Sambhavi Gautam
If you’ve ever bought Lakmé lipstick or wandered through a Westside store, chances are you’ve already felt Simone Tata’s influence, even if you didn’t know her name. She wasn’t someone who chased attention or headlines, but her work quietly shaped how India learned to see beauty, fashion, and everyday retail.
A Global Beginning, An Indian Calling
Simone Tata was born Simone Dunoyer in Geneva in 1930. She came to India in the early 1950s, initially as a visitor. Life, however, had other plans for her. In 1955, she married Naval Tata, becoming part of the Tata family, one of India’s most respected industrial legacies. What followed was not a ceremonial role, but a deeply involved professional journey at a time when corporate India had very few women at the table.
Redefining Beauty for Indian Women
In the 1960s, Simone joined the board of Lakmé, then a relatively small cosmetics company under Tata Oil Mills. Beauty products were not widely discussed or openly marketed to Indian women at the time Simone joined. She understood something others didn’t: beauty was not an indulgence, but personal, practical, and powerful. Under her leadership, Lakmé grew steadily, expanded its product range, and reached women across cities and small towns alike. By the time she became Chairperson of Lakmé, the brand had become a household name and a leading cosmetic brand in the Indian market.
The Lakmé Turning Point and the Birth of Trent
One of the most defining moments of her career came in 1996, when the Tata Group sold Lakmé to Hindustan Unilever. For many, it was an unexpected move, and the corporate world assumed Simone must have opposed the decision. But she supported it, understanding the long-term value of reinvention. The sale helped fund a new venture called Trent Ltd, which would go on to create Westside, one of India’s first successful homegrown fashion retail chains.
Building Westside: Fashion That Felt Like Home
As Chairperson of Trent, Simone helped shape Westside’s early identity as accessible, contemporary, and distinctly Indian without being loud about it. She understood that Indian consumers didn’t want intimidating luxury or fast-changing Western trends; instead, they wanted clothes that felt modern, wearable, and quietly confident. She stepped away from active leadership in 2006, but the foundations she laid continued to guide the brand’s growth, and over the last two years, Westside’s visible comeback shows how strongly that vision still holds.
Leadership Beyond the Boardroom
Beyond business, Simone stayed deeply connected to the Tata Group’s philanthropic and governance work, often advocating for decisions that balanced commercial growth with social responsibility. She was closely associated with initiatives supported by Tata Trusts in education, healthcare, and women’s welfare, reflecting her belief that business success should translate into public good. That influence continues through her son, Noel Tata, now Chairman of Tata Trusts, keeping her values firmly woven into the living legacy of the Tata ecosystem.
A Legacy of Quiet Power
With Simone Tata’s passing on December 5, 2025, we are left with more than a legacy; we are left with a lesson. Simone understood the privilege she carried, stayed vigilant in how she used it, and turned opportunity into impact. She stands as a quiet pioneer for India’s coming generation of entrepreneurs. And as you think about her journey, it’s worth asking yourself a question: ‘How many women change the world not by being loud, but by being consistent, and do we notice them enough?’
