they have started with a
changing and they are opting for stores in the US compared to
multi-designer store in NY.
flying to India.
77
INSPIRATION
PRICE POINTS
MAJOR AUDIENCE
The brides go through a deep re-
The wedding outfit is the most special
When it comes to Indian ethnic
search while selecting their wedding
thing for every bride and does not want
wear, the major market still re-
gown. They want to make sure their
to compromise on it. The average budget
mains the wedding. Thus 80%
outfit is the best. Which designer
for a wedding outfit is $5000-$6000. The
of the fashion designers in India
to chose to wear from, sometimes
brides outfit is usually 2-3 times more ex-
focuses on their bridal couture
becomes a matter of prestige. Ac-
pensive than the groom mainly because
line as that is were the major
cording to the primary research, In-
of the embroidery work. According to re-
revenue comes from. According
stagram is the favorite social media
search, Indian brides do not prefer pre-or-
to primary research, major func-
platform for the brides. According
der gowns. No matter how expensive the
tions a person wants to wear In-
to the secondary research, 1 out
designer gown is, there is no concept of
dian outfits are mainly to attend
of 3 brides are still referring to print
renting or buying pre-ordered gown. The
someone’s marriage followed by
magazine for ideas. And Pinterest is
prices of the outfits in the US are slightly
the attending Indian functions.
the bible of every bride to be now-
higher than in the US because of the du-
Wedding are a huge market and
adays. Bollywood definitely remains
ties and conversion rate. But the reason
the bride’s outfits forms the ma-
the inspiration for the brides not only
brides travel are not because of the price
jor share.
for outfit inspiration but also for the
but because of the trend and variety they
dance and wedding entry.
get to choose from.
78
DISTRIBUTION
NON-INDIAN CLIENTS
WHO PAYS FOR THE OUTFIT
The brides in the US are looking for more
Indian
influenced
For Indian weddings it is still the
Indian boutiques in the US. There is a vast
many non-Indians through media
parents who pay for the wed-
population of Indian immigrants in the US
and fashion. There are people who
dings and majorly the bride’s
and very few Indian boutiques in compar-
are appreciating the Indian culture
parents. Paying for their chil-
ison. The boutiques present do not carry
and want to experience it as well.
dren’s wedding is a ritual and
the latest trends. And if they do have de-
There are many non-Indians who
gives them a sense of pride.
signers, there are only 10-12 outfits per
wish to dress in Indian wear out-
The tradition still continues and
designers. There is less variety in terms
fits either because they are attend-
according to primary research,
of wedding outfits and other Indian ethnic
ing an Indian wedding or function.
brides still prefer their parents to
wear. According to secondary research,
Some people appreciate Indian
pay for their wedding.
there were not many designer stores be-
handicrafts and craftsmanship and
cause for such expensive pieces, brides
thus want to invest in it. And there
prefered travelling to India and hence they
is a huge demand also seen due
didn’t feel the requirement to have them
to growing cross cultural influence
in the store. But with changing scenarios,
and interracial marriages.
outfits
have
brides are demanding more Indian stores in the US according to the primary sources. 79
80
6 CONSUMER 81
INDIAN POPULATION IN THE US
There are many Indian immigrants in the US and they have been increasing over many years. Amongst the Asian population, Indians are 18% of the entire Asian Population in the US (2015). According to Statista, in 2010 there were 1,979,000 Indian Americans in the US. The Indian population is majorly located in New York, New Jersey, Houston, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Chicago. They are also the 2nd and 3rd generation of Indian Americans. Indians are very well educated with a majority holding a postgraduate degree. With every year, the number of immigrants are growing and according to migration policy, there are 2,308,000 Indian Americans in the US in 2017. Amongst the entire population, the majority fall in the age group 30-39 years with the male population exceeding the female population. The average income of Indians is $100,000 and are also amongst the wealthiest ethnic group in the US. There are also many Indians who are entrepreneurs and run their business successfully in the US.
82
TARGET CONSUMERS The consumers for luxury goods are growing since the decline seen in 2015. According to Wealth-X report, the number of luxury consumers are increasing in North America and Asia. The UHNWI have increased by 3.5% in 2017 and are forecasted to grow even more till 2021.
According to Statista, North America has 74,982 UHNWI from different regions in 2017, out of which New York is the city with the highest number of UHNWI. The UHHW is forecasted to increase to $100 trillion in 2015, according to World Wealth Report. According to wealth-X, North America has the highest number of Non-Resident Indian and 38% of are considered ultra wealthy individuals. 83
Demographic: Sabyasachi’s major target customers are Indian American brides and groom in the US. The targeted age group is 25-35 years of age. The label focuses mainly on wedding attires and targets the millennials who are the brides-to-be. Since the brand follows the luxury price strategy, the income level will be middle to high. These customers are highly educated and mainly live in major cities.
Lifestyle/Psychographic: The target consumers mainly belong to major metro cities. The consumers love spending for luxury goods. They are aware of the luxury market and believe in conspicuous consumption. Their interests includes shopping, watching movies, activities like yoga or any form of exercise and cooking. They are health conscious and prefer organic food.
Behavioral: The brides are users of social media platforms and aware of the latest wedding trends. Platforms like Pinterest, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram are the major source of inspiration while planning for their weddings. These brides love to read magazines and watch TV reality shows. They are well aware of the latest exhibitions, trunk shows and events happening in the city. They are attracted towards technology and prefer quality customer service or loyalty programs. They are people who appreciate and like towards heritage and craftsmanship.
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Dhriti Khanna is a second generation Indian American living in Long Island, New York. Her parents are native to India and have been living in the US from the past 45 years. She is health-conscious and thus practices yoga and meditation regularly. She prefers shopping luxury brands and her luxury preference is opulent. She owns a lot of luxury merchandise and loves to show if off. She is educated and financially independent. Despite of being born in the US, she is aware of the Indian culture. She loves watching Bollywood movies and wear Indian clothes for certain occasions. She prefers to shop for Indian ethnic wear from boutiques or exhibitions in the US.
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Dhriti Khanna PERSONA 1 Age: 29 Location: Long Island, New York Education: Periodontics, University of Texas Occupation: Orthodontist Income: $140,000 Marital status: Engaged Technology usage: Fitbit, ipad, iphone and Macbook Leisure activities: Yoga, Meditation, Movies, Baking shows Media consumption: New York Times, Lifestyle magazines, Netflix, Medical News Today Social media preference: Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, Snapchat Shopping habits: Loves to shop at Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. Chanel and Fendi are amongst her favorite brands. She loves shopping for Indian wear for special Indian occasions. 87
Sonal Aggarwal is a financial analyst working in Manhattan, New York. She is a third generation Indian American. Her grandparents travelled from India and settled in New York. She loves to dress up in stylish formal wear and her choice is more classic. At the same time, she loves the colorful Indian wear for certain functions. She chooses to wear Indian wear for certain functions to represent her ethnicity. She loves buying Indian wear and prefers the e-commerce platform to shop.
