INDUSTRY PROFILE

The Leather industry is a very old manufacturing sector producing a broad range of goods. The
segment Leather Goods covers highly exclusive handbags, suitcases, briefcases, duffle bags as
well as small leather goods such as wallets that convey the taste and status of their owners.
Leather and its products are one of the most traded products globally. Leather goods are highly
popular among consumers, as they have inherent qualities, such as dustproof, fireproof, crack-
proof, and durability, which are expected to increase the growth of the leather goods market.
Moreover, the growing demand for trendy handbags, premium leather wallets, and other leather
products is influencing the growth of the leather goods market in the last few years. Leather
Goods have proven to be one the fastest-growing segments within the market for personal luxury
goods and are projected to grow at rates above market average up to 2022. The Leather and non-
Leather industry is an employment intensive industry, providing jobs to more than 4 million
people. Also, the industry has been identified as a special focus sector by the National
Manufacturing Policy.

1.1 History of the industry :

Leather was first used by man during cave man times when people were mere hunters and
gatherers of food, the skin from the animals killed for food was also used as a means of clothing
and building of little huts. In spite of the common belief that Italians are known for their Leather
products, it has been understood that the use of Leather in India dates back to around 3000 B.C
when accounts of its usage has been described in the Hindu Holi Scriptures where bags, bands,
straps, bags. sails, etc where made of Leather and owning anything in this material was
considered an item of luxury, style and comfort. From the 8th and the 12th century technological
improvements in Europe were deployed in the Leather industry and this continued and was
brought to India with the British. Leather manufacturing began to take the shape of an industry in
the 1800s, at the time of chemical advances, when Marco Polo states that The Leather industry
was one of the most flourishing industries in Gujarat as there was active trade between Gujarat
and the Arabian region through the Silk Route, with Gujarat exporting stuff like sandals made
from the skins of goats, oxen and buffalos. Uttar Pradesh was known for making Leather wear
for Mughals and the elites of that time while South India had trades with the Greek and Roman
Empires. In the 1900s, Madras and Calcutta had thriving Leather Industries and exported them
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and by 1941, there were around 114 Leather Industry units. Newer Manufacturing processes
developed in the 1950s and there was an even larger scale of production and consumption of
Leather goods, this went on till the 1970s when concern for the environment begun to take place
which led to more animal friendly processes of Leather tanning.

1.2 Indian Leather Industry :

Indian leather industry has the credit of being one of the oldest manufacturing industries catering
to the global market from the 19th century. The ultimate quality of the Indian leather combined
with efficient craftsmanship has secured a sturdy place for Indian leather goods in the global
market. India is the second largest producer of footwear and leather garments in the world,
second largest exporter of leather garments in the world and fifth largest exporter of leather
goods & accessories in the world. The major production centers for footwear, leather and leather
products in India are located in the States of Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Telangana, Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala,
Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir. The leather industry has undergone a dramatic transformation
from being a mere exporter of raw materials in the sixties to being a producer of value added
finished products in the nineties. Policy initiatives taken by the Government since 1973 have
been, to a large extent, instrumental for such a transformation. India has a 2.6 per cent share in
the global leather trade and this sector ranks eighth in terms of the country‘s foreign exchange
earnings from the industry. The composition of exports has also been changing, with more and
more value added products being exported.

1.3 Indian leather market :

The Indian Leather, Leather Products and Footwear Industry holds a prominent place in the
Indian economy. The Leather industry in India accounts for around 13% of the world’s leather
production of hides/skins. Indian leather industry is one among the top 8 industries for export
revenue generation in India. As per the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
(DPIIT), the leather, leather goods and pickers sector in India has attracted FDI equity inflows
equivalent to $ 215.21 million for the period April 2000 to March 2021. The government
recently approved the Indian Footwear and Leather Development Program (IFLDP) for
continuation from 2021-22 with an approved financial outlay of Rs 1,700 crore.

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In the leather industry, India faces a comparative advantage of low labor cost and hence a price
advantage and this recognition has lead to immense opportunity for the export of leather
products. The other advantage to Indian leather industry is the natural resource endowment
advantage due to easy and cheap availability of raw material.

The Leather industry in India comprises major segments namely hides, skins, footwear, finished
leather, leather goods, leather garments, saddlery and harness. The production capacity of the
Indian leather industry is as follows :-

Source : http://www.leatherindia.org/ind_at_glance.asp_

As the fashion and apparel industry is growing at a fast pace, demand for leather products has
reached an all-time high. India’s domestic market is witnessing high demand for leather goods.
Furniture and automobile industries have introduced a wide range of products and require leather
goods in their manufacturing processes. Therefore, a synergy of various industries like fashion,
automobiles and furniture, have given the leather industry a great boost, both domestically and
internationally. The brand chosen for study is Hidesign.

