BlacMéra adds dabs of color to Fashion Week

– Luxury women’s label BlacMéra was a rare Bay Area name gracing the schedule during New York Fashion Week. Designed by Yuliana Candra, who has a showroom in San Mateo and another in Los Angeles, the apparel line is known for opulent gowns and brightly hued silk tunics, which feature abstract imagery captured in photographs from Candra’s world travels. The show was held Wednesday at the Metropolitan Pavilion during Elle‘s Style360 New York Fashion Week alongside collections from singer Avril Lavigne, “Jersey Shore” star Sammi Giancola, “Real Housewives of Orange County” personality Gretchen Rossi and actress Daisy Fuentes. (For a review of San Francisco’s Academy of Art University, see Page 8).

– The Nob Hill Gazette, with a Bay Area circulation of 80,000, sought to show its regional reach by dropping Nob Hill from its title in August, but after reader complaints, Nob Hill is back on the cover only a month later. “The phones rang off the wall,” said publisher Lois Lehrman. “One man told me the Gazette could be anywhere, like Des Moines. Everybody insisted that Nob Hill is not a destination but an attitude, and an important part of the branding, and how dare I take it off? I bent to popular request.”

– Highlights from the fourth annual Fashion’s Night Out: A great bar and tunes by Live 105′s Aaron Axelsen at new shoe store Kurt Geiger, where a 20 percent sale, raffles and the Lash Bar by Faux Lash had the store at capacity, making it the most crowded party in the Square. Soon-to-open Uniqlo (see more on Page 7) hosted a panel about fashion and technology that drew hundreds to its Post Street pop-up. At Marc Jacobs, Champagne flowed, and mingling shoppers were photographed against a garden-themed, glitter-bombed backdrop. John Varvatos made “Who the Hell Is John Varvatos?” T-shirts for the occasion, and after a couple Patron Varvatosaritas or Simply Varvatos cocktails, it’s possible some of the guests forgot.

– Impressions, part two: Afsaneh Akhtari of Woodside wore not one but two gowns to the San Francisco Opera gala, appearing during cocktails in a black Cavalli sheath (pictured) from her closet. The red Azadeh gown she had ordered wasn’t ready until dinner was served; she changed in the Opera House and laughed off questions about whether a third gown was coming for the after-party. And you thought “Rigoletto” had a dramatic ending.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/style/article/BlacM-ra-adds-dabs-of-color-to-Fashion-Week-3866076.php#ixzz26rbGrfxA

Cavalli boss says luxury market fine except in Italy

London/Milan: A shock profit warning from British fashion brand Burberry doesn’t cloud the luxury goods industry’s bright future because demand from China will remain strong, the head of Italian fashion house Roberto Cavalli said on Thursday.

Shares in luxury goods companies tumbled on Tuesday after Burberry reported a sharp slowdown in sales growth, stoking fears a near three-year boom for the industry might be coming to an end as China’s economic growth slows and the Eurozone’s debt crisis drags on.

“We should avoid panicking because of an announcement of an individual company,” Gianluca Brozzetti told the Reuters Retail and Consumer Summit.

“They made some promises to investors and probably those promises were too aggressive. But it’s one thing to say the performance of Burberry is not meeting its objectives… and it’s another thing to say the luxury market has problems.”

While industry sales growth in China had slowed from levels around 20-25 per cent at the height of the boom, Brozzetti said that pace was unsustainable, and demand remained healthy.

“People are getting richer [in China] and, as soon as they get richer, they want to have their reward by buying a luxury product. That is not changing,” he said.

Retail sales at Roberto Cavalli, owned by the family of the Florentine designer of the same name, were up 25 per cent in the eight months through August, driven by new stores and including growth of 11 percent from shops open over a year, he said.

 ‘Italians are scared’

Sales were higher in all markets except Italy, which accounts for about 15-20 per cent of the firm’s total business and is languishing in a deep economic recession.

“People in Italy are scared. They are not spending money. If somebody is telling you things are going well in Italy, they’re lying,” Brozzetti said. Brozzetti, recruited by Roberto Cavalli in 2009 following stints at Gucci and Louis Vuitton, said the company had attracted a number of suitors.

However, it wanted to strengthen the business before considering a sale or initial public offering.

The firm, whose flowing dresses and leather-fringed jeans have been worn by celebrities like actress Jennifer Lopez and model Cindy Crawford, was hit hard in 2009 by financial problems at the manufacturer of its younger-focused Just Cavalli line.

It signed a new licensing partner last year, but Brozzetti said it would take until 2013-14 to start seeing the full benefits of the relaunch.