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Sonal Aggarwal PERSONA 2 Age: 26 Location: Manhattan, New York Education: MBA, Columbia University, NY Occupation: Financial Analyst Income: $110,000 Marital status: Single Technology usage: Macbook, Google Pixel, Kindle Leisure activities: Movies, Reading, Aerobics, Socializing on weekends Media consumption: WSJ, New York Times (digital version), BBC news channel, Magazines Social media preference: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Amazon Prime, LinkedIn Shopping habits: She loves to shop from premium to luxury brands. She invests in Hermes scarves. She loves wearing latest trends in formal clothing to her workwear. Apart from fashion, she loves shopping for electronics and spend on weekend travels. 89
Shivani Mayekar is married and living with her husband in New Jersey. She loves art and appreciates creativity. She and her husband both are Indian Americans and were born and brought up in the US. They were married in the US but the style of wedding was Indian. She loves the American way of life but loves to preserve her heritage at the same time. She loves shopping for Indian wear and wear to attend friend’s wedding and functions. She prefers shopping from best Indian designers outfit available in the Indian boutiques in the US.
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Shivani Mayekar PERSONA 3 Age: 31 Location: New Jersey Education: MFA in Interior Design Occupation: Interior Designer Income: $70,000 Marital status: Married Technology usage: iphone, Macbook and Home pod Leisure activities: Swimming, Photography, Museums, Gardening Media consumption: Vogue, Netflix, Spotify, Interior design magazines Social media preference: Instagram, Snapchat, Behance, Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest Shopping habits: Organic cosmetics and food. Michael Kors and Coach are her few of her favorite brands. Her style is understated. She loves to dress according to the latest trends. 91
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7 STRATEGY 93
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STRATEGY STATEMENT
Sabyasachi Couture aims to have a global brand presence in the US. The label aims to increase sales, market share and brand awareness through its flagship store in New York. It will be a to be destination for the Indian American brides in the US where they can experience the Indian culture and products through service and store interior.
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GOALS AND OBJECTIVES This project aims to establish an international presence for the famous luxury Indian designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee. He is known globally due to his collaborations with Christian Louboutin, Forevermark and Pottery mark but does not retail directly through his stores internationally. The goals is to have a global brand presence for Sabyasachi in the US by establishing a flagship store in the famous location, Madison Avenue in New York. The objectives of the project are:
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8 FLAGSHIP STORE 99
PLACEMENT The flagship store will be located in New York to provide a platform for Sabyasachi’s brides and grooms to order their dreamy wedding outfit. The luxury store located in one of the best locations in the world will be a home to luxury Indian wear by Sabyasachi which will incorporate technology for faster lead times and the latest trend.
Location selection: The location selected for Sabyasachi flagship store is Madison avenue. The luxury Indian designer has made a big name for himself in the International market and have collaborated with big names like Christian Louboutin. The store will same its address with notable names like Oscar de la Renta, Giorgio Armani and Givenchy.
MARKET SELECTION
New York: New York is the home for many luxury flagship stores. New York will be the best location for Sabyasachi’s retail expansion in the international market. New York compromises many affluent and wealthy Indian Americans. As the Indian wedding industry in New York is growing every year as Indians believe in conspicuous consumption when it comes to weddings. New York will be the nest location for the label, as it will be successful for building brand awareness amongst the customers who are unaware of the Indian ethnic wear market. Also, New York is the place for Indian brides to shop for their wedding outfit as it is known for its fashion and many famous wedding planners, wedding locations, wedding boutiques for Indian weddings are present in New york. 100
AREA ANALYSIS
New York is known for luxury flagship retail boutiques mainly areas like Fifth avenue, Madison avenue and the upcoming SoHo. Sabyasachi store will be located in Madison Avenue which also consists of powerful brands like Giorgio Armani, Oscar de la Renta, Kate Spade, Celine, alexander McQueen and so. Madison Avenue is known for the big names in the luxury retails and has become a tourist destination. SITE SELECTION:
Address: 761 Madison Ave, Upper east side, New York, 11065 Area: 2590 sq.ft (ceiling height 13’9”, frontage 27’7”) Rent: $259,000 (Monthly)
The site selected will be a good fit for the brand as it faces the main road Madison Ave, which attracts majority of the tourists. There are very strong brands placed in the neighbouring stores and block. Giorgio Armani is located opposite to the store along with Derek Lam. The store shares the wall with J. Crew collections, Alice + Olivia. The neighbouring block consists of stores like Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Oscar de la Renta and Kate Spade. 101
NEW YORK COUNTY
Total Population (2016): 1,634,989 Total Population (25-44 years): 37.3% Asians: 11.8% Total Asian Indian Population (2016): 28,605 (1.7%)
Housing units (2016): 866,644
Pedestrian traffic:
Education (2012-2016)
Median household income: $75,513
Upper East side: Around 1600-2500
Graduate or above: 92,220
Annual expenditure (2015-16): $63,752
individuals till noon followed by
Bachelor: 73,229
Apparel and service: 3.2%
2500-3500 from midday to evening
Asian alone: 151,803
Housing: 3.8%
per day.
High School: 125,363
Food: 10.7% Transportation: 11.4% 102
Transport: Bus: There is a bus stop just a minute away from the store. Two buses run through M66 and M72. M66: Runs through W66 street/West end Ave to East 68 st/York Ave M72: Runs through W66 st/ Freedom PL to E 72/York Ave
Railway: Subway station: There are two subway stations located near the store making it more comfortable for visitors. Lexington Ave-63 st - 0.3 miles (7 minutes) by walk 68th st - 0.3 miles (7 minutes) by walk
Parking: There is parking available on Madison Avenue, 65th and 66th street. Also there is a parking lot, NYC Parking 605, Parking Corp. on 3 E 67th street which is located just 0.1mile (2 mins) away from the store.
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AREA ATTRACTIONS:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Distance from the store: 1 mile (5 mins by car) One of the most renowned museum with 5000 years of Art attracts the art lovers.
Empire State Building: Distance from the store: 2 miles (14 minutes by car) One of the must go tourist destination which offers 360 degree view of the New York city.
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Statue of Liberty Distance from the store: 7 miles (26 minutes by car) Statue of Liberty a symbol for freedom and democracy of the United States, welcomes tourists all over the world and one of the most popular tourist destination in New York.