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Global Leather goods market growth between the period 2018 - 2021

Source : Mordor Intelligence

% share of India’s exports of Leather and leather products in top 12 countries in US dollar
($) for the financial year 2020-2021 :

The key markets for leather products exported from India are USA, UK, Germany and Italy,
which together consume 46% of Indian exports.

Source : https://leatherindia.org/indian-leather-industry/

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Value of leather and leather products exported from India from financial year 2011 to
2019, with estimates until 2021 (in billion Indian rupees)

Source : Statista.com

References :

 https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/leather-goods-market
 https://www.investindia.gov.in/sector/leather
 https://leatherindia.org/indian-leather-industry/
 https://www.journalijar.com/uploads/374_IJAR-19984.pdf
 https://www.nationalskillsnetwork.in/an-overview-of-leather-industry-in-india-need-for-
skill-development/
 https://saddlesindia.com/history-of-leather-in-india/
 https://eikenshop.com/blogs/the-traveller-notebook/leather-history-guide
 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
324663538_A_Study_of_Export_Potential_of_Indian_Leather_Industry_and_Strategies_
for_Growth

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 BRAND PROFILE

Hidesign is a leather goods manufacturer based in Pondicherry, India. Founded in 1978 as a two
person artistic workshop, now has more than 50 brand stores around the globe and is available in
all the leading retail chains of UK, USA, Australia and Asia. The name Hidesign was formed by
merging the words “Hide” and “design”. Hidesign is a globally well known brand in the
“affordable luxury” category. Hidesign offers leather bags and accessories.

Source : Wikipedia

1.1The Brand :

1.1.1 Founder :-
The main behind the brand is Mr. Dilip Kapur. Mr. Dilip Kapur who was born in New
Delhi moved to Puducherry at a young age. After completing his Ph.D. at the University

6
of Denver he started to work at a leather factory. While working there he discovered his
interest in leather designing. In 1978, Dilip Kapur started making leather goods as a
hobby, little did he dream that he was taking the first step towards building a global
company. With a PhD in international affairs, the brand and the products were an
expression of his brief in natural, sustainable materials and clean simple design.

1.1.2 Tagline :-

The company’s tagline is ‘Real leather, hand-crafted the forgotten way’.

1.1.3 USP:-

The USP of Hidesign is that it does not cover its leather with layers of pigments
and paint or emboss it with artificial patterns to hide defects as in low quality
materials. Nor does Hidesign use electroplated steel or zinc fittings.

1.1.4 Core Values :-

Hidesign’s brand values are always consistent and provide Hidesign a unique identity and
great customer loyalty.

Natural: Hidesign sees great value in natural beauty. It’s soft, sensuous leathers and
smooth solid brass fittings speak of the highest quality natural materials. Hidesign does
not cover its leathers with layers of pigments and paint or emboss it with artificial patterns
to hide defects in low quality materials. Nor does Hidesign use electroplated steel or zinc
fittings that does not age well.

Ecological: Hidesign believes in the highest ecological values. Hidesign is a leader in

research on using vegetable extracts from seeds and barks for tanning to replace heavily
polluting chemicals.

Craftsmanship: Every Hidesign product is uniquely handcrafted. There is no mass

manufacture at Hidesign, and the great traditional skills of our craftsmen are encouraged
to be perfected over years.

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 Innovation:  Hidesign products are unique. The multicultural design team has won
several international awards for its excellence and design leadership. True to its values,
Hidesign constantly innovates to stay in touch with the continuing fast moving changes in
the lifestyle of its customer.

1.1.5 Competitor :

The brand’s competitor is Da Milano. Da Milano is a luxury leather accessories brand

established in 1989, based in Delhi. Da Milano means ‘of Milan’ in Italian. Sahil Malik is
the CEO of Da Milano. This brand provides a holistic range of bags, wallets, luggage’s,
belts, laptop bags, trolleys and the like for both men and women. The brand is for
fashion-focused people, for young women, smart executives, leisure travelers etc. The
brand started as one model store, today operates more than 80 self funded stores across
India and overseas. Classic elegance and enduring sophistication have always been the
basis of signature Da Milano style.

