In His Shoes (NY Times)
"This is the tale of the little stiletto that could, a shoe that in the long-ago days of the luxury-goods boom scampered to the top of a rarefied heap. It was just a handful of years ago that the name of Manolo Blahnik, a 68-year-old London cobbler born in the Canary Islands, was familiar only to hard-core fashion hunters and residents of ZIP code 10021."

Prada forecasts China sales to triple in 2-3 years (Reuters)
"Italian fashion house Prada sees strong growth in China, with sales expected to triple in coming years... The luxury market would not closely track economic weakness, and Prada was optimistic over growth in Asia particularly in China, where sales are expected to double or even triple in the next two to three years, Deputy Chairman Carlo Mazzi told reporters."

No logo (FT)
"The appeal of living large hasn't disappeared but it seems the logos associated with lavish lifestyles have. When it comes to statement accessories, brands as diverse as Victoria Beckham and Céline are whispering their exclusivity amid a growing consensus that 'anonymity' is the key to being recognised."

China Leads World in Luxury Spending (Forbes)
"Affluent consumers in the U.S. and much of the world are pulling back on their spending and attitude toward luxury. However, in China, affluent consumers are choosing luxury in every aspect of the lives, according to a seven-country survey of households earning at least $150,000."

Steve Jobs: fashion inspiration (FT)
"...By 'fashion' I mean the industry at large. It owes an entire product category – and possibly more, possibly the whole concept of brand extension – to Jobs. Without him, would it have ever occurred to anyone that technology could be an aspirational accessory that would itself spawn more aspirational accessories that could be changed season to season, niche collection to niche collection, ad infinitum?"