RPSG brings premium lifestyle magazine Esquire to India

RPSG Group is launching the popular American men's lifestyle magazine, Esquire, in India. The 90-year-old publication, owned by Hearst Communications, has resonated with generations of young men through its narratives on fashion, lifestyle, health and entertainment. 

RPSG Lifestyle Media's chairperson Avarna Jain says Indian consumers are becoming increasingly aspirational. This is the perfect timing for the magazine to make inroads into the Indian market. “Esquire is well known for high-quality writing, visually compelling photography, and for being the curator of fine taste,” says Jain.

Set to launch in April next year, Esquire will have a print as well as digital presence, along with invitation-based ground events through which it hopes to create a mark on the global stage while focusing on India’s culture.

The post-pandemic era has seen a spurt in luxury consumption. "Initially, one thought it was revenge buying, but these consumption patterns driven by millennials are here to stay." 

The pandemic, she adds, has also changed the earlier perception of working hard for 20-30 years and then enjoying life. “If I am working hard now, I need to also enjoy life now. That has been the biggest shift that we have seen in consumption patterns. Our target audience are predominantly millennials, somebody who has tasted their first few rounds of success, but still have a large part of their life ahead of them,” she says. 

The aspirational Indian consumer is not just limited to the metro cities but also encompasses tier 2-3 India. Jain says that makes the reach of Esquire wider.

The Indian lifestyle market has also seen a flurry of premium lifestyle products for men, which makes immense sense for a men's lifestyle magazine, says Jain. Men's fashion is no longer restricted to formal wear brands. From designers launching couture collections to a host of ethnic wear brands as well as male-grooming products, there has been a distinctive change in the way Indian men consume fashion and lifestyle.