Saluting Nobility, Tweeds and All (NY Times)
"Oh, Mr. Lauren, you do amaze as you entertain. But seriously, you could not have been a better costume designer — as much as you love the movies — than you are an exceedingly good fashion designer. You may not have an ironic bone in your body, despite what your colleagues tell you, but you have the virtue, and indeed it is a great virtue, of being an earnest American."

New Rich Fuel Luxury Boom (WSJ)
"The world's biggest luxury-goods purveyors are coming off a blockbuster 2011 with even more confidence for this year as emerging markets power seemingly relentless demand. Global leader LVMH reported 20% sales growth for the last quarter of the year. Gucci owner PPR continued in the same vein with a 22% increase in its luxury division, reported Thursday."

LVMH private equity eyes Asia fund over $1 bln (Reuters)
" L Capital Asia, the private equity arm of the world's biggest luxury goods group LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, could begin raising a new fund of more than $1 billion this year, as competition from Western brands creates opportunities to invest in Chinese retailers, its top executive said."

World stage beckons Indian designers (Reuters)
"A little more than a decade after India held its first fashion week, its fledgling industry is trying to break into the international market. But more than 80 percent of buyers are still from home, where disposable income has soared."

Burberry Launches Scholarship With London School (WWD)
"Burberry has launched a new scholarship program with London's Royal College of Art, the school said Tuesday. The Burberry Design Scholarship will provide the full two-year tuition costs for a number of RCA master's students over a ten-year period, for a total of 25 MA students."