A taste for excellence

Samyukta Nair, 32, London, Jamavar, Head, Design and Operations, The Leela; Founder and CEO, Dandelion, Co-founder, Jamavar restaurant

A splendid, but inconspicuous structure in the compound of The Leela's oldest outpost in Mumbai, which opened its ornate doors in 1986, is the Leela bungalow, with its well-manicured lawns and regal, yet understated interiors. Equally intriguing and filled with paradoxes, is its youngest resident, Samyukta Nair, 32, the daughter of Dinesh Nair. The latter currently serves as Co-chairman and Managing Director of Hotel Leelaventure, the listed holding company of the hospitality group, which generated revenues of over USD 100 million in 2016, as reported by Forbes. But Samyukta is more than your average inheritor. "I wish I could feed into the stereotype of a hotel heiress but nothing could be farther from the truth," she said. Her drive to at once embrace and trounce the "legatee" label is tangibly apparent from the multitude of enterprising ventures she set up and now successfully runs, besides her role as Head of Design and Operations at The Leela. In September 2014, she started her own range of sleepwear called Dandelion. A little over two years later, she co-founded the 15-yearold fine dining Leela restaurant Jamavar's first international edition in London. This drive, she admits is something her mother, Madhu Nair instilled in her. "Of course, I am cognisant of my privilege-and grateful for it-but I have also been raised to treat this privilege as something to earn, and to continue to serve," she says.

An art enthusiast from a young age when her family shuffled between New York and Mumbai, Nair's discerning eye for aesthetics has sustained over the years. "My mother took me to museums and galleries, where I learned about composition, hanging art, and about the artists and their own beautiful and challenging lives," she recalls. Today, a young art collector, the collectible works she owns and treasures most are those by Nalini Malini and Dayanita Singh. This passion, teamed with an Executive MBA degree from Ecole hoteliere de Lausanne, Switzerland, enabled her to start out as her mother's understudy at The Leela. "She is Director, Design and Operations, and I can tell you from experience, not easy to please," she says. Nair's first project as an associate from start to finish, began with The Leela Udaipur in 2008, where she worked on the art and embellishment programme. "Shriji (Arvind Singh Mewar, Maharana of Udaipur), being dear friend of the family, permitted us to go into his archives and use his forefathers' portraits as art within the hotel," she says. Once she had worked her way to the top in her vertical over four years, Nair's hankering to disrupt her preordained professional course, bolstered by prohibitive shipping charges on nightwear from abroad, led to Dandelion in 2014. "I noticed a distinct lack in this niche (in India)-cool, comfortable and chic loungewear or sleepwear was just not available," she says. Today, all their prints are exclusive to the Dandelion design board. "Every year, we create editions worn by Sonam Kapoor in her downtime during her appearances at Cannes. These were created for Sonam, who is a close childhood friend (and might I add: a Dandelion loyalist)," she says.

But Nair wasn't done. In December 2016, she co-founded fine dining restaurant Jamavar in London. With a seating capacity of 106 covers, a projected turnover of USD 7.9 million in the first year and 10 per cent year on year growth for the next three years, Nair says, "Jamavar's holistic approach to Indian cuisine, showcasing the flavours of the royal kitchens of north India, and succulent options from the rivers and shores of the south, was a distinctive offering for London." Celebrated Chef Rohit Ghai is at its helm, and within a short (but eventful) eight months since its inception, the restaurant, which occupies prime real estate in Mayfair, has been awarded four stars by food critic Fay Maschler in the Evening Standard, declared the Top Newcomer Restaurant 2017 by Harden's Restaurant Guide and made it to number 39 in Time Out's coveted top 100 list. "Ghai comes to the job with a wide range of experience, having also overseen the food at Trishna, the other Indian Michelin starred restaurant in the Gymkhana stable, with its emphasis on Indian south west coastal cuisine," says food writer, Bruce Palling. "He embraces all regions of the subcontinent, with idli in a tamarind broth with beetroot, Malabar prawns and a seven course vegetarian tasting menu. Drink critics have also been positive both about the pricing and variety on offer, with the wine pairing considered good value at Rs 4,200."

