A First-world Country in Culture and Sophistication

By the time India turns 100, the demand for luxury goods will be driven by craft and authenticity

- SABYASACHI MUKHERJEE

INDIA HAS THE potential to win the fiercely contested battle for luxury supremacy; it won’t be France or Italy. The writing has been on the wall for generations; we are not a dark horse in this race.

When I was opening my store in New York in 2022, a journalist attempted a few hard-hitting political and social questions about India. When she raised the subject of child labour and exploitation, a topic fraught with dangerous connotations in the West, I had enough. Looking her straight in the eye, I asked at what age a child is first made to pursue sports in their country in hopes of becoming an Olympic champion. At 13 years old, Marjorie Gestring made history as the youngest Olympian from the US to win gold.