While American billionaires Warren Buffett and Bill Gates are in India trying to persuade the country's rich to give their money away, another group of businessmen is here to get them to spend it on themselves.

　　正當美國億萬富豪沃倫•巴菲特(Warren Buffett)和比爾•蓋茨(Bill Gates)在印度努力勸說印度富翁捐獻財富的時候，另一群商務人士也來到印度，但目的卻是讓這些富豪把錢花在自己身上。

　　A team of Italian entrepreneurs who work in the luxury sector are in Mumbai for a two-day conference to talk luxury and business.

　　Agence France-Presse/Getty Images西方的奢侈品在印度有生存空間嗎？上圖模特正在展示一件范思哲2011－2012秋冬款衣服。意大利一個企業(yè)家代表團目前在孟買參加一個為期兩天的討論奢侈品和奢侈品行業(yè)的會議。這些代表在奢侈品行業(yè)工作。

　　It's no big surprise that the luxury industry is eyeing markets like India: It's estimated that in less than five years emerging markets will make up 50% of luxury sales globally. The industry realized just how important these markets are during the global economic downturn  " prompting commentators to say it was 'saved by the BRICs," referring to the top emerging markets of Brazil, Russia, India and China.

　　奢侈品行業(yè)對印度等市場的關注不足為奇。據(jù)估計，用不了五年，新興市場占全球奢侈品銷售額的比例就將達到50%。奢侈品業(yè)在全球經(jīng)濟下滑期間意識到了新興市場的重要性，評論人士不禁感嘆道：金磚四國(BRICs)救活了奢侈品業(yè)。金磚四國分別指的是巴西、俄羅斯、印度和中國這四個最大的新興市場。

　　Or rather, the BRICs minus the "I."

　　更確切地說，應該是除印度以外的金磚四國救活了奢侈品業(yè)。

　　For a country that boasts the world's second-fastest growing major economy, India's international luxury goods market is still surprisingly small. Here, it has failed to take off in the same way it has in countries like China " where it has done spectacularly. "

　　對于像印度這樣一個經(jīng)濟增速位列全球第二的主要經(jīng)濟體來說，其國際奢侈品市場規(guī)模仍然小得令人吃驚。印度的奢侈品市場未能像中國等國家的奢侈品市場一樣迅速發(fā)展。中國的奢侈品銷售取得了驕人戰(zhàn)績。

　　In a speech prepared for the conference on Friday, Santo Versace, co-chief executive of fashion house Gianni Versace SpA and chairman of Italian luxury trade lobby Fondazione Altagamma, likened the Indian luxury market to a "sprinter at the starting line, but with feet bound by heavy chains."

　　時裝品牌范思哲(Gianni Versace)的聯(lián)席首席執(zhí)行長兼意大利奢侈品行業(yè)協(xié)會(Fondazione Altagamma)主席桑托•范思哲(Santo Versace)在為周五會議準備好的發(fā)言中，把印度奢侈品市場比作起跑線上的短跑選手，但腳上卻綁著沉重的鐐銬。該協(xié)會是意大利奢侈品貿(mào)易的游說組織。

　　While China makes up an estimated 10% of the global luxury market, India accounts for less than 1%, or a market worth around $1.3 billion, according to data provided by Altagamma, which brought the delegation of businessmen to Mumbai.

　　意大利奢侈品行業(yè)協(xié)會提供的數(shù)據(jù)顯示，估計中國的奢侈品銷售占全球奢侈品銷售總額的10%，而印度占比還不到1%，印度奢侈品市場的市值為13億美元左右。此次訪問孟買的意大利商務代表團就是由該協(xié)會組織的。

　　On the supply side, the gap between the two Asian giants is also vast: of the world's leading 500 global luxury brands, only around 30% have an Indian presence, compared to China's 70%, according to Altagamma.

　　印度和中國這兩個亞洲大國在奢侈品供應方面的差距也十分巨大。據(jù)該協(xié)會的統(tǒng)計，全球500個一線奢侈品牌中，只有約30%躋身印度市場，而打入中國市場的則占到70%。

　　The comparison between China and India is startlingâ 'and one which Italy's luxury team wants Indian policymakers to take note of.

　　中國和印度在奢侈品市場方面的情況對比令人吃驚，意大利奢侈品行業(yè)協(xié)會希望印度決策者能對此引起注意。

　　The issue is not the lack of potential demand, said Altagamma Executive Director Armando Branchini. (Other participants include top representatives from leather goods maker Salvatore Ferragamo SpA, jewelry-maker Pomellato SpA, and interior design firm Alessi Spa. French couturier Emanuel Ungaro is also making a star appearance.)

　　該協(xié)會的執(zhí)行董事布朗齊尼(Armando Branchini)說，印度的問題不在于缺乏潛在需求。(其他與會成員包括皮革制品生產(chǎn)商菲拉格慕(Salvatore Ferragamo)、珠寶制造商波米雷特(Pomellato)和室內(nèi)設計公司阿萊西(Alessi)等公司掌門人。法國女裝設計師伊曼紐爾•溫加羅(Emanuel Ungaro)也高調出席了該活動。)

　　Although they are well aware there are people wealthy enough in India to splurge on international high-end products, Altagamma estimates that that the potential luxury goods demand in India could be between 120% to 150% greater than it actually is in practice.