1.2 Brand’s Timeline :

1978: Hidesign begins with two-person artisans workshop. The first markets are small
alternative shops in Australia and in the United States reflecting the brand’s rebellion
against uniformity and mass production.

1982: Hidesign starts in the UK and fast becomes a counter culture icon in the
independent stores.

1984: Commitment to craftsmanship and ecology leads to the development of new solid
brass buckles – no more zinc alloy buckles used. The brand goes back to the traditional
skills of making solid brass buckles.

1985: John Lewis in UK is the first departmental store to carry the full line of Hidesign
leather goods that now includes handbags and wallets, as well as weekend, toiletry and
laptop bags.

1990: Hidesign’s first atelier is an expression of brand’s value – craftsmanship,

innovation and sustainability.

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1992: Accessory Magazine UK chooses Hidesign’s “Boxy bag” as the accessory of the
year. Princess Diana awards Hidesign this prestigious awards.

1997: Hidesign opens its first exclusive international store in Moscow.

1998: The emerging markets of Malaysia, South Africa and China become a major
growth area for Hidesign.

1999: Hidesign enthusiastically launches in India! Hidesign’s annual fashion shows to

launch the new collection “Social Event”

2001: Marks the launch of award winning campaign both in Europe and India. The award
winning ad campaign from 2000 is a landmark in Hidesign’s history and helped Hidesign
to establish itself as a brand of excellence in India and markets globally. The ad campaign
showcased Hidesign’s art of real leather, crafted the forgotten way.

2004: Hidesign introduces Alberto Ciaschini of Milan as its lead designer. The multi
cultural design team continues to expand on Hidesign signature look creating classic
styles with contemporary edge.

2007: Hidesign begins collaborations with various internationally well known groups as
a part of its growth and expansion strategy.

2010: Hidesign opens its four story flagship store at the heart of Pondicherry, with unique
features like the Hidesign café on the top floor, museum pieces, heritage and story of
Hidesign and art pieces.

2013: Hidesign launches its sunglasses collection and ensures its new product category
speaks the same brand values of being natural, handcrafted & eco friendly.

2014: Hidesign re-launches some of its earliest styles to commemorate 35 years with the
Icon collection. A leather bound, coffee table illustrating the heritage of the brand is
launched along with travelling exhibition inspired by the book.

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 2015: Hidesign increases its leather offering through category expansion into footwear
with focus on quality and comfort through leather lined shoes. Solid brass barrel pens
leather bound note books added to Hidesign’s gift range.

2016: Dilip Kapur, first heard of E.I leathers in the US, on his return to India, he
continued his quest to revive this centuries old craft. After much experimenting and
research, the fully veg-tanned East India collection is launched.

2018: Hidesign collaborates with actor, poet and activist Kalki Koechlin to co-design a
special collection to mark the 40th year.

1.3 Product Portfolio:

All Hidesign product lines reflect the Hidesign concept and when displayed together in shops
create a harmonious image that reflects the sophisticated lifestyles of customers. The brand sees
great value in natural beauty. It’s soft, sensuous leathers and smooth solid brass fittings speak of
the highest quality natural materials. The traditional methods used allow the brand to produce a
product that is rich in character, texture and individuality. Each bag is therefore, by nature, a
limited edition.

1. Bags: The core classic range of briefcases, handbags, wallets are made from classic leather.
These styles are always contemporary, sophisticated and ideal for executive lifestyle. A variety
of leathers and colors are constantly developed by our designers and research labs for these
ranges.

2. Leather Garments: A wide range of garments reflects a continuous adaptation to the latest
fashion tendencies. Lightweight leathers reflect a casual but sophisticated lifestyle.

3. Belts: Hidesign’s range of classic and casual belts is made of full grain cowhide and solid
brass buckles which identifies the Hidesign’s belts as luxurious and sophisticated product.

4. Sunglasses: The sunglasses based on the value of the brand to be natural, are devoid of plastic
and have been made using acetate, metal and vegetable tanned leather. The sunglasses are hand
finished, natural and 100% UVA & UVB protected.

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5. Footwear: The footwear is designed to provide comfort with sophistication using vegetable
tanned leather.

Product range:

Women:

 Handbags
 Wallets
 Slings & Clutches
 Totes & Satchels
 Footwear
 Accessories

Men:

 Bags
 Wallets
 Card Holders
 Belts
 Footwear

Travel:

 Trolleys
 Duffle Bags
 Passport holders

Accessories:

 Jackets
 Face Masks
 Sunglasses

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  Money clips
 Health Wallet

1.4 Hidesign Leather:

Hidesign believes in being artisanal, at the atelier there is no mass production, no assembly line.
All the products are all handcrafted using leathers that come from the brand’s owned tanneries,
brass buckles that are exclusively sand casted and polished by hand at the brand’s owned brass
forge.

