“I think they are very beautiful objects. There is no touch of what is considered bad taste or bad design [with technology], because bad design is bad taste today. They are flawless in a way. Facebook is a flawless object…it’s for me like a Brancusi”

Karl Lagerfeld speaking exclusively to BoF Founder and Editor-in-Chief Imran Amed on technology for The Luxury Channel, following the IHT Heritage Luxury Conference hosted by Suzy Menkes and held in London last week.

““If heritage is all about the physical artifacts and intangible attributes that connect the brand to its past, how does one break that down into codes that can be adapted for the Internet Age? …The essence of heritage luxury takes a quiver of emotion from the past in a thoroughly modern world.”

The inimitable Suzy Menkes, writing exclusively for NOWNESS about “heritage” in the digital era for luxury brands, accompanied by an animated short from Christian Borstlab as part of the celebrations for the 10th annual IHT Luxury Conference being held in London this week.

Escada stock prices over the last 5 days, courtesy of Google Finance

Escada Board to Meet on Insolvency After Bondholders Snub Offer (Bloomberg)
“Escada AG, the luxury clothing company whose dresses are worn by Demi Moore, is holding a board meeting today to discuss a plan to file for insolvency after bondholders rejected its financial rescue proposal.”

Micro trends making major fashion statements this autumn (Telegraph)
“Brace yourselves as ‘slow-burning trends’, such as thigh-high boots and shoulder pads, hit the big time this season.”

Claudia Schiffer to address IHT’s Berlin luxury conference (MNI)
“The International Herald Tribune (IHT) has announced that Claudia Schiffer will join the lineup of high-profile speakers at its annual luxury conference where she will talk about the challenges of maintaining and protecting your global image in a digital world where fashion and celebrity media platforms have proliferated.”

Playing to the Middle (New York Times)
“Why would this perennially square department store bother to reanimate itself in Manhattan – in the sleekest, scariest fashion city in America – during a hair-raising economic downturn, without taking the opportunity to vigorously rebrand itself?”

VAT increase to cost retailers £90m (Drapers)
“The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has forecast that the return of VAT to 17.5% on January 1 will cost retailers £90m, as the Conservative party refused to rule out raising VAT further if they come to power.”