Gap cautious on full-year sales outlook (Reuters)
“Gap Inc Chief Executive Glenn Murphy said on Thursday that consumer sentiment may deteriorate in the second half of 2011 and was cautious about future sales growth at the apparel retailer… Gap has lost about a quarter of its market value this year as investors questioned the company’s ability to grow sales after several quarters of losing market share.”

Zara accused in Brazil sweatshop inquiry (Guardian)
“Retail fashion chain Zara is under investigation by Brazil’s ministry of labour after a contractor in São Paulo was found to be using employees in sweatshop conditions to make garments for the Spanish company… Zara is a family business founded in 1975 in La Coruña, north-west Spain by Amancio Ortega… According to Forbes magazine, half of production remains in Spain, with 26% per cent in Europe and the remainder spread around the world.”

Caution on Main Street: retailers fret ahead of key sales season (Reuters)
“Caution is the watchword for apparel executives heading into the all-important holiday season and their lack of confidence is scaring investors. Wary of talk of a double-dip recession, consumers are waiting on bargains, leaving retailers in the dark over how sales trends will turn out in the key year-end shopping season.”

Louis Vuitton’s “Big Store Strategy” Spreads (Jing Daily)
“Luxury giant Louis Vuitton has spent the last several years in China ramping up its inland expansion and rethinking its strategy in top-tier cities… A new LV store might not seem like big news, considering the brand is expanding perhaps more quickly than any other luxury brand in China, but in second- and third-tier markets, the arrival of Louis Vuitton means they’ve reached a certain level.”

Fashion; red in tooth and claw? (FT)
“The story so far: in 2008 Louboutin trademarked a lacquered red sole on footwear ( Pantone No. 18-1663 TP, or “Chinese Red,” FYI). In April this year Louboutin filed a trademark infringement lawsuit in New York saying that YSL had breached its copyright by using the red sole… Potentially worse for Christian Louboutin, who has another hearing in the case scheduled this Friday, the judge also implied that his 2008 trademark could be cancelled.”

Diego Della Valle | Source: Marie Claire

Lunch with the FT: Diego Della Valle (FT)
“Tod’s is a success story that continues to show impressive growth: half-year results of the €800m company released this week show sales up by 16.4 per cent from the corresponding period last year and net income up by 26.7 per cent… Tod’s is nothing if not a global concern and, as with most luxury goods companies, eyes are looking hungrily eastwards.”

Luxury retailers worry that shoppers may pull back on spending (LA Times)
“The luxury sector has been a consistent bright spot in the retail industry this year, posting robust sales month after month as wealthy shoppers spent freely on designer handbags, shoes and jewelry…But luxury shopping is tied closely to stock market performance. Analysts said rich shoppers could pull back again if their portfolios take a big enough hit and if they sense long-term volatility.”

Ben Sherman poaches Burberry director as part of makeover (Independent)
“Ben Sherman, one of Britain’s oldest menswear brands, has poached Burberry merchandising chief Adrian Ward-Rees as part of a makeover for the 48-year-old business… The brand, famous for its 1960s Mod associations, wants to do a “Burberry” or a “Mini” and reinvent itself as a top global menswear brand.”

Artistic licence: The most influential make-up artist in the world (Independent)
“As the global creative director for Chanel beauty– creating looks for that company’s runway shows, beauty advertising campaigns and the product itself, from nail polish to lipstick, worn by millions, if not billions, of women – he is the most influential of his profession by far… Among many other beauty moments, it was Philips who created the extraordinary underwater alien look for Alexander McQueen’s final show, Plato’s Atlantis.”

Fight On (Vogue UK)
“Christian Louboutin’s lawyer says the shoe designer plans to “fight like hell” against YSL’s attempt to overturn his re-sole trademark – and plans to file an appeal against the judge’s denial of his requested injunction… Last week the judge ruled that Yves Saint Laurent could continue to produce the shoes in the meantime and hinted that Louboutin’s monopoly on the colour could be set to end.”

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.”

YSL and a Naked Screen (IHT)
“With social networking the subject of the moment, Yves Saint Laurent made a bold decision to link its men’s wear to a new generation…But viewers won’t be getting even a glimpse of the perfectly cut coats, the jackets with a tendency to be rounded up at the base of the spine or even the drop-crotch pants that are a favorite of the designer, Stefano Pilati.”

Ready to Spend, but Not to Boast (NY Times)
“The Wall Street crowd is shaking off what one luxury retailer called its ‘frugal fatigue.’ Unlike earlier spending sprees, however, the consumption will be a lot less conspicuous.”

Fashion label Escada back on the catwalk (DW-World)
“After struggling with declining sales for years, Escada… is back. The Munich-based company recently presented its first collection under its new owner, Megha Mittal.”

Ralph Lauren is 2009 Mobile Marketer of the Year (Mobile Marketer)
“Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. took first place as 2009 Mobile Marketer of the Year… Ralph Lauren serves as a role model for outstanding use of mobile advertising and marketing.”

Heritage: Shake It, Break It or Fake It? (IHT)
“The Paris men’s season, which closed Sunday, was all about handling the heritage. Should you shake it, break it or fake the style of the past?”