Mumbai to get a touch of Malabar

At the start of the year, iconic jewellers Tiffany & Co announced their plans to arrive on Indian shores, and now, with the closure of the first quarter, an Indian brand, which enjoys immense popularity in South India, announced  expansion plans which include conquering the Far East and the West! "Almost 80% of the diamonds are from India, and then they go out and come back to India through brands. So, we thought why can't an Indian brand take diamonds and gold to foreign shores?" said Abdul Salam KP, Group Executive Director, Malabar Gold LLC. The company, which is now known as Malabar Gold & Diamonds, unveiled new brand identity in Dubai in the presence of actress and danseuse Hema Malini and superstar Mohanlal. The new identity has been designed by ‘The Brand Union’ to prepare the brand for its aggressive expansion plans that look to grow from 64 stores across India and Middle-East to 220 outlets across the world. "We came to Dubai about three years ago and now we are looking at expanding to the Far-East, Europe and the Americas. For this, we need a different look that represents the company. That's why the rebranding," said Salaam.

What started 20 years ago as a humble jewellery store in Calicut, is today a 64-store strong brand with a presence in South India and in GCC countries, but it remains relatively unknown in rest of India. In its expansion plan, the company plans to address this. "While we expand to various countries, we will also look to open up in various Indian metros. We recently opened our first North India showroom in Delhi, and Mumbai is next!" said Salam confirming that Malabar Gold & Diamonds will launch in the next few months in suburban Mumbai. "We have almost finalized the location in Bandra," Salaam told DNA.

Catering to the Indian customer for whom gold is both a matter of aesthetic and investment value, Malabar plans to venture into diamonds to create value for the western customer. "In India, gold is bought as an investment, but in the west, even though gold is appreciated, it isn't a must-have. The consumer is more into diamonds, so we will be offering a wide range of diamonds," said Salam. While the inherent Indian design and craftsmanship will be retained within the sub-brands, Malabar is working on contemporary designs for day-to-day wear. "But our traditional designs are really appreciated and enjoyed by a lot of Western customers visiting our stores in the Middle East, so we might see those designs being received well in the West too," Salaam further said.

With an investor base of nearly 1600 individuals, the company looks at Tiffany & Co as their biggest competitor. While Tiffany may have had Audrey Hepburn and an entire movie dedicated to it, Malabar Gold & Diamonds is not a step behind. The brand has always been associated with the southern superstars. Present at the unveiling of the new brand identity were superstars Mohanlal and the evergreen Hema Malini. Dressed in a glittering sari, with a glittering diamond set to match, Hemaji's smile out-dazzled the diamonds, as she presented herself as a mother of a bride. Professing her admiration for the jewellery on offer in their stores, Hema Malini said, "I have bought jewellery from them on many occasions because their designs are beautiful and any woman would want to possess them!"

With an endorsement from none other than the dream girl herself, Malabar Gold & Diamond might have successfully put their foot through the door for their Mumbai stint. Mumbai is ready for the touch of the Malabar!