Retail chain Shoppers Stop is stepping up its presence in the fragrance market. On Thursday, the retailer under subsidiary Global SS Beauty Brands introduced a fragrance line from Giorgio Armani, its third such launch within months. In the March quarter, the retailer had brought two international fragrances — Maison Margiela and Viktor & Rof — to India.
“The beauty market is evolving and fragrances are becoming an important part of a consumer’s beauty kit,” Biju Kassim, CEO of beauty at Shoppers Stop, said.
The overall fragrance market in the country is valued at Rs 11,000 crore. The high-end fragrance market, in particular, valued at `1,800 crore, has been most active.
For instance, retailer-cum-distributor Baccarose has introduced four French brands within two months. These include labels such as Eternal Journey, Alexandre.J, Sicily and Essential Parfums. Reliance Retail, Nykaa and Tata Cliq Palette have also given their fragrance portfolios a boost with tie-ups with international labels.
Experts say the high-end fragrance market in India will touch Rs 5,500 crore by 2030.
According to Kassim, the mid-market fragrance market is also booming as Indian consumers aspire to both look and feel good across socio-economic groups.
Apart from high-end and luxury brands, Kassim said the retailer is talking to local brands that it can distribute. In recent years, names such as Eze Perfumes, BellaVita, Upsilon, Bombay Perfumery, Ajmal Perumes, Isak and Roja have grown, using the digital platform to reach consumers.
“D2C brands and Indie labels have evolved in the post-pandemic era and the internet has been a route-to-market for them to reach consumers. We are talking to local brands for (distribution) tie-ups,” Kassim said.
While the retailer launched its largest standalone beauty store — a 9,000-sq ft flagship outlet — in Kolkata in March, more such large-format stores are in the offing, Kassim said. Two stores will be launched in Mumbai in coming month: a 5,000-sq ft outlet in Malad and a 10,000-sq ft store in Juhu.
The large-format stores are expected to give the retailer the canvas to showcase its house of brands besides providing a holistic beauty experience to consumers.
Some of the beauty brands at the Kolkata outlet, for instance, include Dior, Nars, Armani Beauty, Kilian, Laura Mercier, Givenchy, Clarins, Lancôme, Kiehl’s, Shiseido, Jo Malone, and Tom Ford. It also features Indian brands like Forest Essentials, Kay Beauty, Colorbar, and Kama Ayurveda.