Jewellery of ancient Greece: Gold myrtle wreath | Source: Hellenic Voice

What will be a luxury in the future? (BBC)
“The traditions of old luxury – the luxury of things – are awfully dull for new consumers. They want to be touched emotionally by their experiences, and there are new priorities, such as ethical concerns and sustainability.”

Sportswear Rules (IHT)
“Tailoring can be fresh in shape, color and texture. But in spite of the games designers play to juice up a suit — wider or smaller shoulders and lapels, or softer pants — the beating heart of men’s fashion is sportswear.”

Way Off the Runway (WSJ)
“The cachet once associated with owning a name-brand designer has been significantly diluted… This, combined with a post-recession wariness of conspicuous logo-flaunting and an eco-fueled desire for small-batch, low-impact authenticity, may be shifting the nature of luxury.”

Surprises in store at Boutique Luisa Via Roma (Independent)
“Boutique Luisa Via Roma has long been Florence’s fashion hub. Now it has opened its doors to the next generation of stylists…The bloggers are a new, independent voice; tomorrow they will hopefully become influential.”

Meet the click chicks! (NY Post)
“Bianca Caampued, 26, and Mallory Blair, 22, have become the reigning prom queens of New York’s tech scene since launching their party-planning and marketing company — Small Girls PR— nine months ago. The duo.. throw the buzziest parties for the city’s tech scene.”

Louis Vuitton store in Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar | Source: Courtesy LV

The Luxury Frontier (WSJ)
“What happens when a country previously hindered by vastness and foreign rule awakens to wealth on its doorstep? With Louis Vuitton on one corner and one of the world’s largest gold deposits down the road, the previously nomadic society of Mongolia is putting down some rich roots.”

Paris Men’s: Dude Surfers (On the Runway)
“The Paris men’s shows could always surprise with a great venue, or staging, or casting that conveyed the spirit of the designs. But Thursday’s shows put out so little energy that they made a case for seeing the clothes in the showroom. Or catching them later online.”

Prada Is Making Fashion in China (WSJ)
“About 20% of Prada’s collections… are made in China. The Milan-based company manufactures outside Italy in other cheaper countries such as Vietnam, Turkey and Romania… ‘Sooner or later, it will happen to everyone because [Chinese manufacturing] is so good,’ Prada designer Miuccia Prada said in an interview.”

Uniqlo and Jil Sander part ways (Telegraph)
“The German fashion designer Jil Sander, feted for her minimalist aesthetic, and Japanese retailer Uniqlo, are to part ways after working together for almost three years. The +J collection , which was launched in 2009… will make its final foray into stores with a range for this coming autumn and winter.”

What Has Pierre Cardin Been Up To? (WSJ)
“The legendary fashion designer has purchased a vast array of buildings there over the past decade, and, the locals advised me, he was taking a hands-on approach to their reconstruction. His acquisitions now number more than 40, the most famous being the château of the notorious 18th-century libertine the Marquis de Sade.”

CH by Carolina Herrera | Source: Carolina Herrera

Spain’s Puig Group succeeds by swimming against the stream (FT)
“Puig is an anomaly in the luxury market in a number of ways. It is the only Spanish luxury group. It is private and remains family-run.  And it is… a ‘hybrid’ of fashion and fragrance… Marc Puig, chairman and the third generation of the family to run a company founded in 1914, says ‘We don’t really follow the normal rules.’”

Middle market: Second-tier brands tap into straitened times (FT)
“The public’s shopping habits have not reverted to their previous ways – with lasting consequences for [the] ‘middle market’… But one nuance of the past three years is that the middle market has become a curiously compelling place for ultra-hip designers who would not have been seen dead there before.”

Moncler puts off IPO plans after Eurazeo deal (Reuters)
“Luxury clothing brand Moncler postponed plans for an IPO after investment company Eurazeo said it would acquire 45 percent of the company for 418 million euros. The announcement comes just a few days after Moncler got the go-ahead for its planned initial public offering.”

Buyers dictate this season’s look (FT)
“More demanding customers, generational shifts, new loyalty rules, an increasingly integrated offline and digital customer experience and the continued growth of China and other emerging markets is transforming the luxury industry.”

Todd Lynn: Tailor-made rock’n'roll (Independent)
“So what’s the logic of courting the preened masses… bearing in mind that Lynn was the man who once dressed goth-rocker Marilyn Manson in a coat made from Icelandic horse, replete with Flicka-esque manes… ‘I recently discovered my customer base is much broader than I thought.’”

Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2011 Handbags | Source: Louis Vuitton

Luxury goods set for another record year (Reuters)
“The outlook for the luxury goods market has improved significantly in recent months, boosted by a stronger-than-expected rebound in the United States and Europe and surging demand in China, consultancy Bain & Co said.”

