Thinking, and Literally Looking, Very Big (IHT)
“Of all the performer’s covers, this Visionaire production, with its photograph of a slinky, shimmering mermaid Gaga with a tar-covered fish tail, has to be the most flamboyant. The magazine is two meters high and 1.5 meters wide, or 6 feet high and 4.8 feet wide.”

Luxury conquers its CSR fear (FT)
“An interesting policy shift is creeping through the luxury industry: after long being terrified of talking about environmental/corporate social responsibility initiatives except in the most covert whispers, a number of voices are now slowly being raised.”

Saks Beefs Up Online Content (WWD)
“Saks Fifth Avenue is making a major push to get closer to its customers. The upscale retailer today unveils its redesigned Saks POV Web site, featuring richer editorial content, such as designer profiles, coverage of brands carried at the store and lifestyle pieces highlighting the coolest restaurants, exhibits and cultural events.”

Stella McCartney to show at London Fashion Week for the first time (Telegraph)
“For the first time ever, Stella McCartney is to show the latest collection from her eponymous label at London Fashion Week… The Saturday night “special fashion presentation” on February 18 next year will, her office emphasised, be to showcase a “one-off” Stella McCartney collection.”

Abraham Moon: the name on everyone’s lips – and labels (Telegraph)
“Over the past few years everyone from Ralph Lauren to Dolce & Gabbana has descended on the place… The thing that draws them is a 174-year-old woollen mill in a sprawl of sooty Victorian stone buildings either side of the Netherfield Road. There etched on to a black vitreous panel by the entrance are the words Abm Moon & Sons Ltd.”

Tamara Mellon | Source: Sakura Cosmetiques

Tamara Mellon: write her off at your peril (Telegraph)
“‘Jimmy Choo customers feel a strong affinity with her,’ says Emma Elwick-Bates, Vogue’s market editor. ‘She’s incredibly glamorous, but also a successful businesswoman and single mother. She ticks a lot of boxes.’ All of which makes the radio silence from Jimmy Choo following the rupture look a little like panic. This is not an ailing enterprise but one that’s ‘phenomenally successful, one of our top-performing footwear and accessories brands.’”

More Luxury Brands Rolling Dice With Hong Kong IPOs (Jing Daily)
“Despite an IPO environment described by the BBC this summer as “faltering,” nearly six months after debuts by the likes of Samsonite and Prada, it seems that high-end brands are still lining up to list on the Hong Kong stock exchange… Apparently some measure of confidence has returned, though, as luxury brands seem to have regained their appetite for Hong Kong IPOs.”

Saks beats, expects holiday sales gains (Reuters)
“Luxury retailer Saks Inc forecast continued sales growth in the holiday period despite a volatile stock market, and reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit as it offered shoppers fewer markdowns. The department store chain expects sales at stores open at least a year to rise by a “mid-to-high single-digit” percentage rate in the final quarter that includes the Christmas season.”

Fashion and You raises $40 mn in venture funding (Business Standard)
“Fashion and You, an invitation-only shopping site, has raised $40 million (Rs 201 crore) from a group of investors led by Norwest Venture Partners and Intel Capital. This is touted to be the highest investment in e-commerce space in the country, signifying the growing interest of the investors’ community in the e-commerce space in India.”

An Intellectual Fashion | Fabien Baron (AnOther)
“French-born, New York-based Fabien Baron, is a leading art director who has and continues to work on a variety of fashion, beauty and design, editorial, commercial and collaborative projects including the collage-style design on Madonna’s iconic book, Sex. He began his career at GQ before re-designing and re-launching magazines including Italian Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Arena Homme Plus and his latest, Interview, where he is also editorial director.”

Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2005 | Source: Hapsical

Tents, but No Circus (NY Times)
“But what the increasingly industrialized Fashion Week now signally lacks is a certain giddy excitement, the fanfare and promise of genius that were common in the days when you could still get close enough to it all to see the greasepaint and smell the sweat… Ms. Roitfeld claimed flatly that fashion is not much fun anymore. ‘It’s less light-hearted, less spontaneous,’ Ms. Roitfeld said. ‘Fashion has become an industry, one that increasingly stifles creation.’”

