Louis Vuitton to open store in Bangalore

BANGALORE: Louis Vuitton, the leading name in the world of haute couture, on Tuesday said that by 2008 it would open its first store here and has plans to open additional stores in Mumbai and New Delhi.
    
The Bangalore store would be opened at the upcoming retail project, 'UB City - The Collection' here.
    
Louis Vuitton was also considering to make a foray in Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad, Tikka Shatrujit Singh, Advisor to the Chairman, Louis Vuitton said.
    
The French company which produces luxury leather goods, fashion accessories, pret-a-porter and jewellery, was looking at India as a fast emerging market for luxury goods.
    
"Five years ago this environment was not there, but now everything has changed", said Singh.
    
Tracing the company's 150-year-old association with India, he said its customers at that time included the nobility and Maharajas of various princely states, including Baroda, Bikaner and Kashmir. The company used to deliver special-made-to-order cabinet trunks to the royalty of India.
    
"In fact, it was India that set the benchmarks in refinement and luxury in those times", he said.
    
"India today is becoming the beacon of the future", he said, adding players like Louis Vuitton were keen on being part of the process of opening up of 'India destination'.
    
The price points in India for the products ranging from handbags, suitcases, accessories, textile products and leather goods could be slightly higher than elsewhere due to various taxes, he said.