　　雖然他們很清楚，有的印度人非常富有，完全可以大肆購買國際一線品牌的產(chǎn)品，但意大利奢侈品行業(yè)協(xié)會估計，印度對奢侈品的潛在需求可能是實際需求的1.2至1.5倍。

　　So what is it that's holding the industry back in India? 如此說來，到底是什么抑制了印度奢侈品業(yè)的發(fā)展呢？

　　A lot of it has to do with the kind of stuff foreign retail firms eyeing Indian consumers regularly complain about: high taxes and caps on foreign direct investment. Luxury retailers too are pressing the Indian government for full ownership of their Indian units (rather than just a 51% stake with a mandatory Indian partner) and lower tariff barriers (import taxes on luxury goods at the federal level hover around 30% to 40%).

　　很多都與那些關注印度消費者的外國零售公司經(jīng)常抱怨的問題有關，即高額關稅和外國直接投資上限。奢侈品零售商也在敦促印度政府，希望能夠擁有其印度公司100%所有權，而不是必須與一個印度合作伙伴聯(lián)手經(jīng)營，并且只能拿到51%的股權。另外，這些零售商還希望印度政府能降低關稅。印度奢侈品的聯(lián)邦進口稅約為30%至40%。

　　These regulatory hurdlesâ 'and the option many jet-setting wealthy Indians have of shopping abroad means luxury brands often struggle to make a profit in India. For many firms, having an Indian presence is largely a branding exercise, explained Mr. Branchini.

　　監(jiān)管障礙以及很多出手闊綽的印度富豪可以在海外購物，這些都常常使得奢侈品牌為在印度賺錢而叫苦不迭。布朗齊尼解釋說，對于很多公司來說，在印度開展業(yè)務主要是為品牌宣傳造勢。

　　The lack of upmarket spaces where brands can set up high-end boutiques is another concern. Neither New Delhi, Mumbai nor Bangalore have an equivalent to New York's Fifth Avenue, London's Bond Street or Paris' Rue Saint-Honoré. Instead, big brands are housed in five-star hotels, international airports or in rare high-end malls. (It would be entirely fair to add that while a Fifth Avenue in New Delhi remains a distant prospect, well-paved roads free of rubble and criss-crossed cables would be a good and welcome startâ 'and not just for the sake of swanky shops.)

　　印度缺少各大品牌可以設立高檔時裝店的高端購物場所，這是制約印度奢侈品市場發(fā)展的另一個問題。無論是新德里、孟買還是班加羅爾，都沒有一個相當于紐約第五大道(Fifth Avenue)、倫敦邦德街(Bond Street)或巴黎圣奧諾雷(Rue Saint-Honor)的地方。相反，印度的奢侈品都“藏身”于五星級酒店、國際機場或很少見的高端商場里。(完全可以再加一句，雖然在新德里開設第五大道還是一個遙遠的夢想，但沒有碎石的柏油路和縱橫交錯的電纜將是一個很好、可喜的開始，這些基礎設施的出現(xiàn)不光是對開設時髦商店有利。)

　　But there is also the possibility Indian consumers may not be that keen on Western-style luxury at least not yet. India, after all, has its own, long history of custom-made high-end goods (Think gem-studded head pieces, embroidered silks and opulent bridal wear).

　　不過，還有一個可能性，就是印度消費者不太喜歡西式的奢侈品，至少現(xiàn)在還不喜歡。別忘了，印度可是擁有定制高端產(chǎn)品的悠久歷史(想想那些鑲嵌寶石的頭飾、刺繡的絲綢和華麗的婚紗吧)。

　　'India, in the luxury goods industry in particular, is not easy to conquer: High-end Indian consumers have centuries of aesthetic tradition at their backs that have shaped their tastes,' Mr. Versace said in his speech.

　　范思哲在發(fā)言中說，要想征服印度，特別是印度的奢侈品業(yè)，絕非易事，因為印度高端消費者有著數(shù)百年的審美傳統(tǒng)，這些傳統(tǒng)塑造了他們的品味。

　　But with the right kind of marketing, tastes too could change. As Altagamma suggested in a note, expanding the reach of glossy fashion magazines may do the trick.

　　不過，只要營銷方式得當，口味也可以改變。正如意大利奢侈品行業(yè)協(xié)會在報告中所建議的，擴大那些令人目眩的時尚雜志的發(fā)行范圍或許可以助一臂之力。

　　Bollywood appears to be trying to do its bit as well. In the 2010 movie "Aisha," the main character wears designer togs and spends a lot of screen time shopping in luxury boutiques, which left more of an impression on some viewers than the plot.

　　寶萊塢(Bollywood)似乎也在嘗試盡自己的一份力。2010年寶萊塢電影《艾莎》(Aisha)的女主角身穿專門設計的服裝，在銀幕上花了大量時間在奢侈品專賣店里購物，這些場景給一些觀眾留下的印象比電影情節(jié)本身還要多。