By IANS
New Delhi : India's first exclusive mall for high-end goods will come up in Delhi by the end of this year.
Built by real estate giant DLF Group, the stand-alone luxury-shopping destination, called Emporio, will encompass close to 90 Indian and international luxury brand stores. Luxury buffs will be able to pick up fashion accessories, jewellery and lifestyle products of their choice.
"DLF Group is coming up with the first luxury mall in India. It is called Emporio and will be ready by the end of this year," Kajal Aijaz, CEO and director of DT cinemas, DLF Group, told IANS.
Fashion house Kimaya, Ensemble and top fashion designers like Ashish Soni, Rajesh Pratap Singh, Abraham Thakore are some who will mark their presence in the mall.
"The mall is coming up in the plush south Delhi neighbourhood of Vasant Kunj. It has four floors along with surface and basement parking, spanning an area of 300,000 sq ft," added Aijaz, who refused to divulge any more details.
And India's financial capital Mumbai will follow suit with the Hirani Group constructing a nine-storey luxury mall that will be ready by next year.
"Mumbai will get a high-end shopping destination by the end of 2008. Straddling over an area of 40,000 sq ft, it will have nine floors and two levels of basement parking," said Pradeep Hirani, chairman of the Hirani Group.
"This vertical high street will also have recreational lounges to offer a memorable shopping experience to customers," he added.
Apart from fashion house Kimaya, the shopping tower will display collections of almost a dozen international luxury brands like Maxmara and fashion designers like Melinda Looi and Pam Mehta.
"Everything will be available under one roof. There will be a range of couture, accessories and lifestyle products designed by Italian and French style gurus among other international designers," Hirani said.
Depending on the response of customers, the company plans to come up with two or three similar high-end shopping destinations in other metros as well.