The absurdity of luxury prices

I finally made it to the much celebrated Jio World Plaza mall in Mumbai, touted as India's first luxury shopping mall, even though the DLF Emporio, home to India's largest Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Dior stores, opened in Delhi's Vasant Kunj in 2008.

The Jio World Plaza, which opened its doors to the public only last November, is hugely underwhelming. To be fair, it is also a work in progress, since two to three years of the pandemic can cause major delays in infrastructure, logistics and the economics of the mall and its brands. One section of the Jio Convention Centre is now a mall, only recognised by a rather tongue-in-cheek sculpture by Jitish Kallat-a twist of highway signboards oddly named 'Here After Here After Here! Thankfully, one does not get lost inside. The 'mall' is just two levels of a straight promenade, lined with giant stores of Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Gucci, and also a Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Bally, Ferragamo, Bulgari, Cartier, Pottery Barn and Muji. I say work in progress because there is just one functional restaurant here, a pizzeria, and a cafe run by the Muji store.