Saks, Nordstrom Say Luxury Sales Firm (Bloomberg)
“So far so good in the luxury sector, say top executives of Saks Inc. and Nordstrom Inc., as stock markets lurch up and down amid global economic uncertainty.Saks Chief Executive Officer Stephen Sadove and Nordstrom Chief Financial Officer Michael Koppel say sales at their luxury chains are holding up and that they are sticking to their forecasts.”

Cult following helps Superdry sales soar (Guardian)
“Shares in SuperGroup rose 7% after the company said total group sales were £54m in the three months to the end of July. Wholesale sales almost doubled on the strength of international demand for the retailer’s clothing. SuperGroup listed last year and has divided City opinion, with some investors viewing it is a temporary fashion fad rather than a long-term bet.”

The Rising Popularity of Hong Kong’s Young Haberdashers (Red Luxury)
“Creativity from an unlikely source — young, ambitious entrepreneurs– is cultivating China’s homegrown luxury industry. Particularly in Hong Kong, where relaxed taxes and government initiatives appeal to new businesses, industrious young men have created a niche market for haberdashery that is earning serious attention.”

Paris to sell its young (FT)
“The Council of Fashion Designers of America is taking a page out of the British Fashion Council’s playbook and is bringing 10 of the past CFDA/US Vogue Fashion Fund finalists to Paris Fashion Week. The finalists will be able to use showrooms to help them “expand their international business and increase their presence outside of the United States,” according to Steven Kolb, CFDA chief executive.”

Brioni Autumn/Winter 2011 | Source: Fashion Windows

Brioni Shock (Vogue UK)
“Brioni is ending its womenswear line, and its contract with the label’s creative director Alessandro Dell’Acqua. Brioni’s manufacturing plant in Italy, which was dedicated to the production of the brand’s womenswear collections, will be shut down in September.”

Why luxury goes hand in hand with sustainability (Guardian)
“As social and environmental stresses increase and global resources come under greater pressure, the concept of luxury, always fluid, will keep changing. There have also been positive efforts within the sustainability movement to redefine luxury as something that embodies the social and environmental credentials of a product or service… If we read ‘luxury’ as placing an importance on durability, pride in buying less and better, the link to sustainability becomes less jarring.”

Billionaire Slim Spends $8.8 Million to Boost Saks, Times Stakes (Bloomberg)
Billionaire Carlos Slim spent $8.8 million to boost his stakes in Saks Inc and New York Times Co, adding to his biggest U.S. holdings as the stock market slumped last week… Slim, who had been Saks’s largest shareholder before the purchases and last acquired the New York-based retailer’s shares in April 2009, raised his stake to 16 percent from 15.7 percent.”

What China Should Learn From Hong Kong’s Luxury Malls (Mao Suit)
“There are currently upwards of 50 new luxury malls currently being built across China to tap into rapidly growing luxury goods market, yet very few of them will come anything close to the standard of the luxury malls developed in HK over the last few years… What the HK developers do so well is that they create mixed-use shopping malls that… Create an ecosystem of real estate that brings masses of people to the mall everyday and easily translating into sales.”

Deutsche brands (FT)
“German fashion has been a bit off the international radar since Jil Sander sold her namesake label and Wolfgang Joop left Joop! to start up a new label, Wunderkind… Recently, however, that has begun to change. Thanks to the combination of a buzzy Berlin fashion week and a new generation of fashion-forward consumers, a growing number of local heroes is emerging in the country.”

Barneys' new team photographed by Jason Schmidt | Source: NY Magazine

Barneys’ Fall Line (NY Magazine)
“Like many of its clients, Barneys has had its ups, its downs, and its great many in-betweens, and it is, at right this very moment, engaged in that most New York of pursuits: a reinvention… Last summer, Mark Lee was hired as Barneys’ new CEO. His reputation is as golden as it gets in the fashion world: He’s spent his career in Europe occupying high-level positions at important fashion houses—­Armani, Yves Saint Laurent, and, most recently, Gucci.”

On the Phone: M-Commerce Is the Word (WWD)
“… Along comes m-commerce, capturing sales on the go. It’s quickly becoming a digital priority for the fashion industry, and accessories are rising as a hot category… Net-a-Porter’s accessories buying manager, Sasha Sarokin, reports that with m-commerce, more ‘everyday’ and ‘wear-now’ accessories, like friendship bracelets or small pendant necklaces, are big sellers. Higher-ticket items sell as well, particularly those that pack a strong photographic punch.”