On discovering that most tanneries had shifted to the faster and cheaper process of chemical
tanning, Hidesign revived the almost forgotten technique of vegetable tanning. Learning from
centuries old skills, using natural seeds and barks native to South India.Hidesign uses natural
extracts from barks of Wattle trees and Myrobalam seeds found in local forests. These natural
oils and extracts give a unique look to Hidesign leathers with deep colors, good body and long
lasting strength. Hidesign has created fashionable leathers that age exceptionally well. The types
of Hidesign leathers is as follows,

 Classic:
The classic vegetable tanned leather has made Hidesign the leader internationally in the
use of ecological products. This, vegetable tanned leather ages with a patina, making it
more beautiful with use.

 Soweto & Ranchero:

Sensuous classic vegetable tanned cowhides with heavy natural textured grain.

 Crocodile/Lizard:
Exotic embossed leathers which are great for classic as well as fashion handbags and
small leather goods. The embossed leathers are vegetable tanned full grain cowhides and
retain the emboss well.

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  Cowdeer:
One of Hidesign’s softest leathers with natural grain. Continuous addition of new color
makes this ideal fashion leather

1.5 Services Offered:

‘Hidesign’ as a brand offers an element of pride and makes one feel like a responsible
contributor to preserving the serenity of the environment as it provides products that are
environment friendly and make use or women artisans, identifying and training them to be
skilled in the entire manufacturing process and also offers utmost transparency by ensuring
vertical integration in the entire process.

An aura of style, exclusiveness and luxury is associated with the brand and comes with owning
Hidesign products. All the products in the Hidesign stores are carefully and beautifully curated
with different section of items catering to different sections of the population segregated and kept
on display with adequate lighting and a little description of kind of product on a little card right
next to it respectively. The ambience of the store gives an air of a traditional atelier with modern
touches and equipment, typical of something that is seen in south India. With more than 25 stores
across India, in malls and other prominent places, these stores are easy to locate, are readily
accessible and widely visible to the common. This energy of approachability is shared by the
people working within the store who are well versed and have good knowledge with every detail
of their products they sell. This in turn also increases customer satisfaction towards the brand
besides the excellent quality of its products.

Along with the various collections that are offered, there are discounts available on select
products as well as they try to make it a point to offer their products at a more desirable rate.
Customer loyalty programs are implemented by Hidesign in the form of Memberships, Birthday
Discounts, Extended Warranty and Service, Free cleaning and Polish, Free Leather Annual
Planner, Gift Cards, Tier Upgradation by issuing gold and platinum cards, Invites and Early
access privileges to Special Events etc. Shopping assistance is provided to customers who are
unable to visit the store or are not able to shop online seeking for information regarding the
products. Such customers are asked for their contact details and an assistant from the store

13
personally addresses the needs and queries of the customer and ensures a good shopping
experience.

The brand also takes the responsibility of catering to the needs of the Corporate world by
creating exclusive and suitable products for the employees of top companies, offering a sense of
prestige and value for all those in executive positions. The name of the company or the brand the
employees work for is imprinted on the products which Hidesign creates for them. Hidesign took
the pleasure to also initiate the ‘Corporate Gifting’ concept wherein which large companies come
to Hidesign to place gift orders on certain special occasions for their stakeholders such as the HR
or Marketing Team to honour their efforts and also to anyone to whom the company wants to
show gratitude to make a lasting impression on.

Hidesign also offers a wide range of career opportunities especially for youngsters and women
living in rural areas, providing them with a steady income and a lifelong period of growth and
learning in the areas of Designing and Management. The brand is known for having more
number of female workers compared to men inculcating Diversity, Equity and Inclusion schemes
in hiring the workforce. Encouraging individual participation, ideas and freedom to develop
oneself to achieve higher and higher in the sphere of career advancement, the company has gone
on to provide livelihoods to 2500 employees so far.

