Redefining Luxury: India’s Premium Housing Market Embraces Global Design and Branded Residences
India’s premium residential market is undergoing a significant transformation as developers increasingly turn to branded residences, global design collaborations, and hospitality-led living concepts to differentiate their projects and cater to a new generation of affluent homebuyers. With luxury demand expanding beyond metros and buyers placing a premium on design credibility, lifestyle integration, and long-term asset value, real estate players are reimagining housing as a global-standard experience rather than just a physical asset.
Recent project announcements across NCR, Bengaluru, and Jaipur underscore this transition, signaling how branded partnerships and design-led development are becoming central to the next phase of residential growth.
Branded Residences Move from Niche to Mainstream in NCR
The National Capital Region has emerged as a key testing ground for branded residential living, as developers seek to attract buyers accustomed to international luxury benchmarks. M3M India and Smartworld Developers’ partnership with global fashion and lifestyle brand ELIE SAAB reflects this growing convergence of real estate and global luxury branding.
The collaboration will see the launch of Signature Residences by ELIE SAAB in Gurugram’s Smart City Delhi Airport (Sector 111) and in Sector 98, Noida—marking ELIE SAAB’s first residential projects in India. Positioned as landmark developments, the projects blend high-end architecture with ELIE SAAB’s interior design language, featuring bespoke furniture and décor from the brand’s Maison collection.
In Gurugram, the residences form part of The Billionaire’s Block, a curated enclave within the 170-acre SCDA master plan that is being positioned as a hub for globally branded homes. The development will comprise 300 large-format four-bedroom residences, while the Noida project will offer a mix of three- and four-bedroom homes, along with smaller apartments overlooking a golf course. Together, they illustrate how branded housing is being scaled beyond one-off luxury towers into multi-city portfolios.
Hospitality Brands Deepen Presence in Residential Real Estate
Alongside fashion and design brands, hospitality-led living is gaining traction as developers look to combine real estate with service-driven luxury. Gulshan Group’s partnership with The Indian Hotels Company Limited to develop a Taj hotel and Taj-branded serviced apartments in Sector 129, Noida, highlights this growing crossover.
The project will include a 150-key luxury Taj hotel and 74 ultra-luxury serviced residences, supported by large-format banquet facilities, wellness offerings, and private residents’ amenities. With Noida emerging as a major commercial and infrastructure hub, developers are increasingly positioning such projects as integrated destinations that serve business travellers, long-stay residents, and high-net-worth homeowners within a single development.
Global Architecture Firms Shape Design-Led Housing
Design differentiation has also become a critical lever in premium housing, with developers turning to globally recognized architectural firms to add credibility and distinctiveness. Experion Developers’ decision to onboard international firms such as Kohn Pedersen Fox, SCDA Architects, DPA Architects, and DSP Design reflects this design-led strategy.
Projects like The Trillion in Gurugram, designed by DPA Architects, and Experion Elements in Noida, designed by DSP Design, illustrate how architecture, sustainability, and amenity planning are being integrated to create long-term value. From skyline-defining towers and curated arrival experiences to green building norms and EV infrastructure, design is increasingly being used to signal quality, durability, and lifestyle orientation rather than just visual appeal.
Premium Housing Expands Beyond Core CBDs
While NCR continues to dominate luxury launches, similar trends are visible in other key markets. In Bengaluru, Sattva Group’s launch of Sattva Aaranya along Mysore Road points to how improving infrastructure and metro connectivity are enabling premium residential development beyond traditional central business districts.
Located next to the Jnanabharathi Metro Station and overlooking the Bangalore University campus, the project integrates large-format homes with open spaces and lifestyle amenities, reflecting a growing buyer preference for balanced urban living that combines connectivity with access to green environments.
Sustainability and Open Spaces Gain Prominence in Tier-II Cities
The premium housing shift is also evident in tier-II cities such as Jaipur, where buyers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability, open spaces, and long-term liveability. Mahima Group’s newly launched Ecovista project on Tonk Road dedicates nearly 80 percent of its site area to green and open spaces, while limiting vehicular movement at ground level.
With a development cost of around ₹200 crore, the project underscores how luxury in emerging markets is being redefined beyond size and finishes, placing greater emphasis on environmental planning, safety, and community-oriented design.
A New Definition of Luxury Housing
Taken together, these developments point to a broader redefinition of luxury housing in India—one that is anchored in branding, design credibility, service integration, and sustainability. As homebuyers become more globally exposed and discerning, developers are increasingly aligning with international brands, architects, and hospitality players to create residential products that promise not just status, but long-term relevance and experiential value.
For India’s real estate sector, this evolution signals a move away from commoditized premium housing towards a more differentiated, globally aligned residential ecosystem—one that could reshape how luxury homes are conceived, marketed, and valued in the years ahead.
