š From LakmĆ© to Westside: Simone Tataās Inspiring Legacy āØ
- MediaFx
- Aug 19
- 2 min read
TL;DR
Simone Tata, the 95-year-old ācosmetics queenā of India, who turned LakmĆ© into a household beauty brand and later built Westside into a retail giant, is now in Mumbaiās Breach Candy Hospital due to lung issues. šø Doctors say she is stable. š Her life journeyāfrom a Swiss tourist to one of Indiaās most powerful businesswomenāis nothing short of filmi! š¬ Letās dive into her fascinating story.
š A Swiss Woman Who Became an Indian Icon š®š³
Simone Tata was born in 1930 in Geneva, Switzerland. š¹ In 1953, she came to India as a tourist, but life had bigger plans! āØ She met Naval TataĀ (father of Noel Tata and foster father of Ratan Tata) and married him in 1955. š From that day, India became her permanent home. š”
She is mother to Noel TataĀ and stepmother to Ratan Tata, two big names in the #TataGroupĀ family legacy. š
š The Woman Behind LakmĆ© š
Back in the 1960s, India had very few beauty brands. Simone saw that women needed affordable and relatable cosmetics. šŖ She took charge of LakmĆ©, then a tiny subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills. š
š By 1961, she was Managing Director.š In 1982, she became Chairperson.
Under her, #LakmeĀ exploded in popularityābright lipsticks, kajal, nail paints became every Indian girlās dream. š She made beauty accessible, not just for the rich, but for every working-class woman too. šø
šļø From Beauty to Fashion: Birth of Westside āØ
In 1996, Tata Group sold LakmĆ© to Hindustan Unilever. š¼ But instead of stopping, Simone used the sale money to start Trent Ltd.Ā š„
Thatās when #WestsideĀ stores were bornāmodern, stylish, but pocket-friendly fashion for Indian families. šš Today, Westside is one of the most loved #retailĀ brands in India.
Simone proved that she was not just about beautyāshe was about empowering people with style, dignity, and choice. š
ā¤ļø Her Current Health Update
Now at 95 years old, Simone Tata has been admitted to Breach Candy Hospital, MumbaiĀ due to fluid buildup in her lungs. š„ Doctors say she is stableĀ and under the care of senior physician Dr. Farokh Udwadia. š
š Why Simone Tata Matters for the People
Simoneās story is more than just corporate success. š She brought jobs for thousands of workers, created products that boosted confidence for Indian women, and built retail spaces where everyoneārich or poorācould shop with pride. š©āš¦±šØāš¦±
From a peopleās lens, her life is a perfect example that when businesses are built with care for society, they uplift not just the wealthy, but also the working class. šŖ
š£ļø MediaFx Take
Simone Tata showed India that luxury shouldnāt be for a fewāit should be for all. š Whether through LakmĆ© or Westside, her work gave dignity and style to ordinary Indians. Thatās the kind of leadership our society needs todayābusiness that is rooted in people first, profits second. š
