From Brazil to the World: Carmen Steffens Ventures into India and Middle East

Latin American brand, Carmen Steffens, has entered the India and Middle East markets and plans to open 50 stores this year. The Brazil-based brand is known for its handmade leather shoes, handbags, and clothes. Brazil’s category leader is aiming to target middle-income and high-income group consumers.

Carmen Steffens Maison consists of 70 percent luxury clothing and 30 percent divided among shoes, purses, and accessories. This makes the brand the most unique and classic of the group. CS Club, the fast fashion store with shoes, handbags, and accessories, and CS Young, the business model that targets a younger audience, are part of the brand's portfolio. Additionally, Raphael Steffens is a brand exclusively designed for modern men, offering shoes, accessories, and clothing.

Explaining the brand’s entry into India and the Middle East, Mario Spaniol, Founder and President of Carmen Steffens Group, said, “Entering India with our brand Carmen Steffens is a huge opportunity for us to grow both in terms of revenue and our global footprint. I have visited India for the first time and went to a couple of malls, where I saw multiple international brands are present at one place. In India, we plan to open our outlets in malls and high-traffic areas.”

He further stated, “I think there is a good possibility for the brand to grow in India and the Middle East because the consumer patterns in both India and Brazil are similar. We offer good quality products, designs, and competitive prices for our consumers. While we are a luxury product company, our prices are not as high as premium Italian or French brands. We see a good opportunity in India to grow among medium-income and higher-income group individuals.”

Regarding brand expansion in India and globally, Spaniol said, “We plan to open 30 stores in Brazil and 10 stores in other countries this year. Every year, we aim to open 10-15 stores around the world, with a potential for opening 50 stores in India, Dubai, and the Middle East.”

Carmen Steffens clocked 250 million euros in revenue last year and plans to grow by 20 percent the next year. Mario said, “We have been growing exponentially across our categories, and with this growth, we also plan to enter 4 new countries every year. We plan to enter Portugal, China, Australia, etc. The international business is all franchise-based, and we are the category leader in Brazil. Particularly, this business segment will grow threefold in India.”

Carmen Steffens have their flagship stores in Argentina, Mexico, Aruba and Panama. It has footprints across 20 countries with 560 stores. The brand is also planning to increase the number of flagship stores across the globe.