London's House of Creed opens first boutique in India

Giles Gordon (GG). We believe in inviting the customer to an in-depth and authentic experience.  India holds a significant place in our long-term global strategy as a fast-growing market with a deep appreciation for craftsmanship, heritage, and artistry. These values are core to the House of Creed. As the luxury landscape evolves here, we see India not just as a commercial opportunity, but as an artistic and cultural partner.  This could be exciting from a communication perspective in the future. The country's dynamic consumer base and rising global influence make it an exciting time for our launch.

Q. What inspired you to bring Creed Fragrance to India? How do you see it fitting into the local luxury market?

Satyaki Banerjee (SB). India is an exciting market filled with potential for luxury beauty to grow in the next 10 years, with the five-year CAGR estimated to be between 13 and 16 percent. India’s luxury beauty market size is expected to cross $1 billion in 2025, reach $1.6 billion by 2028 and $4 billion by 2035. Overall, the market is approaching an inflection point, with potential to experience exponential growth exhibited by other Asian economies such as China. Affluence is expected to surge over the next five to 10 years, with the number of high-income households projected to triple, leading to more demand for luxury beauty products.

At present, luxury beauty holds only about 4 percent share of the overall beauty and personal care market, providing a huge headroom for growth. At a category level, fragrance is the largest luxury beauty category in India, with a 43 percent market share, which is higher than any Southeast Asian market, and it is evenly split across men and women. We believe the market is ripe for luxury beauty brands to enter and take advantage of its growth potential.

Q. What types of fragrances will Creed offer in India? How will they cater to local preferences?

SB We see high demand for fragrances along the citrus, woody and musky scent profiles across the Indian market, which resonates with Creed’s classic creations such as Aventus, Silver Mountain Water, Green Irish Tweed and Aventus for Her. The House of Creed has decades of perfumery excellence and craftsmanship, which the Indian consumer will find suitable for their tastes and preferences.

Also read: A great perfume is a great story: Kilian Hennessy

Q. How do you propose to position Creed Fragrance among other luxury perfume brands in India?

SB The niche luxury fragrance category in India is a nascent space primed for growth and now is the right time for Creed to enter the market. The House of Creed carries a rich heritage of perfume creation dating back to its founding in 1760. It is internationally renowned, with associations and endorsements even from the British royal family throughout its brand history.

GG. There is a growing presence of luxury fragrance houses in India, which is a sign of the market’s evolution and the increasing refinement of the Indian consumer. At the House of Creed, craftsmanship is more than a value, it’s the soul of the brand. Every fragrance is handcrafted at our artisanal Maison in Fontainebleau, carrying on a tradition that began over two centuries ago. We pride ourselves on a slow, deliberate process that pays homage to the skill of the artisan and the integrity of each ingredient. 

From left: Satyaki Banerjee, Group CEO of LUXASIA; Giles Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer of the House of Creed

Q. What opportunities and challenges do you foresee in the Indian market, and how will you address them?

GG  We take a measured approach to expansion, prioritising the right timing and locations that align with our brand values and clients. Whilst we are highly selective about location, size, and experience, we are excited to confirm our presence at the upcoming Galeries Lafayette in Mumbai this September. We are also actively exploring opportunities for boutiques in both Mumbai and Bengaluru. These cities show strong potential and align with our long-term vision for India. For us, every new location must elevate the client experience.

Delhi was chosen for the Creed’s first flagship boutique in India due to its status as the country’s top luxury market. The brand’s artisanal values and attention to detail align strongly with Delhi’s cultural richness and its affluent, globally connected audience. Luxury retail destinations like The Chanakya are ideal for an immersive hyper-personalised experience.

Q. What's the pricing strategy, and how will you make the brand accessible to a wider audience?

GG  Our prices reflect the craftsmanship of our fragrances, from sourcing the highest quality ingredients, to refining in small but mighty scale the fragrance creation process. In our boutiques we provide services such as fragrance profiling for clients to discover scents that speak to them, luxury gift wrapping, ribbon printing and engraving for an ultra-personalised touch.

Q. What role will you play in adapting Creed Fragrance to the Indian market, and how will you ensure its success?

SB  India is a highly fragmented market that requires product portfolios to be tailored by region and cities to effectively cater to the cultural diversity and local nuances of each demographic. We have a robust team of Indian leaders and talents who know the market, understand local trends and preference, and know how to win the hearts of local consumers. This team maintains deep relationships with key luxury beauty retailers in India, both online and offline. Luxasia will also tap into its omnichannel capabilities, driven by in-house apps, technology tools, and back-office systems to level up retail execution and efficiency. 

Furthermore, our relationship with Creed spans two decades. Our close partnership and communication will ensure we are responsive to in-market developments.

Creed Classics: Green Irish Tweed, Aventus, SIlver Mountain Water

Q. Will you partner with local retailers, online platforms, or distributors to expand your reach?

SB  In a market as large as India for a brand as prestigious as Creed, we need to be curated and discerning in how we intend to reach target consumers and achieve commercial success. In the first chapter of our Indian journey, we started with a physical counter in Scentido, a niche perfumery, followed by accelerating our presence online with beauty platforms such as Nykaa, TataCLiQ Luxury, and culminating in the opening to our flagship boutique. For us, it is about reaching the right demographic of consumers and being able to show up in the right spaces at the right moment.

Q. Do you plan to source any ingredients or materials locally in India?

GG  The artisans at The House of Creed travel to every corner to select the finest crops. We believe that some of the best quality ingredients are in India. As such, we source jasmine and tuberose from India, used in some of our celebrated fragrances.

Q. Do you have a face for the brand in India? Karan Johar and Virat Kohli have been associated with Creed perfumes. 

SB  Karan Johar and Virat Kohli are both organic fans of the brand. But there's no formal partnership with them. Personally for me, it's always the best when you have organic love for the brand versus paid partnerships.