Decoding Luxe

by Mahul Brahma

Decoding Luxe is a definitive guide to luxury in India. It explores various facets of luxury brands, since the time of Royalty when India was the biggest customer to most of these brands. The book is a bible for all stakeholders of luxury brands - owners, custodian, retailer, connoisseur as well as student - helping them understand, formulate an effective strategy for conceiving, positioning, placing, promoting and pricing these luxury products. This book is also a myth-buster of the age-old holy cows which no one ever questioned.
It is all about finding the magic potion for the brand's success with luxe in India, who always look for value-for-money or value-for-label.
The book has received appreciation from Mr Ratan Tata, Dr Bibek Debroy, Mr D Shivakumar, Adman Mr Nirvik Singh, Mr Sanjiv Goenka, Mr Harshavardhan Neotia, Mr Kunal Basu amd Mr Sarnath Banerjee, among others.

Genres: Nonfiction

118 pages, Paperback

First published July 19, 2017

About the author

Professor Mahul Brahma FCES, is a PhD, two times D.Litt, is a two-time Sahityakosh Samman winning author of 11 books. He is a luxury commentator, podcaster, columnist, academician, communication, and brand strategist with over two decades of industry and academic experience. He is a Visiting Research Fellow of Bath Business School, UK and Fellow of The Commercial Education Society of Australia (FCES). He is currently Dean and Professor of NSHM Media School in India. He is a former Professor and Dean and Director at Adamas University in India. He is a TEDx Speaker on the mythic value of luxury. Prof Brahma is an award-winning communications leader, specializing in strategic and crisis communications. He was head of CSR, chief communications officer and brand custodian of a Tata group company. He has held several leadership positions in English print media rising to the level of Editor in Chief. He is an alumnus of -- IIM Calcutta, St Xavier's College (Calcutta), Sri Satya Sai University, MICA (Ahmedabad), University of Calcutta, Bath Spa University, UK, and University of Cambridge - Judge Business School. He is a golfer with a single-digit handicap.

Reviews

[Jenny Arora · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cover of the book is simple and looks pretty classes, and it succeeds to grab the attention of onlookers.
The title is catchy too.

This is the first business oriented non-fiction I’m reviewing, so I’m pretty impressed by the content in the book.

The book explores various luxury brands from different points of views and different perspectives. It provides a sneak peak into the working of these brands. Branding as a whole.
I could tell that it took the author great hard work and research just by looking at the contents in the book.

The book well justifies it’s title and blurb. It serves what it promises in the blurb.

The efforts made by the author are really appreciative.

You can see that the book has also praised by many big names such as Ratan Tata, Bibek Debroy, Kunal Basu and Sachin Kalbag etc.

The cover and paper quality is really very good too.

Ratings –
Cover and Paper Quality -5/5
Content – 5/5
Language – 4/5

Overall Rating – 4.5/5

I would recommend this book to every person who is related to the business field in any way, and especially to the students studying business and stuff. This could be really helpful for useful information, research or even inspiration.

[Murali Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decoding Luxe by Mahul Brahma, a business read. The book is full of about luxury companies, luxury products, their strategies, impacts, difference between original & first copy, target consumers and lot more.

The book has all answers about top luxury brands in a practical and logical way, author had explained all the chapters with theories which will give you in depth. Differentiation of first copy and original products of Rolex and LV is a proof for his research.

This book helped me most in understanding mentality of customers and top brands, also I have learned something new in every chapter. The way author narrated with facts, theories and his own experience makes read interesting.

The chapters are short and relatively it doesn't bore anyone but I thought author is only focused on middle class and top luxury brands if he elaborated content with comparing to all people and all kinds of brands it will be much better read.

Overall, Decoding Luxe is simple and great read with identification of consumers to sellers of all luxury products.

