Sabyasachi Mukherjee: Design and Career

Sabyasachi Mukherjee: Design Genius and Visionary

• Known for extraordinary workmanship, authenticity, and emotional resonance.
• Sought-after celebrity wedding dress designer and youngest member of the National Museum of Indian Cinema's board of directors.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

• Born in Kolkata, India in 1974, into a middle-class family
• Father was an immigrant from Bangladesh who faced difficulties due to the decline of the jute industry.
• Poverty shaped his character and artistic vision.
• Enrolled at the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad.
• Overcame personal struggles, including an attempted suicide, to find purpose in creative work.
• Graduated from NIFT Kolkata in 1999 with three major prizes.
• Founded his own label with stores in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad.

Company Background and Growth

• Launched his first studio in Kolkata in 1999 with three employees.
• Known for modernizing traditional Indian apparel, especially bridal designs, appealing to the Indian aristocracy.
• Won the Femina British Council's Most Outstanding Young Designer of India Award in 2001.
• Established his worldwide label by winning at Mercedes New Asia Fashion Week in Singapore in 2003.
• The only Indian designer selected to present at Milan Fashion Week 2004.
• Designed costumes for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's films such as Black, Baabul (2006), and Laaga Chunari Mein Daag.
• Designed costumes for the cast of Paa (2010), Raavan (2010), and Guzaarish (2010).
• Won the Femina British Council's Most Outstanding Young Designer of India award in 2013.
• Participated in global fashion events, including India Fashion Week in 2002, Mercedes-Benz New Asia Fashion Week in Singapore, Milan Fashion Week, and Browns boutique in London.
• Sold 51% of his brand to Aditya Birla Fashion & Retail Limited (ABFRL) for ₹398 crore in 2021.
• Sabyasachi's firm had an expected sale of ₹275 crore by 2020.
• Estimated revenue is ₹500 crore, with aspirations to reach a $2 billion (17,000 crore) valuation by 2030.
• The jewellery business generates 150-175 crore annually, and the handbag line contributes over 60 crore.

Revenue Streams

• Bridal and couture wear
• Jewelry business: ₹150-175 crore annually
• Handbag line: Over ₹60 crore
• Collaborations
• International Markets

Brand Identity and Recognition

• Imbues each piece with a unique emotional narrative, inspired by India's rich heritage, culture, and history.
• Designs blend traditional workmanship and modern vision.
• Flagship shop in New York City will open in 2023.
• Celebrities including Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez, and Mindy Kaling have worn his jewelry.
• Celebrities including Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone frequently wear creations on the international stage.
• The brand is known for its timelessness and blend of heritage, craftsmanship, and luxury and designs are primarily bridal and couture wear.

Brand Vision

• To celebrate and preserve India's rich textile and artisanal heritage by establishing India's first global luxury brand based on tradition, quality, and workmanship.
• Key elements include:
  • Preserving Indian legacy
  • Empowering Artisans
  • Unique Design Philosophy
  • Emotional Resonance
  • The Curiosity, Art & Antiquity Project

Collections and Collaborations

• The Nair Sister collection was influenced by hand block printing, embroidery, bagru prints, cotton, and other hand-woven materials.
• Kashgaar Bazaar collection inspired by the ancient Silk Road was showcased at the India Couture Week 2017.
• Sabyasachi x Pottery Barn collection blends vintage Indian textiles, furniture, and accessories.
• Kishandas for Sabyasachi jewelry collection blends traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern design.
• Sabyasachi x Forevermark collection blends traditional Indian designs with modern styles.
• The Wanderlust collection aimed to blend Sabyasachi's traditional designs with H&M's contemporary styles.
• The Udaipur Collection is inspired by Rajasthan's royal heritage, embodying intricate craftsmanship, soft pastel hues, and Mughal influences.
• The Firdaus Collection, inspired by the beauty of Kashmir showcases intricate embroidery and regal silhouettes.