The firm, which made net revenues of ₤178 million (Dh857 million) in 2011, is opening around 40 standalone stores this year, 18 of them in China and taking the total to about 170-175 by the end of 2012. It will open a similar number in 2013, Brozzetti said.

Read more at: http://gulfnews.com/business/retail/cavalli-boss-says-luxury-market-fine-except-in-italy-1.1077105

Fashion: a return on retail and luxury goods

Fashionistas are descending upon the capital in a flurry of front-row reverie and sartorial splendour. But should the fickle world of fashion be drawing an audience wider than disciples of all things vogue?

According to the British Retail Consortium, UK retail sales reached £303 billion in 2011 and more than a third of consumer spending goes through shops. Impressive figures, which make this a sector hard to ignore. However, the ongoing economic crisis has rocked these companies considerably so investors must tread carefully.

Demand from China

Some luxury firms have weathered much of the economic crisis thanks to increased demand from emerging economies, especially China. But experts are dubious about whether this particular trend is set to last.

Patrick Connolly of investment advisers AWD Chase de Vere says: “There is still good potential for luxury brands in the emerging markets as consumers there become more affluent and are attracted to premier Western goods. However, a slowdown in these regions is now making it more difficult for many of these companies to retain the growth rates they have enjoyed in recent years.”

One British brand, Burberry, can testify to this. It saw 20% of its share price wiped out last week when it issued a profit warning with its annual results. It’s thought that the falling demand from China was largely responsible for the fashion powerhouse’s dented profits. Shares in rival luxury brands also fell upon the news.

However, though growth in China has slowed, it’s still considerably higher than in Europe and the United States.

Investment firm Brown Advisory says there are still opportunities in western beauty brands expanding in China as women there are “playing an increasing role in the economy”. It picks out the beauty conglomerate Estee Lauder as an opportunity.

…

Luxury in London

However, not all luxury brands are relying on China and emerging markets to pull a profit. Mulberry has had an impressive run in recent years and the UK market accounts for more than 60% of its profits.

Sheridan Admans, investment research manager at the Share Centre, says: “Mulberry has had substantial sales and profit growth in recent years with 2011/2012 sales at £168.5 million, up 38% for the year, and profit before tax increasing 54% to £36 million… As the company has grown, it has benefitted from economies of scale, keeping costs down and allowing for impressive margins of 66.2%.”

Though he says much of the future growth will be pinned on China and Asia, he adds: “The group’s growth ambition is also reflected by the extension of the existing factory and plans to open a second factory in Somerset, which should double the production capacity by December 2013. There are also a further 15 to 20 store openings planned globally for the current year.”

However, individual shares in this sector remain a highly risky bet – as demonstrated by Burberry. Mr Connolly says: “We wouldn’t recommend buying individual shares as the risks are too high for most investors. Instead we prefer to get access through broad based UK equity funds, although it is interesting to note that most UK funds have little exposure to luxury brands, perhaps signifying their view of these company’s future growth prospects.”

Read more at: http://www.investments.co.uk/news/2012/sep/can-you-fashion-a-return-on-retail-and-luxury-goods.html

Dolce & Gabbana is the Latest Luxury in Childrenswear

Luxury Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana has launched its first childrenswear collection, making it the latest label in the growing numbers of designers targeting childrenswear.

The designers’ debut childrenswear collection targets boys and girls from newborn up to age 10 and includes a wide range of products across many apparel categories, including outerwear, footwear, sportswear, swimwear and accessories.

According to the fashion house, despite its younger target market, the range is as high quality as any of the garments it markets to adult consumers, making it a miniature version of the designers’ signature line. The first collection, for the autumn/winter 2012 season, is on sale globally through children’s boutiques and department stores.

Designer childrenswear sees growth the world over — While Dolce & Gabbana, which ditched its lower priced D&G diffusion line in summer 2012 because of consumers’ confusion between the spin-off brand and the parent brand itself, stated that in terms of timing the launch is simply a natural evolution of the brand, opportunity for designer childrenswear has never been higher and as a result, a host of new players are entering the market.

Largely because parents are more likely to cut down on spending on their own clothes before they cut down on spending on clothes for their children, childrenswear weathered the global downturn better than many other clothing categories. And now, as the global economy begins to show signs of stability, high-income families are beginning to feel more comfortable about spending again. As a result a growing number of parents are splashing out on designer childrenswear, which results in a healthy growth of 7.4% on a global level in 2012.

Read more at: http://finchannel.com/news_flash/CityLife/116016_Dolce_%26_Gabbana_is_the_Latest_Luxury_in_Childrenswear/

Fashion designers infiltrate hotel business

Hotels increasingly are turning to the world of fashion to make their properties more attractive to guests who want a touch of luxury, and to create a source of buzz.

