Bottega Veneta Invests in Cruise (WSJ)
In a difficult time for luxury retailers, Bottega Veneta is launching a glitzy marketing campaign.

Returns on the Rise–Retailers Are Rolling Out More Flexible Return Policies (WSJ)
According to the Wall Street Journal, “Retailers are expected to see the value of
merchandise returned in 2008 increase a whopping 23%.”

LVMH Stresses China Growth (WWD)
LVMH “issued a statement saying its business in China remained strong.”

Macy’s Posts $44M Loss in Q3 (DNR)
In its Q3 ending in the 4th quarter, Macy’s posted a $44M loss.

Bottega Veneta’s Cruise campaign, photo courtesy of Bottega Veneta.

News flashes have been coming in today from investment analysts covering PPR, which reported its 1Q08 results earlier today. The news is not good for the Gucci brand, but Bottega Veneta has managed to beat market expectations, even in this downbeat economic environment.

Gucci sales only increased by 2.4% to €513m, versus market expectations in the neighbourhood of 7% growth. As a result, some analysts are considering posting downgrades to their ratings on the PPR stock. Given it’s self-stated positioning as an ‘Aspirational luxury’ brand, it may not seem surprising that Gucci would be one of the first brands to show signs of the economic slowdown.

But that’s not the whole story.

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While London is often the spark of new ideas and New York is confidently commercial, the Milan shows usually sit somewhere in between. They may not be the pushing the limits of fashion in terms of new ideas, but they specialise in striking the right balance between commerce and creativity.

Many buyers and editors complained of an uncharacteristically inconsistent offering from Milan’s usually focused designers last week. But we think there was a lot to be impressed by in Milan, especially from the some of the heavyweight brands who show there.

Take Burberry, for example. Christopher Bailey is on a clear winning streak, softening his approach this season with the perfect autumnal mood for the urban birds who walked down his catwalk of  "optimistic melancholy." (Theurban birds term was cleverly coined by Tim Blanks; Bailey loved it. We think its perfect).

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There was quite a bit of interest our recent post  Discreet Luxury - A Segment to watch. Stealth wealth consumers want something special and discreet and therefore reject obvious logos, product ubiquity and sameness. Though the category is dominated by thousands of small, independent brands, Bottega Veneta is the one global brand that has been emblematic of how well this can work from a business standpoint.

This video supplements a Wall Street Journal article entitled Inside a Salon that Serves the Logo-Phobic and takes you inside Yuta Powell’s discrete luxury boutique in New York’s Plaza Athénée Hotel (I didn’t know New York had its own Plaza Athenee either!). The store stocks niche luxury brands like Boudicca, Azzaro and Kiton and each product must pass through Ms. Powell’s exacting standards for quality and craftsmanship, honed during a long career at Givenchy.

Ms. Powell says "This is slow fashion; fewer but better clothes."

The signature red sole of an $800 Christian Louboutin pump. The trademark intrecciato weave of a $4000 Bottega Veneta bag. The colourful inner lining of a $2500 Paul Smith suit. These are the markers of a movement being described by industry watchers as Discreet Luxury.

Tired of the logo-fixations of the 1990’s and early 2000’s, certain luxury customers, who don’t feel like shouting about their wealth to the world, are shunning logos for clothes and accessories that are unmarked — except for one usually understated detail that announces the item’s provenance and brand to those in the know.

Many of these consumers are in advanced luxury markets like Japan and Western Europe, and have exacting standards for quality, craftsmanship and authenticity. Therefore, also included in this growing segment are clothes about which stories can be told by the wearer — stories about why the garment is special, rare and authentic. This is apparently driving a boom in men’s luxury purchases in particular as it seems men like to tell stories to their buddies about the provenance of their threads.

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