What are the effects of global meltdown on a brand like Cartier?
We have been around for 162 years. We have gone through three wars, including
the last two World Wars. We went through a lot of global economic
crises. But Cartier is still around. Whenever you are talking about ultimate
luxury and timeless creations, there is going to be no issue in the long run.
It does not mean that there will not be hiccups. In very good times you see
a lot of companies, which may not sustain in the long run, prospering; while
when you look at the major luxury houses and the ultimate luxury which
Cartier belongs to, it is clear that things will come through in a nice way.
Do you believe that strong brands will emerge stronger and the weak
become weaker after the crisis?
I strongly believe so. Cartier has been very careful in not overextending
itself, in doing things right during the easy times. We will be definitely
getting stronger.
What is the relevance of a market like the Middle East and India in
Cartier’s global scheme of things, today and tomorrow?
If you look at the Middle East and India, they are definitely those parts
of the world which are getting globally stronger, specifically when it comes
to luxury. So the relevance is even stronger in these specific times. The
Middle East governments have been very smart. They have invested their
oil surpluses in infrastructure, in developing their countries and so on. This
is sustainable growth; you will see the benefits in the long run. It’s the same
with India. When you look at what has happened over the past few years,
the growth, the development of the infrastructure, all of it is going in the
right direction and you know that India with her 1.1 billion strong population
is definitely going to be more significant for luxury in the long run.
In the past couple of years we have seen some very definitive strides
from you in terms of owning proprietary movements, putting Cartier
in a very strong position as far as a serious watchmaker at the highend
is concerned. What will we be seeing in the near future?
I think, at Cartier, we are definitely the ultimate as far as high jewellery is
concerned. We want to be the ultimate as far as watchmaking is concerned
as well. So we have set up a very strong manufacturing unit in the Canton of |
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Cartier MD Patrick
Normand in a
tête-à-tête with
Mitrajit Bhattacharya
says that the brand,
with its strong
personality, appeals
to achievers |
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