INDIAN LUXURY HERITAGE SUSTAINABILITY CRAFTSMANSHIP WESTERN MAISON SHILP GRIHA RATNAALAYA AAROHANA KALAADHISHTHANA TEXTILES JEWELLERY ATTARS PERFUMERY AYURVEDA HANDLOOM ARTISANS STORYTELLING ECO-FRIENDLY MATERIALS SLOW FASHION LUXURY HO NATIONAL
NEW DELHI, INDIA
By IFAB MEDIA - NEWS BUREAU - June 30, 2025 | 455 11 minutes read
The global luxury industry has long been dominated by Western Maison’s—brands that have mastered the art of storytelling, craftsmanship, and exclusivity. While India has always been a cradle of luxury—offering exquisite textiles, jewellery, architecture, and artisanal mastery—it has lacked a unified identity that resonates globally. This whitepaper explores how India can redefine luxury by embracing its deep-rooted heritage, sustainability, and craftsmanship, creating an Indian-rooted equivalent to the Western ‘Maison’.
Before industrialization and colonial economic shifts, India was the epicentre of global luxury trade. The country exported fine muslins, intricate brocades, handcrafted jewellery, and artistic home décor to royal courts across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The Indian luxury model was inherently sustainable—based on decentralized production, generational craftsmanship, and eco-friendly materials.
Unlike the mechanized luxury production of the West, India’s luxury was rooted in slow craftsmanship, making it more personal and exclusive.
In the West, the term Maison denotes a luxury house with in-house craftsmanship and creative mastery. However, in India, luxury brands have largely been positioned as 'brands' rather than heritage-driven houses of excellence. This distinction has prevented Indian luxury from being perceived at par with its Western counterparts.
Possible alternatives to Maison that reflect Indian heritage could include:
With sustainability becoming a central theme in luxury, India is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation. Unlike fast luxury, Indian craftsmanship has always been rooted in natural dyes, organic textiles, handloom weaving, and waste-free production.
While fashion remains a core pillar, true Indian luxury extends beyond textiles. Brands must embrace a holistic ecosystem to create an entire luxury lifestyle offering.
Jewellery & Watches
Luxury Home & Decor
Perfumes & Well-Being
Experiential Luxury
For Indian luxury to compete on a global scale, it must create an ecosystem that mirrors the prestige of European houses while staying true to its roots.
As India reclaims its space in global luxury, the key to success lies in:
Indian luxury has all the ingredients to emerge as a powerful global force. By redefining its positioning, embracing its heritage, and crafting an identity that is both sustainable and exclusive, India can create a new paradigm of luxury that stands alongside the world’s greatest Maison’s—on its own terms.
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Abhay Gupta, Founder & CEO, Luxury Connect & Luxury Connect Business School Abhay Gupta is a luxury thought leader, retail expert, philanthropist, author, speaker & on MGCC, certified coach. A pioneering veteran of the formative years of the liberalized retail economy, he has been certified to have continually delivered sustainable revenue growth in luxury, retail, apparel manufacturing, and brand launch initiatives amongst other industry-changing functions. With an experience span of over 25 plus years in his domain, Gupta has been involved in the evolution of fashion, luxury & retail segments right from manufacturing, joint venture factory set-up, franchising, & even skill development plus education. During his long career, he has headed brands like Versace, Corneliani, Versace Home, Trussardi Jeans, and Cerruti amongst others., in addition, novel private label concepts like ‘Beanch & bar’ clothing for legal professional & ‘Su Misura’-clothing for all shapes and sizes were successfully launched and made profitable.
In his efforts to promote and educate the nation about luxury brands & lifestyle, he founded Luxury Connect LLP. Further identifying the very niche luxury talent need gap, he founded India’s first and only luxury business school in 2012.
Gupta has been acknowledged as an industry leader by Forbes, Economic Times, CNN-IBN, NDTV and Hindustan Times etc, where his contributory articles and or quotes are regularly published. An avid blogger, his analysis and reports on the India luxury market are sought after and frequently featured at international publications like Forbes, Luxury Society, black book, Images fashion, Luxury daily, The Top Tier etc. Research papers authored by him have been published in books related to ‘Essence of Luxury- an Asian perspective’ by the LVMH-SMU council Singapore.
Gupta is also the President of Centre for Education Growth & Research, Delhi NCR Chapter and an advisor to- Regalia Luxury Retail; Promising Indians Society’, Behind The Ramp & Mode Street Fashions.
His recent book ‘The incredible Indian Luxury Bazaar’ has been widely hailed as a one stop solution for all things complex in the mystical Indian Luxury paradox.
A marine engineer by basic profession, Gupta has undertaken an Executive MBA in Luxury Brand Management from SDA Bacconi. |
Luxury Connect Since its inception in 2012, Luxury Connect as a knowledge-based organization has cemented its reputation by consistently delivering tangible results for its clients. Today, Luxury Connect is widely accepted as the foremost ‘go to’ organization for any kind of luxury related strategy, compliance and or operational challenges. Having delivered innovative tailor-made solutions across sectors of fashion, watches, jewelry, automobiles, real estate, travel & hospitality etc., Luxury Connect enjoys a client list that runs across the best of best brands operating in the HNI domain. Envisioned and led by Abhay Gupta, an internationally acclaimed and rewarded Luxury Icon, Luxury Connect delivers consistent value to its clients utilizing years of experience of the best brains in the luxury consulting world. Acting as an everyday coach cum business partner, Luxury Connect helps clients evaluate and capitalize on market opportunities to deliver best tangible results.