Culinary brilliance isn't all that's on offer at Jamavar. Nair's initiative married ideals and luxury, leading to the creation of the Jamavar Women's Club in July, a series of interactions between accomplished women. An "antidote to the longstanding boy's clubs of Mayfair", guest speakers included chef and author Florence Knight and former England cricketer Isa Guha, and it has all the trappings of an exclusive club. Tickets cost Pounds 45 and include a welcome drink, canapes and a three course dinner. "My mother raised me as a feminist, and my work and the creation of the Women's Club is an extension of this idea," she says.

Nair's indomitable ambition and intrepid manner, have her consistently hurling her passion and purpose onto newer ventures. So, just when you think there aren't enough hours in the day or months in the year to take on any other endeavours, she is working on two more. "Dabbawala is our second restaurant that launches on Maddox Street, Mayfair, this October. Named after the dabbawala's of Mumbai, the restaurant pays homage to the culture and people of the city, it tips its hat to a spirit of resilience, originality, and industry," she says. And then there's Clove. "Nestled in the old art deco quarter of Colaba, my concept store Clove is akin to visiting a small, private, stylish home." Clove will curate Nair's top picks across the fields of fashion, design and craft from India, "housing a whimsical yet purposeful edit of homegrown designers."

As she designs avant-garde luxury experiences for patrons across industries and borders, we believe Nair when she says her luxurious expe-rience entails "sleeping safely in my own bed. With my family at close call."

While investing in luxury

Invest in art

It adds beauty to your life, and if you're smart about it, its value grows. Rana Begum, Neha Choksi, Sarnath Banerjee are good starts.

Invest in heirlooms

I love the sentimental value of being able to pass down a treasure to generations that follow.

Invest in classic versus trendy

Trendy is for the season but classic stands the test of time.

Invest in property

Hot destinations include Spain and Portugal but my great love remains London.

Invest in who you can trust

Follow people you know and whose opinion you can count on, as the real luxury in life is being able to rely on the brilliance of others.

5 things about Indian luxury market

1. Urban Indian luxury market is no longer classified to the metro cities. Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities account for a large part of the Indian luxury market today.

2. A younger audience, well-versed, with a higher spending power makes up for a large part of the Indian luxury market-these are the cool young folk who make purchases off Instagram as we've seen at Dandelion.

3. Indian luxury market is looking at bespoke offerings that are tailormade to suit their needs. Unlike the West where bespoke is extravagant, in India, we have excellent services such as tailoring on call and customisation.

4. Digital reach and social media has resulted in people making more informed decisions and increased awareness about luxury products is widespread. Luxury is experience and there is an increasingly younger domestic audience that visit our properties.

5. Counterfeit products are indiscriminately available and intellectual property loopholes make It easier for them to flood the market.

By Asmita Bakshi

Kanika Tekriwal, 28, Delhi, JETSETGO Founder, Online marketplace for private jets

Photo: Shekhar Ghosh

Founded in 2014 by Kanika Tekriwal, JetSetGo has in less than three years transformed the face of luxury air travel in the country. While her orthodox Marwari family never wanted her to step into the aviation sector, Tekriwal knew this is what she wanted to do.

True calling

She did her graduation in visual communication design in Mumbai and went to the UK for an MBA, only due to family pressure, but that didn't deter her from following her heart. "In Mumbai, I started designing hoardings and newspaper ads for a company. One day I had to get some approvals from my boss and walked into his office, where I spotted a model building with a helipad on top. When I looked at it, I told him that the helipad was wrongly placed. The next day he asked to set up the aviation vertical of his company, and that was the beginning of everything," she says.

The challenge

After completing her MBA, she went back to Bhopal. A persistent ache in her arm led her to discover a cancerous tumour in her neck. However, instead of killing her spirit, a year plus of painful chemotherapy and radiation gave Tekriwal the time to ideate and plan for JetSetGo. A year after full recovery, she packed her bags against her parent's wishes and moved to Delhi, where she started working as a consultant to private jet owners, helping them buy and maintain planes.

