Luxury brands opt heritage homes over hotels for retail space

Heritage homes are fast becoming the favourite destinations of luxury brands scouting for premium retailing space in India, where high-end malls are too few and the sales potential at five-star hotels is still uncertain. When designer wear brand Kimaya Fashions searched for a store in Hyderabad, it settled on a 16,000 sq ft bungalow in the upscale Jubilee Hills, in a property with floor area nearly three times the size of its average outlets. French luxury brand Hermes also moved into a Victorian property in Mumbai’s Horniman Circle to retail its popular Birkin bags.  Such new direction in the country’s retail segment would bring in a fresh business opportunity to the signage players, such as PSPs, fabricators, sign makers… engaging in in-shop or indoor display jobs.