Hermes Autumn/Winter 2011 | Source: Hermes

Luxury Market Surges While the Rest of the Economy Sputters (Atlantic Wire)
“Economic news these days is pretty bleak: job growth is anemic, retail sales are stagnating, and consumer confidence is plummeting. But the luxury goods market is another story… According to Reuters, investors are now pouring money into luxury stocks.”

UK brands: retro in new markets (FT)
“Clamour for British brands among emerging market consumers has been the making of luxury brands like Burberry and Mulberry… Appetite for retro British brands is sure to continue in the Bric economies – although there’s only so much tomorrow’s consumers can stomach.”

Topshop Rolls the Retail Dice in Las Vegas (Forbes)
“Sir Philip Green… Is gambling that Topshop’s latest collection, Dress Up, will have him in the chips when the retail chain’s flagship store opens… The Las Vegas location is just one part of a larger expansion plan for the chain that includes Toronto… Chicago… Another outpost in New York City and a new shop in Miami.”

Gilt Groupe’s Richardson Discusses Online Retail (Bloomberg)
“Nate Richardson, vice president of Gilt Groupe Inc, discusses the opening of four new markets of the online luxury retailer.”

Inside a Pending Deal for a Stake in It-Label Proenza Schouler (Thread NY)
“Enter Andrew Rosen, who is said to have started eyeing Permira’s stake in Proenza Schouler late last year. His acquisition of the brand will be separate from his role as co-founder and CEO of Theory and related to an investment group that he is leading.”

Derek Lam | Source: Derek Lam

Derek Lam launches crowd-sourced collection on eBay (The Cut)
“Upon the collection’s initial unveiling, anyone with Internet access will be able to vote immediately for their favorite looks online to determine what goes into production.”

U.S. luxury, dept stores set for Xmas bounce (Reuters)
“Luxury and department stores will be the biggest beneficiary of expected growth in the U.S. retail market this holiday season, according to the head of the National Retail Federation.”

Gilt City acquires Bergine.com (Luxury Daily)
“Gilt City has acquired Bergine.com to combine two local leaders of luxury services and experiences. The acquisition is a first for Gilt City’s parent company, Gilt Groupe Inc. It accelerates Gilt City’s West Coast expansion.”

LVMH says will continue to buy Hermès shares (Reuters)
“LVMH said… it planned to buy more Hermès shares and disclosed to French regulators that it built up its 17.1 percent stake in Hermes partly through derivatives, called equity swaps.”

Moss’ final Topshop collaboration (Independent)
“As she prepares to unveil her last [collection] – what has the high-profile partnership done for the fortunes of the model, the mogul – Topshop owner Sir Philip Green – and the crowds who have bought into Brand Moss?”

Kate Moss for Topshop, Autumn 2009 | Source: Topshop

Kate Moss and Topshop to end design deal (BBC)
“A three-year design partnership between Kate Moss and Topshop is to end later this year. When the supermodel unveils her autumn and winter range in October – it will be her 14th and last collection for the chain.”

Gucci opens its new luxury digital flagship store (Fashion and Runway)
“Following an 18 month architectural renovation under the direction of Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini, the new online retail destination takes advantage of the most innovative technologies available today.”

Bulgari Recovers Its Luster (Wall Street Journal)
“Though jewelry lies at the heart of Bulgari’s business, Mr. Trapani’s decision to diversify into watches, perfumes and accessories over the past 20 years has “radically changed” the company he joined in 1981, he says. These lines now account for almost 50% of the company’s sales.”

Hugo Boss Sees Sales Rebound (Bloomberg)
“Hugo Boss AG’s sales rebound will gather pace in the second half of 2010 as its U.S. business benefits from a shift by customers toward less-expensive luxury items, according to Chief Financial Officer Mark Langer.”

It is Gandhi-wear vs bridal-wear in Kolkata (Times of India)
“With one paying tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s simple dressing style and another showcasing lavish bridal wear, the city is set for a double delight this September as two fashion weeks clash on the same date.”

Chanel Haute Couture Spring 2010 | Source: Ledefile

Bonjour Couture (Vogue.com)
“Just as Haute Couture Fashion Week begins the high fashion market has posted some very positive sales news. Top Parisian labels, including Chanel, Dior and Jean Paul Gaultier, have revealed a marked increase in both sales and demand.”

Cosmetics from Burberry and Topshop (FT)
“Fashion brands are often able to make that transition from clothes to fragrance, but with make-up it is harder. Women will still want to go to the brands that specialise and are seen as beauty experts.”

Consumers consider paid, sponsored bloggers less trustworthy (Biz Report)
“Is content by paid or sponsored bloggers seen as any more or less trustworthy than that provided via ‘earned’ media? Apparently so. But this won’t stop the growth of social media sponsorship.”

Vogue is first European fashion magazine available on the iPad (iPad News Tracker)
“The Vogue iPad app from Condé Nast is a fusion of glossy magazine and up-to-date content. The application can be downloaded with immediate effect from the iTunes store, making Vogue the first-ever fashion publication to be available on the iPad in Europe.”

Beautiful and Islamic: the new look on the catwalk (Independent)
“Welcome to the world inhabited by the ‘Hijabistas’, a trendy set of up and coming Muslim fashion designers who are doing their bit to forge an indigenous British Islamic identity.”

Even Luxe Buyers Expect Discounts (Adweek)
“We examine some other aspects of the luxury-buyer mind-set, including attitudes toward discounting and brands’ use of the Internet, as well as the post-recession outlook.”

