Brands
Brahm Group grabs the bag with Ahikoza stake to up luxury game
MUMBAI: If your handbag doesn’t come with a backstory and a bit of red carpet DNA, is it even luxury? In a move that blends couture cool with commercial clout, Brahm Group has acquired a majority stake in luxury handbag label Ahikoza, setting the stage for a new chapter in India’s fast-evolving high-fashion narrative.
Announced on 7 April 2025, the deal marks Brahm Group’s latest play in the premium B2C lifestyle arena. Ahikoza, the brainchild of NRI entrepreneur Namrata Karad, has already made its runway rounds—from Cannes to the Grammys—slung on the shoulders of Camila Cabello, Doja Cat, Kate Hudson, and desi divas like Alia Bhatt and Kareena Kapoor Khan.
The goal now? A 15 per cent year-on-year growth trajectory, anchored in global expansion, digital buzz and a renewed commitment to ‘slow luxury’—a fancy term for artisanal craftsmanship. Karad, who returned to India to scale her globally adored brand, said, “I have always loved accessories, in particular handbags. In the world of luxury. I found a gap in the market… I believe that like the power brands that inspired me, Ahikoza will offer something unique and of value.”
Ahikoza will now operate under the ‘Brham’ umbrella—Brahm Group’s lifestyle platform that curates elevated experiences across luxury real estate, products, and services. And no, this isn’t just another vanity investment. With the global luxury handbag market expected to balloon from $22.8 billion in 2023 to $41.1 billion by 2032 (at a CAGR of 6.77 per cent), the timing couldn’t be sharper.
Brahm LifeStyle LLC chairman & CEO Bhavook Tripathi said, “At Brham, we believe in fostering brands that resonate with contemporary luxury while staying true to craftsmanship and legacy. Ahikoza’s philosophy aligns seamlessly with our vision.”
True to that vision, Ahikoza by Brham pledges to stay rooted in sustainability, investing in low-waste practices and long-lasting materials. Each handbag is designed to make a statement—and stay relevant.
With this deal, India’s luxury game just got a major style injection. And yes, it’s got pockets.
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
