The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
The luxury house will debut its next Métiers D’art collection with a show in the West African country’s capital Dakar on Dec. 6.
Within West Africa, Senegal enjoys the reputation as the region’s capital of couture craftsmanship. Dakar in particular is seen as a thriving fashion hub, home to a vibrant fashion ecosystem.
For Chanel, the annual Métiers D’art show is a way to promote its heritage in craftsmanship and highlight the work of its artisan partners.
”By choosing Dakar, the House wishes to make the savoir-faire of its Métiers d’art resonate with the artistic and cultural energy of the city,” the brand said in a statement.
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Chanel is not the only large global brand drawn to the market right now. Earlier this year, Tommy Hilfiger opened a store in Dakar’s recently upgraded Sahm shopping mall.
Learn more:
Why Senegal Is on Global Fashion’s Radar
Dakar’s reputation as a regional fashion hub has persuaded brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss to expand to the capital of the West African nation as it upgrades its retail infrastructure.
Hermes saw Chinese buyers snap up its luxury products as the Kelly bag maker showed its resilience amid a broader slowdown in demand for the sector.
The group’s flagship Prada brand grew more slowly but remained resilient in the face of a sector-wide slowdown, with retail sales up 7 percent.
The guidance was issued as the French group released first-quarter sales that confirmed forecasts for a slowdown. Weak demand in China and poor performance at flagship Gucci are weighing on the group.
Consumers face less, not more, choice if handbag brands can't scale up to compete with LVMH, argues Andrea Felsted.