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Simone Tata- The lady who built Lakmé brand, passes away at 95
Pioneering Tata Group leader behind Lakmé and Westside, Simone Tata shaped India’s beauty and retail landscape and leaves a lasting legacy at 95.
Simone Tata, business leader in the Tata Group, passes away at 95
Simone Tata, a prominent figure in the Tata Group and an architect of some of India’s most recognised consumer brands, passed away on Friday, December 5, at Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, according to a CNBC TV18 report. She was 95 and had been undergoing treatment after showing symptoms linked to Parkinson’s disease. Earlier this year, she had received initial care at King’s Hospital in Dubai before being brought to Mumbai in August.
Simone Tata was the mother of Noel Tata and stepmother of the late Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata. She is survived by her son Noel, daughter-in-law Aloo Mistry, and grandchildren Neville, Maya, and Leah.
The Tata Group paid tribute to her legacy, noting her central role in shaping Lakmé into India’s leading cosmetics brand, establishing the Westside retail chain, and contributing to philanthropic work within the group. “She will always be remembered for her contribution to the growth of Lakmé as India’s leading cosmetic brand and for laying the foundation for fashion retail with the Westside chain. She also guided the work of many philanthropic organisations, including the Sir Ratan Tata Institute,” the group said in a statement. It added that her positivity and resolve helped her overcome many personal challenges and left a lasting impression on those who worked with her.
Who was Simone Tata?
Often described as the “Cosmetic Czarina of India,” Simone Tata played a defining role in the evolution of India’s beauty and fashion retail landscape. Born Simone Naval Dunoyer in Geneva, Switzerland, in 1930, she first came to India as a tourist in 1953. She married Naval H. Tata in 1955 and soon began her professional journey within the Tata Group.
Simone joined the board of Lakmé in 1962 and quickly rose through the ranks, becoming managing director in 1964 and chairperson in 1982. Under her leadership, Lakmé became one of India’s most trusted cosmetics brands at a time when the country had few organised players in the beauty sector.
As consumer preferences shifted and opportunities in retail expanded, Lakmé looked beyond cosmetics. In March 1998, the company acquired Littlewoods International (India) Private Limited, a retailer of readymade garments. This acquisition, along with the amalgamation of Lakme Exports Limited into Littlewoods in January 1998, paved the way for a major restructuring. The combined entity was renamed Trent Limited, which later merged with Lakmé on July 1, 1998. Trent went on to establish retail formats such as Westside and, eventually, Zudio, brands that today form a core part of the Tata Group’s consumer business.
Simone also served on the board of Tata Industries, the group’s investment arm. After her retirement, she made fewer public appearances and maintained a largely private life. She was last seen in public at the funeral of Ratan Tata in October 2024.
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