Times Square: Distance from the store: 1.5 miles (11 minutes by car) Located in the heart of the city, Times Squares attracts many visitors everyday known for its history and the liveliness.
Central Park Distance from the store: 0.3 mile (2 minutes by car) In a super busy city like New York, the Central park balances with the city with its freshness and the natural beauty. There are a lot of attractions and events within the park which invents the tourists during different seasons.
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STORE DESIGN
The store located in Madison avenue has a area of 2590 sqft including basement which is 850 sqft. The entrance of the store will have a huge wooden black door with brass work and brass door handle. For the store window display, it is a open back window display but covered with drapes which have a beautiful Indian motif. Products like accessories will be displayed in the window. As soon as you enter, the front space is dedicated to experience. The left side will have a Indian style swing and the right side will have the screen with videos playing. There will be traditional music playing with a low tempo. The center of the store will have mannequins with bridal outfits and menswear. The center will be surrounded by two asymmetrical rack, which will have accessories displayed. Furthermore, the left will be dedicated to menswear and the remaining entire space for the bridalwear which will include sarees and lehengas. This area will also include heavy jewelry pieces. The walls of the store will be covered with wallpaper made of Indian motifs. The store decor will include authentic and antique brass vase, urlis, chandeliers and lampshades. The wall will be decorated with various photographs which will be framed in special embroidered frames. The store will also include space for customers to sit and enjoy the VR experience.The basement is the storage for inventory and also sewing machine for fittings. There will be security alarms in the store for safety. Also fire extinguisher and sprinklers and CCTV camera for monitoring any unusual activity.
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ENTRANCE
Designed by: Shubhdha Ashok, M.Arch
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OVERVIEW
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EXHIBITION
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EXPERIENTIAL SITTING
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MEN’S RETAIL
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WOMEN’S RETAIL
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VIP BRIDAL ROOM
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INTERIOR REFERENCES
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PRODUCT ASSORTMENT The major percentage of the product allocation will be Bridal Lehengas as the brides are the major audience followed by menswear. A wide variety of sarees will be displayed because sarees form an integral part of the label. The sarees will include ready to wear sarees for the audience who are not aware of how to drape a saree. This segment will attract both the brides as well as the wedding attendees. The store will also include accessories like clutches, belt, headbands and shoes. These merchandise will not only attract Indian Americans but also non-Indian audiences who treasure Indian handicrafts and handlooms. Sabyasachi jewelry has attracted many jewelry lovers and can we a good revenue generator in the New York flagship store as well. The Indian heritage and style of jewelry reflects in his jewelry which many clients purchase as masterpieces.
fine jewelry exclusive for New York flagship store.
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Bridal jewelry
Lehenga
Sherwani
Saree Mens jewelry
Shoes
Belt
Clutch
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CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES: Ambience: The customers will enter into an experiential store where they can experience the ambience through five senses.
Sight: As soon a customer enters the store, they can experience the Indian heritage through their eyes.
Touch- Feel the garments, intricate embroidery, artefacts and artwork of traditional artwork.
Smell: The vase and the urli in the store will be replaced with fresh flowers with attar bottles in the store. The smell of the attar will give a very strong yet pleasant smell.
Taste: The store will offer different types of authentic tea and the famous chai. Accompanying the tea will be Indian snacks like Samosas. Also, choice of sherbet will be offered.
Hear: Indian classical vocals or instrumental music (sitar) with a slow tempo and soothing effect. 118
IN STORE EXPERIENCE: Smart Mirror: Virtual mirror is a great tool for the brides to select their choice of the garment. The mirror will have different types of sarees and bridal lehenga. This will help her to select the dresses and if the garment is available in the store she can try it or can be ordered for her. Having a mirror in the store will help the bride and her family save time over selection of garments and satisfaction of virtually trying various types of outfits. Since Indian wedding wear is very heavy, it is difficult to try multiple outfits. The bride usually gets tired after trying a few outfits, hence incorporating virtual mirror will be helpful. Price: $10,000-$50,000
SERVICES: •
Book an appointment: Find out what the bride wants so the brides can receive the best service when they arrive (VIP brides).
•
Special presentation for the brides
•
Menu
•
Excitement attribute
•
Videos for brides
•
Thank you note after a month
•
Special attention when the brides enter the store
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VIDEO FOR BRIDES
Sabyasachi brides are always special. For them to feel more special, as a part of the customer experience, the label will offer s special video to them. This video will be the making of their bridal outfit and a beautiful video which will be a part of their wedding memory. This video will be specifically gifted to brides who spend above $7000 on their outfit. From design to execution will be showcased through the video of 5-10 minutes.
BRIDAL TRUNK
The bridal outfits will be delivered to the brides in a special trunk made exclusively for the brides. The trunk will be made of special brocade silk fabric with an inner lining of rich velvet fabric. There will be a special label made with embroidery which will say, ‘Sabyasachi brides’. The trunk will also include a hand written thank you note from the designer.
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EXCITEMENT ATTRIBUTE
A client never leaves the store without receiving a small favor from the label whether the client is buying a small clutch or shopping for her bridal outfit. Save the saree box with a hand written note from the designer is what the label offers for customers spending upto $1000. Save the saree box includes purely hand loomed sarees by Indian weavers. The money for these sarees goes straight to the weavers, and it is also as a part of an Indian heritage. These sarees are also designed by Sabyasachi. Customers spending above $7000, the customers will receive a hand embroidered bangle set along with a note, save the saree box and a note in a special Sabyasachi handcrafted box.
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MENU
Brides with the appointment will be welcomed with sparkling water, flowers and Indian sweets. The menu will have options of Champagne, wine to authentic Indian beverages for all the audiences. The store will also offer Indian savory snacks as a cultural experience, which will be made especially for special customers.
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PEOPLE The staff in the store will include one store manager, and 3 sales representative and a tailor for fittings. The staff will be knowledgeable about the label and passionate towards the label. The staff will include Indian americans as well as Americans as the label is catering towards both the audiences. The employees will wear outfits made of Ajrakh fabric, which a block print fabric made in India on pure cotton fabric. The store manager will be responsible for taking care of the sales in the store and report it to the staff in India. He/she will take care of the inventory and monitor the response. The sales representative will be cross trained in menswar, bridal and accessories. They will take care of the entire process of welcoming the customer till the sale of the product. Third party will be given the contract for regular cleaning of the store.
Ajrakh fabric for uniforms
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9 PROMOTIONAL PLAN 125
PRE-LAUNCH:
The pre-launch event will take place one day prior to the launch of the store. The launch month will be September. The pre-launch event will include names like Priyanka Chopra (known for Quantico), Dev Patel followed by fashion designers like Naeem Khan, Sachin and Babi, Christian Louboutin. Along with celebrities there will be some special brides from the US, wedding planners, socialites and elites from New York. The event will include a small screening for the guests followed by a delicious dinner. The guests will be given a souvenir from the designer as a gesture for attending the event. Invitations for this event will be personally mailed to the guests.
