The founding of SIS Imports in 1998 by Hamendra and Rati Sharma led to the arrival of luxury German brands to India. Starting with Poggenpohl kitchens, the company began to chart out an impressive trajectory for itself, proceeding to associate with appliances brand Gaggenau in 2000 and wardrobe specialist Interlübke in 2001. 5 years ago, it was rebranded as Plüsch. Let’s find out what caused this shift and how it further strengthened the brand’s position in the industry.
SIS Imports
The entry of Poggenpohl, the first luxury German brand to be established in India, was well-received. People took to the German brand due to the ergonomic, functional designs and clean aesthetics of the products. SIS Imports subsequently introduced wardrobes, appliances and upholstered furniture through its association with brands such as Gaggenau and Interlübke.
“While doing kitchens for clients, they used to enquire a lot about high-quality wardrobes and upholstered furniture as well,” say Rati and Hamendra. “As they really appreciated the quality of the kitchen furniture, they wanted to do the other parts of the house also with precision and quality of German products. Hence, we decided to go in and offer the best of the German brands in appliances and in living and bedroom furniture to the market.”
The birth of Plüsch
Rati and Hamendra’s daughter, Sukriti Sharma, had begun to take a keen interest in her parents’ business. During her college years, she would help out in Poggenpohl’s Mumbai showroom and after earning her degree from King’s College London, she went on to intern with Poggenpohl in London. “I officially joined the business in 2012, and shifted to Hyderabad thereafter to learn on the shop floor and set up the store from scratch, and learn the nuances of the business,” says Sukriti.
She was determined to take the company to new heights by bringing in more German brands. She realised that rebranding would be key to achieving this and as a result Plüsch was conceived in 2015. Today, the brand has successfully expanded its portfolio to include more distinguished German brands such as Eggersmann and Beckermann. Products from the latter, German’s second oldest kitchen furniture company, are economically priced and yet offer absolute customisation and the best hardware from Blum. Plüsch also houses sofas from Walter Knoll and COR, wardrobes and living room furniture from Schmalenbach, small furniture from Draenert and Yomei and additional accessories from Ritzenhoff and ASA.
The remoulded image of the company, in the form of Plüsch, has taken it a step further in its endeavour to provide Indian consumers with the best of German offerings. “The idea has always been to offer the top-end luxury brands backed by impeccable service to our clients,” conclude Rati and Hamendra. “So that once a Plüsch client will always be a Plüsch client.”
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