As High Street Phoenix evolves like an octopus with many arms and each of a different character it is changing Parel along with it. But Gayatri Ruia, who has been turning it into an endpoint destination for shopaholics, likes to keep things simple herself
As High Street Phoenix evolves like an octopus with many arms and each of a different character it is changing Parel along with it. But Gayatri Ruia, who has been turning it into an endpoint destination for shopaholics, likes to keep things simple herself
GAYATI RUIA is late for the interview. A celebrity running late for his or her appointment is a given. And without apologies too in most cases. So it comes as a surprise when Gayatri calls up to apologise for the delay. 
When she walks in, wearing jeans and a black kurta, her simplistic attire is another surprise. She rushes through make-up, which she applies herself and to perfection, to comply with the photo shoot. "I am used to applying make-up on my own now," she says with a laugh.
For all those who know about Gayatri and husband Atul, they have two daughters. But Gayatri tells us that they actually have three Sharanya, Tarini and the Palladium!
"Palladium has been very exciting. We have overspent on the project but it's close to our hearts... it's like our third baby," says Gayatri, business development director, Palladium, with a laugh.
With over 6,000 parking space spread over six levels and 70 store spaces, the Ruias can't wait to unveil it by the third week of September. And the Palladium at High Street Phoenix will see first-time brands coming to Mumbai. Apart from the Birla Group's 18,000 square feet The Collective, which will house luxury men's only brands, and a 40,000 sq feet Landmark store, Spanish brand Zara, British brand Topshop and American designer brand Marc Jacobs are coming to town finally.
"International brands had to work very hard to convince us to be here. We have been selective with the Palladium. Let's say brands can't afford not to be here. It's like a textbook mall," says Gayatri without a trace of arrogance.
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Considering the changing consumer needs, which showed that super luxury brands are yet to be accepted by the city, the Ruias "tweaked" the strategy to get in luxury brands instead of the super luxury.
Commenting on that, Gayatri says, "We tried to understand what luxury means to us Indians and realised that it actually means premium brands. It's a mindset or lifestyle change for those who are willing to spend a lakh and a half for an accessory like a bag or shoes. That will happen gradually."
The fact that some of the big brands have pulled out of India and many from Mumbai shows that adequate market research wasn't done by these brands before disembarking on the Indian shores.
"Super luxury brands did not realise how to market in India. They went for a stratified, niche stores in hotel lobbies. That didn't work. A-list buyers are very fickle. They can either shop abroad or call up Harrods directly and ask them to deliver the products to them. Besides, they are not the mall shoppers. And malls that housed such stores were too isolated for regular people who need to first get introduced to luxury. So somewhere in the Catch-22 situation, luxury brands lost out," says Gayatri thoughtfully.
Super luxury brands will come later
But that doesn't mean the Palladium won't have super luxury brands. But it will come much later, when Shangri-La hotel opens up atop the Palladium, still a good 18 months away.
"We have understood what kind of luxury we need here. At the same time, luxury doesn't work in isolation. Because they are not impulse purchases. So we needed to bring premium labels into the space along with the shoppers," explains Gayatri.
With the Palladium, the Ruias will complete the development of Phoenix Mills. "It's difficult to work within our city's framework, the BMC framework. There are strictures on using existing buildings. Palladium is the first plot where we have been able to build from the scratch. Otherwise Big Bazaar, Lifestyle and Pantaloon are housed in existing structures of the mills," says Gayatri who admits that they are mall developers and not people trying to get in international franchisees or brands.
"All the stores you see on High Street Phoenix are on lease. We don't lease out for long periods because we then have control over the mall," she adds, saying that dinnertime discussions tend to veer towards business talk. "As any modern working couple, we don't have too many meals together. When we do, work is a big part of dinnertime discussion and we have to consciously try and put that away," she says with a laugh.
Mill workers and their legacy
Considering the Ruias are instrumental in changing the face of Parel, the mill district that was, they have faced their share of accusations from unhappy workers. But Gayatri counters this by saying, "It's a politicised subject. My husband's family used to run four mills in this area. Phoenix closed 10 years ago. But the workers were given their VRS and laid off. We have always had a very good relationship with our neighbours."
To support her comment, Gayatri further says how she has an unlimited supply of vada pavs and peanuts. "I get free vada pavs from across the road from a mill worker who has set a shop there. Sometimes, if I am stranded near the Lower Parel station, someone comes up to me, says 'hello' and holds an umbrella. Then I know they were working for us at the mills. They won't have got the opportunities had it continued as a flailing mill."
She says that a lot of mill workers and their children who wouldn't have had any job opportunities in the area, today have jobs because of the development. "This complex itself hires about 2,000 or more people. Really, like a Phoenix, it has transformed and reinvented itself into a new avatar," she concludes with a smile.
What to look forward to at the Palladium
Clothes and apparels
> Zara
> Marc Jacobs
> The Collective
> Ed Hardy
> Christian Audiger
> Topshop
> Tommy Hilfiger
> FCUK
> Ted Lapidus
> JJ Valaya
> Rohit Bal
> Anita Dongre
Book Store
> Landmark
u00a0
Entertainment
> The Comedy Store
u00a0
F&B
> Rajdhani
> TGIF
> Indigo Deli
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