Gucci presents its new collection Equestrian, a contemporary homage to the tradition and heritage equestrian riding that inspires the house for over 90 years by the timeless values of beauty, grace and nobility.
True to his lifelong passion for the equestrian world, is creative director Frida Giannini, a capsule collection of fully developed for women, the evolution of the wardrobe she created exclusively for Edwina Alexander, the current number in the world, a woman on horseback rider, sponsored by Gucci.
The line is part of the Cruise 2013 collection and includes a ready-to-wear range with 15 models, a refined selection and coordinated accessories. Gucci Ridge, the bit and the band Web-green-red-green: The collection is labeled as such by the style of the house.
Report of the glamor sport of the equestrian world, combines elements of this multi-functional cabinet technically very challenging competition outdoors with classic elegance, making it perfect for moments off the field as well. The range includes jackets and riding clothing pants, shirts and t-shirts polo-shirts, all interpreted in innovative fabrics and comfortable as wool gabardine tricotine Techno Bistretch, nylon soft duvets or technical felted jersey and pickets.
The color palette is natural and classic tones like black, beige, light blue and pure white, to accentuate the wear resistance never driven the long term.
Fill out the outfits are a variety of accessories that reflect the values of the House of craftsmanship, outstanding quality and modern design: the riding boots hosiery with Gucci crest detail and available in black embellished for a single combination, while a new seat was in Crafted in black leather Guccissima, true to the basic inspiration of the collection.
To complement the line is a black velvet cap with internal whip, both a saddle pad and horse blanket, a black leather belt with silver buckle and belt Gucci web, black gloves and a scarf made of silk nappa illustrated with patterns reminiscent of the whip, riding equipment.
Riding collection in Gucci stores worldwide will be selected and location in November 2012.
2012年6月8日星期五
Louis Vuitton on the final season for super chic China
Daisy Liu embodies China's obsession with luxury brands: his shoes are Giuseppe Zanotti, her brooch Chanel, Hermes scarf flower is elegantly knotted at the shoulder. However, it is not dead a monogram Louis Vuitton handbag ever.
Liu rich buyers are turning up their noses at the labels they believe have been corrupted by the common touch, looking for undervalued and exclusive products from the likes of Chanel and Hermes, the place. This is a great challenge for the designers to the world's fastest hoping to profit luxury market is growing.
"I have two handbags Louis Vuitton, but I do not do well, they are always in fashion," said Liu, an employee of 31 years at a multinational cosmetics.
"I do not think the brand fits me more."
More than a decade of strong economic growth has helped to increase the disposable incomes of millions of Chinese people, creating legions of men and women with an insatiable appetite for status symbols, regardless of cost.
Importance of China for companies like Louis Vuitton LVMH and PPR parent SA Gucci undisputed: In the past year, while Europe was plagued by the financial crisis and the U.S. economy faltering, the mainland Chinese buyers spent about 111 billion yuan (18 billion euros) on luxury goods, according to Bain & Co.
China is the third largest market in the world of luxury goods with a value of at least 160 billion yuan (25 billion). Over the next three years is expected to burn about Japan and the United States to take the lead, with the luxury segment is growing at 180 billion yuan (28 billion).
As he grows, the market also maturation of so-called luxury is ambitious, where bling is king, what experts call the ultimate in luxury: the desire, as both are rich and sophisticated.
"In the past it was just a checklist. If you are one of the top five brands were in some magazine, you've found that people in China just the checklist checks purchased and to the list," said Vincent Liu, a partner at Boston Consulting group.
"In the future people will be more selective. You know what and where and when to use what brands and products."
For demanding consumers and Liu, this means that buying a $ 2000 Chanel bag and a mini-clutch Prada. It also has a sheepskin pocket eyed coral Bottega Veneta, the Italian fashion house known for its signature woven leather products known.
"Not the rich, the millionaires really real, they will want to buy Louis Vuitton or Gucci because they are too trivial," says Shaun Rein, Managing Director, China Market Research Group. "The rich get richer and they want exclusivity and unaccountability."
Overexposed
Luxury market in China will grow 18 to 20% this year, surpassing forecasts significantly in the single digits for Europe, America and Japan, according to Bain, the rapid expansion of the luxury companies such as LVMH says large.
For years, the dead LV monogram "Speedy" was a classic dome of Audrey Hepburn favored one of the most sought after pockets of Chinese women, for it was to do a clear signal: Costs double purse $ 400, an average Chinese worker earns in a month.
The brand, the cash cow of the LVMH Group's income and are almost twice as high as Gucci, widely regarded as the nearest competitor.
But, like LVMH rose in China - there are currently about 38 Louis Vuitton stores are, even in remote areas such as South Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, compared with the 57 or so in Japan - he lost some of its cachet.
"In China, Louis Vuitton brand is the same as you have-yi, or domestic helpers, can not afford," said one consultant, retailing, the name, to be honest, are rejected.
When asked to comment, LVMH, told Reuters by e-mail that he expected "to lead new on the market" by a new store opens next month in Shanghai Chic Plaza 66 shopping center. "The Plaza 66 as the futuristic Vuitton confirmed in China," said the e-mail.
Gucci is not immediately respond to requests for comment on.
LV is one of the most popular labels in China - A recent survey by a group of Strategists digital set-top luxury of web searches by consumers.
But brands like Chanel and Hermes, however, pick up quickly.