LAUNCH:
The store will be launch in September as it is one of the best time to be in New York. The number of tourists are also very high and the Indian wedding season starts from October onwards. It is a perfect time as the famous Indian festival Diwali falls in October, so people have enough time to purchase their outfits for the occasions. September will be good month for the brides to be to prepare for their wedding as well. The day of the store opening will welcome guests from all over. The promotions for the event will be done on various social media platforms as well as traditional media. All the visitors will be welcomed and offered chai and sherbet at the store. They will also be given a small favor for being a part of the launch. For the evening, renowned artists will be welcomed to play music and enhance the beauty of the event. The store will open doors for the Indian wear enthusiasts and aspiring brides. 126
Invitation for the event
POST LAUNCH:
The store will arrange for events on special occasions like Handloom day or to promote the artisans. To celebrate an embroidery week, special Sabyasachi embroiders can be invited to the store to showcase their talent and their work. The audience will also learn about the craft and the brand can also promote its transparency model. There will be special events to promote multicultural week and showcase various Indian artwork. There will be events for socialites with special interests for Indian culture. Furthermore, the store will include products of their collaborative projects like Christian Louboutin, Forevermark and Pottery barn. With the growing footfall in the store, the brand can include casual wear as a part of their product assortment.
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The store will be launched in September because it is the best month to visit New York as tourists as well as the best time for Indians to start preparing for winter weddings. Before the store launch, promotions will be started on social media and traditional media. Two months prior to the launch, an ad regarding the opening of the flagship store in New York will be published in magazines like Vogue, Brides, Elle, travel magazines both in India and US. The reason to launch in magazines in India is because one the audience in India finds out about the store opening, they will convey it to their relatives and friends in the US. Similarly, the ad will be published in New York times, local newspapers in the US and Times of India.
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Ads will also be published on Indian community websites in New York and US for more reach to the audience. The store decor will have artefacts and antiques from India, thus the process will began two months prior to the launch. Social media promotions will be mainly on Instagram, Facebook and Youtube. A special invitation will be sent by personal mail for the pre-launch party and will be sent two months in advance. Mails will be sent to loyal customers before any collection is launched or any special event in the store.
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INSTAGRAM OBJECTIVE: With the growing followers, this platform will be useful for creating brand awareness and promote the latest collections.
PURPOSE: Launch of store and mention about the integration of technology, behind the scenes, posts about the special sabyasachi brides and grooms. Increase in the number of followers, hashtags for the store launch, comments from the followers.
WEBSITE (US & INDIA) OBJECTIVE: Website for all the audience to know about the brand in detail and availabity of the products.To keep the audience updated about the store launch in the US and the events in the store.
PURPOSE: Redesign the website because the existant website is not very responsive. Click per view, check the conversion rate for the shopping cart, most popular product, involvement of the consumers. Post about the launch of the store and the event. The reach to the maximum number of Indian Amercian in the US. Can be measured through the number of customers attending the launch event. 130
FACEBOOK OBJECTIVE: Create an awareness for the brand and updated with the social media.
PURPOSE: Upload photos and videos of the launch of the store, special collection shoots and create events for the store. Comments from the followers, messages from the customers for enquiring about the products, popularity of the brand through likes.
DIRECT MAIL
OBJECTIVE: To give personal attention to the target audience.
PURPOSE: Mail to the customers, special brides, wedding planners, PR about the upcoming events and new product launch. Mail will also include certain offers for certain season or specific audience. With the converison rate at the store and the responses from the customer. With the mail for specific offers and occasion, it will be easy to measure the response.
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YOUTUBE
OBJECTIVE: A platform for promotional videos of latest collections, store interiors and collaborations.
PURPOSE: Upload videos of promotions, collaborations, interviews with influencers. The increasing number of subscribers, shares, likes and video views.
OBJECTIVE: Keep updating about the events relating to the brand.
PURPOSE: Posts on twitter about the recent events and launch of the store. Tag Indian community in the US and NY for more reach. Through number of retweets, comments and likes.
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NEWSPAPER (New York Times, Times of India)
OBJECTIVE: To create a buzz about the opening of a flagship store in the US
PURPOSE: An article about the Indian luxury designer launching a store in NY. Measuement by the reach of the newspaper. Article will be posted in India as well, so the people in India will know and spread through the word of mouth to their connections in the US.
MAGAZINES (Vogue, Elle- US and India), Wedding magazines
OBJECTIVE: Let the brides know about the presence of the store in the US and spread the word.
PURPOSE: Advertise about the store launch. The magazines will include a special card for the brides with special offer. Measure through the readers and the brides who will get the card received in the magazies. This card will be only in magazines in US and not in India. But in India, the magazine will have a spread dedicated to the advertisement. 133
WEBSITE REDESIGN Apart from the store, Instagram is a strong advertisement tool for the brand. The website of the brand will be redesigned for brand awareness. The website will include the current collection and products. It will also include awards and recognition the brand has received. The website will acknowledge the recent collaborations of the designer. Also it will include a online retail for accessible products and the availability of the products and which store is it available in. The website will be a marketing tool for the audience who are not a current customer of the brand but are keen to be familiar with the brand. The website will also include upcoming events and runways shows where the brand will be participating.
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HOME PAGE
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RUNWAY PAGE
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WEDDING PAGE
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JEWELRY PAGE
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THE HOUSE PAGE
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STORES PAGE
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SHOP PAGE
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10 FINANCIAL PLAN 143
PROMOTIONAL BUDGET
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The promotions for Sabyasachi store in the US will be mainly through digital and traditional media platforms. Instagram is the major platform for promotions to target major audience. 57% of the total promotional budget is dedicated to magazines, as print media still remains a major influence for majority of the brides. Followed by 36% for social media. Campaign videos and photoshoots will be included in the social media percentage. The remaining percentage for the promotion will be distributed amongst newspaper, direct mail, website and launch party event.
Promotion expense
Sales revenue for Sabyasachi New York store
Website $ 15,000.00 newspaper $ 50,000.00 magazines $ 300,000.00 direct mail $ 10,000.00 launch party $ 80,000.00 social media advertisement $ 5,000,000.00
is $18,500,00 whereas the cost of goods sold is $6,475,000. Bridal outfits are the major focus for the sale followed by accessories like clutches, jewelry, hairbands and belts. First year will include major expenses like set-up
$ 5,455,000.00
costs, website redesign, salary for store employees, rent and utilities. Expenses will also include
HR expense store manager Bridal consultant salesperson staff
3 5 6 4
75000 50000 44000 30000
$ $ $ $ $
225,000.00 250,000.00 264,000.00 120,000.00 859,000.00
promotional activities. The profit for the first year will be 6.87%.
