Hidesign: Brand by Design

Abstract

Hidesign® is perhaps the only brand from India in the fashion leather accessory category to adorn the shelves of prestigious departmental stores in some of the big cities of the world. The reputation of the brand in some sense is more in proportion to the sales that the brand had generated. How did the brand achieve this status? Was it a process of serendipity or was it a result of systematic exploration into the world of high fashion characterized by intense brand competition? Or, was it a result of some very well formulated strategy of developing the brand and its equity in copybook style? What were the strategic options faced by the company and the brand? What courses of action would be appropriate for the company’s future growth without diluting the brand? The case study provides an opportunity to explore such questions that challenge the intellect of those interested in brands and their management. Further, it provides a glimpse into the world of high fashion and points to the challenges of aligning the brand and the products. This case also discerns what it takes to develop a global brand that has universal appeal rather than brands with ethnic niche focus.