Louboutin deal could signal different future for India’s luxury market
Footwear brand Christian Louboutin has entered into a new partnership with Indian group Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited (ABFRL).
The two companies have said they envisage transferring Louboutin’s current business in India into a new ABFRL subsidiary, in which both partners will hold an equal stake.
ABRFL said it was thrilled to announce its new strategic alliance with the Paris-based footwear brand, describing its new partner as “a true icon in luxury footwear”.
It said the new partnership was evidence of its commitment to offering consumers in India “the very best in elegance and style”, and to developing the future of the luxury market in India. The group has almost 4,000 stores across India and more than 6,700 points of sale in department stores there.
In contrast, Christian Louboutin, which entered the Indian market in 2012, currently has two own-brand stores there. One Louboutin store is in New Delhi’s DLF Emporio Mall, while the other is located at Horniman Circle in Mumbai. It has no wholesale customers or any shop-in-shop arrangements in the country.
In October, it launched an exclusive capsule collection called the India Wedding Edit (see image).
