Swarovski to launch mobile accessories in India

New Delhi, June 24: Gizmo freaks will now be able to flaunt their gadgets with more ease and elan as Swarovski, the Austrian crystal major, has planned to launch mobile accessories like cellphone covers in the next six months.

Swarovski has hooked up with Philips to create 'The Active Crystal' range of memory sticks internationally and is contemplating its launch in India.

The USB drives launched in the US come in two shapes, a two-piece heart-shaped locket drive 'Heart Beat' and a padlock-shaped called 'Lock Out' with a one GB memory and will retail for 179 dollars apiece.

The company in the gifting, fashion accsessories and home decor business has a presence in six cities across India, including the metros, with about 13 shops and an aim to expand to 30 shops by 2009.

Out of the 17 new outlets, three will come up by the end of this year, one each in Kolkata and Mumbai and one at a yet-to-be-finalised location, preferably a Tier II city.

Swarovski India is in the process of shifting its focus from home decor items to accessories such as jewellery, hair accessories, bags, clutches, wallets and mobile phone accessories.

''In India, our home decor items and jewellery and accessories contribute 55:45 to the company's revenues. We aim to change the equation to 50:50 in the next three years with the launch of more accessories from our product portfolio,'' Mr Shivkumar Country Manager, Swarovski India told sources.

Home decor items like crystals and fashion accessories account equally to Swarovski's global revenues worth 2.37 billion euros, he said.

Sales are hard to come, but the company grew at a compound annual growth rate of 54 per cent in India.

Swarovski India last week launched its range of hair jewellery looking at the ''huge commercial potential'' in the business of branded jewellery.

''Today, accessories are no longer an after thought. Hair accessories and hair jewels compliment both western and Indian wear. Branded jewellery captures about 10-15 per cent of the overall jewellery market and it is growing at a rate of 30-40 per cent,'' Mr Shivkumar said.

The latest collection added to the Swarovski kitty is priced between Rs 2,295 and Rs 6,445.

The company has also launched its Spring Summer Collection costing Rs 5,195 to Rs 25,795.

UNI