Simone Tata, Lakmé founder and mother of Noel Tata, passes away at 95

New Delhi: Simone Tata, 95, mother of Noel Tata and stepmother of former Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata, passed away early Friday.

Tata had been recovering from an illness and was brought to Mumbai's Breach Candy Hospital earlier this August after receiving initial treatment at King’s Hospital in Dubai.

Tata is survived by her son Noel, his wife Aloo Mistry, and grandchildren Neville, Maya and Leah.

With her positivity and deep resolve she overcame many challenges in her life. Tata leaves behind a strong legacy as a business leader, having guided Lakmé through its formative decades before its eventual sale to Hindustan Unilever in the 1990s.

“She will always be remembered for her contribution to the growth of Lakmé as India’s leading cosmetic brand and laying the foundation for fashion retail with the Westside chain. She also guided the work of many philanthropic organisations, including Sir Ratan Tata Institute,” said a statement from the Tata Group.

Born Simone Naval Dunoyer in Geneva, Switzerland, she arrived in India as a tourist in 1953. Two years later, in 1955, she married Naval H. Tata and subsequently began her professional association with the Tata Group in the early 1960s.

Her engagement with the group formally began in 1961 when she joined the board of Lakmé. At the time, Lakmé was a small subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills Company (TOMCO), known for personal care brands such as Hamam, Okay and Modi Soaps. It was Simone who pushed and championed the brand’s vision to meet the Indian woman’s need for homegrown, India-specific cosmetics.

Under her, Lakmé grew into a widely recognised Indian brand, and she was appointed chairperson in 1982. She is often referred to as the "Cosmetic Czarina of India" for her role in popularizing cosmetics among Indian women.

In the post-liberalization period, Lakmé Ltd and Hindustan Unilever formed a 50:50 joint venture—Lakmé Unilever Ltd—in 1996 to market Lakmé’s cosmetics along with select products from HUL’s portfolio. By 1998, Lakmé sold its brands to HUL and exited the joint venture, divesting its 50% stake for ₹200 crore.

“Simone Tata saw what few others did in her time,” said Priya Nair, CEO and managing director, Hindustan Unilever on Friday in response to a Mint query. “Lakme was born out of that foresight, and a keen understanding of the need for every Indian woman to look and feel beautiful.”

After 1998, Lakmé shifted its focus from cosmetics to apparel retailing, identifying a gap in the market for homegrown brands. This laid the foundation for Trent Ltd, which now operates retail formats such as Westside and Zudio.

As part of the move, Lakmé acquired Littlewoods International (India) from Littlewoods International Limited, UK in March 1998. Littlewoods International India Private Ltd was engaged in the retailing of ready-to-wear garments and related merchandise. Subsequently, Trent Ltd was merged with Lakmé, and Lakmé Limited was officially renamed Trent Ltd.