A recent study by Bain shows Handbags twice as many Chinese now coveted Hermes, the creators of the famous Birkin and Kelly, and the brand is the third most likely to be bought by Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
"Some prefer Hermes, because our products are more subtle and not exposed," China Brand President Leo Liu, the news agency Reuters said in a statement Emailed.
Some Like It UP
Gao Jie, 27, buy a PR staff regularly luxury goods, Hermes is the ultimate status symbol: your bags are handmade, come in limited quantities, all of which cost between $ 9,000 to $ 150,000 and are generally not for the general public.
Gao said that this year, it wants to buy a handbag multicolored candies Kelly will cost at least four times his monthly salary of 20,000 yuan ($ 3,100).
"There are certain things that are by design classic and widely recognized by the market. I really hope someday to be able to have all these classic designs," said Gao, who stands out on a regular basis some of his salary, income and to invest in stocks to buy shoes and bags.
To attract buyers, such as Gao, LVMH and other luxury brands are trying to find the difficult balance between exclusivity and popularity to remain profitable.
LVMH offers its clients services more expensive to try and customs, are a myth around the brand Louis Vuitton, whose creations for both common and as easy to copy to be maintained.
The company is also cautious about the use of new businesses realize that the brand would suffer from too much visibility.
These strategies will be notified to convince Chinese buyers because their pockets to carry Daisy Liu LV is unclear.
"Luxury integrated, it is this notion of exclusivity. Everyone There is always a fine line that brands need to go", Torsten Stocker, a partner with business strategists monitor group.
Liu rich buyers are turning up their noses at the labels they believe have been corrupted by the common touch, looking for undervalued and exclusive products from the likes of Chanel and Hermes, the place. This is a great challenge for the designers to the world's fastest hoping to profit luxury market is growing.
"I have two handbags Louis Vuitton, but I do not do well, they are always in fashion," said Liu, an employee of 31 years at a multinational cosmetics.
"I do not think the brand fits me more."
More than a decade of strong economic growth has helped to increase the disposable incomes of millions of Chinese people, creating legions of men and women with an insatiable appetite for status symbols, regardless of cost.
Importance of China for companies like Louis Vuitton LVMH and PPR parent SA Gucci undisputed: In the past year, while Europe was plagued by the financial crisis and the U.S. economy faltering, the mainland Chinese buyers spent about 111 billion yuan (18 billion euros) on luxury goods, according to Bain & Co.
China is the third largest market in the world of luxury goods with a value of at least 160 billion yuan (25 billion). Over the next three years is expected to burn about Japan and the United States to take the lead, with the luxury segment is growing at 180 billion yuan (28 billion).
As he grows, the market also maturation of so-called luxury is ambitious, where bling is king, what experts call the ultimate in luxury: the desire, as both are rich and sophisticated.
"In the past it was just a checklist. If you are one of the top five brands were in some magazine, you've found that people in China just the checklist checks purchased and to the list," said Vincent Liu, a partner at Boston Consulting group.
"In the future people will be more selective. You know what and where and when to use what brands and products."
For demanding consumers and Liu, this means that buying a $ 2000 Chanel bag and a mini-clutch Prada. It also has a sheepskin pocket eyed coral Bottega Veneta, the Italian fashion house known for its signature woven leather products known.
"Not the rich, the millionaires really real, they will want to buy Louis Vuitton or Gucci because they are too trivial," says Shaun Rein, Managing Director, China Market Research Group. "The rich get richer and they want exclusivity and unaccountability."
Overexposed
Luxury market in China will grow 18 to 20% this year, surpassing forecasts significantly in the single digits for Europe, America and Japan, according to Bain, the rapid expansion of the luxury companies such as LVMH says large.
For years, the dead LV monogram "Speedy" was a classic dome of Audrey Hepburn favored one of the most sought after pockets of Chinese women, for it was to do a clear signal: Costs double purse $ 400, an average Chinese worker earns in a month.
The brand, the cash cow of the LVMH Group's income and are almost twice as high as Gucci, widely regarded as the nearest competitor.
But, like LVMH rose in China - there are currently about 38 Louis Vuitton stores are, even in remote areas such as South Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, compared with the 57 or so in Japan - he lost some of its cachet.
"In China, Louis Vuitton brand is the same as you have-yi, or domestic helpers, can not afford," said one consultant, retailing, the name, to be honest, are rejected.
When asked to comment, LVMH, told Reuters by e-mail that he expected "to lead new on the market" by a new store opens next month in Shanghai Chic Plaza 66 shopping center. "The Plaza 66 as the futuristic Vuitton confirmed in China," said the e-mail.
Gucci is not immediately respond to requests for comment on.
LV is one of the most popular labels in China - A recent survey by a group of Strategists digital set-top luxury of web searches by consumers.
But brands like Chanel and Hermes, however, pick up quickly.
A recent study by Bain shows Handbags twice as many Chinese now coveted Hermes, the creators of the famous Birkin and Kelly, and the brand is the third most likely to be bought by Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
"Some prefer Hermes, because our products are more subtle and not exposed," China Brand President Leo Liu, the news agency Reuters said in a statement Emailed.
Some Like It UP
Gao Jie, 27, buy a PR staff regularly luxury goods, Hermes is the ultimate status symbol: your bags are handmade, come in limited quantities, all of which cost between $ 9,000 to $ 150,000 and are generally not for the general public.
