http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=l8_QQPjjj1k

Thanksgiving Weekend Sales Increase to Record $52.4 Billion (Bloomberg)
"U.S. retail sales during Thanksgiving weekend climbed 16 percent to a record, as shoppers flocked to stores earlier and spent more, according to the National Retail Federation... The number of people shopping online and at stores on Thanksgiving Day jumped to 28.7 million from 22.2 million last year. About a quarter of all shoppers visited stores by midnight of Black Friday, up from just 3.3 percent two years ago."

Coach to list shares in Hong Kong (BBC News)
"US luxury leather goods firm Coach plans to list shares in Hong Kong on Thursday, as it seeks to raise its profile among Asian consumers... Coach said the move 'would demonstrate Coach's commitment to, and focus on, Asia'. It is the latest international brand to list in Hong Kong after successful flotations by Italian fashion house Prada and luggage maker Samsonite."

European Luxury Group Calls on India to More Than Halve Duties (Bloomberg)
"The group that represents luxury- goods companies and other creative businesses in Europe called on India to reduce duties on their products by more than half. A 'significant' cut in duty from more than 34 percent is necessary for full foreign ownership of single-brand stores to be effective, the European Cultural and Creative Industries Alliance, or ECCI, said."

Newspaper launches online luxury store (Inside Retail)
"The International Herald Tribune has teamed up with a seasoned online fashion retailing expoert to launch its own online store to sell products to its readers. The IHT - the global edition of The New York Times - has partnered with Couturelab.com to launch a luxury goods store IHTGiftStore.com."

The world of Louise Wilson, fashion professor (Telegraph)
"Louise Wilson OBE, 49, is the director of the Central Saint Martins fashion MA course, whose former students include Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan and Mary Katrantzou. Ninety per cent of her students either go on to work for a fashion house or start their own label, and she has been described as the most influential person in British fashion."