Platinum Evara Sales Grow 45% In 2018

In an email interview, VAISHALI BANERJEE, managing director, Platinum Guild International (PGI) India, shares her views about the strategy behind Platinum Evara’s success in the coveted bridal gifting segment, global jewellery trends, retail outlook and more.

Vaishali Banerjee, MD, Platinum Guild International (India)

We have witnessed a growing consumer preference for Platinum Evara in the market. What do you think is the reason behind the growth of this segment?

PGI’s strategy in India has been to create a distinct and a differentiated space for platinum by owning untapped spaces in India’s cluttered jewellery market. We aim to address the unmet consumer needs identified through extensive consumer research. Platinum brands reflect the emerging social discourse which resonates with young urban consumers. We introduced Platinum Evara to capture the largest jewellery occasion in India – weddings.

Weddings are an ultimate emotional milestone and platinum is aspirational as a gift of love, hence we positioned Platinum Evara as a trousseau must-have gifted to the couple as the “blessing of love” from family and elders on the occasion of their wedding. The brand carries an emotion that is timeless and unique with a voice that is contemporary, thereby creating a differentiated appeal. The brand has struck an emotional chord with our consumers.

The preference for platinum jewellery extends from a strong desire to have something meaningful and unique. Platinum Evara’s success is also a result of design innovation at PGI, where every piece tells a story and evokes a unique feeling. The brand has been able to address the need of couples today who desire more contemporary wearable jewellery designs to suit their post-wedding lifestyle.

In addition to our consumer marketing efforts, PGI India also extensively trains retail sales staff to ensure the highest conversions instore at the point of sale, equipping them with metal and brand knowledge. They are wellversed with the story of Platinum Evara and are able to marry the choice of platinum to a wedding occasion. Our trade marketing efforts have ensured a distinct identity for Platinum Evara in retail through dedicated platinum counters, and branding and messaging in the gold and diamond section giving platinum consumers a unique retail experience.

How do you plan to differentiate Evara in an already cluttered wedding jewellery space?

Indian weddings have witnessed a paradigm shift from only being about traditions and duties, to a celebration of love and new bonds. There is an increasing equality and inclusiveness in the way the weddings are being celebrated. Platinum Evara appropriates this rare love that brings the two families together. It is positioned as a blessing of parental love for the young couple. The brand is desired as a mark of modern relationships built on love, mutual respect and equality.

Design has always been one of our key triggers for purchase among our consumers. Platinum Evara follows a differentiated design philosophy at its core; it keeps the platinum aesthetic of classic, modern and chic true. Every season we reinterpret the latest international trends to create a line that is relevant to modern Indian design sensibilities. We understand that couples today, especially brides, are looking at versatile jewellery pieces to suit their post-wedding lifestyle. What’s also important to them is making the right mark with a metal that’s different, one that stands out because of its differentiated qualities. Platinum being a rare precious metal speaks to their heart.

Tell us about the new product line and the inspiration behind it.

Our latest collection of Platinum Evara is inspired by global trends of “Sleek Sophistication” and “Modern Glam”.

Sleek Sophistication is all about infinite fluidity – it adapts to body contours and is playful with plenty of movement when worn. The element of fluidity makes it delicate and elegant.

Modern Glam on the other hand speaks to the sentiment of individualism and making a mark. It embraces multi-tiered structures from tassels, and opulent symmetric shapes and sizes that have the ability to delicately swirl across the skin.

Evara’s latest jewellery line of chains, pendants, earrings and bracelets has taken cues from these current global trends and has balanced it with traditional influences. Our designs include geometric shapes, delicate meshes, in-trend tassels and multi-layered florals to complement the sartorial choices of today’s women.

This new line of Evara drips versatility, one that accentuates body contours, styles and is playful and fluid making Platinum Evara an exclusive possession.

Can you tell us about the growth of Evara in the last year? What are your expansion plans for Evara for the current year?

Today, Platinum Evara is available at 200+ stores from just 80 stores in 2017, reporting a growth of 40-45% in Evara sales in 2018.

In addition to creating demand we will focus on driving conversion at the store level to ensure that the high preference for Platinum Evara is optimised. We will also focus on increasing distribution through chain store partners, by targeting a platinum presence across all their stores. We have keen interest from retailers who want to create exclusive collections for Evara.

Overall, the market for platinum looks strong and we have a positive outlook for the coming years. We expect the market to deliver at least 20-22% growth over last year.

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