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ocation foot traffic
160,000
170,000
eptember ootfall 2,000 onv. 0.03 vr. Bas et $ 8,000.00 $ .R
P 70 PR Bridal lehenga enswear arees lutches Belts ine ewelry
Rent nterior tilities maintenance alary Promotions et Profit loss before tax
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180,000
200,000
190,0
ctober ovember ecember 3,000 3,500 2,500 0.02 0.04 0.03 9,000.00 $ 10,000.00 $ 8,000.00 $
anuary 3,0 0. 7,000.0
$ 1,900,000.00 $ 1,300,000.00 $ 1,700,000.00 $ 1,500,000.00 $ 1,200,000 $ 665,000.00 $ 455,000.00 $ 595,000.00 $ 525,000.00 $ 420,000.0
35 0.45 0.18 0.15 0.08 0.01 0.13 1
$ $ $ $ $ $
855,000.00 342,000.00 285,000.00 152,000.00 19,000.00 247,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
585,000.00 234,000.00 195,000.00 104,000.00 13,000.00 169,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
765,000.00 306,000.00 255,000.00 136,000.00 17,000.00 221,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
675,000.00 270,000.00 225,000.00 120,000.00 15,000.00 195,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
540,000.0 216,000.0 180,000.0 96,000.0 12,000.0 156,000.0
$ 259,000.0 $ 25,000.0 $ 3,000.0 $ 35,170.0 $ 448,916.0
000
170,000
180,000
ebruary 000 4,500 .04 0.02 00 $ 8,000.00 $
120,000
arch 4,000 0.02 9,000.00 $
120,000
pril 3,000 0.03 8,000.00 $
110,000
ay 2,500 0.04 7,000.00 $
120,000
une 3,000 0.03 7,000.00 $
130,000
uly 3,500 0.03 7,500.00 $
ugust 2,900 0.03 8,000.00
0.00 $ 1,500,000.00 $ 1,000,000.00 $ 1,000,000.00 $ 1,500,000.00 $ 1,800,000.00 $ 2,000,000.00 $ 2,100,000.00 $ 18,500,000.00 00 $ 525,000.00 $ 350,000.00 $ 350,000.00 $ 525,000.00 $ 630,000.00 $ 700,000.00 $ 735,000.00 $ 6,475,000.00 $ 12,025,000.00
00 00 00 00 00 00
$ $ $ $ $ $
675,000.00 270,000.00 225,000.00 120,000.00 15,000.00 195,000.00
00 00 00 00 00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
450,000.00 180,000.00 150,000.00 80,000.00 10,000.00 130,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
450,000.00 180,000.00 150,000.00 80,000.00 10,000.00 130,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
675,000.00 270,000.00 225,000.00 120,000.00 15,000.00 195,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
810,000.00 324,000.00 270,000.00 144,000.00 18,000.00 234,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
900,000.00 360,000.00 300,000.00 160,000.00 20,000.00 260,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ $ $ $ $ $
945,000.00 378,000.00 315,000.00 168,000.00 21,000.00 273,000.00
$ 259,000.00 $ 25,000.00 $ 3,000.00 $ 35,170.00 $ 448,916.00
$ 3,108,000.00 $ 1,300,000.00 $ 36,000.00 $ 859,000.00 $ 5,455,000.00 $ 10,758,000.00 $ 1,267,000.00
147
Proft and oss statement for 2018 19 Revenue ross margin xpenses HR Promotions Rent tilities nteriors otal expense et profit
148
$ 18,500,000.0 $ 6,475,000.0 $ 12,025,000.0
100.00 35.00 65.00
$ 859,000.0 $ 5,455,000.0 $ 3,108,000.0 $ 36,000.0 $ 1,300,000.0 $ 10,758,000.0
4.64 29.49 16.80 0.19 7.03 58.15
$ 1,267,000.0
6.85
149
150
CONCLUSION Indian wear demand has increased in the US over the years because of the growing population of Indians in the US. Apart from that, the increasing number of cross-cultural marriages and Indian influence in the fashion industry has led to the popularity of Indian ethnic wear. According to the research conducted, there is a huge demand for the Indian ethnic wear and mainly in the bridal segment. There is a change seen in the shopping behaviour of the Indian American brides, as they no longer prefer to travel to India for their favorite designer. The strategy is to open a Sabyasachi flagship store in Madison Avenue, mainly because he is one of the most popular Indian luxury designer and his work has a great demand in the US. Having a platform on Madison Avenue will a brand presence in the international market as well as a to go destination for brides and Indian culture enthusiasts. The store will attract customers due to its Indian inspired interiors as well as excellent service offered for those special clients and exclusive brides. The strategy includes promotional plan for the launch of the store and introduction of various product assortments in the store to attract more customers. The website for the label will be redesigned to incorporate online shopping and introduction of new collections. The website will be a strong communication across his audience apart from social media platforms. This experiential store located in the prestigious area of madison avenue will attract customers from all walks of life and give the brand a global presence. 151
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12 APPENDIX 153
INDUSTRY EXPERTS INTERVIEW Indian weddings still remain an important part of the Indian culture are celebrated even more lavishly in United States. Four industry experts relating to the wedding industry were interviewed to understand the Indian wear market better. The interviewee includes a wedding planner in New York, Wedding boutique owner and sale representative in New York and a PR and stylist from India working for the wedding boutiques in the US. These individuals have been working in the industry for many years and have a lot of experience when it comes to Indian weddings in the US.
Purpose: This interview was conducted to know about the Indian American wedding culture, market, trends and the approach of Brides and Grooms towards their wedding shopping specifically about their clothing.
Method: Phone Interview
Findings: The interview was helpful to understand the changing trends in Bridal shopping and increase of Indian ethnic wear demand. 154
Interviewee: Sonal Shah Company: Sonal J. Shah Event Consultants, LLC. Website: https://sjsevents.com/wedding-planner/ Location: 31 E 32nd St Suite 601, New York, NY 10016 Date: 04/04/2018 Sonal Shah is the founder of Sonal J. Shah Event Consultant and a successful Indian wedding planner in New York. She has been working as a wedding planner in New York since 2003 and have successfully planned over 1200 weddings. She is a second generation Indian American and has immense experience and knowledge about Indian weddings. Question 1: What is the most important requirement of any couple while planning their wedding? Answer: They want to opt for the best Indian designer for their outfit. If the budget is high, they will only settle for luxury Indian designers.
