The Indian luxury market has seen an unprecedented growth in the past few years, largely attributed to the rising impact of technological advancements and social media presence. Keeping in mind the great digital revolution taking the country by storm and the increase in the number of Millennial consumers, DLF introduced its newest offering in the Capital city last year – The Chanakya.
The mall – situated near Lutyens’ Delhi – offers the best of fashion, food and cinema all under one roof.
“With the right tenant mix, multiple options for food and entertainment, we are sure that our concept boutique-cum-contemporary luxury destination, The Chanakya, will be a huge success,” says Dinaz Madhukar, Executive Vice President, DLF Luxury Retail & Hospitality.
The mall is located in the heart of Delhi, in Chanakyapuri.
“The Chanakya has opened its doors in a natural location for luxury. Since it’s surrounded by so many embassies and multiple five-star hotels, it’s in a high net worth residential zone. This location is a no-brainer. Home to the bureaucrats and diplomats of the city, this is perhaps the most beautiful area of Delhi,” says Madhukar.
What to Expect at The Chanakya
Malls are favourite hangout joints for India’s urban population, great places to spend quality time with friends and family. For a mall to become more than just a shopping paradise, to be known as a one stop community hub, it needs a judicious mix of retail, food and entertainment.
According to Madhukar, “We offer a best of movie theatre experiences with a 3-screen PVR Cinema equipped with the best in screening and audio technology.”
The mall also houses a casual food space called Café C, which offers various cuisines including Western, Mediterranean, Italian, Oriental and Deli dishes apart from desserts. The café has already become a popular place for meetings, casual brunches and even the occasional coffee date.
The more formal multi-level gourmet restaurant – MKT – offers 17 delectable cuisines from across the world, a formidable wine collection and sports live cooking theatres to entertain and elevate consumer dining experience.
“Taking the gourmet experience a notch higher, MKT has also introduced the luxury edition of Foodhall – a unique food retail destination, where you can shop and indulge in the best of local ingredients and cuisines from around the globe. In addition to this, our latest offering NOI – a high-energy bar serves the best international wines and spirits, ranging from Tequilas to Sake to serving wine on tap – a novel concept being introduced for the very first time in the country,” says Madhukar.
The tenant mix too, says Madhukar, is just right with iconic brands like Mont Blanc, JLC, Hermès, Rolex and Panerai setting up shop in the mall, alongside aspirational brands like Ted Baker, Thomas Pink, Diesel.
The Chanakya also houses Indian contemporary brands like Janavi, Nicobar, Paro & Shalimar by Good Earth, Anita Dongre’s Grassroot, Outhouse, Perona, Ranna Gill and Neeru Kumar and Madhukar says retail giants like Chanel and Ralph Lauren are all set to open shop in the mall soon.
“With the right tenant mix, multiple options for food and entertainment, The Chanakya, is already creating waves in retail. In addition to this, adequate security measures, parking facilities and most importantly adequate hygiene facilities encourages customers to spend more time at the mall. This in turn translates to more money spent per footfall at the mall,” explains Madhukar.
Innovation, striking the right tenant mix, effective mall management, personal experience, bespoke services and provision of ample parking space are components that play an important role in generating footfalls.
Brand Mix
The luxury retail sector in India has been steadily yet significantly growing over the last few years. Increasing brand awareness and a growing purchasing power of the upper middle class in Tier I, II and III has led to a demand of luxury products in the country. And luxury brands are making a beeline for the emerging market that is India.
Brands had earlier lacked space and the right format to enter India, but The Chanakya provides the just right platform, the perfect location and a discerning audience for international luxury retail majors – in categories such as fashion, home décor, dining and entertainment – to launch their wares in the country.
She further adds, “This curated mix of homegrown and international brands have introduced their special luxe editions at the mall. More brands that will be opening luxury stores in our mall this year include Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Paro by Good Earth, AJSK Gulabo, and Brunello Cucinelli, to name a few.”
Marketing & Promotions
In keeping with its image of being a contemporary luxury destination, the mall’s promotion strategy is bespoke and personalized.
“Since the opening of The Chanakya, we have hosted various exclusive events for diplomats, bureaucrats and ambassadors to cater to our prime audience in Chanakyapuri. We hosted a curated dinner for royal families of the country and also recently concluded our very The Chanakya Festival and Women’s Day Brunch that raised the bar of events hosted in the city,” says Madhukar.
With the evolution of the consumers through increasing digital influence, The Chanakya has adopted many methods to connect with guests. “Our strong social media presence on all platforms, digital promotions through e-mailers, monthly newsletters, e-magazine and website keeps our customers aware of the latest offers and events at the mall,” explains Madhukar.
“At The Chanakya, we have also introduced an exclusive digital screen at the entry that showcases campaigns of our in-house brands and other relevant promotions that keep our shoppers well informed,” she adds.
Apart from this, the DLF Foundation – which is known for its work towards empowering communities and creating livelihood opportunities for the underprivileged through education, health and skill development – also holds special events in the mall to raise money and supplies for the disadvantaged.
“We recently hosted a special event for Spread A Smile Foundation to contribute towards a safe, healthy, well-fed environment for street children and assisting them in leading a better life,” asserts Madhukar.
“We also are extremely responsible towards the environment and building sustainable structures is our core strength. The Chanakya has been constructed keeping in mind the importance of being ecologically sound. The entire mall has been lit with only LED lighting which is a non-traditional approach yet super-efficient as it consumes minimum electricity. Multiple solar panels have been installed at the rooftop to ensure natural source of energy consumption. The catchment is covered with lush green trees and plants to help control and clean environmental pollution. In addition to this, special provisions have been made that ensures 100 percent reuse of waste generated and doesn’t put load on the city waste network,” she concludes.
