NEW DELHI: A muted festive season – that saw subdued consumer spending – has not deterred Skagen from going ahead and launching its jewellery line in India. Skagen, which is a part of the Fossil group, recently showcased its collection comprising minimalist design, in sync with the brand’s Scandinavian style and the very-Danish concept of “Hygge” that describes “how you feel in a moment that you want to last forever” for daily activities.

As “Hygge” takes over Instagram feeds, and brings in its wake simple, non-flashy designs, Johnson Verghese, Vice President and Managing Director, Fossil India, feels that India is ready to change the way it looks at aesthetics when it comes to jewellery.

“I don’t think there exists an equivalent brand in this space, and for us at Skagen, it’s a well-considered move. Our year-long background research and insights gathered from customers tell us that women are ready to buy this kind of jewellery,” Verghese says on the sidelines of the launch.

With the price of gold hovering in the Rs 39,000 backet, he feels that “the time is right” for Skagen’s fashion jewellery to appropriate the space.

“Given the price of precious gold at where it is, it’s probably high time that we have an alternative in place for fashion jewellery,” he adds.

Simple bracelets with tiny studs, “tree of life” pendants in petite-looking chains, and non-flamboyant neckpieces – Skagen jewellery’s offering seems unconventional. But Anita Vogel, Brand Director, Skagen Denmark – Asia Pacific, is confident that it’s ideal for the working women in India.

“Skagen for three decades has been creating watches and jewellery with the design principle of Hygge and minimalist design. The jewellery line in India is based on the Danish simplicity, capturing only what’s truly essential in an uncomplicated, great-looking way,” she says.

Skagen enjoys a formidable presence across the top nine metro cities that includes malls and standalone outlets where its main customer base remains. And the new jewellery line, being pitched as a “lifestyle product” resonates with its largely-urban consumers between the ages of 20-30, explains Verghese.

“During our research, we found that young professionals in the 20-30 bracket needed jewellery that was an accessory, in sync with their cosmopolitan lifestyle. In Bangalore, we came across a large number of IT professionals – young people with disposable incomes, cosmopolitan outlook and balancing tradition and modern choices,” Verghese explains.

For a millennial population, fed on Instagram filters and used to swiping right and being spoilt for choices, how does Skagen plan to command loyalty?

“Skagen has an authentic brand story, and millennials have expressed desire to know its history and lineage, and the aspiration that it represents of the Scandinavian way of life. Being socially-conscious, they want to know if it’s sustainable, and we tick those boxes,” Vogel says with a smile.

Sustainability apart, the brand knows that price is the other factor that will decide its recall. And that’s why, Verghese says, the pricing has been kept “pocket-friendly”.

“The fashion jewellery line is priced between Rs 2500 and Rs 12000,” he adds.