Flights of fantasy

While initially a lot of people didn't understand the concept of booking a luxury jet online or through an app, Tekriwal won support for her venture from affluential people within six months of launch. JetSetGo offers jet and helicopter services to different types of customers. From high net worth tourists who are short on time and want to visit exotic places that are not accessible by commercial planes to corporate houses, with offices in remote locations such as Rourkela, Odisha. It costs Rs 10 lakh to travel in a sixseater private jet from Delhi to Mumbai. www.jetsetgo.in

By Mohini Mehrotra

Ragini Mehra, 52, Delhi, Beauty Source, Founder, Natural luxury beauty retailing company

Photo: Yasir Iqbal

Nature has always been an inspiration for Ragini Mehra, a trained architecture and an entrepreneur, who believed in going back to the roots and the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda. Having grown up seeing her grandmother and mother use kitchen ingredients for everyday grooming and health needs, it was a natural progression for her to focus on starting a business where chemical-free ingredients rule the game. Just like the interior projects done by her, where nature and lots of greenery is the signature look, the products retailed by her company Beauty Source, are also pure.

How it all began

Started in 2014, and funded largely through loans, the company offers a range of premium products in the skincare, body care and hair care segment, from global brands such as Hedonista, Sans (ceuticals), Valentia, and Egyptian Magic. She started retailing out of Silhouette Hair & Beauty salon, The Oberoi Hotel, Delhi, and is now present at other locations including Silhouette salons at The Oberoi, Gurgaon and Mumbai, besides online presence through their own website and other platforms such as Amazon and Elitify.

Seal of approval

All products undergo testing before they come under the Beauty Source umbrella; an online R&D testing is done for presence of harmful chemicals, sulphates, dioxides, and silicones. "We test all of them for any negative reactions on the skin and evaluate how they have helped your skin over a period of time," she says. The products are priced between Rs 2,000 and Rs 7,000. www.beautysource.in

By Shelly Anand

Faiza Seth, 39, London,Casa Forma, CEO and Founder, Luxury interiors and architecture firm

Despite having majored in economics from Northwestern University, US, with an MBA from Stanford, Faiza Seth founded Casa Forma in 2007, initially as a property development firm. With the Great Recession in 2008, she took a more conservative approach and started offering interior design and architectural services to clients which is what Casa Forma has evolved to today.

Tell us about Casa Forma's projects?

We are currently working on a very high-end office project in Mayfair, London, and have also been approached to design a 13,000 sq ft country house, where we will be involved in the interior design as well as architectural details of the project.

What does luxury mean to you?

Luxury is time, time to be truly creative and offer the client a bespoke design package. People are more aware of the value of quality, craftsmanship and are looking for unique spaces, where they can enjoy personal quality of life.

What do you think of India as a market for luxury goods and services?

The luxury market for Indian goods has developed over the past few years. There are many quality furniture suppliers producing pieces the same or better quality than the UK and European market. Their understanding of materials, creativity and technological knowledge makes them unique.

What are your future plans with Casa Forma?

I want to expand Casa Forma further in India and China. www.casaforma.co.uk

By Prachi Sibal

Taruna Seth, 36, Delhi,Pearl Luxe, Founder, Bespoke travel company

Photo: Rajwant Rawat

It was in 2010 when Taruna Seth realised that there's a huge gap in the luxury travel market for high-end experiential-based holidays. That's what inspired her to start Pearl Luxe, a luxury travel consultancy company.

What's the USP of your company?

We work closely with travellers to curate an itinerary that's perfect for them. Specialising in luxury honeymoons and theme-based travel and unique experiences, we craft holidays around the globe. At Pearl Luxe, our goal is to move away from a 'sea of sameness' and understand that authenticity is more about something genuine and real and less about the amenities. We look at different elements such as art, gastronomy, shopping, and history to craft travel experiences of a lifetime.

What makes Pearl Luxe different from other luxury travel companies?

There is excess of access to travel information today thanks to the Internet. But our clients trust us to sift through the noise and curate the best experience for them given their profile, budget and expectations. In this time of information overload, they like experts and experienced travel advisors to plan their time away and plan it seamlessly.

