Giving a Glimpse of How It Is Done (NY Times)
“‘The point is, luxury brands cannot compete on product alone… They all sell beautiful products and follow the same trends, so loyalty is low. Brands are seeking ways to connect to consumers and show how they’re different.’”

Richemont’s Focus on Saving Cash Pile Damps Hermès Speculation (Bloomberg)
“Richemont said the world’s largest jewelry maker needs its 1.88 billion-euro ($2.6 billion) cash pile to fund growth of its own brands, damping speculation the owner of Cartier jewelry may buy shares in Hermès.”

Social Commerce: A Luxury that Luxury Brands Can’t Afford? (Brand Channel)
“Welcome to the age of social commerce. Social media—specifically, a strategic social media presence—not only supports but also shapes consumer and brand behavior and increases brand and personal value.”

The New Food Groupies (WSJ)
“What qualifies these guys to dip their toes in the food world? What qualifies a lot of the self-appointed foodies, foodists and food bloggers out there? Often not much beyond a good eye, a strong opinion and a willingness to be exacting.”

Philippe Pourhashemi Interviews David Szeto (ASVOF)
“You don’t often meet individuals in the fashion world who are talented, friendly, open and humble. David Szeto is one of them, and he grows on you the way his clothes do.”

When a designer with an international, cult following of fashion insiders shifts his headquarters to Brussels, could it mean that the Belgian city better known for its frites, waffles and EU bureaucracy will be the next fashion hotspot? I sat down with Brussels’ new transplant, David Szeto, in his huge 2 story space (see above) to learn the reasons behind his move from Paris, Szeto’s long-standing home base.

Antwerp, of course, is the reigning champion of Belgian fashion, having produced the avant-garde group of designers known as the Antwerp Six, all of whom graduated from Antwerp’s famous Royal Academy of Fine Arts. More recently, the school has gained recognition for nurturing designers like Bruno Pieters, Kris van Assche and Haider Ackerman. But, if David’s recent move is anything to go by, then maybe we’ll be talking about the Brussels Six as well someday.

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