Simone Tata's Passing Marks the End of an Era, But Her Blueprint for Building Indian Brands Lives On Simone Tata, a visionary who redefined Indian beauty and modern retail, leaving behind lessons that continue to guide generations of entrepreneurs.

Simone Tata has passed away at age 95. This represents not just a loss of a significant figure in the business world but also the end of an era in which she created the way many Indian women saw beauty, self-confidence, and modernity.

Simone, the founder of Lakmé, was the mother of Tata Trusts chairman Noel Tata and the stepmother of late Ratan Tata. Many women across India could consider Lakmé as more than just any ordinary makeup or cosmetic brand, as this was the first opportunity for many women to express who they are and to feel both beautiful and supported by a recognizable and trusted brand. In addition to building a revolutionary company that impacted many women throughout generations, Simone Tata herself was a strong-willed and forward-thinking person who paved the way for the emergence of many other innovative women today.

In addition to Simone Tata's contributions being significant to the thousands of women who grew up with the Lakmé brand and using the famous Lakmé compacts, as many of us have seen with our mothers' belongings, many family members now see her contributions as being even more substantial as India bids adieu to another one of India's prominent brand builders.

Simone Tata represents much more than just nostalgia; she also represents the art of entrepreneurship through her leadership and the visionary style in which she created and grew the brand, which ultimately has had a lasting impact on both the way companies continue to operate and will continue to be created in India today.

The Woman Who Put Indian Beauty on India's Map

Simone Tata was able to help create a new market when she joined Lakmé in 1961, as the Indian cosmetics industry was vastly different than it is today. When Simone started in the business, the only available options in India were imported cosmetics (which were not very easily available), and there was no identity for the local brands within the Indian market. It is because of this that Simone entered the industry with a clear vision. We all needed an Indian beauty brand that was built for Indian women, that provided colour choices for Indian skin tone, and so that would meet their needs, aspirations and dreams.

Under Simone's leadership, Lakmé grew from being a start-up to one of the most trustworthy and aspirational brands for women in India. Rather than following trends, Simone was the catalyst for creating trends. Rather than taking inspiration from international brands (which is a common practice), Simone took what worked in other countries and adapted it for Indian culture. Simone's impact on the industry and the brand Lakmé helped it to not just be a product line, but also to become a cultural identity.

A Very Bold Second Act: From a Beauty Brand to a Major Retail Player

Where many leaders have great expertise in just one area, Simone has had the opportunity to master two. After creating Lakmé, she then took on an even greater challenge when she became the chairperson of Trent, helping to create what has become one of the strongest retail companies in India. With the opening-up of India's economy in the late 1990s, Simone was among the first leaders to identify that modern retail would soon be a requirement not a luxury.

Westside is the culmination of this vision - to create clean brand identities, curate a shopping experience, and create products specifically for the Indian customer before there was even a word for "customer focused". Today, through Trent's various companies including Westside and Zudio, we see that Simone Tata had the foresight to see what was going to happen, and to be able to build on that vision.

Simone Tata's impact does not end with the companies she has established. The way she approached the creation of these companies will continue to have a greater impact on future generations of entrepreneurs than any books on entrepreneurship.

"She will always be remembered for her contribution to the growth of Lakmé as India's leading cosmetic brand and for laying the foundation for fashion retail with the Westside chain. She also guided the work of many philanthropic organisations, including the Sir Ratan Tata Institute," a Tata Group spokesperson said in a statement. "With her positivity and deep resolve, she overcame many challenges in her life while touching many of us deeply. May her soul rest in peace, and God give us the strength to overcome this loss," the statement added.

A Legacy That Outlives a Lifetime

Although Simone Tata's death marks the end of a chapter, the philosophies she espoused will continue to shape the way boardrooms and brands develop and will continue to inspire the entrepreneurial minds of Indians. Every Indian founder who has created something timeless, something of significance, has unknowingly followed down a very well-travelled path she forged for future generations, many decades ago.

Her legacy cannot simply be captured by referring to the Lakmé compact, nor can it be limited to the Westside shopping bag, nor is this the only area in which she achieved success. Her legacy is also evident in how Indian entrepreneurs think about opportunity, identity, and reinvention. She demonstrated that it was possible for an Indian brand to be both aspirational and respected on the world stage, while still having an inherent connection to the culture of the country in which the brand originated.

In honouring the memory of Simone Tata, we also commemorate the standard that she established: Build with thoughtfulness, Lead with grace, Leave a legacy that continues to grow after your passing.

As India remembers her with gratitude, Entrepreneur India wishes her soul eternal peace and her legacy endless light.