7) SWADESHI / स्वदेशी- Handbag Brands in India

Handbag Brands in India-  

Hidesign-

Hidesign is a company based in Pondicherry which manufactures leather goods and accessories. It was founded by Dilip Kapoor, the current president, in the year 1978. Initially the company was known as Hide Design which was later modified to its current name. In the beginning it was sold only outside India. Much later in 1999 it entered the Indian market. Alberto Ciaschin, the famous Italian designer is also a part of the Hidesign designing team as the lead designer since 2004.  The company started building alliances with various other groups to expand from 2007. The same year Louis Vuitton invested in Hidesign. Recently in 2009 the Future Group also tied up with Hidesign to bring the Holii range.

Hidesign sells more than 40,000 bags a month. It also recorded over 35 % growth in 2013, which is much higher than its average growth rate of 20 % a year. Hidesign currently has priced its products between Rs 4,000 and Rs 25,000 in the Indian market.

The positive response in sales has made the company think about expansion at a rate of 20 new stores every year. Hidesign is aiming at Rs 600 crores turnover by the year 2018 from the present figure of Rs 150 crores in 2013. In 2013 the brand has received the Pitch Brands 50 Awards.

Lavie-

Lavie is another lifestyle brand which launched its first collection of bags in 2010. This brand is a part of Planet Retail which is a company based in Gurgaon. It aims at a client base that is young and fashionable. Presently in India, Lavie handbags are sold in 20 cities. Their product comes in a wide range of colours to satisfy the taste of all types of clients. Presently the product is available at Samsonite and Bagzone stores as well as Shoppers Stop, Debenhams, Central, Lifestyle, Pantaloons and other leading retail chains. Lavie has plans of expansion and aims to generate Rs 120 Crores by 2015-16.

Caprese-

 Caprese is another new brand which is imported and marketed in India by the reputed VIP Industries. Caprese was launched in 2012. The brand entered the market to fulfil the gap between high end luxury products and low priced inferior quality handbags. Caprese is marketed as a mid-premium category product. Caprese handbags are available in over 100 cities in retail outlets as well as VIP Lounges which number around 400. The pricing of the products is also competitive and starts from Rs 2,000 and goes up till Rs 7,000. The owners expect that in the long run the sales of Caprese will equate the sales of luggage as the market for handbags is relatively vast.

Baggit-

Baggit was launched in the year 1990 by Nina Lekhi. Initially it was sold at INXS, Mumbai. In 2000 it expanded and was available in retail stores in Mumbai and Delhi. Peta Proggy 2007 was awarded to the brand in 2007 since it doesn’t sell any leather products. Presently it has stores in Pune market city, Amanora Pune, Atria mall, Mumbai, Infinity Malad Mumbai, Vashi Inorbit Mumbai, Neptune Mall Bhandup Mumbai, Inorbit Mall Bangalore, Jayanagar Bangalore  and Kormangala Bangalaore. It is estimated that the brand is worth Rs 50 crores in the market currently.

Ladida-

 Ladida is another player in this market which was established almost a decade ago in 2001.  Going by the recent trend of veganism this brand is aware of the cruelty against animals and uses only PU industrial synthetic leather and from Vegan leather. Its aim is to create a world of fashion devoid of exploitation of animals. Vegan leather is faux leather made of intricate cotton threads as well as natural wastes. Ladida believes that its USP is its unique design which is taken care of by its panel of 15 designers.

The House Of Tara-

A new brand, the House of Tara, started in 2012, is based in Delhi. This brand brings in freshness with a focus on Indian textiles. They also incorporate digital prints for adding an element of fun. A tassel here and there or funky embroidery in a corner is a trademark of this brand .The House of Tara is also expecting a fast growth in the coming years as it has met with a positive response after being launched, among the youth.

Da Milano-

 This brand, though Indian, claims to manufacture bags which are Italian in design and quality. This brand sells leather handbags and has priced their product between Rs 6,000 to Rs 1,500. In 2012 it was awarded the Images Shoes and Accessories Award 2012's "Most Admired Retailer of the year 2012, in Fashion Accessories" for its contribution in this market.  The brand claims that every week they launch around 8-10 new products.  Da Milano has around 38 shops from which it operates. In the last fiscal year it managed to generate revenue of Rs 135 Crores where around 80 % was due to sales in India itself. The brand expects to expand in the coming years and open stores in the Middle East as well as Europe. The brand takes pride in claiming that their product is at par with globally renowned brands in terms of design.

Lino Perros-

Lino Perros was founded in the year 1999 with the aim of building an exclusive accessory brand. The founders were Sanjay and Natasha, two young designers. Sumitsu Apparel Pt. Ltd. is the main company under which Lino Perros is a sub-brand. The brand advertises that their USP is authentic design and optimum quality. The products are also priced competitively since Lino Perros itself manufactures the bags and thus can easily keep the cost low. Lino Perros is trying to reach a turnover of Rs 1,000 crores by 2020. The brand also received the Maitra award in 2012 for being a great player in the field of accessories.

Peperone-

Peperone is a new brand based in Delhi, which was launched recently in 2010. They launched their first ever collection at the India International Leather Fair which was held in Chennai. The handbags, which this brand manufactures, focus on both craftsmanship as well as comfort.  Their marketing strategy was also different. They promoted their product as a bag meant for real girls. The brand ambassadors were also chosen from as they say ‘real girls’ and not any celebrity.  This brainstorming helped them to relate to the buyers and the break the ice from the very beginning.

 Kara-

This accessory brand was established in 2009. Kara is based in Delhi where it has its own designing and manufacturing unit. This fairly new brand has managed to open two exclusive stores in New Delhi. Moreover the products of Kara are also available in departmental stores such as Metro Shoes, Landmark, Reliance Footprint, Witco, Ebony, Max Standard, Odyssey, Ritu Wear, Chunmun and Kapsons.