Brands
Technology is central to our strategy: Abhinav Kumar
Mumbai: BAGLINE House of Luxury Bags has announced the opening of its second store in Pune, enhancing the city’s vibrant shopping scene. Located on Jungli Maharaj Road in Deccan, Pune, the store offers an exquisite range of luxury bags and accessories for Pune’s discerning consumers.
Each brand of theirs offers unique qualities and functionality, ensuring our customers discover the perfect blend of style and utility for both daily use and travel adventures.
Indian Television caught up with Brand Concepts Ltd Whole-time director and CEO Abhinav Kumar where he shared a brief overview of his journey and much more.
Edited excerpts
Could you share a brief overview of your journey with Brand Concepts Ltd and how you came to lead Bagline?
My journey with Brand Concepts Ltd. began in 2007 when I co-founded the company along with Mr. Prateek Maheshwari, to revolutionize the luggage and travel gear industry by infusing it with fashion. Drawing on a strong foundation in luxury brands and a deep passion for the retail industry, we initially focused on character licensing before strategically shifting towards building a fashion-forward portfolio. This portfolio now includes iconic global brands like Tommy Hilfiger, United Colors of Benetton, and Aeropostale, Juicy Couture alongside our innovative brands, The Vertical and Sugarush.
BAGLINE, House of Luxury Bags, launched as a retail destination for Brand Concepts Ltd., to transform travel gear and bags into a premium lifestyle accessory. Leading BAGLINE has been an inspiring journey, as we’ve successfully positioned it as a leading multi-brand retail destination, offering premium and fashionable travel gear to discerning customers across India. It’s been incredibly rewarding to witness BAGLINE’s growth and its emergence as a significant player in the Indian retail landscape.
Bagline has become one of India’s leading multi-brand retail destinations in the Travel Gear and Lifestyle Accessories domain. What were the key strategies that contributed to this success?
BAGLINE’s success as a leading multi-brand retail destination in India’s Travel Gear and Lifestyle Accessories domain can be attributed to several key strategies:
Fashion-forward portfolio: We aligned with global fashion brands like Tommy Hilfiger, United Colors of Benetton, Juicy Couture and Aeropostale, transforming luggage, handbags and accessories into stylish lifestyle products.
Design excellence: By blending functionality with aesthetics, our in-house design team ensures our products resonate with contemporary trends and consumer aspirations.
Omnichannel expansion: We’ve integrated digital technology into our retail model, offering a seamless shopping experience across online platforms and physical stores, including innovative digital stores.
Sustainability focus: Incorporating eco-friendly practices in our operations and product lines has appealed to environmentally conscious consumers, setting us apart in a competitive market.
What are some of the major challenges you have faced in expanding the brand’s reach across India, and how have you addressed them?
Expanding BAGLINE’s reach across India has presented several challenges, particularly in catering to the diverse consumer preferences across different regions. We’ve addressed this by implementing a hyper-localized strategy, our licensed brands used GLOCAL strategy following those guidelines we customized our product offerings and marketing efforts to resonate with Indian tastes. Establishing a strong supply chain, especially in tier 2 and 3 cities, has also been challenging. To tackle this, we’ve formed strategic partnerships with local distributors and logistics providers to ensure efficient product delivery. Additionally, our digital transformation initiatives have played a crucial role in streamlining operations and enhancing our reach in these markets.
How has technology played a role in enhancing your product offerings and customer experience?
Technology is central to our strategy, enhancing both our product offerings and the customer experience. We’ve integrated advanced analytics to gain deep insights into consumer behavior, enabling us to personalize product recommendations and marketing initiatives. Our e-commerce platform utilizes AI-driven tools for intuitive navigation, effortless product discovery, and streamlined checkout processes. We have also integrated Quick Commerce and Endless Aisle store formats to mirror our phygital strategy, ensuring a seamless and efficient shopping experience. Our digital stores offer an omnichannel experience, allowing customers to explore our complete inventory, bridging the gap between online and offline shopping.
How do you incorporate eco-friendly practices into your business operations and product development?
