François Lesage | Source: Simple Virtues

‘Big O’ Birthdays for Generations of Designers (IHT)
“The loss last week of François Lesage, the beating heart of Parisian embroidery, at age 82, marks fashion history. A mighty tree in the landscape of haute couture has fallen… Fashion has a way of holding up a mirror to the wider world. But in the fading days of 2011, the bellwether is not about changes in style. It’s about designers themselves and a seismic generational shift.”

Hermès sees 10 percent growth in 2012 (Reuters)
“French luxury goods group Hermès expects sales growth of 10 percent next year, with trends in the current quarter broadly in line with the rest of the year… Last month, Hermès raised its full-year sales forecast to between 15 and 16 percent, reflecting strong demand in Asia, Europe and America, up from a previous forecast of 12 to 14 percent.”

‘Cyber Week’ Sets New Record With $6 Billion Take (Mashable)
“Online sales for the so-called “Cyber Week” that ended on on Dec. 2 were just shy of $6 billion, setting a record, according to comScore. With an estimated $1.25 billion take, Cyber Monday 2011, Nov. 28, was only the second billion-dollar day for online U.S. sales in history, following the equivalent day in 2010.”

China’s answer to Prada? (Telegraph)
“Just as Western luxury brands colonise and coin it in China, it is inevitable that Chinese companies will want to do the same right back. While some might currently be lacking in savoir faire , what those with big ambitions won’t lack is money; Beijing and Shanghai are packed with newly minted billionaires looking for glamorous investment opportunities.”

What Women Want: Jonathan Saunders (Independent)
“Saunders is nothing if not serious about his work – so much is evident in his sliced and precise patterns, a signature lightness that never becomes frothy, and his attention to detail. But he also speaks about the clothes he makes with a businesslike sense of creating merchandise – a hangover from his original line of work in product design.”

Shanghai Tang Autumn/Winter 2011 | Source: Shanghai Tang

Can China Produce A Luxury Brand? (Forbes)
“China is more known as a luxury consumer rather than a producer. And while it is a manufacturing hub for many global labels and retailers, it has yet to produce its own luxury brand in the manner of Hermes or Louis Vuitton. True, it took centuries for Hermes and Louis Vuitton to become what they are today, but these questions begged to be asked: Are there Chinese labels that are poised to become the Hermes of tomorrow?”

Oscar de la Renta to Launch F-Commerce (WWD)
“Oscar de la Renta is the first luxury brand to launch a Facebook commerce, or F-commerce, initiative contained entirely on the social medium where it has over 283,000 followers… It is the first to offer a commerce experience from beginning to end without leaving Facebook. In fact, the whole transaction can be done either on a tab on the brand’s page or, if the user prefers, without even leaving his or her newsfeed.”

Adidas raises 2011 outlook on emerging markets (Reuters)
“Germany’s Adidas lifted its 2011 sales outlook on strong demand for its sporting goods in emerging markets and as it expands its high margin brand-name stores… This is the fourth time this year Adidas has upgraded its sales forecast as demand for its three-stripe branded products soars, with running shoes and fashion products proving especially popular with U.S. and Chinese consumers.”

Fitted Fashion Uses 3D Scanners to Create Custom-Fit Jeans (Mashable)
“The single most challenging item of clothing to shop for is jeans… Fitted Fashion, a recent graduate of startup incubator Betaspring, is one of several startups aiming to address that problem. The company is currently testing 3D body scanners alongside its own pattern-making software to develop custom jeans and suits, among other items.”

Prabal Gurung: the red carpet’s new darling (Telegraph)
“You may not recognise the name, but we’re sure you will have seen one of Prabal Gurung’s designs before. The New York based designer has slipped under the radar for a few years now, but he is finally having his moment in the limelight… It has only been in the last twelve months that celebrities have been clambering over themselves to wear Gurung on the red carpet.”

Manolo Blahnik | Source: Briseis

In His Shoes (NY Times)
“This is the tale of the little stiletto that could, a shoe that in the long-ago days of the luxury-goods boom scampered to the top of a rarefied heap. It was just a handful of years ago that the name of Manolo Blahnik, a 68-year-old London cobbler born in the Canary Islands, was familiar only to hard-core fashion hunters and residents of ZIP code 10021.”

