The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton has often been spotted in Seraphine dress: Rajat Kapoor

After dressing the Duchess of Cambridge and other international celebrities, international maternity fashion label Seraphine will soon enter India. Ahead of the brand launch, Kay Kay Clothing LLP director Rajat Kapoor speaks to Indian Retailer and shares why this is the right time for brand to enter Indian market. The brand will open doors to customers in September. Excerpts from the interview:

Why did Seraphine choose to enter the Indian market at this point of time and what growth opportunities do you see in the Indian market?
The Indian maternity wear market is fast growing, especially since more and more women now choose to continue working in their pregnancy. The need for a trendy yet comfortable wardrobe is very strong, with not many brands to fulfill it. Seraphine is one of the most prominent and successful maternity brands in the world, it seemed serendipitous that they were looking at the Indian market for expansion and we, at Kay Kay Clothing, were looking for a brand to fill this particular gap. 

Maternity wear is a very niche segment with very few popular labels in India. How is the demand and market for maternity wear here?
India has always been a difficult market to crack in terms of apparel, and maternity wear is no different. If we look at the change in mindset, in terms of health and fitness during pregnancy, now is the time to provide the right kind of product, since the demand is not being fulfilled completely. Now pregnant women, no longer want to wear just loose roomy clothes, the bump is no longer to be hidden, but it’s to be celebrated. 

Will there be an exclusive collection for domestic customers or will the international collection be available here as well?
The international collection will be available here, priced very competitively for the Indian market. We are an international brand, which is will be available in India, we will offer the same experience to our patrons. The product range will be between Rs. 1500 for a t-shirt to Rs. 20,000 for a formal evening gown. The flagship store will be opened at a high-street mall in New Delhi

What are your expansion plans? 
We are planning to open our first in Delhi and we will be expanding to Mumbai and Bangalore over the next 3 years with a total of 5 stores. 

Are you looking at any omnichannel strategies to expand? 
For the moment we are only looking at flagship stores which will be destinations for pregnant women, we are also looking at sub franchising at some point in the future. We will be available online as well since e-commerce makes us more accessible. 

Will there be any celebrity endorsements as part of your promotions?
The Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton has often been spotted in Seraphine dress, who wore a signature Seraphine dress for the first family picture of Prince George, and in her latest pregnancy has been seen in public in dozens of Seraphine outfits, including on her Royal tour to Norway this year where she chose a lace dress from the brand to meet the King in Oslo. Our clientele also includes Zara Tindall and the Princesses of Sweden as well as A-list celebrities like Jessica Alba, Gwen Stefani, and Anne Hathaway. We are a very popular brand with celebrities internationally and hope to continue to offer the same kind of service and customer satisfaction to Indian celebrities.