India Today Group to launch Harper's Bazaar and Robb Report

The India Today Group is planning to launch Harper's Bazaar and Robb Report in the Indian market. Both titles are awaiting approval from the I&B ministry.

Harper's Bazaar is a American fashion magazine and will pose as competition to Conde Nast's fashion brand Vogue.

The Harper Brothers launched it in 1867 as a weekly in New York. The upmarket weekly became a monthly in 1901, and in 1913, was relaunched as Harper's Bazaar by William Randolph Hearst. Harper's Bazaar considers itself to be the style resource for 'the well-dressed woman and the well-dressed mind'.

Robb Report is claimed to be the international authority on luxury lifestyle. Robb Report India would unite CurtCo Media with the India Today Groupin targetting the country's most affluent readers, with a focus on luxury goods and services offered both internationally and in India. The publication will include existing Robb Report content, as well as information specifically for the Indian market.

The India Today Group brings out Indian editions of foreign journals such as Harvard Business Review, Golf Digest, Scientific American, Prevention, Good Housekeeping, Auto Bild and Cosmopolitan, among others.

The government's latest move of allowing Indian editions of foreign news and current affairs magazines will further open up the market to overseas publishers. Also, there is a noticeable trend that the magazine market is moving towards niche as consumer needs are not general anymore.