Consumer Behavior

• Understanding it is essential for a marketing plan
• Need to grasp the wants and expectations of target customers
• Key questions to consider include how customers understand information, what their needs are, and what factors impact their purchase decisions.
• Refers to the activities and decisions that individuals or households make while selecting, purchasing, using, and disposing of a product or service.
• Factors influencing consumers include psychological, social, cultural, personal beliefs, societal customs, marketing efforts, and environmental variables.
• A multi-stage process includes:
  • Problem identification
  • Data collection
  • Option exploration
  • Purchasing decision
  • Post-purchase evaluation.

Key Aspects of Consumer Behavior's Significance

• Improves marketing and communications by enabling firms to tailor their marketing to evolving customer preferences.
• Improves customer retention as retaining existing clients is more beneficial than acquiring new ones.
• Increases customer loyalty.
• Allows for better inventory planning by aligning inventory with customer attitudes and demand trends.
• It helps fulfill a company's primary goal: focusing on specific market segments.

Factors Affecting Consumer Behavior

• Includes situational, psychological, environmental, marketing, personal, familial, and cultural factors.
• Demographic characteristics include age, gender, income, and occupation.
• Social factors include socioeconomic status, education, religion, sexual orientation, consumer orientation, and social network.
• Psychological factors encompass a person's ability to understand information, perception of needs, and mindset.
• Situational factors are temporary and include physical environment and elements of time.

Consumer Behavior Process

• Includes awareness, interest, consideration, intent, purchase, and post-purchase evaluation.
• Consumers evaluate their satisfaction after the purchase.
• The process evolved from the 1940s, growing into an interdisciplinary field.

Key Developments

• Initial focus on production, sales, and motivation research.
• Expansion from the 1960s integrated behavioral sciences.
• Digital Era marked by the impact of the internet and social media.
• Evolving consumer values demand transparency and ethical products.

Impact Of Luxury Fashion On Consumer Behavior

• Luxury fashion can display wealth and social status.
• Allows consumers to express their individuality.
• Brands create emotional connections by creating a narrative, heritage, and craftsmanship.
• Key Motivations are the desire for exclusive, high-end products, high-quality materials, attention to detail, and beauty, ellegance and sophistication.

Consumer Behavior Patterns

• Includes brand loyalty, word-of-mouth influence, and online reviews.
• Factors are age, income, and education.
• Luxury brands leverage their cultural heritage to create an emotional connection.
• Social norms and globalization are relevant.
• Technology, e-commerce, and social media are heavily implemented.

Elements of Consumer Behavior

• Needs are basic necessities, and wants are specific desires beyond basic needs.
• Internal drive influenced by emotions or desires.
• Perception shapes consumer preferences based on interpretation of products, services, or brands.
• Learning changes behavior through experiences.
• Attitudes and beliefs play roles in purchases.

Cultural, Social, and Personal Influences

• Includes cultural background, social factors, and attributes.
• Processes and external influences also significant.
• Advancements in technology and marketing strategies are significant.

Challenges Faced

• Adapting to changing consumer preferences and competition from international luxury companies
• Accommodating a range of demographics and cultural sensitivities.
• Managing the desire for individualized experiences and controlling the impact of celebrity endorsements and social media.
• Maintaining exclusivity while addressing concerns about pricing and accessibiilty.
• There is intense rivalry for consumers' attention.
• Need to combine consumer education, legal action, and business model adaption for reaching a larger market without compromising the brand's identity.

Competition Faced

• Includes Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Chanel, also Tarun Tahiliani and Manish Malhotra.
• Sabyasachi needs to invest in digital technologies, omnichannel strategies, and new marketing technologies to stay competitive.

Key Advantages Through Consumer Behavior

• It allows for better product development, effective marketing strategies, and enhanced customer satisfaction.
• It improves brand loyalty and retention, creates competitive advantages, and allows for optimized pricing strategies.

Marketing Mix (7Ps)

• Product offerings reflect luxury, heritage, and craftsmanship.
• Apparel offerings include bridal lehengas, sarees, and menswear.
• Accessories include jewelry, handbags, footwear, and eyewear.
• Other lines included home decor by collaborating with wallpaper and crockery brands.
• The brand employs a premium pricing strategy.
• It follows a Selective Distribution Strategy.
• Promotional strategies emphasize luxury storytelling.

