High fashion buyers are effortlessly working their way around virtual shopping platforms. Yes, some things are easier to sell over a screen than others, but that’s hardly a deterrent for risk-takers. Sisters Aashumi Mahajan and Niyoshi Shah probably didn’t realize how timely their couture e-boutique The Luxe Maison would look by the end of 2020, but the shift in high street buying has definitely helped strengthen their USP. “We made a conscious decision of not having a physical presence since we weren't onboarding a lot of Indian designers. Our designers are based across the world, as is our clientele, so a store didn’t make any sense. The fact is that we specialise in niche picks, so stocking them in an inventory is something we didn’t want to do. Plus we have been getting so many international orders in the last few weeks, especially from countries that are about to enter the second round of lockdowns,” Aashumi tells us.
The core appeal of The Luxe Maison is definitely its curation since it looks beyond mainstream, popular biggies and design memos that have saturated the market. Mahajan and Shah tell us that their goal was to uphold different facets of global fashion which they’ve experienced during their travels and not just established couture labels. So Luxe Maison showcases a diverse line of designers from the UK, USA, Middle East and Australia. London-based designer David Koma, for instance, is one such name. His designs have been spotted on everyone from Gal Gadot to Gwyneth Paltrow, however accessing his newest RTW line-up or his sculptural dresses could be a hassle for desi buyers, or even buyers from other parts of the world. Same goes for bridal couturier Marcela de Cala or Turkish avant-garde sensation Asli Jackson.
“We have travelled extensively and met artisans and designers, in small towns and major cities and we’ve experienced the breadth of global fashion first-hand, be it in Lebanon or South America. And India has such a big buying market, we wanted to showcase their talents to real buyers, to fill the demand and supply gap. The designers we feature revive the rich heritage of their home countries and are emblematic of the cultural legacies and craftsmanship of their regions. You’ll see the designers we have on our platform are really cult, their work is one-of-a-kind. We are often looking out for up and coming designers or labels with interesting backstories, and it’s about scouting these under-the-radar names,” Aashumi tells us.
One can place an order via any digital platform from any part of the world and can even opt for personalized styling appointments. So, what are Indian buyers looking for amid the big shakeup, especially when it comes to international couture? “We don’t have a lot of ethnic, homegrown styles on our platform, since the Indian market is already populated with them. That has worked in our favour, our Indian buyers have been browsing for international evening couture styling a lot lately. Gowns are doing so well for Indian weddings, so via our concierge and personal styling service we’ve observed that people are replacing their lehengas with these interesting gowns and probably styling it with a traditional neckpiece,” Ashumi shares.
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