Fashion

With IRTH’s New Store in Noida, The Brands Adds To Its Joyful Delights

Kanwalpreet Walia, Business Head of the Women’s Handbag Division of Titan speaks about good design, expansion plans, and more.

ByRadhika Bhalla

The Easy Shoulder Bag by IRTH, which celebrates IRTH’s philosophy of marrying style with organising.

What does the girl-on-the-go want, when it comes to her handbag? Staying organised? Looking stylish? Making the most of her time by not hunting for that lipstick in her busy tote?

These are essential questions, no doubt. And they inspired the Titan Company to launch IRTH in 2022, a premium handbag brand that addresses the needs of users who want it all…and then, some more. What began as an online platform quickly gave way to walk-in stores, and recently, IRTH opened doors to their first boutique at the DLF Mall of India in Noida. But this is just the start, as rapid expansion is on the cards.

In conversation with The Word. Magazine, Kanwalpreet Walia, Business Head of the Women’s Handbag Division at Titan Company Limited shared the philosophy of IRTH (spoiler: it’s rooted in joyful delights), the growth plans, and how each product is designed with an intuitive understanding of making the experience more joyful.

The Word.: Tell us about the inception of IRTH and its philosophy.

Kanwalpreet Walia: “We always knew that bags are a high-affinity category and that we had the designing ability. At Titan, in its earlier endeavour, FastTrack used to create smaller pieces as brand extension. Through much research, we realised that this is an incredible affinity category for women, and that it is design-first.

When we began to meet with consumers, we also realised that the landscape has changed over time. The need to look good while you’re mobile is essential. But each woman’s journey is different…her bag is not just for work. She’s meeting friends, doing chores, and so many things that women were probably were not doing 15 years ago. As a result, her best partner in that journey needs to be her bag.

So we asked ourselves, how do we make it special for her? Style is just as important as organising is. We want to bring vanity and arranging together. And this is where IRTH came in. In English, it means the Earth. In Hindi, it is ‘arth’, which also means to create meaning. So our products are just as much about creating meaning and making your journeys more joyful.”

TW: The IRTH bags pay special attention to organising and comfort. How are they different from other bags?

KW: “We found that each woman’s journey in organising is different. So, each bag is made to delight. We have worked very hard on the ergonomics of each bag. All our straps are padded and balanced—that comes alive when you carry a laptop bag and a larger bag. It’s very thoughtful.

We also give a key leash with all our bags so that you can hang your keys and not have to search for them in the dark. Then, we have created detachable organisers that you can put in your bag. It saves you time when you switch the items from one bag to another because you are always organised. If we can bring the sanity and organising together, we are creating something new. And that is a promise we deliver.

We took organising a little step higher, as well. We have created a jewellery organiser and a shoe organiser. Plus, all our bags come with basic amenities, like pockets, for organising.”

TW.: Tell us about the look and feel of the new IRTH store in DLF Mall of India, Noida.

KW: “When you come to our store, we want you to feel the essence of joy and discovery. The new IRTH store is very warm, very peaceful. Yet, the yellow makes it joyful…it’s inviting. We wanted it to be like this beautiful café that draws you in… And that’s just the exterior of the store.

Inside, it is a journey of discovery. The colour palette on the walls goes from dark to light. And each wall offers something new…from laptop bags to fresh collections.

One of my favourite corner in the store are the arches, which is an entire wall of joy, right at the entrance. Here, you’ll find the ‘delights’ or ‘little joys’ on display.

We offer lovely gift wrapping, too. And, of course, there are wax seals that customers can stamp on gift cards, for a touch of nostalgia…

Even the uniforms of the store managers have been designed in collaboration with label Lovebirds…they’re designer outfits. And, to add to their joy, we have weekday and weekend uniforms that allow the women to style themselves in the way they’d like. We have also created a maternity uniform, which is large in size, free-flowing, and just as beautiful. Plus, we give each one of our staff members a special belt bag by IRTH.