[Shivangi Rawat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this was a new journey as its a new genre book is all about brands n business i loved exploring it.. Snippets n quotes were good. Title reveals what can be inside book black hard cover is super catchy. Should be read as it gives ideas and knowledge. Recommend all to go throught it once

[Jalpa Makwana · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something interesting such like snippets, quotes, facts etc at first in every beginning of the each chapter or in between pages which makes this non-fiction book really more interesting. The way author describes the details along with easy language which can be helpful to grasp easily.
The admirable cover page and elegant title as well attracted me to give a read this book. Also the blurb which gives the insight of the book is impressive.
As I am hunting for job now-a-days and I can say zero knowledge about market or brand values, this is the book certainly helped me a lot to understand such a necessary things in today’s market-place, it helped me to know such a complex topic. I really appreciate the author’s work to explain it in easiest way. It has taught me so many new things which I didn’t know earlier. It is definitely worth reading this informative book to know and understand in details in this subject.

[Rakshit Thumar · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's so cool book cover with the diamond sparkling in the black background. book cover is so mind catching to think about the dazzling the diamond.
author has narrates very professional to the luxurious brands and attachments to the human kinds.
what is luxury, how it is what relation with tha human begin, there topic are well explain in the highly collective information.
Good collection of thought of other author.
I read first time this type of book with very well researched and highly hard working to the topic for writing.
must read for luxurious people Nd must read for non luxioura people to know the whT is lux.

[John Trident · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cover is simple and good. The cross marks etched into the book cover is also segmented very well.
There is a line written at the top which says 'My best wishes for the book.' by Ratan N Tata which grabbed my attention to buy the book and take a peek into it.
The title seems unique and catchy.
blurb is interesting which gives an overall description of the book.
Basically its a business oriented book which gives the soliloquies of various brand owner pertaining to various fields and various positions in their lives and job oriented careers.
The book is written in a very precise manner which gives an overall idea of the luxury brands, well researched book gives us the perfect entail on what a person needs to know in this field.
I really liked reading the book.

[Sukanya Mallik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decoding Luxe by Mahul Brahma

Decoding Luxe is prominently explores various aspects of luxury brands. It takes a look at ‘Luxe, or ‘Dazzle’ from the strategic, behavioral, historical, experimental, demographical, psychological, dynamic, mechanical, and philosophical points of view. Also the luxury commentator (i.e., the author, Mahul Brahma) includes some quotes from songs, literary pieces and interesting facts at the beginning of each new chapter, and amazing anecdotes throughout the book which makes this serious, content an interesting and gripping read. A must read for all stakeholders of luxury brands , I highly recommend this to all owners, custodians, retailers, connoisseurs as well as students – helping them understand and formulate, with a historical perspective, an effective strategy for convincing, positioning, placing, promoting and pricing these luxury products. I personally rate it 5/5. I look forward to reading more such amazing pieces from the author.

[Heena Priya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review-

As a reviewer, picking up this book seemed quite challenging for me. I have read a lot of non-fiction related to success, goals, positive attitude, and so on. But this was a whole new thing to read about.The title of the book itself is very unique. What caught my immediate attention was the name of Ratan N Tata. It didn't take me a minute to realize that I am going on a reading experience of something which I have never been to.

Have you ever gone to a luxury store and felt embarrassed because of the way you are treated or because of the price tags? 'Decoding Luxe' is an attempt by Mahul Brahma to describe this customer-owner relationship and the various levels at which it functions. The rich becomes even more rich and the poor strives to survive, it is the middle class which gets affected by any new introduction in the market.

'All the world's a stage,
And all the men and women merely players.'(As you like it, Shakespeare). Just like the seven ages of man, the author describes a luxury brand as a mere player,its acts being seven ages. And these seven roles are- the infant, the whining schoolboy, the lover, a soldier, the justice, into lean and slippered pantaloon and the second childishness. I like this comparison of man's seven ages with that of a luxury brand's seven ages. This conscious attempt of the author to compare two nonidentical things reflect out the creative nature of the text.

The language of the text is very simple yet it is difficult to apprehend. So many unknown terms and keywords made it bit difficult for me to understand certain extracts from the book. Maybe a reader having commerce background, will find this book an easy read. This book is a bible for all stakeholders of luxury brands who are very few, its target audience also being very less. All those who belong to the group of GIMC(Great Indian Middle Class), should read this book. It will erase out all the presumption related to luxury brands. Pick this book if you always look for value-for-money.