Gao said that this year, it wants to buy a handbag multicolored candies Kelly will cost at least four times his monthly salary of 20,000 yuan ($ 3,100).
"There are certain things that are by design classic and widely recognized by the market. I really hope someday to be able to have all these classic designs," said Gao, who stands out on a regular basis some of his salary, income and to invest in stocks to buy shoes and bags.
To attract buyers, such as Gao, LVMH and other luxury brands are trying to find the difficult balance between exclusivity and popularity to remain profitable.
LVMH offers its clients services more expensive to try and customs, are a myth around the brand Louis Vuitton, whose creations for both common and as easy to copy to be maintained.
The company is also cautious about the use of new businesses realize that the brand would suffer from too much visibility.
These strategies will be notified to convince Chinese buyers because their pockets to carry Daisy Liu LV is unclear.
"Luxury integrated, it is this notion of exclusivity. Everyone There is always a fine line that brands need to go", Torsten Stocker, a partner with business strategists monitor group.
2012年6月7日星期四
Fashion boutique firm recognized as the year of Holroyd
Holroyd New Business of the Year is also the number one reseller of the State of Australian fashion labels George and Alex Perry.
It can be tempting to think she dresses to be sold around the clock in elegant costumes.
But that's not our Linda Sande-Elcham.
"I'm going to search for clues in my uggies Alex Perry," said Ms. Sands said, Elcham the sun with a smile, his two friends nodded in the background.
This is perhaps the least surprised to learn that his designer business - of which the majority of its red carpet ready dresses are sold - in South Wentworthville is.
Ms Sands-Elcham, Alina owner collections, she did not answer was ready, if asked about it during a recent visit to his shop.
"We have never really known," she admits.
"I think the website and blogs are important, but [with] [social media to promote your business] is a must, all Instagram [Photo Sharing] on Facebook."
You need to agree on something, because the mother of three children, a huge Greystanes 4407 Facebook fans.
"We get the customer to check-in [the store on Facebook] - which is linked to their friends - and 10 percent of them.
'' We ourselves have also fully involved in fundraising. "
Ms Sands-Miss Universe Australia finalist has Elcham Tahny Lew, Miss World and Miss Lebanon Australia Alexandra Doumit Australia Andriana Chidiac equipped, just to name a few.
But it was not always sell clothes.
In 2004, she worked as a sales representative for a software development company.
"It was an incredible journey, but I was married again and have another child and had to stop traveling [so] I, parts of clothes in the houses of people began to make,'' she said.
So they took a punt and Guys and Dolls opened in 2005 and won extraordinary fashion store, Holroyd Council, in the same year.
It was not until 2009 that she embarked on evening wear and began to save some of the top labels in Australia - Alex Perry, George, Rachel Gilbert, Pascucci, enjoy.
"We just D project, which the label is run by Danni Minogue," she said, stressing that all the clothes they sell are Australian brand, with prices from $ 100 to $ 2500.
Mr. Perry said they would start to be back to Alina in August to its summer collection that is still a special celebrity guest to be announced.
Meanwhile, she signed up for a course in style.
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It can be tempting to think she dresses to be sold around the clock in elegant costumes.
But that's not our Linda Sande-Elcham.
"I'm going to search for clues in my uggies Alex Perry," said Ms. Sands said, Elcham the sun with a smile, his two friends nodded in the background.
This is perhaps the least surprised to learn that his designer business - of which the majority of its red carpet ready dresses are sold - in South Wentworthville is.
Ms Sands-Elcham, Alina owner collections, she did not answer was ready, if asked about it during a recent visit to his shop.
"We have never really known," she admits.
"I think the website and blogs are important, but [with] [social media to promote your business] is a must, all Instagram [Photo Sharing] on Facebook."
You need to agree on something, because the mother of three children, a huge Greystanes 4407 Facebook fans.
"We get the customer to check-in [the store on Facebook] - which is linked to their friends - and 10 percent of them.
'' We ourselves have also fully involved in fundraising. "
Ms Sands-Miss Universe Australia finalist has Elcham Tahny Lew, Miss World and Miss Lebanon Australia Alexandra Doumit Australia Andriana Chidiac equipped, just to name a few.
But it was not always sell clothes.
In 2004, she worked as a sales representative for a software development company.
"It was an incredible journey, but I was married again and have another child and had to stop traveling [so] I, parts of clothes in the houses of people began to make,'' she said.
So they took a punt and Guys and Dolls opened in 2005 and won extraordinary fashion store, Holroyd Council, in the same year.
It was not until 2009 that she embarked on evening wear and began to save some of the top labels in Australia - Alex Perry, George, Rachel Gilbert, Pascucci, enjoy.
"We just D project, which the label is run by Danni Minogue," she said, stressing that all the clothes they sell are Australian brand, with prices from $ 100 to $ 2500.
Mr. Perry said they would start to be back to Alina in August to its summer collection that is still a special celebrity guest to be announced.
Meanwhile, she signed up for a course in style.
Text size
Text size
2012年6月6日星期三
Fashion: Eco in your pocket
Each denim product requires about 200 litres of water before it reaches the shelf and each washing unit uses about 2lakh litres every day.
Yes, fashion designer and textile developer Deepika Govind likes to shock you with data that you won’t find written on the garment tag when you buy your favourite pair of jeans.