1.6 Promotion:

More than any other platform, Online platforms like Facebook and Instagram especially have
been used to make people aware of the company’s products, production processes, materials
used, values, customers, testimonies of both the internal and external stakeholders of the
company, the services they offer, CSR activities etc. Hidesign take the effort to give a detailed
account of everything related to the brand and also send out sponsored advertisements online on
these platforms as well as on Google and E-commerce websites such as Ajio and Myntra. The
brand does get a good deal of response from these advertisements in the form of website visits
and sales. Influencers who purchase and own Hidesign products post Pictures, Videos, Reels,
Stories and use Hashtags so in turn they help in popularising the brand on these platforms.

Traditional promotional methods are also used. Cities with a chic and stylish crowd have
billboards and posters of Hidesign near the stores, on Highways, Exhibitions, Airports etc.
14
In-store advertisements are also common with offers and discounts included. One can find
Hidesign stalls in exhibitions that are of a high end category, amongst brands that are lavish,
indigenous yet modern and on a higher range when it comes to cost and the purchasing power of
the customers.

There have been several features on magazines as well such as Vogue, Vurve, Good Life and
Femina in which either an advertisement is placed, a celebrity gives an interview and mentions
‘Hidesign’ or a writer gives a writeup about Hidesign. This fascinates readers who are in the
habit of buying the magazines.

The brand has also made efforts to collaborate with other brands and has launched collections
such as HIDESIGNXKALKI collection named ‘She Loves Adventure’ as Kalki Koechlin is the
brand’s ambassador, Jose Levy for ‘Pondicherry In Paris’ collection and HIDESIGN X JOY
KENDI collection dedicated to Kenya’s Massai Tribe. In Collaboration with FabIndia, a store
was launched in the city of Chennai at Pondi bazaar. There is a collaboration with ‘Disney’ as
well. These collaborations attract customers, audiences and followers from both the brands and
hence providing publicity to both the brands.

1.7 Client Portfolio:

‘Hidesign’ being a brand established as one among the luxury leather good items is used by a
number of customers both locally, nationally and internationally. It caters mainly to the upper
middle class and the elite classes of the population who are conscious about the damage being
caused to the planet when in comes to using unnatural and unsustainable methods of production
which pollute the environment we are living in and who do not mind and can afford to spend
quiet a huge amount to not have a guilty conscious in themselves. They also tend to be found of
art and culture pertaining to both Tamil Nadu, South India and France in general as the city of
Pondicherry where Hidesign has its origin from, was once a French colony and this heritage is
embedded in its products in some form or the other. Citizens and people residing in other
countries as well have a great liking towards the brands as it one of the very few symbols of an
Indian premium brand showcasing the skill and talent of Indian workers and hence it carries with
it a sense of nationalism as a result the company has a good export market. They experience a
loyal set of customers who repeatedly make purchases and are happy with the products.

15
Travellers tend to resort to this brand as it offers a wide range of travel accessories which enables
for smooth and memorable experiences. It is often observed that the most of the users of this
brand are older women as the parent products here are handbags. Top level corporate employees
prefer this brand for its high quality leather and the classiness it offers.

1.8 Awards and Achievements :

 South India's outstanding retailing icons at IFA 2017
 Gold for Best Art Direction (Creative) at
 Magzimise Awards 2018[16]
 Accessory of the Year' award from the UK's Accessory Magazine in 1992 given by
Princess

1.9 Corporate Social Responsibility:

Hidesign makes eco-friendly leathers, which means they are vegetable tanned and are 30% more
expensive and take more time to produce. Vegetable tanning greatly reduces the hazards
environmental pollution. Today Hidesign proudly says that the brand leads in the research and
development of vegetable tanned leathers. Vegetable tanned leather, natural grained leather looks
more real and ruggedly beautiful and it is long lasting and healthier.

Hidesign launched the pink ribbon collection in 2010, partnering with Ogaan Cancer foundation t
create awareness around the issues of breast cancer. 60% of customer and over 90% of the
Hidesign community are women and initiatives like this involves the brand as its core.

The brand believes CSR starts at home. When Hidesign built its custom designed factory, it fired
its own bricks from the local earth found in that area. The factory is designed by well known low
cost ecological building expert Ray Meeker confirms Hidesign commitment to innovation,
technical excellence and environment. The ample green area, ponds and water fall make it safe
and healthy work setting. All waste water at the factory goes through filtration and is reused. All
waste materials is separated and reused or sold for reuse. They do not bum anything. Lunch time
at Hidesign is pretty much outdoors, under the trees, sitting on the rock benches and tables.
Ecology is an ongoing search for better healthier ways to live and work. It comes out of

16
believing in it and making it a core value. Also, Hidesign has stopped the use of plastic bags in
India and use only cloth bags now.