Question 2: Are their any specific preferences in terms of fabric, material, designer etc. while selecting their outfits? Answer: Most of them prefer authentic and heavy embroidery which closely represents Indian ethnicity.
Question 3: Have you ever worked with Sabyasachi Bride and Groom? Answer: 70-80% of my brides prefer Sabyasachi.
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Question 4: If yes, Do they customize their outfit or go for the latest trend? Answer: Most of the brides customizes their outfit unless time is the restriction.
Question 5: What are the most couples inspired by? For eg. Magazines, TV shows, Movies etc? Answer: Heavily influenced by Bollywood celebrities and movies.
Question 6: If it a Sabyasachi bride, where is the dress ordered from? Is it ordered from boutiques in the US, e-commerce or India? Answer: They prefer going to India because of lack of current trends in the US market when it comes to Indian wedding wear. But this trend is seen changing because the brides no longer have time to travel. In such cases they order their Sabyasachi outfits from the multi-designer boutiques in New York. The order is sent through the boutiques to India and the outfit is then made and shipped. This process takes around 60 days.
Question 7: How long does it take for the entire process, right from selecting the dress to receiving it? Answer: Minimum 60 days and if there are any changes then it might take longer.
Question 8: Does the wedding attendees prefer an outfit from Indian designer or Sabyasachi? Answer: If it is an Indian designer the first choice is Sabyasachi followed by Anita Dongre.
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Question 9: Do you think there is a demand for Indian wear in the US? Answer: There is a huge demand in the US. I wonder why Sabyasachi hasn’t opened his store yet because he definitely dresses the maximum brides.
Question 10: If it is an interracial marriage and performed in two different ways, what are the challenges faced? Answer: The rituals are carried out in both the ways and the number of days increase for the entire function. The major challenge is getting thew outfits, jewelry and accessories for each and every function.
Question 11: Are the Brides/Grooms or their families price sensitive while purchasing their wedding outfit? Answer: The parents pay for most of the weddings. Price does not matter much when it comes for wedding outfits for the bride and the groom as long as the garments are from a luxury Indian designer.
Question 12: Will open a Sabyasachi store in the US make a difference? Answer: Definitely. As I already mentioned, I wonder why he hasn't opened a store yet. Most of the Indian weddings happen in the North east and thus there are more Indian boutiques in New York area. It will make a great difference as brides nowadays do not have time to travel to India because they are working. Having a store will be a great convenience for all the Indians in terms of saving time and satisfaction of getting it done from the original store it self.
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WEDDING BOUTIQUES:
Purpose: This interview was conducted to know about the Indian Ethnic wear demand, product categories, latest trends and their customers and whether they retail for Sabyasachi and other renowned Indian designers.
Method: Phone Interview
Findings: The interview was helpful to understand their Indian American and American clients. There is a gap seen between the latest trend of Indian wear availability in the US which was clearly understood from both the boutique.
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Interviewee: Sudip Ghose Company: Pure Elegance Boutique Website: https://www.pure-elegance.com/ Location: 1655 Oak Tree Road #230, Edison, NJ 08820 Date: 04/02/2018 Pure Elegance is known for their Indian ethnic wear which is handcrafted from India. The boutique is owned by Parna Ghose who is a renowned Indian American designer and has styled many famous celebrities. The interviewer who is related to the owner has settled in the US since 25 years. He is a master degree holder in MBA from India. He started the boutique in New York looking at the growing demand of Indian Ethnic wear in the US. Question 1: What is the most important requirement of the client? Answer: A garment with perfect fitting.
Question 2: Do Brides and Grooms have any specific designer in mind? Answer: Some brides do have their favorite designers but since we have our own in-house designer, at times they ask for inspirations from their favorite designer.
Question 3: What are the majority of Brides and Grooms inspired from? Answer: Instagram is their bible when it comes to wedding outfit trends.
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Question 4: Do the clients have any specific preference regarding materials, surface techniques, color etc. or any specific service they ask for? Answer: Mainly heavy embroidery
Question 5: Are the customers price sensitive? What is the average budget for a wedding outfit? Answer: Price is a factor only when they are buying for other occasions but not for weddings.
Question 6: Who is the major clientele? Brides/Grooms/Guests Answer: Brides and Grooms majorly. But in the recent times, there has been an increase of clients looking for occasions and festivals. Question 7: Are there any clients apart from Indian Americans? Answer: Yes, we do have lot of clients who are non-Indians and they love to buy for attending Indian occasion or for appreciation of art.
Question 8: If the products are not available, do you order it for the client? Answer: Yes.
Question 9: Are the products in the store according to the latest trend? Answer: Yes and that what makes us different because we offer the latest trends unlike our competitors. The social media is educating the audience and that is what the clients are demanding. 160
INTERVIEW 2 Interviewee: Anonymous (Sales representative of Sitara) Company: Sitara Boutique Website: http://sitaraonline.com/ Location: 63-15 Roosevelt Ave, Woodside, NY 11377 Date: 04/12/2018 Sitara is one of the best Indian boutiques which was found in 2015 by Nita Huda. It is the only boutique which offers luxury Indian designer outfits according the latest trends. The sales representative has been working in the boutique for about 2 years.
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Question 1: What is the most important requirement of the client? Answer: Availability of various options.
Question 2: Do Brides and Grooms have any specific designer in mind? Answer: Yes. Mainly Sabyasachi and Manish Malhotra.
Question 3: What are the majority of Brides and Grooms inspired from? Answer: Mainly Bollywood weddings and movies.
Question 4: Do the clients have any specific preference regarding materials, surface techniques, color etc. or any specific service they ask for? Answer: The fit of the garment should be perfect, embroidered and colors according to the trend.
Question 5: Are the customers price sensitive? What is the average budget for a wedding outfit? Answer: Average budget is $6000-$8000. If they are buying their favorite designers, price is secondary.
Question 6: Who is the major clientele? Brides/Grooms/Guests Answer: Brides and Groom (Indians and Non-Americans)
Question 7: Are there any clients apart from Indian Americans? Answer: Yes. We do have American brides, Pakistani, Indonesian, few Chinese brides as well. 162
Question 8: If the products are not available, do you order it for the client? Answer: Yes.
Question 9: How many outfits of each designer do you offer? Answer: 10-15 garments
Question 10: Which designer’s outfits are in maximum demand? Answer: Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi
Question 11: Are the products in the store according to the latest trend? Answer: Yes. Some pieces are from the latest runway show.
Question 12: Do Sabyasachi brides have any specific requirements? Answer: They chose from the collection available.