[Sana Shekh · Rating 4 out of 5]

​Decoding luxe is something very different from ordinary. The author, In the book, has defined what exactly constitutes luxe . For this he deals with different aspects like philosophical, psychological , behavioural etc. 
The book has a very elegant and eye catching cover. The title is also very apt . The blurb gives and insight about what the book is going to offer. The description through images is something very different refreshing . 
I liked the way the book is divided into different chapters with catchy titles. Also the quotes before the start of each chapter are amazing. The explanation in the form of bullet points helped me to recall and recollect things quickly . Also the easy language made me have a smooth read . My favourite chapters are Seven ages and luxury: the great escape.
The book gave me a fair idea about the luxury brands. It cleared many doubts about what luxury actually is and how we perceive it. For a person like me,who has no or very little knowledge the market and brand , the decoding of luxe is done very effortlessly so that any newbie is also able to understand the concept well. If you too want to decode what luxury is , then you must pick this book. Overall a good read.
Rating –

4/5

[Deshna Shah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decoding luxe by Mahul Brahma is a well researched and framed book about luxury market in India and also in general. It includes several examples nicely. The summary of the end of the book is helpful too. This book is both for those who want to enter luxury market in India and also for those who are fond of luxury items. A nice marketing read about luxe products. Language and writing are good. Cover is simple and suits the books.

[Anuya Patil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Decoding Luxe
Author: Mahul Brahma
Length: 118 pages
Publishers: Srishti Publishers and Distributors
The book has an attractive review and lot of great reviews by renowned people who are into the field. The main focus of the book is luxury brands and a detailed analytical study on the field of luxury. The writer has an exceptional observation and wonderful skill to put the observations on paper. The book focuses concerns of all classes of people mainly, ‘The Great Indian Middle Class’. It approached the field of luxury through historical, economical, strategic, psyco-philosophical, and a dynamic approach.
The writer has very rationally included the struggle of the middle class buying the luxury product, their expectations from it, and their approach to the products at various parts of the book. The book is written in a very simple language however there are certain terms that are difficult to understand for a person who is not much familiar with the terms in luxury.
The book is an eye opener for someone who is unaware about the interior functioning of luxury and a must read for the people who look for “value-for-spent-money”. Not only this but it is also a great book for someone who is into the field of luxury be it a student a businessman or anyone else.
Rating: 4/5

[Sushil Rana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decoding Luxe is notably explores a mixture of aspects of luxury brands. It takes a glare at ‘Luxe, or ‘Dazzle’ from the strategic, behavioral, historical, experimental, demographical, psychological, dynamic, mechanical, and philosophical points of view. besides the luxury commentator (i.e., the author, Mahul Brahma) includes selected quotation marks from songs, literary pieces and exciting data at the foundation of each one new chapter, and amazing anecdotes throughout the sign up which makes this serious, at ease an remarkable and absorbing read. A ought to interpret for entirely stakeholders of luxury brands , I warmly advocate this to every owners, custodians, retailers, connoisseurs as fortunate as students – selection them cotton on and formulate, with a chronological perspective, an real strategy for convincing, positioning, placing, promoting and pricing these luxury products.

A worth reading for all ages person. I give it five out of five

[Minal Wadhwa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decoding luxe by Mahul Brahma is a non fiction book. It's not the usual kind of book that you will come across. This book will impress reader to a very different level. It talks about the luxury brands. Everybody has different opinion towards luxury which author has explained with certain facts, middle class being the most important. Research on the brands is commendable.
The cover is simple and beautiful. Title suits the story. Blurb is to the point. Author has described the term 'Luxury' very well. This book has given me a alot of information.
Highly recommended.

[Siddhi Palande · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ever thought of buying a Louis Vuitton but just couldn't because it was out of budget? Visited a Rhysetta and found yourself drooling over a bag? Have you stood in a queue outside Esbeda for hours during the sale? Are you waiting for a first copy of your favourite product to hit the market? Or are you waiting for the online sale season? We all sail in the same boat of aspirations, the want for the luxury products leaves us not. No matter what we do to quell the urge we do end up spending some portion of our salary or pocket money to satisfy our aspiration.

