In step with the times

During a recent visit to Kochi, Revathi Kant, the Chief Design Officer of Titan, talks about how the company stays relevant and how design plays a key role   

By Shevlin Sebastian 

On the stage at the Kochi Design Week, at the Bolgatty Palace, for a panel discussion on ‘Design for Startups and Innovation’ Titan’s Chief Design Officer (CDO) Revathi Kant cuts an elegant figure in a cream saree with a lemon border. And not surprisingly, she has a gleaming Titan watch on her left wrist. She said, “Since disruption is the only way forward, we are going beyond manufacturing watches to wearables.” 

As the CDO, Revathi has a team of 70 designers to make new designs for watches, jewellery and eyewear. “Our watch brands like Titan, Sonata, Raga and Fasttrack are aimed at specific consumer segments,” she says. “And based on the market and customer requirements, we keep building new products.”  

For Diwali this year, the company focused on retro and vintage designs for men and launched a collection called Maritime, which has boat-shaped as well as 3D sea wave pattern dials. “For women, we have launched Raga Facets, which highlights different aspects of today’s modern woman,” says Revathi. “In Sonata, we target value-conscious customers, while Fastrack is trendy and youthful.” 

To produce designs that have a resonance with consumers, the designers try to understand the lifestyle and behaviour of the consumer. “They spend time at the stores,” says Revathi. “Sometimes, they go into the market. They analyse the consumer research. The reasoning is that if you can understand the customer, only then can you do a suitable design.”

But even if the design is successful, it still goes through endless changes, so that it remains relevant for the consumers. The first Edge watch, which came out 15 years ago, had a simple, sleek and classic look. Then after a few years, the Edge was made larger, and a lot more contemporary. A date was introduced and it was made water-resistant.  

The latest is called the Edge Ceramic. “It is a sleek product,” says Revathi. “The case and strap are ceramic. It is a beautiful collection and is doing very well (the prices range from Rs 19,000 to Rs 24,000). What the customer wanted years ago is not what the customer wants now. The designers go on a journey with the watch.” 

But has the watch lost its importance since people use the mobile phone to check the time? Revathi smiles and says, “Nowadays, people don’t wear watches to see time any longer. It is an extension of your personality, to complete your dressing.” 

Revathi has completed 29 years with Titan. She joined the company as a trainee, straight from college. But she gives credit to Titan because they gave her a lot of freedom to innovate, to come up with new things, and to grow. “I also took risks in my career, by jumping from marketing to design and realising that the latter is what I want to do,” she says.   

Asked to give tips for young women who are starting out, Revathi says, “You should enjoy what you do. Try new things. Take risks. Because you don’t know what is best for you, until you try many things. It is important to be open to learning all the time irrespective of your level and age. You have to learn and contribute quickly.” 

Finally, Revathi is very clear about the type of leader one should be. “It is very important to be a good human being,” she says. “It is also necessary to build good relationships at your workplace, with your seniors, peers, and juniors. People love to work for leaders who care. Being empathetic and a good mentor are vital attributes.”