Prada forecasts China sales to triple in 2-3 years (Reuters)
“Italian fashion house Prada sees strong growth in China, with sales expected to triple in coming years… The luxury market would not closely track economic weakness, and Prada was optimistic over growth in Asia particularly in China, where sales are expected to double or even triple in the next two to three years, Deputy Chairman Carlo Mazzi told reporters.”

No logo (FT)
“The appeal of living large hasn’t disappeared but it seems the logos associated with lavish lifestyles have. When it comes to statement accessories, brands as diverse as Victoria Beckham and Céline are whispering their exclusivity amid a growing consensus that ‘anonymity’ is the key to being recognised.”

China Leads World in Luxury Spending (Forbes)
“Affluent consumers in the U.S. and much of the world are pulling back on their spending and attitude toward luxury. However, in China, affluent consumers are choosing luxury in every aspect of the lives, according to a seven-country survey of households earning at least $150,000.”

Steve Jobs: fashion inspiration (FT)
“…By ‘fashion’ I mean the industry at large. It owes an entire product category – and possibly more, possibly the whole concept of brand extension – to Jobs. Without him, would it have ever occurred to anyone that technology could be an aspirational accessory that would itself spawn more aspirational accessories that could be changed season to season, niche collection to niche collection, ad infinitum?”

Gucci Spring/Summer 2011 | Source: Gucci

China vs. America: Who Loves Shopping More? (Forbes)
“Americans are portrayed as the world’s ultimate consumers… But a new survey says that consumers in China were more than twice as likely as Americans to not only enjoy clothes shopping, but to love it… They’re consuming in a particularly conspicuous, showy fashion.”

In Paris, Sensuality Saves the Day (NY Times)
“Maybe it’s too many hours on Twitter that causes people to reduce fashion shows to a check-off list of essentials, but whatever it is, writers at the spring men’s collections here were ticking the appropriate boxes: globalism, gender games, the new sobriety.”

Offering Web Buyers a Thrill of Discovery (NY Times)
“Many consumers would say the Internet has improved shopping… But have we lost the thrill of discovery? Shauna Mei, an entrepreneur… introduced AHAlife, a Web site that offers niche products suggested by a variety of ‘trendsetters and tastemakers.’”

Online shopping bought for you in store by actual people (Independent)
“A new company’s employees go shopping for you to reduce delivery times, packaging, and shipping fees. Suddenlee.com guarantees ‘next-day delivery from over 300 retailers in a single box’…  Items from different stores including Zara, H&M and Macy’s can be added together… To the same virtual shopping basket.”

Anthony Vaccarello Wins ANDAM Prize (The Cut)
“31-year-old Paris-based designer Anthony Vaccarello will receive €200,000, € 10,000 worth of Swarovski crystals for his spring 2012 collection, and mentorship from former Chloé CEO Ralph Toledano…Recent ANDAM winners include Giles Deacon, Gareth Pugh, and Hakaan.”

Bernardo Huberman explains HP Labs research | Source: Youtube

Got Twitter? You’ve Been Scored (NY Times)
“Imagine a world in which we are assigned a number that indicates how influential we are… If your influence score is low, you don’t get the promotion, the suite or the complimentary cookies. This is not science fiction. It’s happening to millions of social network users.”

Skirting the Issue of Gender (IHT)
“Men in skirts or men in suits?… Out pop the same challenges every menswear season. But the gender play in the spring/summer 2012 Paris shows seems more intriguing. Designers are looking at a global market that includes cultures… where male/female garments are fluid.”

Emerging markets: luxury goes local (FT)
“Western consumers might be familiar with the first names in these pairs, but many will probably have never heard of the others. Yet wealthy consumers in emerging markets are increasingly facing a choice of whether to buy western brands as a status symbol or to opt for homegrown luxury.”

At Vuitton, Growth in Small Batches (WSJ)
“Nestled in the hills of central France, Louis Vuitton’s new factory—inaugurated Friday—expands the luxury label’s production capacity by 70 people… Vuitton’s growth over the years means it is constantly bumping up against its full production capacity.”

25 Influential Chinese In Global Fashion (Forbes)
“This year’s list of 25 influential Chinese in global fashion focuses on executives and entrepreneurs that are leading the charge. We include for the first time leaders at multinational fashion companies that are playing a crucial role in those foreign firms’ success in China.”