Montblanc India’s managing director on changing consumer trends and the luxury market in India

Neeraj Walia lets us in on why the luxury market in India is booming, his expansion plans for the brand, and catering to a younger audience

Two weeks ago, at Mumbai’s Jio World Drive, Montblanc–known for its watches, writing instruments and leather goods–showcased the newest range of products at its store, taking  the opportunity to also present its 1858 Iced Sea watch range, with the addition of a new grey colour which was unveiled at Watches and Wonders this year. 

In attendance that evening was Neeraj Walia, Managing Director and CEO, Montblanc India. The luxury brand was one of the first to enter the country, and in the recent past, has worked to reach out to customers via different avenues, whether it be online or via its stores in Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi NCR. 

The expansion route

During the course of a chat before the launch of the new collection, Walia spoke about the Indian luxury industry and changing trends. He began by acknowledging how Montblanc has partnered with different brands, drawing attention to the joint venture that the company signed, most recently with Tata’s Titan 2015. Walia characterises it as, “one of its kind in the world of Montblanc,” and following its culmination after five years, the company now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary in the country.

Since then, the company has been, “looking at markets a little more aggressively, and looking at new ventures over here, new channels to focus on.” This is in large part because of macroeconomic trends, with the country evolving as a luxury market across brands. Walia  says that “luxury is growing at a very fast pace and customers are becoming more and more receptive [towards it].”   

The brand has been fortunate to have a large base of collectors, he says, including those that keenly look forward to writing instruments from their different editions–whether it be the Writer’s Edition, Patrons of Art or Great Characters. But its focus, for now, is expanding to encompass leather and watchmaking, both of which are growth priorities for the brand. 

To that end, having an online presence is important, as Walia says, “to connect with our customers who are primarily across India. It’s a vast geography, India is a big country.” So, via Tata Cliq, the brand can service almost 325 cities, including Guwahati, Bathinda, Asansol and Trichy where sales are apparent. 

Besides focusing on online strategy, Walia is also bullish on travel retail, citing how domestic travel is booming in the country. He is quick to point out that he’s taking both–duty-free and duty-paid travel into account. He explains, “With domestic travel booming, the duty-paid travel channel is becoming a big opportunity for us.” As a result, there are expansion plans at airports in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, both in the duty-free and duty-paid areas. “The key is to explore every aspect so we can go closer to the customer,” he says. 

A new demographic 

The COVID-19 pandemic itself worked to introduce the brand’s core offering–the writing instrument—to a new generation that had slowed down while stuck at home. Walia points out that Montblanc has always had committed collectors who sought out the newest writing instruments but being available online introduced it to a younger demographic. “The pandemic gave a lot of personal time to everyone and many of us took up journaling. When we actually began writing, what better story to connect with, than with Montblanc.” Among the brand’s many offerings, fountain pens served as an introduction to writing tools among a younger clientele. 

Calligraphy is also a way to engage and build relationships with their customers, with the brand regularly hosting calligraphy classes.  The evolving consumer is also more in tune with global trends, and as a result, international collections are now launched in India at the same time as they are abroad, with products showing up in shops here within 10 days to two weeks. The new Watches and Wonders 2023 collection is one such example.  

Ultimately, Walia points to the fact that the brand, once synonymous only with writing instruments, is now equally coveted for its leather goods, designed by Marco Tomasetta, and its watches. The larger share of the business, however, is from the writing instruments, he says.  

Later that evening, invitees trickled in and took delight in the latest collection, marvelling at the sturdy backpacks and trying on the newest wristwatches. The Glacier Collection is inspired by the 'mer de glace' glacier and is reflected in the rugged leatherwear the brand has just introduced. The writing instruments and books got their share of admiration, all while Walia gamely posing for photos, drawing attention to the detail that went into creating the Masters of Art Van Gough pen.

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