As New York City’s Fashion Week 2013 spring collection shows get underway, Starwood’s trendy W chain is today announcing a partnership with the Council of Fashion Designers of America, in which emerging clothing designers chosen by the council eventually will visit W’s 42 hotels around the world to display their new designs.

W hotels from Boston to Bali will host designer trunk shows that will give budding designers exposure to potential customers, says Starwood executive Carlos Becil.

“Introducing our guests to emerging designers — and the next wave of what we anticipate will make an impact in fashion — will help benefit our whole promise of what’s new and next,” he says.

The partnership also is aimed at drawing attention to the hotels.

W plans to videotape the designers and events for W’s Facebook and Twitter accounts, its in-room “W Vision” TV channel or its website whotels.com, which gets more than 1 million page views a month, Becil says.

The W chain first turned to fashion nine years ago to create buzz by opening a pop-up location at New York’s Fashion Week, which now is sponsored by Mercedes Benz and attracts other sponsors ranging from American Express to Skyy Vodka to its events.

Now, other hotels are turning to fashion designers in search of similar buzz.

Last month, the Hilton chain signed a deal with designer Vivienne Tam to create limited-edition slippers as special treats for Chinese guests.

Some designers have put their names on entire hotels. Italian designer Giorgio Armani opened the Armani Hotel Milano in November after opening his first hotel in the world’s tallest building, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.

“A big percentage of our clients are Armani fans,” says Aaron Kaupp, the Milano’s general manager. “Obviously, everyone is very stylish.”

When guests first enter the hotel, they smell an Armani fragrance and see Armani-designed lounge chairs and draperies. The result was so stylish, Kaupp says, there was no need to hang artwork on the walls. Rates also are stylish, starting at about $750 a night.

Luxury customers, especially, appreciate the touch of fashion designers because they may regularly purchase the designers’ clothing and other merchandise, says Albert Herrera, a vice president of the Virtuoso luxury travel agency network.

“It elevates the bar for hotels,” says Herrera. “It’s cachet. More importantly, it draws a certain level of clientele who look for that.

Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/fashion-designers-have-infiltrated-nearly-every-part-of-the-hotel-business-2012-9#ixzz26rPhbhT1

South American Luxury Fashion Designers to Watch

Last week at Colombiamoda, the official fashion week of Colombia, a few names stood out among the talented pool of designers debuting their latest work on the runways.

Leal Daccarett

The South American fashion power couple, Karen Daccarett Daes and Francesco Leal Holgin launched their line, Leal Dacarrett in 2006 are now among Columbia’s most cutting-edge looks for young adults. Think hippy-chic. The courage and risk in their designs have garnered national attention as well as mentions in Vogue Latin America next month.

Maria Luisa Ortiz Red Label

Maria Luisa Ortiz, a graduate of a French haute couture school in Paris, launched her own fashion line and business after leaving France. The luxury line she designs targets wealthy women and brides-to-be. She also designed a ready-to-wear collection called Red Label with business partner Veronica Alvarez with lower-cost items with a contemporary look. Alvarez has been a part of designer brands like Calvin Klein, Girogio Armani and was invited by Vogue to the emerging designer showcase.

Franca Lovely Chus

Shoe designer Lola Saavedra, known for her trademark of high quality leather shoes in clunky -funky designs, is quickly becoming a South American sensation. Her label, Franca Lovely Chus was incredibly well-received last week and she was reportedly mobbed by journalists who even bought samples right off the designer after the show. What makes her special? Her shoes are all hand-made in Columbia, the designs are bold and she is shaking up fashion norms introducing bright color to her country, typically used to neutral shades of black and brown.

Source: http://www.justluxe.com/community/south-american-luxury-fashion-designers-to-watch_a_1819349.php

Hermes files complaint against LVMH over share purchase

Luxury fashion retailer Hermes has taken legal action against rival LVMH, citing the way it bought a stake in it two years ago.

Hermes – known for its silk scarves and leather bags – said it had filed the complaint in a Paris court on 10 July.

“This complaint relates to the terms in which LVMH became a stakeholder in Hermes International,” Hermes said.

LVMH, which currently owns 22.3% of Hermes, has been gradually increasing its holding.

In 2010 LVMH, which is controlled by billionaire businessman Bernard Arnault, revealed that it had built a surprise stake of 17% in its smaller rival.

As a result, Hermes family shareholders created a majority family holding controlling more than half of the company’s shares.

The move ensures any takeover attempt would now require the approval of the Hermes family – the majority stakeholder.

France’s AMF market watchdog is currently conducting a probe into the terms of LVMH’s stakebuilding.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19475260