Four new ventures I'm involved with: Chhaya Momaya

"The bigger the challenge, the better it is," says the life coach, who's launched and established many luxury brands over the years. The self-made lady's body of work has made her one of the respected and recognised names in caviar circles. The luxe brand maven has many aces up her sleeves of late and 2016 will see her assuming many roles and challenges. Over to her...

Transition into entrepreneurship
"After 23 years into image building, I was looking at starting a business of my own, something which I enjoy. Having gained immense expertise in the field of luxury brands, creating my own brand seemed like the next logical step. I was like, 'why not create my own business and invest in it too?' Luxury lifestyle has been my forte over the years and there are a few brands which I love and I felt only I could help them grow with my passion. I know A to Z of branding and harbour unbridled passion for haute jewellery. After handling so many luxury labels for so many years, it's very easy for me to do it for my own self. One major advantage I have is the trust factor. So far the client feedback has been overwhelming. Once you create trust and goodwill, it's a breeze. The other day an old client from Ahmedabad told me, 'I am not even thinking before placing an order. It's the trust factor with you'."

Also, the life coach has been smart in terms of offering very price conscious pieces. "When it comes to jewellery I believe in affordable and accessible luxury, unless of course it's an heirloom piece. India is all about jewellery and Indian women like to wear it through the day, be it solitaires or bracelets. You can never miss a nice opulent piece of jewellery on an Indian woman," she says, matter-of-factly.

She doesn't just believe in merely selling jewellery but also giving her clients the right adorning advice. She shares, "It's about understanding where they come from, their age group, lifestyle and what suits their personal style."

Chhaya's husband Nirmal is into chemical and food business but she never wanted to be part of it. Luxury lifestyle comes to me naturally. "I don't think I'd be good at it (food and chemical business)." (Laughs).

In talks with luxe automobile
She is in talks with a luxury car brand, which will make its India foray next year. "I can't share too many details but yes, I have been approached to do their brand building. They want to launch in Mumbai. They said, 'we only want to launch it with you'. Again the trust factor comes into play. They think I am the only one who can do it."

Brush with luxe decor
"Even for my own home, I like to have conversational pieces. A luxury furniture brand has approached me and again here my passion for well curated decor comes here. I like to keep conversation pieces and every piece should be a talking point and should have a story attached to it. Whether a particular piece is from one of the Royal palaces of India or curated from an auction held in Europe - it has to tell a tale. As long as it has a story behind it, it's exciting for me. I'd recommend a piece only if it enhances your room and complements your style."

Foray into high fashion
Chhaya is also in talks with a high-end Indian luxury fashion brand. Even though she's seen sporting international brands all the time, she feels that Indian market isn't ready for foreign labels yet.
"International fashion brands don't sell in India as they are very expensive. In fact, Indian designers are very good at couture. We can't deny the fact that for occasional wear, Indian designers are still our first preference. An Indian outfit has a lot more conversation value than an international one. The beauty of the garment translates into a conversation. I look at every detailing- be it the fine pleats, fabric or the embroidery techniques."