From steering Lakmé through decades of economic transition to creating Westside as a homegrown department-store success, her influence continues to define the choices of millions of Indian consumers.
BY PC Bureau
December 6, 2025: Simone Naval Tata, the Swiss-born business pioneer who transformed Lakmé into India’s most iconic beauty brand and later reshaped the country’s retail landscape through Westside, passed away on Friday, 5 December 2025, at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai after a brief illness. She was 95.
Born Simone Dunoyer in Geneva in 1930, she first visited India in 1953 as a young tourist. During that visit, she met Naval H. Tata, the adopted son of Navajbai and Ratanji Dadabhoy Tata and a senior director of the Tata Group. They married in 1955—first in France and then in a civil ceremony in Mumbai—after which Simone made India her permanent home. She embraced her new country with characteristic grace, becoming a naturalised citizen and immersing herself in its culture while retaining an innate European elegance that would later infuse the brands she led.
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Her entry into business came in the late 1960s, when she joined the board of Lakmé, the cosmetics company founded in 1952 at the behest of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and entrusted to the House of Tata for professional management. Appointed chairperson in 1982, Simone Tata guided Lakmé through India’s protected economy into a period of rising consumer aspiration. Under her leadership, the company evolved from a maker of basic lipsticks and nail enamels into a full-fledged colour cosmetics powerhouse that came to symbolise modern Indian womanhood.
She expanded Lakmé’s product portfolio, professionalised marketing, and established exclusive Lakmé beauty salons, transforming the brand into a household name across both metros and small towns. By the 1990s, Lakmé had become India’s undisputed leader in cosmetics.
Deeply saddened that my Shero is no more. Simone Tata was the doyen of Women Business Leaders. I hugely admired her acumen & courage to pioneer Lakmé as a cosmetic era in India. Her rich legacy is etched in history forever. Deepest condolences to Noel Tata & family Om Shanthi 🙏 pic.twitter.com/wKv7JmxIHW
— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) December 5, 2025
In a landmark move in 1996, the Tata Group sold Lakmé to Hindustan Unilever for ₹200 crore, enabling the brand to scale further while freeing capital for new ventures. With her characteristic foresight, Simone Tata channelled the proceeds into Trent Ltd, the Tata retail arm, and in 1998 launched Westside—India’s first major fashion and lifestyle department-store chain built around aspirational yet affordable private labels. Westside combined international merchandising standards with a deep understanding of Indian tastes and silhouettes. From its first store in Bangalore, it grew into one of India’s most admired retail success stories, proving that organised retail could thrive in a country long dominated by bazaars and family-run stores.
Beyond the boardroom, Simone Tata was known for her quiet dignity, sharp intellect, and unwavering composure. Colleagues recall her ability to put people at ease without ever compromising on excellence. She served on the boards of several Tata companies and remained closely associated with philanthropic work, particularly at the Sir Ratan Tata Institute in Mumbai.
A steadfast supporter of the arts and education, she was also a guiding presence within the extended Tata family. Ratan Tata often described her as “the most stylish and gracious member of our family.”
In a statement issued on behalf of the Tata family, it was said:
“She will be remembered not only for her extraordinary contribution to the growth of Lakmé and for laying the strong foundation of fashion retail in India through Westside, but also for her positivity, quiet strength, and the gentle yet resolute manner in which she lived her life.”
Simone Tata is survived by her son Noel Tata, Chairman of Trent Ltd and Tata Investment Corporation; her daughter-in-law Aloo Noel Tata; and her grandchildren Leah, Maya, and Neville Tata.
Her funeral will be held on Saturday, 6 December 2025, at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Name, Colaba, Mumbai, followed by the last rites.
With her passing, India loses one of its quiet pioneers—an elegant force who shaped how generations of Indian women saw beauty, identity, and aspiration.
