‘You can’t fool today’s consumer’: Malaika Arora on building accessories brand Maejoy

Model and entrepreneur Malaika Arora is on an expansion spree. A few months after launching two restaurants in Mumbai, she has now introduced Maejoy: The Joy of Being Me, a lifestyle accessories brand.

Created in collaboration with Myntra Jabong India Pvt. Ltd—Myntra’s B2B wholesale arm—and Exceed Entertainment, the label offers a range of bags and lab-grown diamond jewellery set in sterling silver.

In an interview with Lounge, Arora speaks about the vision behind Maejoy, the business of personal branding, and her advice for first-time founders. Edited excerpts:

How does launching an accessory brand differ from opening a restaurant?

Both require a lot of time, effort and sincerity. Nothing comes easy at the end of the day, especially creating something. You have to make sure that you have a loyal consumer base, that you are catering to their likes and dislikes. There is a certain need of the consumers and that's where you come in. Be it a restaurant or a brand, I can't pick what is more difficult. Everything requires hard work and an understanding of what you're doing.

In a crowded accessories landscape, what gap is Maejoy looking to address?

Accessories that are affordable but feel luxurious is a wide space in the market which needed instant attention and upliftment. That's probably where we've stepped in, and at the right time because there's so much consumer awareness and I'm really happy to be part of it. The chance of being able to co-create such a brand was a dream come true for me. The consumer is hungry for something new and different. You can't fool today’s consumer, they are highly informed and aware through social media.

How do you plan to evolve the brand beyond your identity?

It's amazing that there are so many celebrity brands out there. It's a lot of pressure and expectation. But at the end of the day, you have to deliver. You could put any celebrity under the sun as the face of a brand. But if you don't deliver, if you're not true to what you're talking about (it won’t work). You have to be authentic and honest about what you're putting out there.

Maejoy’s pieces are very real, pieces every woman can identify with. Earlier, diamond jewellery was always restricted to a certain strata of the society. I think with lab grown diamonds, you've cut through that entire space. Everybody can access it, a 20-year-old to a 60-year-old, the consumer’s age gap has widened. Because they are not mined, there is a certain amount of credibility that comes with lab-grown diamonds. And 
you're not restricted in design. Whether it's our stack of rings, earrings, pendants, they are beautifully packaged, and are of great quality and design. And if you can give that to your consumer, only then you validate the celebrity association.

Your advice to women who want to be entrepreneurs?

Take the plunge. There's no 100 per cent success rate 
to any startup. It doesn't come with a playbook. 
You have to take that plunge to see whether it works for you or not. There will be huge successes, there'll be huge failures, but take that plunge. Surround yourself with a great team. There will be many voices that will tell you different things; have a team that will help you navigate through. I have a great team that helps me navigate.

Launching a brand is scary. I mean, even though I've done enough of it, with different aspects of my life, it's still scary every single time because it's a new space, a new venture. 
It's something with your name attached to it. So you want to put your best foot forward.

Your approach to buying bags and jewellery?

It's all mood related. 
It's also about finding different pieces for various occasions. When it comes to bags and jewellery, one is never enough (laughs). You want to keep adding to your collection. And I hope Maejoy will make you want to keep adding to your collection.