Liberty of London Menswear Spring 2010 | Source: Fashionisto

Liberty’s new owner sets out plans for growth (Guardian)
“Liberty’s new private equity owner BlueGem Capital, formed in 2006 by a group of former Merrill Lynch bankers… set out its plans for the department store group, which it described as ‘a national treasure’.”

Harrods Create Own-Brand Fashion to Revive Sales (Bloomberg)
“We have invested in all categories as we saw a white space that none of our vendor partners were addressing… Each season we edit our portfolio of resources and instead of filling with only other new brands, some of these dollars and floor space have gone to our own collection.”

Small brands can bite (Washington Post)
“Small brands can carve out a safe niche for themselves in an overcrowded fashion market, former Valentino chairman Matteo Marzotto said, adding that ideas count more than money in the crisis-hit luxury industry.”

Luxury Department Stores on Twitter (Fashion’s Collective)
“It’s been interesting to watch as more and more luxury brands and retailers get on the ‘Twitter train.’ In particular, [watching] how the department stores (amidst their complex organizations) are innovating in this space. Unfortunately, not all have gotten on board, but there are a few clear standouts.”

Looking for a New Elegance (IHT)
“That message echoes through the Paris shows as designers strive to meld — rather than contrast — tailoring and sportswear, liquid and linear, and to absorb the colors of garden and desert into the grey-blue city skyline.”

Browns' 40th Anniversary | Source: Browns

Browns celebrates 40 years in fashion (Telegraph)
“The John Galliano shirt wasn’t my first temptation at Browns, but has somehow come to represent what the shop stands for. Some four decades on, it has kept the flag flying for delightful conspicuous expenditure.”

Neiman boosted by sales revival (FT)
“Neiman Marcus, yesterday said its February store sales had improved, underlining the continuing revival of US luxury spending. The retailer said comparable sales rose 5.1 per cent in February from the same period the previous year.”

Women dominate mobile social networking scene (Biz Report)
“Over half (55%) of mobile social networkers were found to be women – not teens, who are more likely to use their devices to text. In fact, teenagers and college students combined account for less mobile social network traffic than their parents.”

Retailers are taking Liberty to heart (Independent)
“Target’s collaboration with the iconic London department store has resulted in the characteristic flower and paisley prints appearing on dresses, jumpsuits, swimsuits, bags, and even some home accessories, hitting US stores March 14.”

Fashion falls for Alice (The Toronto Star)
“Fashionable institutions are also falling down the rabbit hole in their rush to embrace the wonderment that is Alice. Paris’s Printemps and London’s Selfridges have dedicated entire display windows to fantastical scenes.”

Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas Lights | Source: Philips

Luxury’s turnaround? Maybe not quite just yet (Market Watch)
“It may be too early to call a turnaround in the luxury-retail sector. Despite expectations that high-end shoppers are gradually coming back to stores and with retailers such as Macy’s and Saks indicating some improvement, the latest data suggest that the battered sector may need to do more to prove this pickup in momentum can be sustained.”

From catwalk to laptop, fashion houses embrace web (Reuters)
“Increasingly fashion brands are shifting their communication budgets to the Web, and have a greater understanding of its potential and in particular they now are all requesting an online store.”

Indian Government allows Gucci to pick up 51 percent stake (Business Line)
“Italian designer goods maker Gucci can now go ahead with its plans to enter the Indian retail market through single brand stores with the Government allowing it to pick up a majority stake in its Indian franchisee Luxury Goods Retail Pvt Ltd.”

Liberty of London to team up with Target (Drapers)
“Liberty of London, the brand famed for its prints and owned by department store Liberty, has confirmed it has signed a deal with US value chain Target to create a range of clothing and accessories for the store.”

What a Lens Can’t Capture (NY Times)
“A gesture can speak volumes, something few people grasp as viscerally as does Blue Logan, a London-bred fashion illustrator… Mr. Logan, 29, is but one in a clutch of young artists to have snared the attention of the style world and, in the process, revitalized an art form that has long been eclipsed by photography.”