Most often, you wouldn’t care about the manufacturing details behind each pair of those jeans that you think makes you look ‘hot’. But one has got to draw the line at some point. Environment consciousness cannot be picked up in a day or by reading a few lines every June 5 (World Environment Day); it has to be bred into every single human being.
Stressed, de-stressed, torn, ripped and faded — the one fabric that has had the world twisted around its weave is the familiar denim. A trend that cannot be called one simply because it never goes out of fashion, denim is as staunch in its position as ever. And while brands across the world fall over each other to stay ahead of the business by inventing and designing all possible shapes, sizes, styles and colours — there are a few people who address the popularity of denim on a more conscientious level.
Deepika Govind is one such person.
Tough ambition, perhaps even impossible but that doesn’t stop her from trying. Consequently...
Adding to her kitty of environment friendly garments and fabrics, fashion designer and textile developer Deepika Govind has now launched her range of eco-friendly denims. Labelled Denim Green, she’s got a series of off-the-shelf creations as well as the fabric in itself for made-to-order garments for men and women.
“It’s a project that I have been working on for the past four and a half years. But it took me some time to bring it onto the shelf. I think the first need to start developing denim was that a lot of clients would see some of my designs and ask if I’d make that in denim for them. And I’ve seen the forecast; it’s denim and denim and more denim for the next four or five years,” she says.
But then there was this question of how to make denim environment-friendly. “We use specially-woven organic cotton and dye it with indigo and it’s unbleached. The thing with vegetable dye is that it doesn’t really penetrate to the core of the fibre and has to be dyed multiple times to get the right kind of blue. It takes time but is worth it. Plus, we do a plain and simple wash, only once, to make it shelf-ready,” adds Deepika.
The designer has also created a range of affordable denims where the indigo used in dyeing is not 100% natural but is approved by the necessary environment bodies.
“Of course you won’t get all the fancy embellishments you see in the stores; we’ve done what we thought was rightfully possible. The scraping with a stone to make it distressed, whiskering, grinding, it is all there,” she adds. In addition to jeans, dresses and tops, Deepika has also made a select selection of bags with the same fabric.
“We’ve also employed a kind of treatment called the Ozone treatment, which washes the fabric with ozone rays, without using any water. The other one is by the use of laser technology. Here, you put the denim in a unit and it does all the work for you — from distressing to fading — with the help of laser technology,” says Deepika.
So, there’s no red denims for you at her store?
“The fault is within us; you can’t blame the customer. When they see candy coloured jeans, they go berserk because it looks really fashionable. But the effect on the environment is rarely taken into consideration. People don’t ever bother to turn their fabric around and check out the fabric composition tag to see how much of artificial fabric has gone into their garment. It’s a matter of awareness,” says the designer, not without admitting that the people’s negligence towards the environment troubles her all the time.
But with designers going ‘eco’ and ‘ethical’ all the time, isn’t it about time people became more aware of being environment friendly? “I have to say this here — there is a big difference between eco-fashion and ethical fashion. Eco-fashion uses natural fabrics and dyeing processes. Ethical fashion doesn’t discourage the use of artificial fabric because they say it lasts longer so you don’t have to discard clothes as religiously. But I don’t think that’s the right approach. Artificial fabrics are bad for the environment and they’re bad for you, too! “I went to a trade show in Paris recently, and I hardly saw any cotton or silks. I went berserk! Talking about being eco-friendly with fashion, most natural fibres are a little expensive because they’re not mass manufactured,” says the designer.
It’s often hard to put down everything Deepika says because her conversation ranges from the plight of textile weavers in Orissa and Gujarat to the sheer disinterest in the government bodies to preserve traditional craftsmanship and weaves. But yes, we could do with more people like her in the industry. But even that she says is a tough task. “It can’t be just me or another designer or an NGO. This has to be a movement. On one hand, we have to work towards resurrecting Indian weaves that will soon die out because no one is interested in them and on the other, promote fabrics that are eco-friendly and don’t damage the earth,” she asserts.
It is the least, we believe, designers can do to fulfil their responsibility towards the earth.
Denim Green is priced at Rs4,500 up wards and is available at the designer’s store in Craig Layout, MG Road and the International Departure Terminal of Bangalore International Airport.
Yes, fashion designer and textile developer Deepika Govind likes to shock you with data that you won’t find written on the garment tag when you buy your favourite pair of jeans.
Most often, you wouldn’t care about the manufacturing details behind each pair of those jeans that you think makes you look ‘hot’. But one has got to draw the line at some point. Environment consciousness cannot be picked up in a day or by reading a few lines every June 5 (World Environment Day); it has to be bred into every single human being.
Stressed, de-stressed, torn, ripped and faded — the one fabric that has had the world twisted around its weave is the familiar denim. A trend that cannot be called one simply because it never goes out of fashion, denim is as staunch in its position as ever. And while brands across the world fall over each other to stay ahead of the business by inventing and designing all possible shapes, sizes, styles and colours — there are a few people who address the popularity of denim on a more conscientious level.
Deepika Govind is one such person.
Tough ambition, perhaps even impossible but that doesn’t stop her from trying. Consequently...
Adding to her kitty of environment friendly garments and fabrics, fashion designer and textile developer Deepika Govind has now launched her range of eco-friendly denims. Labelled Denim Green, she’s got a series of off-the-shelf creations as well as the fabric in itself for made-to-order garments for men and women.
