The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower and the Oberoi Trident in Mumbai may have

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been devastated by the terrorists, but Brand Taj and Brand Oberoi are intact.

International luxury brands which have their signature stores in the two hotels say they will stay put where they were before the attacks. Many of the stores suffered extensive damage in the almost three-day long assault on the hotels.

Those running some of the stores say they want to be back in business as soon as they can, after rebuilding their stores. Both Biki Oberoi and Ratan Tata have promised to rebuild the hotels. Potential business would be lost while the rebuilding activity is on, but the stores are unfazed.

Tikka Shatrujit Singh, advisor to the chairman of Louis Vuitton, told Financial Chronicle, “We are in the Taj because of its prestige value and the high-profile clientele that we knew would follow.”

He said malls were mushrooming everywhere, “but the legendary Taj has an unparalleled charm. Louis Vuitton will continue to put its faith in the Taj”.

Stores of brands such as Louis Vuitton, Fendi and Bvlgari closed before the attack began. But frequent explosions left their stores wrecked. Most of the brands want to recreate their stores and get on with their business.

Priya Sachdev, a co-partner with the Italian high-end luxury womenswear brand, Moschino, said, “This is the store with which we launched our business in 2005. We will repair the damage at any cost.”

Most of them felt a sense of solidarity with the hotels which housed their stores. These are addresses that are well known to their clients.Sachdev added, “We want to salvage the damage by the first half of 2009.”

Along with the hotel, we want to convey a message — that our spirit is invincible.”The French cosmetic brand, L’occitane, brought in by the lifestyle chain Ravissant, at the Oberoi, is shut. Chief operating officer Gia Sharan said, “I would rather invest in renovating the signature store than open a new one. Establishing ourselves in a new place will take just as long.”

For now, however, they are all in grief. Anoop Mehta, who brought in the Swiss luxury watches, Piaget and Chopard, and opened its store in a palatial boutique in the Oberoi, said his store was unscathed. His store must have been extremely lucky to escape the mayhem. But a friend of his died in the attacks. Mehta said his priorities are now the family of the friend and the distressed employees of the store. “We will resume work as soon as our morale is up.”