Question 13: Do you sell only the Sabyasachi outfits present in the store or order it specially for the client? Answer: We do order it for the bride depending on their requirements.
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PR (India): Purpose: This interview was conducted to know about the Indian American brides from a stylist in India. Method: Skype Findings: The interview was helpful to understand the increasing number of US brides.
Interviewee: Nithisha Ramchandran Company: PR (Indian designers and for Indias popup - Boutique in Texas) Website: https://indiaspopup.com/ Location: India Date: 04/10/2018
She works as a PR for luxury designers in Indian and also for Indias popup, Indian boutique in Texas. She handles the brides in the US who place an order through the boutique.
Question 1: How many clients do you deal with from the US? Answer: Almost 50%. There has been an increase since the last 5 years.
Question 2: Are their any specific preferences in terms of fabric, material, designer etc. while selecting their outfits? Answer: They want intricate embroidery on their outfits. 164
Question 3: Have you ever worked with Sabyasachi Bride and Groom? Answer: Yes.
Question 4: What are the most couples inspired by? For eg. Magazines, TV shows, Movies etc? Answer: Instagram and Bollywood movies.
Question 5: If it a Sabyasachi bride, where is the dress ordered from? Is it ordered from boutiques in the US, e-commerce or India? Answer: The brides who cannot fly to India order from the boutiques in US and the boutiques takes care of the further process.
Question 6: How long does it take for the entire process, right from selecting the dress to receiving it? Answer: Minimum 2-3 months if it is intricate embroidered.
Question 7: Does the wedding attendees prefer an outfit from Indian designer or Sabyasachi? Answer: Depends on their budget.
Question 8: Do you think there is a demand for Indian wear in the US? Answer: Yes definitely. 165
CONSUMER INTERVIEWS
These interviews proved very helpful to understand the consumer at the individual level. Three brides and one groom were interviewed about their wedding inspirations, price preference, trends and shopping habits to understand their perspective when it comes to Indian outfits for the weddings. Along with them, three individuals were interviewed who are Indian wear enthusiasts and love to dress up in Indian outfits for a particular function or festival.
Purpose: This interview was conducted to know about the preferences of the bride and groom for their wedding outfits.
Method: Phone Interview
Findings: The interview was helpful to understand the changing preferences of the couple, budgets for their weddings and trends.
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INTERVIEW 1: Name: Natasha Patel Age: 26 Location: New Jersey Education: Business Administration (BS), Georgia Tech, Atlanta
Natasha Patel is from New Jersey and 2nd generation Indian American. Her father owns Subway franchise in New Jersey. She has her bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Georgia Tech, Atlanta. She is engaged to an Indian American and planning to get married in November 2018. She is in the process of planning her wedding outfit and accessories.
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Question 1: Is there any specific preference for your wedding outfit? Any inspirations? Answer: Well for a Lehenga i would choose a pearl colored Long and light strapless with diamonds that start at the top and scatter toward the bottom all over. The bottom half being fluffed but flowy.
Question 2: Which designer will you prefer to get your wedding outfit done? Are you aware of Sabyasachi? Answer: Any renowned designer, no preference.
Question 3: Where would you shop your wedding dress from? Which channel would you opt? For eg. e-commerce, personally meet the designer or Boutiques? Answer: Indian Boutique in USA
Question 4: Do you think the Indian market in the US is up to the current trend? Answer: No
Question 5: If the outfit you like is not available in the US, would you travel for the outfit or compromise with the other options which are easily available? Answer: I will probably get done something in the US.
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Question 6: Do you think there should be more luxury Indian designer stores in the US? Answer: Sure
Question 7: For what occasions apart from your wedding would you like to wear Indian ethnic? Answer: Attending other Indian weddings
Question 8: With the growing Indian influence through Social media, do you think Indian designer store in the US will attract the non-Indian audience (your friend's circle or neighbors)? Answer: If you correctly advertise, yes.
Question 9: What is your estimated budget for your wedding outfit? Answer: $7500
Question 10: Who will you prefer paying for the garment? Parents or Yourself? Answer: Parents
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INTERVIEW 2: Name: Sarung Tripathi Age: 28 Location: Atlanta Education: Industrial Design, Georgia Tech, Atlanta Sarung Tripathi is a second generation Indian american from Atlanta. His parents are native to India. He has studied Industrial Design from Georgia Tech, Atlanta. His parents are planning his wedding this December. Question 1: Is there any specific preference for your wedding outfit? Any inspirations? Answer: No preference
Question 2: Which designer will you prefer to get your wedding outfit done? Are you aware of Sabyasachi? Answer: No I am not aware of Sabyasachi
Question 3: Where would you shop your wedding dress from? Which channel would you opt? For eg. e-commerce, personally meet the designer or Boutiques? Answer: Indian Boutique
Question 4: Do you think the Indian market in the US is up to the current trend? Answer: I don't know about it. 170
Question 5: If the outfit you like is not available in the US, would you travel for the outfit or compromise with the other options which are easily available? Answer: I will get it from US or online.
Question 6: Do you think there should be more luxury Indian designer stores in the US? Answer: Definitely
Question 7: For what occasions apart from your wedding would you like to wear Indian ethnic? Answer: Indian festivals and friend’s wedding
Question 8: With the growing Indian influence through Social media, do you think Indian designer store in the US will attract the non-Indian audience (your friend’s circle or neighbors)? Answer: Yes
Question 9: What is your estimated budget for your wedding outfit? Answer: $2800-$3200
Question 10: Who will you prefer paying for the garment? Parents or Yourself? Answer: Myself
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INTERVIEW 3: Name: Dana Elizabeth Age: 28 Location: New Jersey Education: MS in Clinical Health Psychology, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Damna Elizabeth is an American from New Jersey. In 2017, she married an Indian American and their wedding took place according to Indian and American rituals. She was a bride who wanted to wear an Indian outfit as well as a white bridal gown.
Question 1: Is there any specific preference for your wedding outfit? Any inspirations? Answer: For my Indian outfit, I chose Sabyasachi and for my White gown I chose from David’s bridal.
Question 2: Which designer will you prefer to get your wedding outfit done? Are you aware of Sabyasachi? Answer: Yes
Question 3: Where would you shop your wedding dress from? Which channel would you opt? For eg. e-commerce, personally meet the designer or Boutiques? Answer: Boutiques 172
Question 4: Do you think the Indian market in the US is up to the current trend? Answer: I am not sure
Question 5: If the outfit you like is not available in the US, would you travel for the outfit or compromise with the other options which are easily available? Answer: I had visited India with my in-laws for my outfit.
