Hermes to launch limited edition $1,800 sarees in India

Fashion comes and goes, but there are few trends that are never out of fashion. One such style is a saree that is a strip of unstitched cloth, ranging from four to nine meters in length that is draped over the body in various styles. Ever since glamorous celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz, Naomi Campbell, Madonna and Elizabeth Hurley are seen in saree, it has become a hit in the west too. Following the vogue, many well-known fashion houses are designing this nine yard cloth fashion dress. The latest and one of the most notable plunge is being made by the French luxury brand Hermes, that is all set to launch a limited edition collection of four to five silk saris in India in coming October.

The sarees are designed by Sunita Kumar, wife of former Indian tennis player Naresh Kumar along with Hermes’ in-house designers. The six yard drapes were earlier retailed at Hermes’ London store in Sloane Street in October 2000. The Kolkata-based designer got this chance as Hermes’ chief Jean-Louis Dumas had seen a saree that Kumar made by sewing many Hermes scarves together.

Previously in 2008, Hermes’ launched its collection called Indian Fantasies in which chief designer Jean Paul Gaultier featured saree dresses. Apart from sarees, Hermes also launched scarves motifs in Indian market as well. In 2009, the company launched, a perfume inspired by the arrival of monsoon in Kerala named as Garden of the Monsoon that went a great hit in Indian market.

With almost every brand available, India is now becoming a hot favorite of all the big brands. Multiple fashion houses are seeing heavy potential in Indian fashion market that was the first reason why the French Luxury brand Hermes entered the Indian market. The brand came in India in 2007 with a 51:49 joint venture with Khanna Specialty Retail. Initially Hermes started with small products like cosmetics, leather goods and footwear, and later expanded the business to almost every luxury products from jewelry, silk items to perfumes and bags. The brand is present at 12 point of sales in India now. These are tie-ups with various retailers to sell its fragrance range. The company which has its standalone boutique in New Delhi’s Oberoi Hotel plans to add two more shop-in-shops.

The brand initially opened its first two stores in Pune (Maharashtra) and New Delhi. The French luxury giant has been well accepted in India over the last two years, so was followed by a store in Mumbai (Maharashtra) 5,000 square feet that is spread over two levels in a heritage building. The stores are filled with beautiful designs and patterns all according to Indian taste, ranging from lavish cashmere shawls to elegant Kelly bags and from perfumes and accessories to silk items. The main attraction of Hermes is their collector-item silk scarves as “Every scarf has its own story to tell and we have about 18 to 20 designers and four Indian designers who bring in a dash of Indian sensibility” says Patrick Thomas, the CEO of the company.

Though, the silk sarees by Hermes are on the higher end, but the most expensive sari is out of reach for many luxury shoppers, for it costs a whopping $100,000. The most expensive silk saree is decked with 12 precious stones, metals and stunning imitation of 11 famous paintings of Raja Ravi Verma.