Commenting on the Indian impact of the Elizabeth Arden sale, an HLL spokesperson said: "We will discuss with the new owners of the brand as to whether we can continue to distribute the brand in India."

Elizabeth Arden was launched in India in September this year. This was the second prestige brand from the Unilever stable to be launched in India.

Calvin Klein was the first to be introduced last year.An entire range of Elizabeth Arden's skincare, colour cosmetics and fragrances products were introduced in select outlets in the leading metro cities of India. The premium range attracts a price starting from Rs 640 to as high as Rs 3,800. The range includes the pathbreaking "Ceremides" too.

It is, thus, targeted at the top 3 per cent of the elite urban consumer and is available in 30 leading retail outlets across the country. The range is currently being imported into India and the media plan for promotion encompasses press and television commercials.

The launch of prestige brands in India - a trend seen to be fast picking up - comes with the gradually changing retail environment. The Rs 58-crore prestige brands market is, however, still in the nascent stage of development.

The rising aspirational levels of the urban consumer has prompted a number of companies to launch premium and prestige fragrance brands in the country.

Elizabeth Arden was the first prestige skincare brand to be launched in India. Internationally, while Elizabeth Arden attracts an image of an older brand, Calvin Klein - popularly known as CK - attaches a rather younger image.