 FCML Lifestyle Studio in Chennai
 Fashion and lifestyle showcasing has moved a notch up on Khadar Nawaz Khan Road in Chennai. The typical, conservative Chennai is now witnessing a sea-change in fashion trends. Adding another feather to the retail capital is the stylised FCML store, which deals in lifestyle products, at a cost of over Rs 1.5
crore.
Fakir Chand Mohan Lal, better known as FCML, was established in 1840. Initially, the company began in steel trading with a gradual diversification into the builder hardware segment. During early 1970s, Nirmal Khandelwal, currently the managing partner, FCML, diversified into hotel industry supplies. Since then, FCML has been a strong player in the hotel industry with distinguished presence and focus in the bathroom segment.
Capitalising on the trend towards high-end products, FCML entered the retail market for sanitaryware. FCML was the first company in India to import world class sanitaryware from across the globe, giving bathrooms a new dimension.
Why so much fuss about bathrooms? Ask Abhinav Khandelwal, director of The FCML Store and he will give you reasons galore. He believes, "When you are in your bathroom - it is the only time in the day that you are alone and in touch with your inner self. You should allow yourself to be inspired. It is a place to relax with the freshness of water, where the body meets its soul and brings about a feeling of wellness." You, as a person, should be in an environment of products that speak of perfection and innovation.
Walk into this studio, put together by Rasik Behl and Pinky Pandit, and you shall experience a tranquil and unique calmness - a feeling of wellbeing! The company has produced a series of sanitary collections to match every budget, said
Abhinav.
He added, "Years of intensive observation, design aspirations, exact and precise planning inspired the FCML team to put together this studio. At FCML we believe that design is not just for design's sake, the aesthetic creations need to be functional and practical. By paying attention to the smallest detail, the store offers its customers a new experience of living. The products are deceptively simple but powerfully effective. Standards of quality are invisible, but should you look you will find them in every piece."
Renowned names of lifestyle products like Jacob Delfone, Kohler, Art Ceram, Alape, Grohe, Dorn Bracht, Fantini, DeMista, Bertocci, Sce, Leds & Grok are all housed at the store.
P M Shaji, managing director, la exclusive lifestyle (p) ltd, the franchise of FCML in Chennai, was delighted with the products and saw a huge opportunity in this niche business. He said today most of the star hotels have become regular customers and all important builders have started buying their products. He was confident that like the
mobile phone, the Indian consumers will get used to super fine quality and will not hesitate to spend more if they perceived value in the products.
He added that, "Along with the above range of series, we also offer individual Jacob Delafon forms in vanity basins, complete vanity tops and baths. A variety of bathroom furniture is offered to fit various niches and corners to complete the look and add enough storage area for each member. We even stock basins made indigenously and house some more international brands. Our indigenous range includes glass clear, frosted, sand blasted and etched. These could be stand-alone pieces or basins with attached glass counters put on with a pair of chrome brackets. Concrete basins, which will give an ethnic touch to your bathroom as they look like stone and are available in colours like peach marbela, mughal ivory and banyan mustard."
Besides Jacob Delafon, FMCL also houses a number of other brands in wash basins. Each item is given an individual treatment and it has been placed along with the appropriate taps, a wall and a flooring thus providing inspiring ideas to the customers how the basin can be well located in their bathrooms, said
Shaji.
FCML also offers several cosmetic products, fragrant bath essences, shampoos, conditioners and shower gels, aroma candles, diffuser oil, herb sachets and aromatherapy incense sticks. All these products available at The FCML Store in various gift packs.
After having gained expertise in home accessory and understanding the pulse of the customers, FCML plans to open exclusive home accessory stores across the country in the name and style FCML Home. "Our aim is to offer FCML customers dedicated stores for home accessories with an array of international brands in an ambience that will transform traditional store merchandising into a world class environment."
R Rangaraj
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