1.10 Website Analysis:

The website of Hidesign is one that is sleek with a tinge of chicness to it. As soon as one opens
the website, various exquisitely crafted latest collections of the brand such as the King Cobra
Collection, A Brighter Spring Collection and The Sun Is Back collections are displayed which

catches the viewer’s eye immediately.

As one scroll downward, the brands ever selling best sellers are proudly shown so that the
visitors of the website will know what products the brand is known for and when scrolled further
along various product categories are listed horizontally and various other collections are
displayed such as the Memphis, Zen and Ibiza Collections.

17
18
Top of the website, on the left hand side, there are options given to shop products which are
segregated into sub categories based on color, price, gender, type of product etc, to explore all
the collections, seasons of the brand, to gain more knowledge about the History, Core Values,
Production Techniques, the Current Scenario of the Hidesign company in today’s world and to
Contact the company for any purpose by filling in personal details.

19
20
The top right hand side of the website comprises of other options which contains information
relating to the careers the brand is willing to offer to enhance lives, by summarizing the unique
working conditions at the company.

Loyalty Programs by persuading users to sign up for membership for perquisites, Facilities to
track orders placed and to locate stores with an online map and using the browsing device’s
21
location, Information and the beauty of Corporate Gifting which the brand’s websites validates
by stating its collaboration which huge corporate houses such as Google, Tata, Microsoft,
Mercedes-Benz and the Sign Up/Login option for memebers to enjoy benefits.

22
23
On the top right hand side of the website, below the options listed above, there are provisons to
search for the products one has in mind, to view products that are already wish listed or added to
cart and once the shoppers mind has been made up, they can go to the cart to finalize their
purchase and proceed to check-out where they can make their transaction.

24
All the products that are displayed in the site have their names typed below them along with their
price and the option of chossing its colour if applicable. On every page of the website, at the
bottom there are various options available to help users guide their way through the brand’s
shopping experince by giving access to the brands social media profiles, Subscribe Provisions,
Contact Information etc. The main theme colour of the website and the brand is different shades
of brown.

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Hidesign’s website throughout is very much user-friendly and follows the color scheme related
to the brand with minimal yet stylish styles.

1.11 Conclusion:
Hidesign proved to be sustainable luxury leather accessories brand and within few years,
Hidesign penetrated all the likely locations it wished to occupy in India, so international
expansion remains the key to growing the business and is the brand’s top agenda.

References:
 Hidesign’s official website
 Studocu.com
 Hidesignusa.com
 file:///C:/Users/LUCK/Desktop/pdfcoffee.com_sm-project-5-pdf-free.pdf
 https://bloncampus.thehindubusinessline.com/columns/brand-basics/hidesign-redefines-
craftmanship-the-green-way/article28723853.ece
 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/brand-extension-hidesign-case-giridharan-
venkatasubramanian

26
 https://brandyuva.in/2019/08/marketing-strategies-of-hidesign.html
 https://www.hidesignusa.com/pages/the-hidesign-timeline

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 COMPETITOR PROFILE

Da Milano is a luxury leather accessories brand that provides the sublimity of luxury brand to a
price that’s is affordable. It has a variety of items for both men and women. Ladies bags, wallets,
luggage trolleys, jackets, portfolios, belts, leather laptop bags, and home essentials are a few of
the signature products of Da Milano.

Source : Linked.in

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1.1 The Brand :
Da Milano is an Italic word that means “of Milan”. From the name itself, it looks like a foreign
brand/company. But to your surprise, it’s an Indian fashion luxury brand that deals in Leather
accessories.

1.1.1 Founder : 
Mr. Sahil Mail is heading the business. Mr. Malik joined the business in 2000, after
completing fashion designing from NIFT. At that time India was moving towards
organized retailing and Mr.Malik felt a need to start a chain of stores, serving leather
accessories. Mr.Sahil focused on designing, as well as marketing of the brand.
Mr.Malik’s wife Shivani is a director in the company and Mr.Sahil says that what helps is
having each one’s roles clearly defined.

1.1.2 Core Value : 

Classic elegance and enduring sophistication have always been the basis of the signature
Da Milano style, supported with state-of-the-art technology and creativity.

1.1.3 Mission : 
Da Milano has been on a mission to produce high quality leather bags for men and
women by using modern technology to refine the old world leather crafting methods.

1.1.4 USP : 
The USP of the brand is a unique range of well-crafted and designed leather products
finished and styled with world-class machinery to meet the customer demands. They
deliver front-end services with a philosophy that features customer orientation to explain
every product detail and feature to the customers. 