Saks says market turmoil warrants caution (Reuters)
“Luxury department store operator Saks Inc forecast same-store sales growth and better margins for the rest of the year even as the volatile financial markets give it reason to be cautious about fall sales.Shares were down 28 cents, or 3.1 percent, at $8.79 in morning trading on the New York Stock Exchange. Stock market volatility has made the company more careful about expenses and how much inventory to carry to be prepared in the event shoppers cut back.”

J. Crew finally treks to Canada (Calgary Herald)
“After being sought out for years by Canadians as a favoured cross-border shopping destination, J. Crew is set to open its first set of fashionable doors in Canada in less than a week…J. Crew’s marketing, which is handled internally, has evolved over the years from a catalogue-driven business into an evolving social-media force.”

RISE: Lisoka (Dazed Digital)
“Lisoka is the creation of Swedish menswear designer Lisa Våglund. Having graduated with a Master’s degree from the prestigious Danish Design School in Copenhagen, she went on to start her own fashion line of clothes with an eco-consciousness… A dream would be to work for a brand like Raf Simons or Kris Van Assche.”

Looks from the IOU project | Source: IOU

Ethical fashion weaves in social media (CNN)
“With each piece of clothing there is a link called “This item’s journey” that leads to pictures and profiles of the weaver who created the fabric and of the artisan who cut the material and created the design. Using the IOU Project’s iPhone app, you can take a photo of the QR code to pull that story up again.”

Luxury stores urge UK to issue more Chinese visas (CNN)
“Britain could give a boost to the luxury goods industry by relaxing visa restrictions for Chinese travellers, the bosses of high-end department stores Harrods and Harvey Nichols told Reuters…. Four years ago, China represented about a third of our American business, now it is four times our American business. ”

Luxury executive switcheroos (FT)
“Mr Bouissou’s move to PPR comes as its chief François-Henri Pinault has switched to a hands-on role with the luxury section of the business… Boucheron, the only jewellery brand in the portfolio, has always seemed a bit of an anomaly in the Gucci Group stable, but joined by a few other, smaller gem names – well, suddenly it starts to look a lot more logical.”

Why Saks Continues to be a Leader in Luxury Retail’s Recovery (Forbes)
“Look who’s leading a luxe charge in retail: Saks Inc. posted a soaring 51 percent gain in profits for its fiscal first quarter on… Despite the influence of consumer confidence, Saks’ sales gains of 8.8 percent to $726 million on a 10.2 percent rise in comps (comparable sales in stores open at least one year) were the result of savvy management decisions.”

Yohji Yamamoto as Himself (WWD)
“As a buildup to his 10-year anniversary with Adidas, Yohji Yamamoto has stripped down the way he works in a new documentary. Compelling as it is to see how closely the designer examines the drape of his designs and how he crouches on the floor to review rows of models’ head shots, the film’s most poignant moments happen when Yamamoto simply stands in front of the camera, speaking about his life and ideology.”

Gucci Autumn/Winter 2011 details | Source: Style.com

Sleek and Luxe (IHT)
“‘I wanted to play with color, a little of the 1970s and a lot of irony,’ said Ms. Giannini backstage, after the parade of fabulous Ms. Fox furs in turquoise, purple, rust and lilac wrapped around the shoulders above slim leather dresses or those sporty jackets with pleated culotte skirts that looked a lot like Yves Saint Laurent archives updated.”

The Kiddie Couturiers (NY Times)
““Kiddie couturiers” are perhaps the ultimate, inevitable result of a fashion culture that is obsessed with youth… and a youth culture that is obsessed with fashion…But the fact that fashion has become a field that is so easy for a tween to crack says a lot about how much the perception of a designer has changed. The allure of fashion is no longer the craft, but the flash.”

Saks turns a profit, sees higher sales this year (Reuters)
“Saks reported a quarterly profit as it sold more items at full price and forecast continued sales growth at its established luxury department stores, sending its shares up nearly 5 percent… sales at stores open at least a year rose 8.4 percent in the holiday quarter as shoppers resumed spending on expensive dresses, handbags and shoes.”

