As exclusive as it gets

To make exclusivity even more ‘exclusive’, private previews for the super-rich are on before the merchandise reaches the merely very rich. The aim is to raise the level of services offered to the VVIP clients — most of them from the business segment — giving them access to clothing and accessories which haven’t yet reached luxury retail.

Hugo Boss, Jean Paul Gaultier and Moschino organise previews which are like elite tea parties. Designer Hemant Sagar has introduced a loyalty card for chosen clients. At these previews, sale attendants personally tell each guest about the look that would suit them and suggest accessories to complete the ensemble.

For a few only
For a first look at the new collection from Lecoanet Hemant, the label set up by Sagar and Didier Lecoanet, the clients don’t even need to come to the store. “We will send a card to a few important clients with a personal invitation,” says Sagar. “After they accept it, we will send the clothing and accessories to their doorstep — six months in advance.” Such top exclusive previews have already begun in India. The spokesperson of the Murjani group, which has brought Jimmy Choo, Gucci and Bottega Venetta to India, says, “Such initiatives help our brands to directly reach the consumer.”

Business talk
Harish Chandra, brand manager, Hugo Boss India, states, “Previews convey the essence of a collection to our target clientele.” Charu Sachdev of TSG group, which represents Gaultier and Ferragamo in India, concurs. The previews are held twice a year, before each season. They are cheese-and-wine parties, but serious business is generated here. Chandra says, “We call around 40-50 top clients, who must be the first to own the new Boss jacket. Such initiatives are indeed profitable.”