Promotional Strategies

• Leverages endorsements such as those of Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, and Anushka Sharma.
• Markets heavily on social media.
• Collabs with affordable luxury brands, shoe brands, and wallpaper brands.
• People-related strategies focus on artisans, customer service, brand ambassadors, and Sabyasachi Mukherjee himself as the face of the brand.

Physical Evidence and Operational Strategies

• Visual aesthetics and store designs are used.
• Brand maintains vintage interiors, handwritten labels, luxury packaging, and artistic Instagram feeds.
• Customization and exclusivity are also emphasized.

Current Reputation

• A well-known brand in Indian fashion, the label is associated with grandeur, elegance, and tradition.
• A distinctive blend of contemporary silhouettes with traditional Indian workmanship also helps it to stand out.
• Has a global presence as well as a celebrity clientele.

Limitations

• Customer service criticism and strong emphasis on traditional aesthetics, may stifle modern fashion's ability to innovate.

Strengths and Expansion

• Reaching customers worldwide by utilizing virtual consultations and e-commerce is key.

Competition and Challenges

• Strong competition from Anita Dongre, Tarun Tahiliani, and Manish Malhotra.
• Economic downturns can be impactful for the market.
• Counterfeit market and potential negative reactions to cultural appropriation over price.

Consumer Behavior Trends

• Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter have become central to brand promotion for digital engagement.
• Consumers now expect brands to tailor products, services, and communications through customizations.
• Price sensitivity and strong emphasis on product quality mark value.
• Demand for more products through health and sustainability efforts.

Marketing Strategies and Efforts

• AI provides new insights into brand and consumer behaviours.
• Brands are creating immersive environments by creating experiences.
• Integrating e-commerce opportunities with stores.

Study Results and Findings

• Brands must monitor data to assess consumer preferences and campaign performance, which allows for making swift adjustments to capture new trends.
• This required for continued consumer awareness and brand loyalty.

Research Methodology (Chapter 2)

• This study examines how Sabyasachi has connected with customers based on cultural heritage and nostalgia.
• By examining client preferences for luxury products, the study highlights brand loyalty and differentiating from competition, impacting what customers buy.
• Research methods involve studying consumer behavior and brand commitment.
• The methodology aims to collect, analyze, and interpret data to understand consumer preferences.
• One study will examine the variables affecting brand loyalty.

Study Aspects

• It was aimed to understand how celebrity endorsements can impact buying descisions, and the customer response to lower cost luxury.
• Geographical scope in the Indian luxury fashion market.
• Study covered the demographics and psychographics audience traits.
• It examined behavioral consumer patterns, and loyalty .

Data Collection Methods and Sampling Details

• Primary data through online surveys to assess Sabyasachi's brand image.

• Secondary information was also obtained through relevant channels.

• Convenience sampling was used.

• With 50 - 60 people.

• Analysis,Tools, and Limitations (Section 3)* Convenience was used.

• Limitation Details*

• The smaller sizes have a geographical bias.

• There were also methodological biases with data only from surveys and a limited sample group.

• Literature Reviews(Chapter 3)*

• Previous reviews have covered brand reputation.

• Social and status motivations were noted.

• Social media and COVID impacts were examined including affordable luxury offers.

Survey Results (Chapter 4)

• The bulk of survey respondents identify as students within an 18-25 cohort,

• Participants identify almost evenly between genders, also demonstrating brand perceptions.

• Details*

• 4% rarely buy fashion goods.

• Those surveyed primarily have found Sabyasachi through social media platforms.

• The brand was defined as “Traditional and regal”, however some modernity was noted.

• Instagram was the primary driver for luxury brands.

• The polls suggest its audience may be market appeal due to exclusive shops and not availability.

• Customer Service (4.6)*

• Polls suggest the customer experience was satisfactory, and may need improvements.

• The consumers also would prefer shopping in store.

• The study suggests what was key for product decisions.