New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANSlife): German pen brand Lamy plans to expand in the Indian market and aims to transform the perception of pens in the country from that of a utility item to a luxury one.

"We are planning to open more and more ‘Lamy Concept Stores' across major cities in India in coming years. We will also focus on events, workshops and campaigns to get closer to the Indian user. Engaging with the Indian user as well as institutions to spread the message of the relevance and cultural value of hand writing is a key to our work," Thomas Trapp, Managing Director of International Sales, Lamy told IANSlife.

He added that a writing instrument has been transformed, at least in some areas of our lives, from a utility item to a luxury item or also to a kind of accessory that expresses individuality and lifestyle.

Lamy has been in India since a decade now and its range extends from affordable everyday pencils to premium pens. "Traditionally, the Indian fine writing instruments market has been centered on ballpoint and rollerball pens. Up until recently, it was exposed mainly to very traditional brands. Lamy is a refreshing brand vitalising the market with its timelessly modern, highly functional design and strong lifestyle character," said Trapp.

"India for the moment is in our top 20 markets, but it certainly has the potential to enter into the top 10 globally within a few years," said Trapp.

Though Lamy has an almost 90-year-old legacy behind it, it was Lamy 2000, a Bauhaus-inspired minimalist steel pen introduced in 1966 that gave the brand its cool pen maker reputation.