Why those in the know are no longer in with the It Bag (Independent)
“The It Bag is dead! Long live the It Bag!… And that is the new direction for fashion in times of tightened belts and shallow pockets: the unobtrusive item recognised by a privileged few and, therefore, with a much longer fashionable lifespan.”

Hermès Sells Stake in Gaultier’s Fashion House (IHT)
“‘I am delighted with this move for a house that is dear to our heart,’ Patrick Thomas, the Hermès chief executive, said in a statement. ‘I am convinced that the alliance between Jean Paul Gaultier and the Puig family will take the house to new highs.’”

Hong Kong Feminists Bristle at Prada IPO (WWD)
“Prada’s upcoming IPO in Hong Kong is upsetting feminists in the city… The feminist organization has posted two letters on its Web site; one in Chinese addressed to Prada chief executive officer Patrizio Bertelli, and another in English addressed to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.”

Liu Wen: Face of the future (Telegraph)
“At 24 Liu Wen is China’s biggest fashion star, a global ambassador for Estée Lauder, and in the vanguard of an Asian invasion of catwalks in Europe and America… In September 2009 Liu broke with the stereotype and became the first Chinese girl to model for the raunchy Victoria’s Secret show in New York.”

L-R Bottega Veneta, Jil Sander, Marni | Source: Style.com

Surface Attraction (IHT)
“Sculpted shapes, clean lines and modernist architecture — why is the fashion ‘streamlining’ of today any different from its previous incarnations of the 1930s to the 1990s?… The answer lies on the surface. A combination of hyper-modern fabrics and imaginative decoration is giving 21st-century style a third dimension.”

Galliano counter-sues over racist allegations (FT)
“John Galliano is counter-suing a couple for defamation after they claimed he hurled anti-Semitic and racist slurs at them at a café in Paris, resulting in his suspension as head designer of Dior Couture, part of LVMH, the luxury goods conglomerate.”

Paris Group plans expansion for Gianfranco Ferré (FT)
“Mr. Sankari argues that Paris Group’s expertise in opening stores gives it a head start in reviving the fortunes of Ferré. He also expects to announce in the coming weeks the acquisition by Paris Group of other large, well-known, high-end – and distressed – European brands in France and Italy.”

Italian tailoring schools (FT)
“Increasingly, and behind the scenes, the Italian brands that seem to be thinking simply of the next big season are also thinking of their long-term future. Specifically, how they can institutionalise their know-how to ensure an informed design pool for generations to come, whether women’s or men’s wear.”

Luxury and Unrest (IHT)
“Could the dramatic events in the Middle East ultimately be a bonus to the luxury industry? The events unfolding in the Arab countries, and the subsequent spike in the cost of crude oil, are being watched carefully by manufacturers and retailers now in Italy for the fashion season — as they are by every international business.”

The women of AMC's Mad Men | Source: AMCTV

This Old Thing? Actually, It’s New (NY Times)
“‘People used to laugh at me when I tried to sell these kinds of clothes when I started’… said Alicia Estrada, 39, founder and chief executive of Stop Staring!… the pioneer in reproduction vintage clothing. ‘Now my clothes are sold in 40 countries and more than 1,000 boutiques.’”

Dipped in gold, China to be world’s top luxury market by 2020 (Reuters)
“Rising affluence after years of solid wealth creation, and a steady transition from a saving to a spending culture will see China become the world’s largest luxury goods market over the next decade.”

Italy jewelry’s glitter lures foreign investors (Reuters)
“Cash-rich investors from emerging markets could follow U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett in buying top quality but crisis-hit Italian jewelers, attracted by good bargains and the export appeal of ‘Made in Italy’ brands.”

Is it curtains for changing rooms? (Independent)
“The problem is I can just never tell whether the outfits that look so alluring online will look good on me, because I can’t try them on. And I’m not alone… between 15 and 40 per cent of clothes (different stores have different rates) bought online are returned.”

The Cat in the Hat Comes Back (NY Times)
“The hat went the way of the dodo. Social historians are divided about the cause of the sartorial die-off, although an often repeated canard attributes it to President Kennedy and his rarely covered thatch of luxuriant hair.”

Jean Schlumberger Leaf ring | Source: Tiffany & Co.

Big spenders returning to the luxury fold (Globe and Mail)
“In the depth of the recession, Tiffany & Co. struggled to sell $3,200 diamond earrings and $12,000 bangles, while it fared better with $100 silver necklaces. Today, the situation is reversed, as the high-end retailer grapples with softer sales of jewellery under $500.”

Is Issa in Line for Throne? (NY Times)
“The label is ‘truly the Diane Von Furstenberg of the Sloaney set… something a well-bred and not terribly adventurous woman can reliably wear to polo matches or garden parties (or a really big press conference).’”

