Bernard Arnault Rethinks the Cult of Fashion Gurus (Newsweek)
"Arnault suggests it's time for change, time to recast his global, glittering, status-laden empire as something else. The watchwords are: intimate, Old World, artful. And the timing feels right... After all, Arnault has learned that rock-star designers come and go. 'A good product,' he says, 'can last forever.'"

SuperGroup rebuts critics as sales soar (Guardian)
"... The fast-growing retailer behind the Superdry fashion brand, has hit back at detractors... Supergroup reported retail sales up 48 percent for the first 10 weeks of the financial year... They are still trading well below the high of nearly £19 but remain more than double last year's float price of 500p."

China and M&A keep luxury stocks strong (Reuters)
"Chinese demand for premium brands will help luxury stocks continue to outperform even in the face of a shaky U.S. recovery, inflation in Asia and peripheral Europe's debt crisis... With demand from emerging economies helping the sector rebound from the global credit crisis, luxury companies have also been active on the IPO markets."

Made to Measure (Marketing Week)
"...The DIY trend is about consumers using new self-service brands to achieve and create professional-quality products, goods or services... 'As the power of the high street diminishes further, and more store groups start to disappear, people will want greater choice and bespoke offers that.'"

Nothing Sells like a Duchess (IHT)
"In the duchess's case, much like that of Michelle Obama, every designer she wears is likely to see an immediate impact on sales… The duchess has been praised for projecting a youthful freshness without being remotely bare, for wearing the work of a number of London designers."