6 March, 2013
“In the mass of marauding paparazzi, the freaks showing off and the public gazing in amazement at the fashion world’s antics, is it possible to find a still small voice of calm? On Tuesday, the penultimate day of the autumn 2013 collections and after four weeks of shows across two continents and in four cities, there needs to be a moment of reflection. And it came today at the Valentino show.”
“Federico Marchetti, founder and chief executive of Yoox.com, the global internet retailer behind many top luxury brands, is in an upbeat mood. Less than a year after the Italian entrepreneur signed a deal to administer the global ecommerce operations of PPR, Mr Marchetti is celebrating success of another kind.”
“Net-a-Porter, the highly successful Internet fashion retailer, plans to introduce three new versions of its e-commerce site this month: in French, German and Chinese.”
“Abercrombie & Fitch, Jack Wills, and COS are just a few of numerous mid- to high-end Western brands to open stores (and offices) in Hong Kong last year, with iconic British brand Topshop slated to follow suit this May – albeit without the Topman section. But for newcomers, will 2013 prove to be one year too late?”
“According to David Zhao, chief executive of Shangpin, a members-only website offering 80 Western niche brands such as Stuart Weitzman, Alice by Temperley and Rebecca Minkoff otherwise largely unavailable in China: ‘Contemporary fashion has huge growth potential here.’”
“Let us examine her closely for a moment. Valérie Toranian is a luxuriantly – some would say rashly – ringletted 50-year-old former beauty editor who appears – could it be true? – to be wearing no make-up. She is the figurehead of the world’s most commercially successful fashion magazine…”
