Marie Claire Paris forays in salon & wellness segment in India

Delighted by the response in Indian market, French lifestyle brand Marie Claire is betting big on brand licensing strategies to enter newer segments in India. Of late, the brand has entered into the beauty and wellness vertical in India with the launch of Marie Claire Salon, Wellness and Academy. Mumbai based B2C Network is the exclusive licensee of Marie Claire Salon & Wellness as well as IIWA in India.

The deal was mediated by Bradford License India that hold the exclusive representation of the french magazine in India. Marie Claire spans 28 markets, engages and connects with more than 90 million women around the world. Announcing the launch Roberto Bre, CEO, Private Collection & Co. (Marie Claire Paris) said, “For generations Marie Claire brand has captivated women with its smart, trend setter, stylish and great appetite for life.

This philosophy of Marie Claire will be reflected in the Marie Claire Salon & Wellness, thus taking the engagement with our clients in India to the next level. We will proactively respond to the demands of this market by deliver wonderful experiences consistently." Vandana Bhardwaj, Director, Marie Claire Salon & Wellness India said, “We are proud to become the exclusive licensee of Marie Claire Salon & Wellness as well as IIWA in India." She added that Marie Claire aims to have 20 unisex salons in next 3 years with focus primarily on engaging clients by offering them high quality services in an international ambience at affordable prices.

Commenting on the deal, Chitra S. Johri, Director, Bradford License India added, “We have extended Marie Claire brand in fashion and lifestyle space in various product categories, creating great affiliation for the brand among the consumers. And with growing inclination of beauty and wellness industry towards fashion brands, Marie Claire Salon, Wellness and Academy becomes the strategic logical extension under hybrid format.

B2C Network is surely the right contender for this category, given the amount of experience it holds in this industry segment. Bradford is extremely confident of this venture and will closely support the licensee in deriving the desired growth.” All salons and academies in India will be Franchisee owned and the brand would soon appoint master franchisees across various regions.

The brand would initially focus on major metros, Tier 1, Tier 2 cities before expanding its footprint to smaller towns. "All our salons will be established in high street zones and premium retail hubs drawing huge footfalls. We look forward to achieve a sizeable market share for Marie Claire Salon & Wellness in India," told Bhardwaj.

Indian wellness industry Driven by changing lifestyle and trends, the Indian Salon industry stands at a staggering USD 2 billion mark and is expected to touch USD 3.5 billion by this year. Glancing at the high growth pattern, private equity investors are eyeing the salon business and this has proven to be the key funding source for the salon industry’s growth.

Today India comprises of 25 per cent organized salon market, which will increase its share to 30 per cent. As per a study by FICCI and PwC, India’s wellness industry is poised to touch Rs 1,50,000 crore in 2018, with a compounded annual growth rate of 15-17 per cent.