Your favourite luxury holiday locations Peru is one of my top holiday destinations. It offers a mix of art, culture, gastronomy, history, shopping and the great outdoors. www.pearl-luxe.com

By Mohini Mehrotra

Radha Kapoor Khanna, 32, Mumbai, Indian School of Dl and Innovation, Founder and CEO, DOIT Creations, Company who brought Maison Longchamp Paris to India

For an entrepreneur who has brought in French luxury brand Maison Longchamp Paris to India, launched ISDI (Indian School of Design and Innovation) in collaboration with New York's Parsons School of Design and introduced urban customers to professional dry cleaning services with the Spanish brand Pressto, luxury is a part of life."For me, luxury is appreciation of artistry and craftsmanship and the ability of human hands to create things that are special with exquisite design and the highest quality materials," says Radha Kapoor Khanna.

How is the luxury market shaping up

The market is not without its challenges-tax structure, limited retail inventory, scarce luxury-ready human resources-but we are operationally in a favourable space than when we started off. What is most promising about India is the sizeable population of burgeoning middle income group households that are upwardly mobile, getting sophisticated and seek global lifestyle.

Plans in the pipeline

Maison Longchamp Paris has boutiques in DLF Emporio, Delhi and Palladium in Mumbai. Over the next few years, it will be our focus to grow this brand by creating awareness and opening more boutiques. Pressto is another special brand that we as a group are growing. We entered the unorganised dry-cleaning market and created a strong space for organised, professional garment care in India. www.isdi.in

By Aditi Pai

Chhavi Chaddha, 46, Delhi, Bespoke Tailormade Experiences, Chief Curator, Luxury travel company

Photo: Rajwant Rawat

The 40th birthday celebrations in Raj Vilas, Jaipur, are about to start, guests have flown in from across the globe. Suddenly the host wants to kick start the party with a puja in an ancient Shiv temple; a request that is effortlessly carried out. Sounds far-fetched? This is just another day at work for Chhavi Chadhha. Unlike run-of-the-mill travel agents, Chadhha is a travel designer, curating luxury travel for clients through her company Bespoke Tailormade Experiences.

Tell us more about your company

My entrepreneurial journey started in 2008, but my brand Bespoke took off in 2015. I saw a developing market in India for luxury and experiential travel. Celebrations were becoming huge; people were stepping out of their comfort zone to ring in 50th birthday or a golden anniversary. Destination weddings were becoming a choice.

How far have you customised travel for your luxury traveller?

We customise to the tee. From the room type to the pillow selection, personalised amenities in the room, and birthday surprises where every request of the client is made to come true, no matter how remote the location. We do packages starting at Rs 7 lakh per person for a week long holiday with a luxury hotel accommodation. www.bte.world

By Ridhi Kale

Gauri and Radhika Tandon, 40, Mumbai & US, Isharya, Co-founders, Premium designer jewellery brand

((From left) Radhika Tandon and Gauri Tandon

Gauri Tandon has a trick for finding out whether or not a piece of jewellery fits her standard for luxury. "I always turn it around and look at the back to see how it is finished," she says. At Isharya's Bandra store, launched in August, Tandon demonstrates this with a pair of earrings from their Hampi Collection. Turning the white resin pearl drop earrings around, she displays the clean metallic back and the fine filigree work in the design of Isharya's logo. The earrings are double backed with an omega back as well as a push clasp that ensures the jewellery sits comfortably on the earlobe. The back looks as good as the front and this is one of the reasons why they retail the pair of 18 carat gold-plated brass earrings for Rs 7,080.

