Simone Tata, pioneer behind Lakmé and Westside, dies at 95

SWITZERLAND: Simone Tata, the Swiss-born business force who turned Lakmé into a household favourite and built Westside into a modern retail staple, has died at 95 in Mumbai after a brief illness, the Tata Group confirmed.

Her final rites will take place on Saturday at the Cathedral of the Holy Name Church in Colaba, followed by a memorial mass.

A Swiss arrival who reshaped Indian beauty
Born Simone Naval Dunoyer in Geneva in 1930, she first visited India in the 1950s as a tourist. A chance trip changed her world. She met Naval Tata, married him in 1955, and made Mumbai her home.

She joined Lakmé in the early 1960s when it was a tiny offshoot of Tata Oil Mills. By 1961 she was managing director and by 1982 she became chairperson. Her strategy was sharp: beauty for Indian skin tones, accessible glamour, and a brand India could proudly wear. Lakmé grew into a mass-market icon, going toe to toe with global cosmetics giants.

Turning sale proceeds into a retail revolution
When Lakmé was sold to Hindustan Unilever in the mid-1990s, she did not step back. She powered forward. The proceeds led to the creation of Trent Limited. Westside was born. The brand redefined Indian department stores long before organised retail became the norm. Fashionable, aspirational, and home-grown, it quickly spread nationwide.

Impact beyond boardrooms
She also worked quietly with philanthropic organisations including the Sir Ratan Tata Institute. Reserved in demeanour yet fierce in resolve, Simone Tata opened doors for Indian women in boardrooms and beauty aisles alike.

Her survivors include her son Noel Tata, the current chairperson of Tata Trusts, along with his family.

Simone Tata changed how India shops and how India shades its lips. Lakmé mirrors her bold stroke. Westside stands tall as her vision stitched into fabric and storefronts. India’s shelves still sparkle. The matriarch who helped them shine has taken her bow.