“It’s a project that I have been working on for the past four and a half years. But it took me some time to bring it onto the shelf. I think the first need to start developing denim was that a lot of clients would see some of my designs and ask if I’d make that in denim for them. And I’ve seen the forecast; it’s denim and denim and more denim for the next four or five years,” she says.
But then there was this question of how to make denim environment-friendly. “We use specially-woven organic cotton and dye it with indigo and it’s unbleached. The thing with vegetable dye is that it doesn’t really penetrate to the core of the fibre and has to be dyed multiple times to get the right kind of blue. It takes time but is worth it. Plus, we do a plain and simple wash, only once, to make it shelf-ready,” adds Deepika.
The designer has also created a range of affordable denims where the indigo used in dyeing is not 100% natural but is approved by the necessary environment bodies.
“Of course you won’t get all the fancy embellishments you see in the stores; we’ve done what we thought was rightfully possible. The scraping with a stone to make it distressed, whiskering, grinding, it is all there,” she adds. In addition to jeans, dresses and tops, Deepika has also made a select selection of bags with the same fabric.
“We’ve also employed a kind of treatment called the Ozone treatment, which washes the fabric with ozone rays, without using any water. The other one is by the use of laser technology. Here, you put the denim in a unit and it does all the work for you — from distressing to fading — with the help of laser technology,” says Deepika.
So, there’s no red denims for you at her store?
“The fault is within us; you can’t blame the customer. When they see candy coloured jeans, they go berserk because it looks really fashionable. But the effect on the environment is rarely taken into consideration. People don’t ever bother to turn their fabric around and check out the fabric composition tag to see how much of artificial fabric has gone into their garment. It’s a matter of awareness,” says the designer, not without admitting that the people’s negligence towards the environment troubles her all the time.
But with designers going ‘eco’ and ‘ethical’ all the time, isn’t it about time people became more aware of being environment friendly? “I have to say this here — there is a big difference between eco-fashion and ethical fashion. Eco-fashion uses natural fabrics and dyeing processes. Ethical fashion doesn’t discourage the use of artificial fabric because they say it lasts longer so you don’t have to discard clothes as religiously. But I don’t think that’s the right approach. Artificial fabrics are bad for the environment and they’re bad for you, too! “I went to a trade show in Paris recently, and I hardly saw any cotton or silks. I went berserk! Talking about being eco-friendly with fashion, most natural fibres are a little expensive because they’re not mass manufactured,” says the designer.
It’s often hard to put down everything Deepika says because her conversation ranges from the plight of textile weavers in Orissa and Gujarat to the sheer disinterest in the government bodies to preserve traditional craftsmanship and weaves. But yes, we could do with more people like her in the industry. But even that she says is a tough task. “It can’t be just me or another designer or an NGO. This has to be a movement. On one hand, we have to work towards resurrecting Indian weaves that will soon die out because no one is interested in them and on the other, promote fabrics that are eco-friendly and don’t damage the earth,” she asserts.
It is the least, we believe, designers can do to fulfil their responsibility towards the earth.
Denim Green is priced at Rs4,500 up wards and is available at the designer’s store in Craig Layout, MG Road and the International Departure Terminal of Bangalore International Airport.
2012年6月5日星期二
H&M on quest for growth with new fashion chains
The Swedish firm is hoping new chains - Spain's Inditex already has eight concepts to entice different customers - will help it out.
"H&M is a strong global retailer with healthy margins and should trade at a premium to the broader retail segment," Bernstein analyst Jamie Merriman said. H&M has historically traded at a higher premium than Inditex, due to higher margins, but she now felt the same level, 40 percent, would be appropriate for both companies.
"In my view, expectations for H&M's profit margins are too high this year, and I expect that as results disappoint, the shares will de-rate relative to Inditex shares," said Merriman, who has an "underperform" rating on the stock.
Seeking to preserve its cheap and cheerful image, H&M has taken hits to margins rather than pass on growing input costs, some of which, like labour in Asia, are likely to continue.
Analysts say the company launched in 1947 and now run by the grandson of its founder did not need separate chains before and can still expand its core brand, which is growing in Europe, North America and Asia. H&M is also mulling the southern hemisphere. But eventually the expansion pace will run out of steam, firstly in Europe where it already has a large presence.
And with higher costs, a growing number of budget competitors and increasingly cost-conscious and discerning customers in Europe, where it has near 90 percent of its turnover, it makes sense to spread the risk by adding a second more upmarket chain alongside its COS stores, its first separate brand.
Separate chains whose hallmarks are not budget are more likely to be able to pass on cost hikes to customers, supporting profit margins.
"Shopping habits are changing, even among younger consumers. They might be holding out for a better quality product for a higher price but buy these products less frequently," said Isabel Cavill at consultant Retail Planet.
Inditex, whose core Zara brand has a slightly narrower product range than H&M, launched its first separate chain in 1991, while H&M launched COS in 2007 in a strategy CEO Karl-Johan Persson is now expanding to secure long-term growth.
"We have proved that we can carry something like this out and do it well, and (that it can) contribute to H&M's growth and profitability for several years. COS is new, of course, but it has had a very good development," Persson told Reuters in an interview in May.
H&M and Inditex both trade at around 19 times this year's earnings according to StarMine data, roughly in line with expanding Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing Co (9983.T) and outshining Gap (GPS.N) at 14 and Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) and Next (NXT.L) at around 10.