1.1.5 Features: 
The brand’s main feature is that it offers lifetime service warranty. 

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 1.1.6 Wooba by Da Milano : 
In 2017, Da Milano introduced Wooba, a contemporary leather accessories brand
appealing to the budget consumer. Wooba opened its first store at Ambience Mall,
Gurgaon. Wooba is positioned as a mass brand and will be retailed through exclusive
brand outlets. Sahil Malik, says the brand has noticed a yearning in the market for quality
accessories that are fashionable yet price sensitive hence the idea of a mass oriented label
was born. Wooba is a new concept with a distinctive idea that appeals to the trendy and
fashion conscious. Wooba stores are slated to open at all major metros and some of the
non-metros.

1.1.7 Operations: 
The brand now operates 85 stores across Asia and Middle East which includes company
operated stores at 21 airports. The brand ships it’s products across the globe, offering a
smooth shipping and billing process. 

1.2 Brand’s History: 

Da Milano’s journey began in 1989, when the brand was conceived by Sahil Malik’s father.
Starting from one store in Delhi, the brand is now running 60 stores, all spearheaded by Mr.Sahil
Malik. Da Milano entered the luxury market in 1989 with a distinct design sense. Since it’s
inception the brand has consistently delivered quality of the highest standards, offering lifetime
service warranty on all its products. 

1.3 Product Portfolio:

The Da Milano product line ranges from statement bags to sunglasses and accessories.

Product Range:
Women:
 Wallets
 Belts
 Backpacks
 Computer bags
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 o Computer sleeves
 Business Essentials
o Card cases
o Notebooks
o Folders
 Accessories
o Pouches
o Money clips
 Handbags
o Slings
o Satchels
o Totes
 Book totes
 HOBO

Men:
 Computer bags
 Wallets
 Computer sleeves
 Belts
 Men slings
 Backpacks
 Portfolios
 Business Essentials
o Card cases
o Notebooks
o Folders
 Accessories
o Pouches

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 o Money clip

Accessories:
 Spectacle case
 Pouches
o Multi pouches
o Vanity pouches
 Small leather goods
o Band
o Coasters
o Leather Mirrors
o Key chains

Travel:
 Trolley
 Luggage
 Passport case

1.4 Production Process:

Da Milano boasts of two state of the art manufacturing units in Himachal Pradesh & Kolkata having
the latest and most advanced machinery and highly skilled workforce operating under the guidance
of Italian technicians.
At the manufacturing units, the experts use advanced processing technology which is combined with
traditional leather working skills to produce products which are made in full grain, vegetable tanned
and hand dyed Italian leather. Only aniline dyes are rubbed on the hide to leave the grain visible.
As a vertically integrated company, the brand is currently producing new products daily and more
than 300 designs per season.

1.5 Services Offered:

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Da Milano Italia, known for its high end luxury leather products is known to offer quality
products which are accompanied by a range of support services offered in order to build good
reputation. One of the main services offered is the Lifetime Service Warranty to a certain degree
to all those who purchase it and this is indeed a great step towards maintaining good Customer
Relationship. This initiative lives up to the mark of luxury as luxury is about making client feel
exclusive with pampering. Feedback provisions are allocated both in the online store as well as
in offline stores where the Customer Relationship Management team deal with each one of them
on a one on one basis trying to cater to the needs of every Individual who has a query or trouble.
Efficient online services such as the Store Locator, Tracking, Return and Exchange Policies
facilitate smooth and hazzle free shopping experiences. Even within the store the products are
displayed in an organized manner with little time for confusion for all those who visit the store.
Corporate gifting is another important feature wherein, orders are placed by corporates to gift
their employees for example, in the fields of HR and Marketing and guests in special occasions
such as conferences as a mark of gratitude and excellence. These gifts are personalized, adding a
touch of sophistication and repute to its users and bringing a high status to the corporate world.
Gift cards are issued to customers who sign up for it. Da Milani Italia stores are located in
prominent places where the elite classes of the population are found such as Airports and Malls
and this ensures easy access to the stores for the customers. With its wide range of products Da
Milano Italia ensures to cater to every need of its customers by making products for exclusive
use such as for Travel, Storing Money etc.