Question 6: Do you think there should be more luxury Indian designer stores in the US? Answer: Yes
Question 7: For what occasions apart from your wedding would you like to wear Indian ethnic? Answer: Attend any Indian function
Question 8: With the growing Indian influence through Social media, do you think Indian designer store in the US will attract the non-Indian audience (your friend's circle or neighbors)? Answer: Yes. I already see an influence.
Question 9: What is your estimated budget for your wedding outfit? Answer: $4000 Indian outfit
Question 10: Who will you prefer paying for the garment? Parents or Yourself? Answer: Both
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INTERVIEW 4: Name: Mayuri Sharma Age: 29 Location: South Carolina Education: Biomedical Engineering, University of Houston Mayuri Sharma has completed her post graduation in Biomedical engineering from University of Houston. She is planning to get married in 2019 but her family has already started with her wedding preparations.
Question 1: Is there any specific preference for your wedding outfit? Any inspirations? Answer: Indian and traditional
Question 2: Which designer will you prefer to get your wedding outfit done? Are you aware of Sabyasachi? Answer: I am aware of Sabyasachi. I will look through the designs and decide.
Question 3: Where would you shop your wedding dress from? Which channel would you opt? For eg. e-commerce, personally meet the designer or Boutiques? Answer: Boutique 174
Question 4: Do you think the Indian market in the US is up to the current trend? Answer: No, I think there is a delay in styles getting here.
Question 5: If the outfit you like is not available in the US, would you travel for the outfit or compromise with the other options which are easily available? Answer: I will prefer travelling to India.
Question 6: Do you think there should be more luxury Indian designer stores in the US? Answer: Yes, for sure.
Question 7: For what occasions apart from your wedding would you like to wear Indian ethnic? Answer: Friend’s wedding, Indian festivals and while visiting Temples.
Question 8: With the growing Indian influence through Social media, do you think Indian designer store in the US will attract the non-Indian audience (your friend's circle or neighbors)? Answer: Yes.
Question 9: What is your estimated budget for your wedding outfit? Answer: $6000-$7500
Question 10: Who will you prefer paying for the garment? Parents or Yourself? Answer: Parents
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INDIAN WEAR ENTHUSIASTS
Purpose: This interview was conducted to know about the preferences of non-bridal customers and their view point and shopping habits with respect to Indian outfits. Method: Phone Interview/Skype Findings: The interview was helpful to understand the demand, price points, trends, styles and occasions consumers are prefering to opt for Indian outfits.
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INTERVIEW 1: Name: Anjali Sharma Age: 25 Location: Atlanta Education: Architect, Georgia Tech, Atlanta Anjali Sharma lives in Fayetteville, Atlanta and currently working in a Architect firm in Atlanta. Her parents are from India and have settled in the US since 30 years. She is born and brought up in US and have visited India only to meet her relatives or for cousin’s marriage. She loves Indian wear but restricts to only festivals and wedding functions.
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Question 1: Would you like to dress in an Indian ethnic outfit? Answer: I love to for specific occasions.
Question 2: Any favorite Indian ethnic wear designers? Answer: No. whatever the Indian boutique offers.
Question 3: How often do you shop for Indian ethnic wear? Answer: 1-2 times a year
Question 4: Are you aware of the famous Indian designer Sabyasachi? Answer: No
Question 5: Would you like to enter an Indian boutique? Answer: Yes
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Question 6: Will you prefer buying Indian jewelry, accessories, shoes or an outfit? Answer: Indian jewelry
Question 7: If you are looking for an Indian ethnic outfit and do not find the latest trend in the store, what will be your next step? Would you prefer traveling (within the US or abroad) for the outfit? Answer: I will prefer travelling to US.
Question 8: Any specific Indian ethnic wear style you feel should be a part of the store which currently is not available in many stores? Answer: Yes, more of the latest trends should be kept in the stores
Question 9: How much would you like to spend on an Indian outfit/accessory/jewelry? Answer: $1000-$2000 for outfit.
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INTERVIEW 2: Name: Shabnum Hiremath Age: 33 Location: Houston Education: Teacher, ISD, Houston Shabnum Hiremath, 33 is from Chicago married to an Indian American. Currently she lives in Houston and is a teacher at Katy, ISD. She loves to dress in Indian ethnic wear whenever she gets an opportunity. She is raised in Chicago and visits India once in 3 years. She prefers shopping from US itself mainly because of her work schedule.
Question 1: Would you like to dress in an Indian ethnic outfit? Answer: Yes.
Question 2: Any favorite Indian ethnic wear designers? Answer: Anita Dongre.
Question 3: How often do you shop for Indian ethnic wear? Answer: 3-4 times a year 180
Question 4: Are you aware of the famous Indian designer Sabyasachi? Answer: Yes
Question 5: Would you like to enter an Indian boutique? Answer: Yes
Question 6: Will you prefer buying Indian jewelry, accessories, shoes or an outfit? Answer: Indian outfit
Question 7: If you are looking for an Indian ethnic outfit and do not find the latest trend in the store, what will be your next step? Would you prefer traveling (within the US or abroad) for the outfit? Answer: I will prefer buying it online or US boutiques. Question 8: Any specific Indian ethnic wear style you feel should be a part of the store which currently is not available in many stores? Answer: I will prefer having more color variations than traditional color blocking.
Question 9: How much would you like to spend on an Indian outfit/accessory/jewelry? Answer: $1400 -$2500 for outfit. 181
INTERVIEW 3: Name: Urmi Upadhyay Age: 35 Location: New Jersey Education: Yoga Instructor and Homemaker Urmi Upadhyay is a Yoga instructor and homemaker. She is from New Jersey and married to an Indian American. She is a 3rd generation Indian American. She has a daughter and loves to coordinate with her daughter when it comes to Indian outfits. She visits India once in 4 years. Question 1: Would you like to dress in an Indian ethnic outfit? Answer: Yes.
Question 2: Any favorite Indian ethnic wear designers? Answer: Manish Malhotra.
Question 3: How often do you shop for Indian ethnic wear? Answer: 2-3 times a year
Question 4: Are you aware of the famous Indian designer Sabyasachi? Answer: Yes 182
Question 5: Would you like to enter an Indian boutique? Answer: Yes
Question 6: Will you prefer buying Indian jewelry, accessories, shoes or an outfit? Answer: Indian outfit
Question 7: If you are looking for an Indian ethnic outfit and do not find the latest trend in the store, what will be your next step? Would you prefer traveling (within the US or abroad) for the outfit? Answer: I will prefer buying it online.
Question 8: Any specific Indian ethnic wear style you feel should be a part of the store which currently is not available in many stores? Answer: Heavy embroidered kurti.
Question 9: How much would you like to spend on an Indian outfit/accessory/jewelry? Answer: $2500 -$3000 for outfit.
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