MARIE CLAIRE TO RETURN TO INDIA IN 2027, NEENA HARIDAS NAMED EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND CEO

French fashion and lifestyle media brand Marie Claire is set to return to India in the first quarter of 2027, with journalist Neena Haridas appointed Editor-in-Chief and CEO. In partnership with Kochi-based Kaalish & Co Publications, the brand aims to combine international perspectives, Indian sensibilities and technology-led audience engagement.

Marie Claire, the French fashion and lifestyle media brand, is preparing to make its India debut in a new phase of expansion, with a planned launch in the first quarter of 2027. Journalist Neena Haridas has been appointed Editor-in-Chief and Chief Executive Officer, placing her in charge of both the brand’s editorial direction and business strategy.

The launch will be undertaken in partnership with Kochi-based Kaalish & Co Publications Pvt Ltd, led by founder-publisher Venu Gopalakrishnan. The partnership aims to develop what the publishers describe as a new “Marie Claire Universe”, extending the brand beyond the conventional magazine format to create multiple ways for audiences to engage with its content and identity.

Haridas returns to a title she previously led as Editor-in-Chief between 2010 and 2013. Her reappointment brings familiarity with the brand and its Indian readership to a venture that seeks to reinterpret an established international media identity for a changing market.

For Haridas, the launch represents an opportunity to rethink how Marie Claire connects with contemporary Indian women. She has described the initiative as more than the introduction of a magazine, expressing an ambition to create an evolving platform that audiences can experience and engage with in meaningful ways.

The proposed positioning seeks to balance the publication’s international outlook with an unmistakably Indian perspective. It also reflects the changing relationship between media brands and their audiences, who increasingly expect content and experiences across different platforms rather than through a single publication.

Gopalakrishnan said the venture would build on Marie Claire’s international legacy while adopting a forward-looking approach to media. Editorial quality, intelligent technology and a deeper understanding of audience preferences are expected to inform the brand’s development. Haridas’s previous experience with the title and her understanding of Indian readers are central to this strategy.

The international leadership of Marie Claire has also expressed confidence in the partnership. Jean de Boisdeffre, Executive Director of Marie Claire International, described India as an important market for the brand’s continued global growth, citing the country’s economic dynamism, talent and scale.

The planned launch comes at a time when established media brands are reassessing how they reach audiences, build communities and develop sustainable business models across print and digital platforms. For international lifestyle publications, success increasingly depends on adapting global editorial identities to local cultures, consumer interests and rapidly changing media habits.

For Marie Claire, the Indian venture will therefore involve more than establishing a presence in a large market. It will require translating the brand’s international identity into content and experiences that resonate with Indian audiences while retaining its distinctive character.

With Haridas combining editorial leadership with executive responsibility, the partnership is positioning the forthcoming launch as a broader brand-building exercise. Whether the proposed “Marie Claire Universe” can establish a distinctive place in India’s competitive fashion and lifestyle media landscape will become clearer as the 2027 launch approaches.