Thom Browne: The Five Hundred Million Dollar Man
Twenty years ago, people laughed at him in his shrunken grey suit. Now he’s showing haute couture in Paris, publishing a weighty monograph on his career, and chairing the CFDA. Who’s laughing now?
Luxury
How rapid change is reshaping the tradition-soaked luxury sector in Europe and beyond.
Highlights
How Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli Harnesses the Power of Colour
The designer has made deft experimentation with colour a hallmark of his aesthetic at the Roman house. Previously known for its signature red, Valentino has expanded its palette under Piccioli — from blistering magenta to dusty electric blues — turning the use of colour into a powerful brand signifier in the process.
Loro Piana Banks on ‘Not Quiet’ Luxury to Continue ‘Magnificent Growth’
In an in-depth interview with BoF, chief executive Damien Bertrand breaks down the strategy shifts he’s put in place to unlock the uber-luxe label’s growth potential.
Case Studies & Reports
Latest News & Analysis
Dior, Louis Vuitton and Young Creators Take Centre Stage at Olympics Opening Ceremony
Fashion was in the spotlight as the Paris 2024 games opened with an awe-inspiring spectacle including a mock runway show, as well as performances by Lady Gaga, Aya Nakamura and Celine Dion.
Are Luxury Brands Still Worth It?
Luxury’s results ‘superweek’ underscored just how far consumer demand has fallen. Macroeconomic gloom is part of the problem, but there may be deeper issues with big luxury’s value proposition.
Hermès Outshines Rivals With Big Sales Jump
Sales at the French luxury group grew to €3.7 billion ($4.02 billion), a 13 percent organic sales rise that strips out currency fluctuations.
Kering Weakened as Gucci Sales Fall 20%
The French group’s sales fell 11 percent as its Saint Laurent and Balenciaga units also continued to suffer, underscoring the gap with key rivals in an increasingly cut-throat luxury market.
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Sergio Rossi Taps Paul Andrew as Creative Director
The designer brings “creative design expertise and forward-thinking approach,” the Italian footwear brand owned by Lanvin Group said.
LVMH Revenue Slip Signals Continued Gloom for Luxury
The Louis Vuitton and Dior owner’s revenues fell for a second consecutive quarter, suggesting even the sector’s strongest players are struggling to buck a slowdown in demand for high-end brands.
Investors Pressure LVMH on Labour Rights After Dior Linked to Italian Sweatshops
Some shareholders are asking the luxury giant to take more aggressive steps to monitor its supply chain after Italian prosecutors alleged factories manufacturing for Dior exploited workers.
Tiffany’s Staff Exits Test LVMH’s Turnaround Playbook
Ambitious sales targets and lower commissions for some salespeople have led them to defect for competitors, taking some of their loyal clients with them.
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Creative Director Peter Hawkings Exits Tom Ford
The longtime deputy and sucessor of the luxury label’s founder has left the business just one year after a takeover by Zegna and Estée Lauder.
Kering, LVMH and Hermès Confront Luxury’s ‘Underconsumption’ Problem
All three companies will report results amid a sharp downturn in demand in key markets. That, plus the Olympics kick off in Paris.
Luxury Brands Feel the Sting as Chinese Growth Slows
Expectations for the second-quarter earnings season were already low in the luxury sector, but the slew of bleak reports have dashed hopes of a recovery in the second half.
Swiss Luxury Watch Market Succumbs to a Brutal China-Led Slump
The double-digit drop in sales seen in the latest results mark a stunning reversal of fortune for an industry that enjoyed an unprecedented sales boom during the pandemic-era.
THE NEWS IN BRIEF
Bernard Arnault Confirms He Owns ‘Very Minor Stake’ in Richemont
News of the shareholding triggered questions around his intentions for the investment in the group which maintains a strong defense against unwanted suitors.
Italian Luxury Group Zegna Posts Flat Organic Revenue
The group said it was focusing on strategic projects to unlock Thom Browne’s long-term potential.
Moncler’s Operating Profit Beats Expectations, Asia Boosts Revenues
The Milan-based group, known for its puffer jackets, said on Wednesday its half-year consolidated revenues totalled 1.23 billion euros ($1.34 billion), in line with a company-provided consensus.
LVMH Holds Talks on Sponsoring Formula 1 in Blow to Rolex
The talks underscore LVMH’s ambitions for its watch unit, which includes the Tag Heuer, Hublot and Zenith brands.
LVMH Shares Slump 6% After Missing Q2 Estimates
A lack of visibility for the second half of the year beyond the easing of comparative figures — as the Chinese post-pandemic lockdown bounce tapered off a year ago — is unlikely to improve investor sentiment regarding the high end sector, Citi analyst Thomas Chauvet said in an emailed note to clients.
Dolce & Gabbana CEO Ready to Open Capital to New Investors
‘We are now ready to consider opening our capital to third parties through a listing or other financial instruments,’ CEO Alfonso Dolce said in an interview published on Monday.
LVMH’s L Catterton Buys Malls Stake in £1.5 Billion Deal
The transaction includes interests in nine luxury retail properties outside major European cities including the Bicester shopping village, about 60 miles north west of London, according to a statement Monday.
Adidas and Thom Browne Fight in UK Court Over Striped Trademarks
The two companies have previously faced off in the United States, where a jury rejected Adidas’ trademark lawsuit last year, a decision upheld on appeal in May.