Luxury Public Relations / December 2, 2020
Making pre-owned luxury the new normal
Context
Confidential Couture by AnvitaMehra was a gateway to the elite Indian populace, desirous of a cosmopolitan fashion range, to be able to purchase pre-owned designer accessories at a discounted rate within the comfort of their homes.
Communication’s Narrative
Confidential Couture had signed up with Wishbox Studio at a time when the concept of pre-owned luxury did not exist. For the Indian consumer luxury shopping meant buying the luxury brands during their summer holidays in Europe or from DLF Emporio. The idea was to create a vocabulary with which the consumer and the media both could relate. We had to focus on sustainability, thoughtful consumption and promote how Confidential Couture adding a new dimension to the luxury market of India.
The “Solution”
The team had pitched stories on how Confidential Couture was born when the founder could not afford LV bag which she had fancied as a student while studying abroad and then later bought it from “Passion” at half the price and in supremely good condition. This story had resonated with the consumers and added a touch of realism to it. The team further explored stories on how pre-owned luxury had become a common phenomenon among the tier-II cities as it was aspirational for them. We also had to instill trust in the consumers that what they were getting was an original piece and not a fake version. We initiated thought-leader articles where the founder conveyed the ways to determine between a fake and real luxury bag, communicated the on-boarding policy of every piece thus instilling confidence in the consumers. It is said that the best flattery is imitation and during that period many start-ups had emerged focusing on the pre-owned luxury segment. During this phase, WBS took charge of the situation by building on the image of Confidential Couture. Brand building articles highlighting the brand’s ticket size, product portfolio, stories on the founder as a disruptive female entrepreneur were planted vigorously.
Outcome
Confidential Couture managed to carve a niche for the customers in the pre-owned luxury market. Confidential Couture was launched in 2014 and by 2016 it had 2 Million views and a bounce rate of less than 10 percent. Between 2015 to 2016, 600 orders were shipped which was remarkable in the segment. It had become a regular with The Economic Times and was featured in NDTV, The Times of India, The Financial Express, Business Standard, The Hindu Business Line, Verve, Femina etc.