"H&M didn't need other formats for a long time. Having a more mass market concept in H&M, it had the potential to gain a larger market share in any one market than, say, Zara might have had as a standalone concept," said analyst Anne Critchlow of Societe Generale.
But H&M reported its first fall in monthly sales for more than 2-2/2 years in April and Critchlow said Inditex's higher exposure and growth in emerging markets would underpin higher like-for-like sales growth over the longer term.
A decade ago, Inditex was smaller than H&M, but sales have grown fourfold, to $17.6 billion last year, while H&M's sales tripled to $15.5 billion. Inditex's share price has roughly tripled while H&M's has roughly doubled.
Inditex's operating margin has also caught up from lower levels, while H&M's has shrunk in recent years. The two firms both had operating margins of about 18.5 percent last year, far above the sector.
In a Reuters poll last month, half of 14 analysts had a positive rating on H&M's share, four were neutral and three negative.
RACY
H&M will be launching the new fashion chain "& Other Stories" in a few European cities in the first half of 2013. It has kept the concept under wraps but said that, like COS, which now has 51 stores in 11 markets and is profitable, it would have higher prices and better quality than the core brand.
"H&M in terms of their product range is a little bit more racy than things like (Inditex's most up market brand) Massimo Dutti, they are prepared to experiment more with quite interesting designs, to have more outrageous designs. I couldn't imagine it being a classic," Cavill said.
H&M's first-ever bolt-on acquisition was in 2008, of the owner of small niche chains Weekday and Monki, which together now have grown to around 70 stores in eight countries, and the brand Cheap Monday which now also has a few own stores. The group does not break down results by brands but Swedish media reports have said Weekday and Monki have been loss-making.
H&M itself has grown from about 100 stores when it first opened outside the Nordics in 1976, to around 2,500 in 44 countries. The company is now also looking into ways to broaden the offer within the H&M stores.
"We can increase the number of H&M stores by 10-15 percent (yearly) for many years to come, but the base is growing constantly, so at some point in time that will end," Persson said in the interview.
Finding out whether the new concepts are viable will take time, analysts say. "But over the next five years they could be the new avenue for growth and deliver quite successfully for the company," said Neil Saunders at retail consultant Conlumino.
INNOVATION
Most global fashion retailers, such as world no.3 player Gap (GPS.N) with its Banana Republic and Old Navy brands, and Asia's top apparel retailer Fast Retailing, have seen the wisdom of diversification.
"One thing in clothing is very certain. That is that nobody spends all of their money at one store. People do a lot of shopping around - it's a very promiscuous sector," said Conlumino's Saunders.
Benetton and M&S are now suffering in the face of their nimbler rivals after they ran out of ideas on clothing.
Benetton was delisted last month after the brand fell out of fashion from its 1980s heyday. The founding family is now trying to revive the brand and reposition the company.
H&M's push for diversity has been driven by Karl-Johan, head of new business before becoming CEO in 2009. His father, Stefan, turned the company founded by his father, Erling, from a Swedish to a global name from the early 80's.
"They were content, historically, with operating a single brand and it hasn't done them any harm. But the last five years they definitely seem to have become more adventurous, more curious about what a truly multi-brand business might look like," said Bryan Roberts at global consultancy group Kantar Retail.
"That innovation, that curiosity, is really coming to the fore now."
"H&M is a strong global retailer with healthy margins and should trade at a premium to the broader retail segment," Bernstein analyst Jamie Merriman said. H&M has historically traded at a higher premium than Inditex, due to higher margins, but she now felt the same level, 40 percent, would be appropriate for both companies.
"In my view, expectations for H&M's profit margins are too high this year, and I expect that as results disappoint, the shares will de-rate relative to Inditex shares," said Merriman, who has an "underperform" rating on the stock.
Seeking to preserve its cheap and cheerful image, H&M has taken hits to margins rather than pass on growing input costs, some of which, like labour in Asia, are likely to continue.
Analysts say the company launched in 1947 and now run by the grandson of its founder did not need separate chains before and can still expand its core brand, which is growing in Europe, North America and Asia. H&M is also mulling the southern hemisphere. But eventually the expansion pace will run out of steam, firstly in Europe where it already has a large presence.
And with higher costs, a growing number of budget competitors and increasingly cost-conscious and discerning customers in Europe, where it has near 90 percent of its turnover, it makes sense to spread the risk by adding a second more upmarket chain alongside its COS stores, its first separate brand.
Separate chains whose hallmarks are not budget are more likely to be able to pass on cost hikes to customers, supporting profit margins.
"Shopping habits are changing, even among younger consumers. They might be holding out for a better quality product for a higher price but buy these products less frequently," said Isabel Cavill at consultant Retail Planet.
Inditex, whose core Zara brand has a slightly narrower product range than H&M, launched its first separate chain in 1991, while H&M launched COS in 2007 in a strategy CEO Karl-Johan Persson is now expanding to secure long-term growth.
"We have proved that we can carry something like this out and do it well, and (that it can) contribute to H&M's growth and profitability for several years. COS is new, of course, but it has had a very good development," Persson told Reuters in an interview in May.
H&M and Inditex both trade at around 19 times this year's earnings according to StarMine data, roughly in line with expanding Uniqlo parent Fast Retailing Co (9983.T) and outshining Gap (GPS.N) at 14 and Marks & Spencer (MKS.L) and Next (NXT.L) at around 10.