Mahul Brahma in his work, Decoding Luxe, brings forth the world of luxe for us. He talks about the aspirations of the consumers and defines how the marketeer ought to market a luxe product. 118 pages long book is insightful and a must have for the B2B industry personnels. It talks about how very polished skills one must have while dealing with consumers of luxury products. It also discusses the shortcomings the luxury industry faces and how it ought to tackle the masstige segment. It delves deeper into the growing opportunities in this field. It bifurcates the steps to success in this field using the unique measures coined by the author himself.

The language is a winner here because never once did it bore me. It is spiced up to satisfy even the non-consumers with its revelations. For instance, this sentence, "Every luxury retailer worth their salt is up for local adaptation to cut out a larger slice of the luxury pie." Or the fact that, "50 Harley Davidsons were procured by a Nizam for his postmen!" kept me involved.

Considering that luxury is no more the business of only the elites and that every consumer, irrespective of the economic class one belongs to, is seen chasing the dream to own a Rolex or an Omega; the spurting of Zara, Inglot, MAC and other pricey brands even in the suburbs of the city and every mall, justifies why one should read this book. It has all the inside reports and is peppered with anecdotes from the author's life.

While it will benefit the consumers and marketers of luxury products more, it will also give you a different perception about the luxe world.

Rating: 3 stars
Publishers: Srishti publishers
Available on: In-store, Amazon, Flipkart

#HappyReading

[Rakhi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luxury is a word that attracts attention of everyone irrespective of the caste, creed, class, nationality or any classifications. The term itself is relative. For one owning a two wheeler is luxury, for another, owning a four wheeler is one, for one sedan , for another SUV, for one mercedes for another Roll royce and so on and so forth goes the importance of luxury indulgence. Author Mahul Brahma, in his book Decoding Luxe, lays bare the intricacies of indulgence towards luxury.

Author has attempted to bring to the readers the realities in the world of luxe. The luxury brands like LV, Gucci, Bvlgari, Rolex etc are coveted by millions of people. Some wants to own it for the brand value, some for its unique design, some for the aesthetics and some for mere flaunting. There has been an unprecedented urge to own luxury brands among every age groups.

Indian community has always been a mass that provide importance to price value. This in itself should be the marketing tactics of the brands, is what the author tells them. Most of the Indians think if they buy a particular item of a particular brand, would it be worth the price spent. Author has reinforced the point by an interesting example of the exclusivity of asking the mileage of cars while assessing its worth.

A major obstacle for the high-end brands is the counterfeit trouble. Counterfeits can be replica, first copy or fake. While most people especially the Great Indian Middle Class (GIMC) think that instead of waiting forever to buy these brands, they would prefer having first copies which are as good as the original. But author states the for an expert it is easily identifiable. Author strongly despises the practice since these counterfeits are a set back to the hard work of each person behind the original.

The book is an asset to the buyers as well as sellers. It tells the buyers about the purpose and also the inside out of the brands. It tells the sellers how to pitch in to the Indian market. If you are someone who keenly follows luxury brands and their designs and also someone who buys these regularly, you must definitely grab a copy.

This review is in return of a free book from the publisher

[Wero · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me few hours to read it. It gave me a different view on luxurious products and it showed me the mind of the luxurious products buyer.

I even used this book as an example to one of my management essays.

I think it's worth the read.

[himanshu bhardwaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of its kind book....wish there were more real life stories / anecdotes to bring alive the lux consumer. All in all a great read

[Madhukara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read about luxury buying. little repetitive in few places.. thin on case studies also.

[Sagnik Nag · Rating 2 out of 5]

A lot of insight on consumer buying behaviour & the business trends of luxury merchandise.

[Sumit Mishra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reading this book turned out to be wastage of time. Many times similar facts are being repeated (LV bags order by King). Hardly a new perspective about the luxury brands. Also, the range covered is very limited.

[Rajat Sinha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Below average. The book talks about Luxury, but it's just an overview of it. Mahul touched lines and shared his experiences with luxury brands, which is a good read.