How luxury decor brands bounced back from Covid-19
Text: Meghna Jain, Group Vice-President, Orvi Design Studio, Jaipur
The Covid-19 pandemic greatly impacted luxury brands, causing them immense losses and even closure. As a result, they plan to invest time and resources in uplifting their frontline workforce, artisans and communities. They empower them through recognition, skill development and technology training – all of which require communication to survive and thrive. The 21st-century customer is extremely conscious beyond products and aesthetics, such as ethical practices and giving back to society. This has caused brands to reflect upon their company culture, environmental policies and CSR activities.
Brands must remain authentic while retaining their craftsmanship and experience at the core, such as a product or service that acts value. These should reflect the customer’s personalities and expressions, such as the millennial generation valuing handmade choices to support Indian craftspeople and artisans. They like to be informed about their buying decisions, which are supported by social media presence, digital marketing and e-commerce.
Brands believe that they must invest in the future by building products that emotionally connect with users, such as through digitisation, sustainable products and processes. They wish to maximise resources as far as possible and maintain centuries-old techniques of handcrafting products using semi-precious stone, tarkashi, mosaic and églomisé. They want to maintain the lifespan of handcrafted work through financial empowerment, proper training and a support system.