At Brand Concepts Ltd., sustainability is a key pillar of our operations and product development. We’ve integrated eco-friendly practices across our business, including the use of recycled and sustainable materials in our products and minimizing plastic consumption. Our manufacturing processes emphasize energy efficiency and we are committed to further reducing our carbon footprint by optimizing our supply chain and logistics. We’ve also transitioned to biodegradable and recyclable packaging, ensuring our practices align with the growing demand for eco-conscious choices among our consumers. Our approach not only supports environmental conservation but also strengthens our brand’s resonance with fashion-forward, sustainability-minded customers.
What are some of the current trends you see shaping the future of the travel gear and lifestyle accessories industry?
Several trends are driving the future of the travel gear and lifestyle accessories industry. To start, the shift towards integrating fashion into luggage and accessories is gaining momentum, with companies like Brand Concepts leading the way in transforming traditional travel gear into style statements. This trend is evident as more people move away from conventional black and grey bags, opting instead for vibrant colors and unique designs that enhance their airport look. There is a growing emphasis on sustainability and ethical production, as consumers seek brands that reflect their values. Additionally, the adoption of smart technology in travel gear, such as GPS tracking and smart locks, enhances functionality and security. The industry is witnessing a rise in versatile, multi-functional products designed to meet the demands of today’s dynamic, on-the-go lifestyles. Lastly, the digital-first approach is reshaping consumer interactions, with e-commerce and social commerce becoming crucial channels for product discovery and purchase.
What are your top priorities for Bagline over the next five years?
Over the next five years, our top priorities for BAGLINE include adding more international brands to diversify our portfolio and expanding our reach through exclusive brand outlets (EBOs) and dedicated Bagline stores. We’re focused on increasing market share while building strong brand loyalty, which we aim to boost through an enhanced loyalty program that encourages repeat purchases. Innovation in our product line, particularly with a focus on sustainable and eco-conscious products, is crucial to our strategy. Additionally, we are committed to digital transformation at every touch point, both in B2C and B2B channels, to create a seamless and modern customer.
Brands
JioHotstar EVP, head subscriptions (SVOD) and media Piyush Kothari exits
Streaming executive signs off after 6.5-year run across DisneyStar and JioStar
MUMBAI: Piyush Kothari, EVP and head subscriptions (SVOD) and media at JioHotstar, has stepped down from his role, bringing the curtain down on a 6.5-year stint spanning the DisneyStar and JioStar eras.
Kothari shared the update in a note reflecting on what he called a “transformative” phase for the media industry and a personal journey through the fast-evolving world of streaming and sports entertainment.
“The last few years have been transformative for the media industry and experiencing this journey up close over the past 6.5 years with DisneyStar and now JioStar has been a thriller,” he wrote, thanking colleagues and collaborators who shaped his time in the business.
Kothari joined JioHotstar in November 2024 as EVP, head subscriptions (svod) and media, where he oversaw subscription revenues and subscriber growth for the platform’s svod business.
Before that, he spent over five years at The Walt Disney Company in a series of leadership roles. His last position there was head of product, growth, partnerships and international expansion for Disney+ Hotstar, where he led efforts to scale subscription revenues across direct to consumer and partnership channels. The role also involved overseeing the service’s standalone businesses in markets such as Singapore, Canada and the UK.
Earlier, he served as lead, corporate office and strategic projects, working across the company’s entertainment, sports and streaming businesses. He also headed business operations at Mashal Sports, the entity behind the Pro Kabaddi League, where he helped steer the league through key commercial milestones including a five year broadcast and streaming media rights deal.
Alongside his operational roles, Kothari also served as nominee director on the board of Mashal Sports and was a director on the board of Novi Digital, the company that operates Hotstar.
Before entering the media and entertainment space, Kothari held senior roles across consulting, fintech and conglomerates. He worked with Welspun Group as head, group executive office, with Aditya Birla Group as joint president and business head, digital, analytics and strategy at Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank, and earlier served as vice president in the chairman’s office at the group.
His career also includes stints at Accenture as principal, Accenture Strategy, and earlier at Shell in channel development and sales.
Reflecting on his time in the media sector, Kothari said he leaves with a lasting belief in India’s subscription economy. He also joked about picking up a new affection along the way.
“Carrying with me love for kabaddi, a deep belief in the potential of the subscriptions business in India, and fond memories and friendships,” he wrote, adding that he is now “onward to the next chapter”.