"H&M didn't need other formats for a long time. Having a more mass market concept in H&M, it had the potential to gain a larger market share in any one market than, say, Zara might have had as a standalone concept," said analyst Anne Critchlow of Societe Generale.
But H&M reported its first fall in monthly sales for more than 2-2/2 years in April and Critchlow said Inditex's higher exposure and growth in emerging markets would underpin higher like-for-like sales growth over the longer term.
A decade ago, Inditex was smaller than H&M, but sales have grown fourfold, to $17.6 billion last year, while H&M's sales tripled to $15.5 billion. Inditex's share price has roughly tripled while H&M's has roughly doubled.
Inditex's operating margin has also caught up from lower levels, while H&M's has shrunk in recent years. The two firms both had operating margins of about 18.5 percent last year, far above the sector.
In a Reuters poll last month, half of 14 analysts had a positive rating on H&M's share, four were neutral and three negative.
RACY
H&M will be launching the new fashion chain "& Other Stories" in a few European cities in the first half of 2013. It has kept the concept under wraps but said that, like COS, which now has 51 stores in 11 markets and is profitable, it would have higher prices and better quality than the core brand.
"H&M in terms of their product range is a little bit more racy than things like (Inditex's most up market brand) Massimo Dutti, they are prepared to experiment more with quite interesting designs, to have more outrageous designs. I couldn't imagine it being a classic," Cavill said.
H&M's first-ever bolt-on acquisition was in 2008, of the owner of small niche chains Weekday and Monki, which together now have grown to around 70 stores in eight countries, and the brand Cheap Monday which now also has a few own stores. The group does not break down results by brands but Swedish media reports have said Weekday and Monki have been loss-making.
H&M itself has grown from about 100 stores when it first opened outside the Nordics in 1976, to around 2,500 in 44 countries. The company is now also looking into ways to broaden the offer within the H&M stores.
"We can increase the number of H&M stores by 10-15 percent (yearly) for many years to come, but the base is growing constantly, so at some point in time that will end," Persson said in the interview.
Finding out whether the new concepts are viable will take time, analysts say. "But over the next five years they could be the new avenue for growth and deliver quite successfully for the company," said Neil Saunders at retail consultant Conlumino.
INNOVATION
Most global fashion retailers, such as world no.3 player Gap (GPS.N) with its Banana Republic and Old Navy brands, and Asia's top apparel retailer Fast Retailing, have seen the wisdom of diversification.
"One thing in clothing is very certain. That is that nobody spends all of their money at one store. People do a lot of shopping around - it's a very promiscuous sector," said Conlumino's Saunders.
Benetton and M&S are now suffering in the face of their nimbler rivals after they ran out of ideas on clothing.
Benetton was delisted last month after the brand fell out of fashion from its 1980s heyday. The founding family is now trying to revive the brand and reposition the company.
H&M's push for diversity has been driven by Karl-Johan, head of new business before becoming CEO in 2009. His father, Stefan, turned the company founded by his father, Erling, from a Swedish to a global name from the early 80's.
"They were content, historically, with operating a single brand and it hasn't done them any harm. But the last five years they definitely seem to have become more adventurous, more curious about what a truly multi-brand business might look like," said Bryan Roberts at global consultancy group Kantar Retail.
"That innovation, that curiosity, is really coming to the fore now."
2012年6月4日星期一
Egyptian Stocks: EFG-Hermes Holding and Maridive & Oil Services
Egypt’s benchmark EGX30 Index (EGX30) dropped 1.3 percent to 4,625.62 at the 2:30 p.m. close in Cairo, the lowest level in almost two months.
The following shares were active on the Egyptian Exchange. Stock symbols follow company names.
EFG-Hermes Holding SAE (HRHO) jumped by the daily limit 9.9 percent to 12.06 Egyptian pounds before closing at 11.01 pounds, the highest level in more than a week. The biggest publicly traded Arab investment bank rejected a $1.1 billion bid from Planet IB Ltd., backed by billionaire Naguib Sawiris, in favor of a venture with Qatar’s QInvest LLC.
Maridive & Oil Services SAE (MOIL EY), a Cairo-based offshore services company, declined as much as 4.6 percent to $1.04, before closing at $1.06, the lowest since May 30. Oil for July delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange lost 3.8 percent to $83.23 a barrel on June 1, the lowest level in almost eight months.
The following shares were active on the Egyptian Exchange. Stock symbols follow company names.
EFG-Hermes Holding SAE (HRHO) jumped by the daily limit 9.9 percent to 12.06 Egyptian pounds before closing at 11.01 pounds, the highest level in more than a week. The biggest publicly traded Arab investment bank rejected a $1.1 billion bid from Planet IB Ltd., backed by billionaire Naguib Sawiris, in favor of a venture with Qatar’s QInvest LLC.
Maridive & Oil Services SAE (MOIL EY), a Cairo-based offshore services company, declined as much as 4.6 percent to $1.04, before closing at $1.06, the lowest since May 30. Oil for July delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange lost 3.8 percent to $83.23 a barrel on June 1, the lowest level in almost eight months.
