George Davies | Source: George Davies

George Davies has further designs on women (Guardian)
“The man who invented Next and George at Asda is launching a spring collection with a brand new label. …GIVe – Davies’s fourth attempt to capture the hearts and minds of British women.  With the launch of its spring collection only days away, he cautiously reflects: ‘We are where I hoped we’d be when we set off. Overall, I’m happy.’”

Prada sounds positive note (FT)
“In a glimmer of good news for the luxury goods industry, Pradayesterday said its operating profit for 2009 would be better than the previous year and better than forecast in its own budget.”

Yoox ‘09 sales rose 50 percent (Reuters)
“Online fashion retailer Yoox reported on Monday a 50 percent rise in 2009 sales, as consumers grew more comfortable and confident in using the Internet to shop.”

Liberty of London creative director exits (Retail Week)
“Tamara Salman, the creative director of the Liberty of London brand, has left the business. Liberty buying director Ed Burstell is reported to be taking over her responsibilities.”

The fashion stars of Central Saint Martins (Guardian)
“As the famous fashion school prepares to leave Soho, Louise Wilson, its razor-tongued head of MA fashion, talks us through her next generation of style superstars.”

LONDON, United Kingdom — I just finished reading the interview with Jane Rapley, the Head of College at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in this month’s Luxury Briefing, and I couldn’t help but think that for a school that prides itself on being progressive, she sounded behind-the-times when it comes to the way the industry works and what her students need to thrive in it.

Take for instance her answer to the question: Is it difficult to teach ‘creatives’ to be business-focused? She says:

“Yes, it’s terribly difficult! And we don’t always try…Product design is very much about the market because the way it works is that you identify a gap, research it, answer a very specific problem and quantify it. It is a more analytical process than being a textile designer. However, we don’t necessarily expect a great engineer or scientist to be a great business person or a musician to know how to run an orchestra, so does a designer need to know about business?” … Continue Reading

“Unstructured exploration…”

In the years before he became an overnight household name in the United Kingdom, when Linda Evangelista walked down his runway for free, Giles Deacon spent more than 10 years exploring — not the world, but rather the people and environment in which he lived.

The first chapter of Giles’ story explains how he came to be a fashion designer and launch his own label, GILES. It reveals how the accidents of life can change the course of fashion history.

Inside the Studio | Giles Deacon was generously supported by Swarovski