A Conversation With Tod’s Owner Diego Della Valle (Huffington Post)
“As the fashion flock moves to Milan for the fall/winter 2011 collections, Tod’s chairman Diego Della Valle, fondly called the Italian Ralph Lauren, talks about his life-long pursuit of Italian excellence, the reason why he bought shares at Saks and his part in keeping the Kennedy legacy alive.”

8 Must Know Fashion Show Producers (Luxury Society)
“[As] blogger’s, stylists and PR teams move across to Milan, we bring you a round up of the must-know event producers behind the catwalks… We investigated major fashion show producers and present a selection from around the globe.”

RRR, available on Facebook | Source: Rachel Rachel Roy

Pop-up mobile for luxury retail (Mobiluxe)
“One of the inherent values of the mobile medium for marketers is the very personal nature of the smartphone device itself… This creates a plethora of unique engagement opportunities for luxury brands… [to] re-create the feeling of uniqueness historically inherent in shoppers’ experience with the brand.”

Apps Go Upmarket (Ad Week)
“A new report from the Luxury Institute finds significant numbers of upmarket Americans getting into the apps act as they deploy their mobile devices as tools for luxury shopping.”

Italy’s Della Valle boosts Saks stake (Yahoo)
“Italian businessman Diego Della Valle continued to build up his ownership in Saks Inc , raising his stake to 11.12 percent from 9.4 percent in the luxury U.S. department store chain.”

Getting back to basics in a world of luxury (INSEAD Knowledge)
“As China’s middle class expands, does consumption behaviour change? According to Sir David Tang, founder of Shanghai Tang and China Clubs, consumption behaviour doesn’t shift with economic development; it is only perceived to do so.”

The kids are all right: Top ten new faces (Style.com)
“The old guard may have made a strong showing, with the likes of Kristen McMenamy, Kirsten Owen, and even Inès de la Fressange turning up on the Paris runways, but ask any casting director and they’ll tell you, it was a good season for new girls.”

Neiman Marcus, Boston | Source: ICSC

US luxury stores outperform rest of retail sector (FT)
“US luxury department stores outperformed the rest of the retail sector during September, underlining the extent to which more prosperous shoppers are leading the recovery in consumer spending.”

Asos launches US site (Retail Week)
“Asos is promoting the new website, Us.asos.com, by giving US customers free delivery. It plans to launch French and German versions of its site later this year. With Asos delivering to 167 markets, international sales account for 37% of total turnover.”

Italian Luxury Firms To Invest in India Over 5 Years (Fox Business)
“Top Italian luxury companies will invest at least EUR150 million in India setting up an additional 50-60 stores over the next five years, the executive director of Italian trade group Fondazione Altagamma said.”

Fast Retailing Forecasts 17 percent Profit Decline (Bloomberg)
“Fast Retailing Co., Asia’s biggest clothing chain operator, forecast full-year profit will fall 17 percent because of lower same-store sales in the first half.”

The Top 10 on the Runways (WSJ)
“A top 10 list from the Spring 2011 shows. Milan and Paris dominate the list, as they do the world of fashion and luxury production, but the highlights include both fashion’s heavyweights and some surprises.”

MCM's Boston bag | Source: MCM

Relocated labels (FT)
“From individual consumers of luxury goods, the Chinese and Indians have become consumers of luxury companies, in a shift that has far-reaching implications for the $80bn (€63bn, £52bn) a year industry.”

When luxury brands outsource, should they tell? (Today)
“Italy’s Parliament has passed a law that [requires] manufacturers be able to prove that their products were primarily made in Italy and, if any part of the work was carried out elsewhere, a traceable location must be shown.”

Saks shares surge on report of possible buyout bid (Reuters)
“Saks Inc shares surged 22 percent… after a published report that a group of private equity firms may soon launch a bid for the New York-based luxury department store operator.”

Boomers and Zoomers: The Social Web Grows Up (Brand Channel)
“As Boomers continue to age, their social media skills are ripening. The latest Pew Internet survey reveals that social networking among Internet users in the 50+ segment nearly doubled, from 22% in April 2009 to 42% in May 2010.”

Memorial service at St. Paul’s for Alexander McQueen (Telegraph)
“The late, great British designer, Alexander ‘Lee’ McQueen, will be remembered at a Memorial Service, at St Paul’s Cathedral, on September 20th, during London Fashion Week.”