Pucci Autumn/Winter 2011 | Source: Style.com

In Milan, Trying to Leap the Obstacles (NY Times)
“Maybe reality is always too unreal without time to reflect, but the problem now seems acute for designers. Many say they don’t have time to design in the traditional sense: exploring new fabrics and shapes. Some have unusual corporate pressures. Their instinct, then, is not to look around them but to adapt the myths of the last few hundred years, be they Mods, flappers or horse-riding dukes.”

Video Raises Questions for Designer (NY Times)
“John Galliano, the chief designer for Christian Dior, faced fresh accusations on Monday of anti-Semitism after a video surfaced of Mr. Galliano appearing to deliver a tirade in a Paris bar…As the video circulated Monday, executives from Dior and its parent company, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, held emergency meetings about how to respond.”

Icelanders put All Saints up for sale (Telegraph)
“All Saints said that the banks ‘are looking to exit and realise a return on their investment’… The retailer, known for its grungy chic, currently has 63 stores and 47 concessions in the UK, Europe, the US and Russia. It is majority-owned by Kevin Stanford, the entrepreneur who built up the Karen Millen clothing chain with his ex-wife of the same name.”

Luxottica Targets Growth in Emerging Markets (Bloomberg)
“Luxottica, the world’s largest maker of eyeglasses, predicted it will increase revenue and profitability this year as consumer demand for branded goods rises. The company is in ‘an ideal position to continue throughout 2011 with solid, stable growth in net sales and a more than proportionate increase in profitability.’”

The Lady Whisperer (WSJ)
“Since launching his namesake label in 2006, American sportswear designer and maestro of the cocktail dress Jason Wu has earned a devout following among Hollywood ingénues and society gals… Now a household name, the Parsons alum continues to forgo fleeting trends for timeless, elegant ensembles in his growing empire of ready to wear, bridal and accessories.”

Carré Hermès | Source: Hermès

Jean-Louis Dumas, Chief of Hermès, Dies at 72 (NY Times)
“Jean-Louis Dumas, who revived the flagging fortunes of Hermès in the late 1970s and in his nearly 30 years as the company’s chief executive transformed it into one of the world’s most successful luxury brands, died Saturday at his home in Paris.”

Louis Vuitton Tops Hermes, Gucci as Most Valuable Luxury Brand (Bloomberg)
“Louis Vuitton, the French fashion brand known for its monogrammed luggage, topped Millward Brown Optimor’s 2010 BrandZ ranking of the most valuable luxury labels for the fifth straight year.”

Costumes On Display at the Met (WSJ)
“There are really no other evenings in New York like the Costume Institute Gala, which falls on the first Monday in May and is hosted, as it has been for years, by Vogue. This is partly because there’s a great element of surprise.”

YSL’s Stefano Pilati (South China Morning Post)
“‘More or less I have done everything I have had in mind so far – in terms of collections, playing with the heritage but not too much and preserving the runway as something directional yet true to what I feel. Sales, for me, show I have done a good job.’”

The Collector: Jason Wu (WSJ)
“In 2008, he was a finalist for the Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund award, a prestigious prize for emerging designers. But when the inauguration gown went viral in the multimedia world, he became a household name overnight.”

American Apparel store

American Apparel to sell stake to private equity firm (Drapers)
In a rush to finance a $16 million debt, American Apparel sells a 20% stake of the company to Lion Capital.

Jason Wu stays in focus amid Michelle Obama whir (The Canadian Press)
Even though he has received endless press following his Obama inaugural gown, Jason Wu is staying focused on building a business and establishing strong retail relationships.

America’s Fastest-Shrinking Stores (Forbes)
“For retailers, 2009 is a game of survival, and already more than a few haven’t made it,” reports Forbes.

Teen Retailers Close ‘Concept’ Stores to Focus on Main Brand (WSJ)
“Teen concepts (stores) are being pared as the recession prompts a harsh reappraisal of slicing the market into dozens of niches,” reports The Wall Street Journal.