1.6 Promotion:

The brand today, is known for using Social Media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook for
making people aware of its products, offers, launches etc. These social media postings were
frequent till about 2020-2021. However The brand with its products and attributes were a
frequent feature in News papers and Magazines in 2018 and 2019, being featured in publications
such as India Today, The Sunday Standard and Financial Times Newspaper, The Man’s World
India, The Outlook Traveller, The Wedding Affair, Hello, Elle, Femina and Vogue Magazines
etc. Interviews given by the CEO of Da Milano Italia, Sahil Malik to publications like The
Economic Times and The Businessworld helps in bringing more awareness to the brand. There
are also events conducted by Da Milano Italia like Store Launches, Exchange Carnivals where

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one can exchange an old Da Milano Italia bag for a new one with a discount of 25% off, One
Dance Flash Mob where a Da Milano Italia store took up a social initiative by collaborating with
the Spreading Hope Foundation to support organ donation, which was hosted by Lourd Vijay’s
Dance School by conducting a dance competition. The brand has also collaborate with another
brand called ‘Bio Ayurvedha’ to launch a collection. Bloggers and influencers take to Instagram
to post themselves with Da Milano Italia products and this brings media coverage to the brand
too along with celebrities like Neha Malik, Jaqueline Fernandez, Madhuri Dixit, Dia Mirza etc
who flaunt their accessories which tend to include Da Milano Italia products as well in events,
photoshoots and casual outings where they are spotted by the press and the public. Da Milano
Italia along with other E-commerce websites such as Ajio and Myntra take to Digitally Advertise
Da Milano Italia Products through Google, Instagram and Facebook advertisements.

1.7 Client Profile:

A large number of users of Da Milano Italia products are NRI’s who have their grounding in
India while at the same time have the means and urge of owning something that is premium
Indian Quality. Also the Urban Upper Class of the Indian population prefer this brand as it
symbolizes a mix of both Indian and Italian luxury, using high quality materials, offering a sense
of mystique and prestige. A great many number of foreigners as well are aware of this brand due
to its presence in airports and hence they make purchases too. Most of its consumers are middle
aged women and men of the corporate world as the brand has its maximum promotion in
products catering to these sections of the population. Certain celebrities too are known to be
users of this brand.

1.8 Awards and Achievements:

Shivani Malik, Managing Director of Da Milano has been awarded ‘Entrepreneurship’ at the
Indian Women Achievers Samman 2017.

1.9 Website Analysis:

The website for the Da Milano Italia brand is known to be very user friendly with the pop up
options and icons at the right place, where it meets the eye. The home page of the website
showcases models flaunting their precious Da Milano Italia accessories, giving an attitude and

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impression of a higher standard of style. At the top of the homepage, their latest collections of
products are displayed with exotic backgrounds and scenery comprising that of mountains, snow,
ice, dessert etc.

As one scrolls down some of the different categories of iconic product selections from the brand
based on the speciality of the product and which are purchasable, are displayed.

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On the top right hand side of the website there is the provision to sign up and become a member
of the entire mirade of the Da Milano Italia customer club and to get to know of insights along
with a search bar next to it, a store and country locator on the top left hand side as well.

On the top of the website the various categories of products that are available, pertaining to
different categories of customers are listed such as products for Men, Women, Travel Essentials,
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Accessories, Gifts, Online Exclusive Products, Corporate Gifting, Offers and Footwear. These
Categories in turn have sub categories within them for example, when one selects the Men or
Women Category of products, products categories for different occasions and necessities are
shown such as for Travel, Business, Handbags, Sling bags, Computer Bags, Wallets, Computer
slings, Accessorizing and when one selects the Offers category, products categories for Women,
Footwear and Travel are shown as these are the ones who have an ongoing offer at that particular
point in time.

When one selects the category of handbags, difference handbag collections are shown such as
the Croco Collection, Spring Summer’22 collection and handbags for different occasions such as
party, work etc.

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Similarly, when one selects Accessory products Card cases, Multi and Vanity pouches, Leather
Mirrors, Key Chain, Coasters, Money clips, Spectacle cases and Notebook category of products
are given.

The website tab for Da Milano Italia’s exclusive footwear collection :

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On selecting the desired categories and sub categories, the brand’s website shows a list of
available products to choose from and once that is done, it proceeds to checkout. The website is
themed in Blue and White colors and subtle shades of other colors as well.

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1.10 Conclusion:
Da Milano provides sophisticated products to it’s customers as well tied up with designers in
Italy, UK and other European countries to ensure the products are of world class quality and
style.

Refrences :
 Da Milano’s website
 Linked.in
 www.nextbigbrand.in
 www.shoesandaccessories.in
 www.economictimes.in

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