Jewellery has always been a passion for Tandon. She's a hoarder, she admits, and has no idea how many pieces she has collected over the years. It is an obsession she shares with her sister-in-law and business partner Radhika Tandon. While Tandon overlooks the design team in India, California-based Radhika keeps an eye on market trends, buyer feedback, global sales and brand presence. After all, with Hollywood's repeated stamp of approval (they've found fans in Sofia Vergara, Lucy Lui, Jennifer Lopez, Drew Barrymore, Cindy Crawford and others) the US remains a big market for them. Now 14 years old, Isharya's presence has grown in 60 countries across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. "When we first began, no one was doing Indian costume jewellery. They were either into fine jewellery or bottom of the barrel stuff," says Tandon. A key investment for the company has been a showroom in Paris, which caters to the international buyers for stores such as Harvey Nichols and Bloomingdales, where Isharya is retailed. www.isharya.com

By Moeena Halim

Gauri Garodia, 44, Singapore,Code Deco, Founder, Artisanal perfume company

On the surface, the luxury perfume market seems saturated, yet there is a lack of distinctiveness and individuality. It was this realisation that led Gauri Garodia to quit her job with Unilever tasked with writing perfume briefs for global brands, and start her own privately held and funded company Code Deco in 2013, which creates original concept perfumes. Her discontent with the choices on offer in the market made her tailor fragrances that are evocative, nuanced, pleasurable, and luxurious without being overpowering. "A well-crafted fragrance speaks to us and can affect us in different ways. It may transform mood, recreate a sense of place or time, and allow you to preset yourself in new ways. With Code Deco, I want to share the joy of creating and wearing a masterfully crafted perfume," says Garodia. Retailed at select lifestyle stores in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Singapore, Belgium, and India, and available online at Code Deco websites, the perfumes stand apart due to their non-linear, complex and tightly edited structures. Their Jazz Collection is inspired by the free-spirited nature of jazz music and has multi-faceted notes such as dark woods, smoky tobacco and leather. The Series Blanc, on the other hand, is inspired by the idea of white and its many facets-purity, radiance, stillness, strength and sophistication.

Priced at Rs 8,000; www.codedeco.com.sg

By Shelly Anand

Anvita Mehra, 26, Delhi,Confidential Couture,Pre-owned luxury goods buying and selling website

Photo: Chandradeep Kumar

Anvita Mehra stumbled upon the idea of starting Confidential Couture during her student days at the Nottingham University, UK, when she decided to sell her designer handbag to fund a budget holiday to Barcelona, with a friend. It made her think how she could sell her pre-owned items to make money and buy anything. That's how her website that deals in selling and buying pre-owned stuff got launched in 2014, with an investment of Rs 20 lakh, self-funded by her and the family. Today, the platform has six to seven categories of luxury buys ranging from handbags, shoes, watches, and other accessories. Starting from Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Michael Kors, the online marketplace is trying to bridge the gap between mass and class, and making luxury affordable. With stress upon authenticity and thorough checks before putting up any item for sale on the website, Mehra ensures that consumers get information about the quality of the product they plan to buy. With three distinctive categories-fairly used, gently used and never been used-every single product comes with a tag, so that buyers know what they are in for. "Our inhouse authentication team ensures that there are no fakes," she says. www.confidentialcouture.com

By Shelly Anand

Pearl Jimmy Mistry, 21, Mumbai and London, Della Group, Product Development General Manager, Adventure Park & Resorts Company

For three years while she pursued her undergraduate studies, Pearl Jimmy Mistry, overlooked the marketing activities, digital presence and online sales for the Della group's latest venture DATA (Della Adventure Training Academy), a military-style training academy with luxury amenities for civilians to go 'glamping', as well as Della Adventure Park and Resorts. The first-of-its-kind Lonavala-based resort has been the brainchild of Pearl's father, architect and designer Jimmy Mistry. "Shadowing my father and being a helping hand, irrespective of the department, has been part of my role at Della," says Pearl. Jimmy Mistry's passion has been contagious for his children, and Pearl developed a fondness for design at an early age. "I wanted to be an architect/designer throughout school but as I grew older the vision got clearer. My dream is to set up a successful e-store in the short-run while the long-term goal for the company would be a global presence for Della Stores and further expansion into other cities for Della Adventure and Resorts," she says. With her father as mentor and guide, she admits that on-the-job learning has taught her far more than she could have imagined. But pursuing a post-graduate was the obvious next step, which is what led her to the London Business School's Management Programme. Her year's sabbatical is aimed to gear her up for the company's new e-commerce and retail business, Della Stores. www.dellagroup.in

By Moeena Halim