Should luxury brands explore Facebook as a retail channel? (Luxury Daily)
“Luxury brands have started to explore Facebook’s viability as a retail channel as the social network continues to position itself as the one stop shop for communications, networking and marketing on the Internet.”

Prada Nine-Month Net Triples (Bloomberg)
“Prada… said nine-month profit “tripled” as shoppers in Asia spent more on its products. Net income rose to 156 million euros ($208.2 million)… Revenue increased 31 percent to 1.39 billion euros. Sales grew in all markets.”

A Chronicler of Fashion Turns to the Heart (NY Times)
‘If you photograph a woman in a dress… it raises the question, ‘What are you saying about that woman?’ It sends a message. If you’re any kind of photographer, you are an activist.’

Gucci "Forever Now" Campaign | Source: Gucci

Heritage Luxury: Past Becomes the Future (IHT)
“The subject of heritage is red-hot because, faced with fierce global competition, brands have to decide which way to go: back to the comfort zone of craftsmanship and quality…fast forward into the world of live screening and e-commerce; or a delicate balance between the two?”

In China, the Lure of Patrimony (NY Times)
“When it comes to attracting China’s new wealth, the challenge for some of the world’s most iconic luxury brands is figuring out how to appeal to a consumer base that is constantly evolving and is, in many ways, very different from traditional markets in the West.”

The Luxury Market: Contradictory Clues (Luxist)
“[Included are] highlights of the Fall 2010 Affluent Market Tracking Study, #18, as well as some controversial results from Unity Marketing, and Bain & Co. These results and trends are diverse, arguable, and contradictory, pretty much mirroring the state of our economy right now.”

Asos continues to defy market gravity (Independent)
“The online boutique asos.com posted a 59 per cent rise in first-half profit which, even in boom time, would be impressive, but given the current climate is nothing short of miraculous.”

Gareth Pugh to show at Pitti in Florence (The Cut)
“The video [that Pugh] screened at the last Paris fashion week brought new energy to the discussion on the use of multimedia technologies in fashion. So we had all the right reasons for inviting Gareth Pugh to Florence and Pitti, where there is plenty of space for fashion experiments.”

Bottega Veneta Tech Toys | Source: Bottega Veneta

Luxury market faces spending drought through 2020 (Luxury Daily)
“The tough economy has permanently reined in the purchasing habits of the current generation of affluent consumers and upscale brands should expect more conservative spending until Generation Y enters the luxury market in force in 2020.”

PPR Third-Quarter Sales Beat Estimates (Bloomberg)
“Each of PPR’s luxury brands increased sales at least 10 percent in the quarter… The third quarter increases the company’s confidence of a stronger full-year ‘operating and financial’ performance, he said.”

Chanel sees trade improving, U.S. market recovery (Reuters)
“Chanel’s sales have improved since the summer, and business in the United States is recovering but has yet to return to pre-crisis levels, the French luxury company’s supervisory board president said.”

Mobile sales to hit 20 percent in 2011 at Rue La La (Internet Retailer)
“The mobile site and apps account for 13% of total sales, and at the rate m-commerce is growing at Rue La La, mobile may account for 20% of total sales next year.”

Olivier Theyskens and Theory: Q & A (NY Times)
“Few would have guessed that he would end up in a full-time job at Theory. But in a Q&A… Andrew Rosen, the co-chief executive officer of the label, and Mr. Theyskens said the designer’s collaboration turned out to be a natural fit.”

Bono and Ali Hewson for Louis Vuitton | Source: Louis Vuitton

Bling is back (The Economist)
“The strength of the recovery was a surprise…. Big brands such as Louis Vuitton and Hermès are the main winners. With their deep pockets, they were able to continue to open new shops and invest in the business during the crisis.”

Zegna Sees Sales, Profit Growth (Bloomberg)
“Sales will grow ‘well above 10 percent’ this year, led by Zegna’s biggest market of China and exceed the 870.6 million euros ($1.22 billion) generated in 2008…. [while] margins are improving, 2010 profit will be below the 62.3 million euros.”

Giorgio Armani draws focus to eyewear line via interactive video site (Luxury Daily)
“Armani’s Frames of Life campaign Web site lets consumers make their own customized video ads by piecing together different clips of content, or create print ads from screen grabs of the Optical Collections’ main campaign video.”

Potential Marketing Opportunities in Augmented Reality (Fashion’s Collective)
“As yet another element to consider in a marketing strategy, this begs the question, should augmented reality be part of a brand’s budget, and what are the benefits and concerns involved?”

Chinese models hit runways around the globe (CNN)
“When the willowy Liu Wen stepped onto the runway… she finally began to see a parade of models who looked increasingly like her: This fall, major design houses featured a number of Chinese models in fashion weeks as part of a bid by the firms to boost their sales in China.”