India a lucrative bet for Jimmy Choo

Joshua Schulman, CEO of shoe label, Jimmy Choo is excited

about the response to their bags and footwear range in India. According to her India is an important market for Jimmy Choo because of the frequently travelling Indian customer, who makes purchases at Jimmy Choo stores in London or other European cities. She feels that the taste of Indian consumer is aligned with their brand. Other ready-to-wear brands could find it difficult to attract the Indian customer since many women in India still wear traditional costumes on special occasions. Jimmy Choo she says has an advantage since it is a shoe and accessories label.

But she thinks that India creates less opportunities for growth of international brands because of the slow retail infrastructure growth. FDI, according to her, may play a major role in building the Indian economy and for big multinational companies and global luxury brands to invest in the market. But at the same time, Jimmy Choo believes in gradual progression from partnering with a domestic player, who understands the market, to setting up own shops.