AstorMueller’s journey began about a century ago in 1928 in Schwelm, Germany when Johann Mueller founded his acclaimed workshop for bespoke shoes. Currently the company is a multi-brand retailer which combined sells about 7 million pairs of shoes in 40 countries and 15000+ points of sale.
As a hub of multiple brands, AstorMueller has a different consumer base addressed with each brand.
bugatti: bugatti brings the latest fashion from the runway in the quickest time to the stores across Europe and now also India. bugatti offers 450+ SKUs across a wide spectrum of footwear categories from formals and sneakers to mules, loafers and sandals.
TT.BAGATT: Under TT.BAGATT, AstorMueller offers around 250 SKUs in a season covering a wide spectrum of categories like sneakers, heels, slip-ons, flatforms, boots, etc., in a versatile range of looks – casual, athleisure, sport and formal. TT.BAGATT also offers accessories like handbags, belts, wallets, shoe care, etc.
nu:beat: nu:beat is the first and only brand inspired by music and created by and for musicians. The uniqueness of nu:beat lies in everything from its products to the building of a vibrant online community of music lovers around it.
India Market
“Indian consumers are evolving in their choices, seeking quality products and luxury brands. While a significant part of the collection is common across Europe and India, AstorMueller designs shoes specifically for the Indian market to cater to these unique needs,” says Sandip Kanti Baksi, Chief Operating Officer, AstorMueller India.
The company has two manufacturing bases in India – in Agra and Ranipet. While AstorMueller owns production facilities, the majority of manufacturing is done by their partners.
Technology Integration
AstorMueller is where Tech Meets Shoe Excellence, and the company regularly introduces special technologies across different areas of business. They use AI and 3D printing to reduce the cost and time of production and enhance product capabilities. The company is in the process of introducing technologies like Augmented Reality and Virtual Try-ons for enhanced customer experience.
AstorMueller has already introduced several technological features to enhance comfort and durability of their products with some of its features including:
- Flex-City: A flexible and abrasion-resistant sole, for a comfort when walking.
- Genial Light: A novel, high-grade outsole material that makes it ‘feather light’.
- Ultimate Comfort: A super soft food bed provides better walking comfort. Highly durable, easy to maintain and the foot bed retains its original shape.
- Genial Insole: High-Tech insole specially made for soft walking and optimum shock absorption.
India Expansion Plans
AstorMueller is planning to reach the top 20 cities across India, with a multi-channel effort, through both online and offline channels. The company is expecting to double the number of bugatti stores in this fiscal; expanding to over 70+ shop-in-shops locations and increasing its online sales by over 50%.
Store Location Strategy
“Currently, our strategy is to reach all the major metros and Tier-I cities of India first through upscale, premium malls. As part of this plan, we have already opened stores in Select CityWalk Mall, Delhi, Phoenix Mall of Asia, Bengaluru, etc. We are in the process of entering other major markets like Mumbai, Chennai, etc.,” explains Baksi.