It’s all a part of the vibe, and the store team must exude that vibe…for that is how the customer picks up on the essence, as well.”

TW.: What are the materials you are using for the IRTH bags?

KW: “Around 60% of our bags are made of PU leather, but we also include a lot of amalgamated materials. We have a special collection called Twines that is made out of fabricated PU leather that is much softer. And we also have a very beautiful collection with canvas and leather.

Amalgamated materials are important because given our country’s weather conditions, if I use some of the pure forms of materials, they may get damaged and not last very long. Which means the customer won’t be happy.

So we have also created a raffia-inspired range with leather. And then, there is the Pearls collection that is inspired by the world of metallics. When you think metallics, you think evening. But we have created a morning city bag with a little shimmer that reflects the morning sunlight. It’s perfect for when you are dressed minimally and want to add a little bit of drama.”

TW.: We are curious to know, what is inside your bag?

KW: “I often say this: what’s inside your bag is a reflection of who you are. And the interiors of two women will never match because they are such independent, personal spaces.

Let me start with the exterior of my bag. I have about 8 charms hanging on it, and each of which is from a country I have visited. I went to Japan recently, and I met a 90-year-old lady who makes miniature bags, so I got one from her. And because I am a great K-drama fan, I got a soldier model from South Korea. I also include a zodiac charm…

As for the inside of my bag, I carry a small organiser, and I use a lot of pouches. There is a vanity box, my sanitary box, and you’ll always find a face mist. Plus, there is my favourite Pashmina shawl, because my tolerance for the cold is very low.”

TW.: Does IRTH plan to do work with a celebrity brand ambassador in the future?

KW: “It is my belief, as a marketer, that we live in a very heterogeneous environment…with many people and many choices. And each one represents or admires different facets and different attitudes. As a result, one face cannot represent everybody.

For this very reason, we have worked with many celebrity faces and many influencers. Because, each time, we deliver a message that is relevant to the exact audience.

For instance, we collaborated with Kalki Koechlin for a mom’s bag, and she described it so beautifully because she was living that very experience. Similarly, for each vibe, we have worked with the person who resonates with it. I believe one should be true to the concept; you should not try and retrofit.

At some point we may decide on a face for our brand ambassador, but at the moment, we are interested in the vibe, the message, and the connect.”

TW.: How does IRTH define the IRTH woman?

KW: “This is one of my favourite questions. When we began thinking about the IRTH woman, we said, let’s not define by age or a particular genre. Let’s define her, instead, as a woman with a journey, where IRTH becomes the ‘joy partner’ to celebrate her adventure.

This notion pushes us, as well, to figure out what her journey is and how to provide for it…to come up with solutions

So we just left it at that. This way, we can customise to many, many mindsets and soak in many ideas, much like a sponge.”

TW.: What do the upcoming collections look like?

KW: “We will definitely see many more cases—we currently have our moms bags, and we are working on a camera bag. And for this year’s festive season, we will be launching a special IRTH Sparkles edit, as a dedication to the spirit of celebration.

We want our footprint to be much larger in the near future. Our ultimate goal is to be in the wardrobe of every urban Indian woman.”

TW.: And are there any cities that are better markets for IRTH?

KW: “While the top ten metro cities definitely reveal high figures, our research strongly indicates that tier 2 cities are equally aspirational and sensitive to fashion. We are not closed off to any city or woman who wants access to fashion and accessories.”

TW.: Is there a particular style that clearly gets sold out on the IRTH website?

KW: “Our laptop bags, shoulder bags, and organisers do very well. But I haven’t stumbled upon one particular piece, and that is because the demographic of our country is so large.”

TW.: “If IRTH were a book, which one would it be?

KW: “It would be a book by Nora Ephron called I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts on Being a Woman. It’s about women and their realities. There is a section dedicated to hope, and one dedicated to bags. And one on how women make such a fuss over some things when they can be effortless.It’s about questioning what we are conditioned to believe…”

All images: Courtesy IRTH

With IRTH’s New Store in Noida, The Brands Adds To Its Joyful Delights

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