2002 - The first pitch for the Indian Market by Simrita Dhillon
It was back in summer 2002 that I met the top brass at Giorgio Armani S.p.a at Via Bergonone, 18 in Milan, Italy.
I had met the CFO of Giorgio Armani corporation at a networking event that I had organised, and he agreed to arrange a meeting for me with the head of commercial, at the magestic Bergonone headquarters. I came from “boots on the ground” 3 years experience of launching Italian Menswear Brand “Ermenegildo Zegna” in India, and that fall, I wrote a paper titled “Opportunities and Obstacles for Giorgio Armani s.p.a in the Indian Market” and pitched to them. This was in Fall 2002. I spend months and years convincing Armani to enter India, until they did. And, it was the first wave of international luxury brands that came in. The Indian operating partners were new, and basically it was the ‘wild west of luxury brands’.
My idea of pitching the India Consumer Story to International Brands was hatched in 2002. Luxury Brands in India had not yet entered India, and international brands were hesitant of course. 1) The tarrifs and the duty structures 2) the lack of infrastructure, and 3) the relatively small size of the market (compared to neighbouring China).
But, it took an arc of 15 years - fast forward to 2017, that international fashion & beauty brands are keen on entering India. A company like SANDA bridges that gap and solves that pain point for International brands to”figure India out”.
We offer immense value as operating agents of strategy and growth for India for International Consumer Brands.
Looking at India in 2020 ? LET’S TALK.
Happy Holidays and have a blessed holiday season ~ ~
Simrita Dhillon
Pitching the India Story to the legandary, Giorgio Armani himself.
Photo Credits: Dr. John Hooks, (former) Commerical Director, Giorgio Armani S.p.a.