The New Must-Have Accessory (WSJ)
“Amid a recession that’s clobbering sales of designer apparel, growing numbers of designers are rushing to embrace mobile-device technology in hopes of winning fans among younger consumers.”

Topshop Beats U.S. Curse on U.K. Chains (Bloomberg)
“Topshop is bringing new merchandise into its SoHo store every four to six weeks, and because Green has knocked out so many middlemen, he’s able to deliver the clothes at a more affordable price.”

Consumer confidence at 18-month high (Drapers)
“Consumer confidence is at its highest level for 18 months, despite people remaining anxious about the prospect of unemployment.”

Edun: Fashion, hope and charity (Independent)
“The label’s mission is to create sustainable employment in developing economies and to act as a voice encouraging the fashion industry to trade with Africa. Its focus is ethical rather than eco, but Hewson is working towards using more organic cottons in her collections.”

Mango ad campaign (Iran), courtesy of Mango

High fashion and Hollywood glamour as Mango open stores around the world (Times)
After a successful launch in Iran, Mango looks to move further into the Middle East, setting up a store in Irbil, Iraq.

Is luxury fashion good for the planet? (Observer)
“Premium brands don’t have the best reputation when it comes to social and environmental issues, but change is in the air.”

Matthew Williamson returns to London Fashion Week (Drapers)
“Matthew Williamson will join Burberry at London Fashion Week in September to help celebrate the event’s 25th birthday.”

Topshop confirms US roll out (Drapers)
“Sir Philip Green, the owner of Topshop, has confirmed he plans to open a second store in New York after the debut Manhattan store achieved strong sales in its first two months of trading.”

Adidas doesn’t want to run before learning to walk (Business Standard)
“Adidas, which launched its premium lifestyle product – Originals – in India two years ago, is still in the process of educating customers about the different story that the collections, represented by the Trefoil logo, has to tell vis-à-vis its regular ‘performance’ brands.”

Saks S/S 09 ad campaign, courtesy of Saks

Saks swings to a loss as demand falters (MarketWatch)
“Saks Inc. swung to a smaller-than-expected first-quarter loss Tuesday after the luxury retailer controlled inventory and expenses amid faltering demand for upscale goods.”

Halston Taps Marios Schwab as Creative Director (WWD)
“Ending one of the most speculated-about searches in recent months, Halston has tapped London-based designer Marios Schwab as its new creative director effective July.” (Subscription required)

Phillips-Van Heusen profit falls but beats Street (Reuters)
“Phillips-Van Heusen Corp, owner of the Calvin Klein brand, said on Tuesday that its quarterly net income fell, hurt by lower sales, but the results were better than Wall Street expected.”

Topshop unveils Kate Moss high summer collection (Drapers)
“Topshop has unveiled its high summer Kate Moss for Topshop collection which hits stores tomorrow.”

Models: Taking Business Into Their Own Hands (Forbes)
“While the supermodels of the ’80s–Linda, Naomi, Christy–were content with walking the runways and playing muse to the likes of Gianni Versace and Karl Lagerfeld, today’s top models have their eye on their own fashion design careers. Say goodbye to the supermodel and hello to today’s model/designer.”

Hermès A/W 08 advertising campaign

Luxury’s Breaking Point (CNBC European Business)
“MasterCard SpendingPulse reported luxury goods was the worst hit category in the final two months of 2008, with year-on year sales nosediving 34% between 1 November and 24 December in the US.” 

Versace Profits Fall 30 Percent (WWD)
Versace feels the effects of the downturn with a 30 percent decrease in net profits. (Subscription required)

Bill Blass is Hiring (Fashionista)
“Peacock International Holdings LLC, the company that bought the Bill Blass Ltd name at the end of last year, is officially looking for a creative director to bring the brand back to the runway.”

US fashionistas go wild as Topshop gets set to open in Manhattan (The Observer)
“Philip Green lays on supermodels, socialites and swanky dinners to celebrate the belated arrival of a UK high street favourite”

Richemont Said to Hire Wikstrom to Revive Chloe (Bloomberg)
Martha Wikstrom will head up a new unit at Richemont dedicated to creating stronger competition.

Online fashion sales figures continue to grow

Online clothing sales rise 32% in January (Drapers)
“Online spending rose 19% in January, according to the IMRG Capgemini e-Retail Sales Index, with clothing and accessories sales online soaring by 32%.”

Traditional Retailers Return Dismal Online Search Results (Seeking Alpha)
Compared to e-commerce sites, “brick-and-mortar retailers – despite a slight increase in search presence over the past three years – consistently have the weakest performance of every group.”

Sir Philip Green unveils US plans for Topshop (Drapers)
Sir Philip Green plans to open up to 15 US Flagships of Topshop in the United States.

Thakoon Dabbles in Fur, Tailored Luxe (WSJ)
This was supposed to be a season of austerity, but fur has made a prominent appearance at Thakoon’s show.

Japan’s Fast-Fashion Frenzy (JC Report)
“Japanese consumers have fallen head over heels for cheap clothing and may never turn back.”

McCartney Sets New Tokyo, Paris Stores (WWD)
Although the brand is only seven years old, Stella McCartney has opened new stores in Tokyo and Paris.

The Gap’s Resurgence: Great Start to the Holiday Season (Seeking Alpha)
At Gap, “spending is up significantly” for November 2008 compared to last November.

Retailers Will Find It Hard to Keep Shoppers’ Attention This Year (Seeking Alpha)
Though Black Friday sales were impressive in the US, many analysts think that consumers wouldn’t be able “to sustain their buying frenzy for the duration of the holiday season.”

People lining up to purchase goods at Topshop in Tokyo, photo courtesy of  jcreport.com.