There is a strange synergy and excitement when fashion designers team up with brands to launch a signature line. It is the outcome everyone waits for to witness how successful the collaboration is. So, when the lifestyle brand, Arttd'inox, on Wednesday announced its tie-up with veteran fashion designer Suneet Varma to launch their luxury collection, it didn’t come as a surprise.
According to Deepika Jindal, executive creative director and managing director, Arttd’inox, the step is taken after seeing the “gap” in the luxury-gifting segment.
“We have already been working on the material (stainless steel) and have been designing it since we entered the market, a decade ago. But I haven’t tapped the luxury market. My basic foray initially was into the premium market... though I always felt that stainless steel can become luxurious,” she tells Metrolife.
“Because we are in the premium market, we needed someone who has a deeperunderstanding of the luxury market. He (Suneet Varma) has been in the industry, knows the market and I know him since the time he started. So, he was an obvious choice for us to have on board,” she adds.
Indian luxury market is pegged at $14-billion and is growing at 20 to 30 per cent per annum.
Varma is no stranger to collaborations. He has had fruitful associations with BMW, Judith Leiber, Armani Junior, Azva by World Gold Council and Swarovski. And the reason, the 51-year-old has managed to strike a fine balance between his fashion brand and collaborations, is his desire to know and experiment.
“I would say that the only reason I have been able to survive in the industry and grow is because of my collaborations. Actually, for me the only way I can learn is if I can challenge myself,” he tells Metrolife. “The first thing you require when you go into collaborations is your ability to collaborate. I like to learn and I am too curious, so when I took up this offer, I said I would like to know the possibilities of steel and see how much I can explore my craziness and creativity,” he adds.
The luxury line is expected to hit the market in January, 2016. The work hasn’t started yet, but Varma has already conceptualised what he would bring on the platter.
“You will see steel in 24 carat gold, steel in cut glass, steel in gemstones, and steel in engravings... and possibly a steel sculpture as well. They need me to create a dream and that is what I would be doing,” he points out.
It being a luxury line, Jindal doesn’t want to price it steeply. “We are creating this product for the market. It is not about making it unaffordable, but pricing it smartly. It should be worth its value,” she concludes.