Brands
Row gets its close-up as Reliance Brands rewrites luxury’s script
MUMBAI: Move over front-row seats, this one was an entire production. Reliance Brands Limited (RBL) rolled out the red carpet for India’s most discerning shoppers with the inaugural Front Row Weekend (FRW), a luxury experience that felt more Cannes than commercial.
Unfolding across Jio World Plaza and Phoenix Palladium in Mumbai, and DLF Emporio in Delhi, the multi-location, invitation-only showcase offered a select 100 guests per city a front-row pass to global fashion’s freshest drops launching in India at the same time as Milan, Paris, and New York.
FRW wasn’t just another glossy showcase; it was an experience in emotional couture, part art, part aspiration. RBL handpicked its most valued luxury patrons, a cohort that reportedly spends nearly three times more than their peers, for a weekend where exclusivity was the ultimate accessory.
The festivities began with “The First Look” Gala Night, an intimate, high-glamour soirée that set the tone for the weekend. On 8 October, Jio World Plaza hosted HNI clients and key opinion leaders with a live saxophone set, exquisite tablescaping, and a five-course sit-down dinner. The following evening, DLF Emporio in Delhi turned the mood to melody with a live sitar and piano performance, echoing through a similarly lavish dinner affair.
The dress code Black with a Twist encouraged guests to interpret the theme through personal expression, making the night as cinematic as it was chic. Among those spotted were Mouni Roy, Bianca Contractor, Aarti and Kshiraja Surendranath, Jaanam and Tinu Advani, Mozez Singh, Sawan and Sagar Gandhi, and Sanaya Irani, lending the evening its fashion-meets-film aura.
The glamour continued through 8–12 October, as the event turned India’s most iconic luxury malls into curated playgrounds of craft and creativity. Global maisons joined the experience with bespoke activations Valentino’s “Embroidery Chapter”, Versace’s “Glamour Spectrum”, Giorgio Armani’s canapé and mocktail soirée, Bottega Veneta’s Metallic Celebration, and Tory Burch’s Matcha Atelier Experience, alongside Brooks Brothers, Zegna, Canali, and Paul & Shark.
Each experience was designed to deepen emotional engagement, no loud branding, no influencer frenzy, just pure indulgence.
Top spenders were rewarded in true haute style from 3-night Phuket getaways worth Rs 5.7 lakh plus and 2-night sea-view stays in Abu Dhabi, to Royal Signature grooming experiences across 14 cities, luxury tea sets from Tea Culture of the World, and fine dining vouchers from Indian Accent.
“Front Row Weekend is about crafting moments of pure luxury, no noise, no flash, just you and the brand in its most expressive form,” said Reliance Brands Limited Sumeet Yadav. “We’re bringing back the romance, reverence, and rhythm that true luxury deserves.”
By deliberately keeping influencers and mass publicity out, RBL turned FRW into a rarefied cultural moment, one where fashion wasn’t just worn, it was felt.
With its blend of global flair and Indian finesse, Front Row Weekend may well become the country’s most exclusive luxury tradition where every guest doesn’t just watch fashion happen, they live it.
Brands
Samsung India elevates Aditya Babbar to lead mobile business
Exec takes charge of MX sales and marketing after Raju Pullan’s exit
NEW DELHI: Samsung India has elevated Aditya Babbar to lead its mobile phone business, following the exit of Raju Antony Pullan.
Babbar, who previously served as vice president within the mobile division, has been appointed head of sales and marketing for the MX (mobile experience) business, effective May 1. In his new role, he will oversee the company’s sales and marketing operations for smartphones and related categories in India, reporting to the executive vice president of the MX business.
A long-time Samsung executive, Babbar brings over a decade of experience within the organisation, having held multiple leadership roles across product, marketing and category management. Most recently, he led product marketing and e-commerce for the mobile division, following earlier stints as head of product and marketing and senior director roles.
His career within Samsung Electronics and its India operations has also included responsibilities for flagship devices, tablets and wearables, giving him a broad view of the company’s premium and mass-market portfolio.
Babbar succeeds Pullan, who stepped down from the role, marking a leadership transition at a time when India remains a key battleground for global smartphone makers.
The appointment signals continuity within Samsung’s leadership bench, with an internal candidate stepping up to steer one of its most critical business units in a highly competitive market.