2012年5月28日星期一
Festive fashion
KARACHI:
Now is the time to look like the colour wheel barfed on you and not get judged for it. The season that gives you all the liberty to unleash the deranged gypsy within and dump the Oxford sweaters and pull-overs for something outdoorsy, expressive and not to mention easy and breezy, is finally here. And since it already feels like the sun lives in our left pocket, we may as well just bring in some joviality through our everyday wear.
For Pakistani Parveens
More and more designers have brought forward their take of the gypsy culture by fusing Balochi/Sindhi malang culture with nautical and psychedelic prints and presenting them with a modern twist. Some of our favourite lawn collections this season are Junaid Jamshed’s Lawn, Deepak Perwani Premium Lawn and Khaadi Lawn. All three of these brands have managed to find the perfect equilibrium between international gypsy and desi malang and the best thing about them is that you can afford them without having to consider the option of selling one of your arms to afford one of their creations.
For the wild child
If you work in a regimented corporate environment, you can invest your moolah in some fancy headgear. Think Roman/Greek goddesses and their extravagant wreaths and rummage through brands such as H&M, Forever 21 and XOXO for the bands that fit your head and persona. Also, a little bit of stacking every now and then works and won’t really hurt the ego of that hoity toity Japanese company your boss is planning a meeting with.
You may want to get hold of some bold-coloured shirts and pair them up with a sombre suit to create the perfect fix of colour and sophistication. Colour blocking is as constant in the fashion fraternity as the northern star.
According to pantone.com, tangerine — the colour that looks like a love child of orange and pink — is the hue of the year and people should stick to the orange-pinkish side of the spectrum as much as they can.
Laces and buckles are back, be it sandals or heels. Think dominatrix or even Xena: The Warrior Princess and get yourself a pair of uber sexy gladiator sandals in preferably brown or beige (only because they go with everything) with a hint of gold. Those of you who love to make statements with their bright shoes can sigh with relief as bright hues will stay with us despite the obvious rein of pastels this season, according to millionlooks.com.
Women who work in a dress code-free environment try everything from big flowery prints to mind-boggling psychedelic prints. Ditch your pearls and gold for jewellery made from thread, rope, bones and colourful beads (big and small). Remember pedestrian-cool. However, make sure in your efforts to look casual-chic don’t start looking like a hybrid of a bear and a dishevelled pirate.
For men
Dear men, I request you to stop buying those ‘I hula-hooped my way to Pakistan from some funky island’ shirts with big flowers and fancy buttons. Go for the good, old neon-coloured polo shirts with checked Bermudas and sport some neon flip flops. If you are the funky bloke, try looking for Rastafarian flip flops or Ed Hardy Hawaiians.
Also, the bald look is back so if you don’t care about people comparing you to an egg or a football, go clean and enjoy the breeze.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2012.
Now is the time to look like the colour wheel barfed on you and not get judged for it. The season that gives you all the liberty to unleash the deranged gypsy within and dump the Oxford sweaters and pull-overs for something outdoorsy, expressive and not to mention easy and breezy, is finally here. And since it already feels like the sun lives in our left pocket, we may as well just bring in some joviality through our everyday wear.
For Pakistani Parveens
More and more designers have brought forward their take of the gypsy culture by fusing Balochi/Sindhi malang culture with nautical and psychedelic prints and presenting them with a modern twist. Some of our favourite lawn collections this season are Junaid Jamshed’s Lawn, Deepak Perwani Premium Lawn and Khaadi Lawn. All three of these brands have managed to find the perfect equilibrium between international gypsy and desi malang and the best thing about them is that you can afford them without having to consider the option of selling one of your arms to afford one of their creations.
For the wild child
If you work in a regimented corporate environment, you can invest your moolah in some fancy headgear. Think Roman/Greek goddesses and their extravagant wreaths and rummage through brands such as H&M, Forever 21 and XOXO for the bands that fit your head and persona. Also, a little bit of stacking every now and then works and won’t really hurt the ego of that hoity toity Japanese company your boss is planning a meeting with.
You may want to get hold of some bold-coloured shirts and pair them up with a sombre suit to create the perfect fix of colour and sophistication. Colour blocking is as constant in the fashion fraternity as the northern star.
According to pantone.com, tangerine — the colour that looks like a love child of orange and pink — is the hue of the year and people should stick to the orange-pinkish side of the spectrum as much as they can.
Laces and buckles are back, be it sandals or heels. Think dominatrix or even Xena: The Warrior Princess and get yourself a pair of uber sexy gladiator sandals in preferably brown or beige (only because they go with everything) with a hint of gold. Those of you who love to make statements with their bright shoes can sigh with relief as bright hues will stay with us despite the obvious rein of pastels this season, according to millionlooks.com.
Women who work in a dress code-free environment try everything from big flowery prints to mind-boggling psychedelic prints. Ditch your pearls and gold for jewellery made from thread, rope, bones and colourful beads (big and small). Remember pedestrian-cool. However, make sure in your efforts to look casual-chic don’t start looking like a hybrid of a bear and a dishevelled pirate.
For men
Dear men, I request you to stop buying those ‘I hula-hooped my way to Pakistan from some funky island’ shirts with big flowers and fancy buttons. Go for the good, old neon-coloured polo shirts with checked Bermudas and sport some neon flip flops. If you are the funky bloke, try looking for Rastafarian flip flops or Ed Hardy Hawaiians.
Also, the bald look is back so if you don’t care about people comparing you to an egg or a football, go clean and enjoy the breeze.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 29th, 2012.
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