Paris and Milan stay safe, Gucci repositioning, Indian luxury lags, L Capital invests, Counterintuitive Krakoff

Ferragamo Autumn/Winter 2010 | Source: Ferragamo

Fashion Opts for Safety in Paris, Milan (Bloomberg)

“Even amid signs that demand for luxury clothing and accessories is returning, makers of the goods will ‘play it safe’ for spring-summer 2011, according to Sue Evans, senior editor of catwalks at fashion forecaster WGSN.”

Gucci Unpacks ‘La Dolce Vita‘ (WSJ)

“During the consumer-spending slump, aspirational purchases slowed sharply, and Gucci was hit harder than competitors … So when Mr. di Marco joined the company… he wanted to elevate the brand away from the recent cheapening of its image.”

Is India ready for luxury shopping? (News Center)

“The critical mass needed to sustain profitability of luxury stores is currently not available… There’s no getting away from the fact that at the core, Indian retail will continue to be defined by value-consciousness.”

Rising fashion labels get backing from LVMH chief (Just Style)

“Private equity funds L Capital, which is owned by LVMH chief Bernard Arnault and his family and Florac, have taken a 51% stake in SMCP, the holding company of rising French fashion labels Sandro, Maje and Claudie Pierlot.”

Bulletproof Clothing: Take Your Best Shot (NY Times)

“Fashion reviewers have struggled to be kind about Mr. Krakoff’s sartorial talent… Blog commenters, grumbling and eye-rolling, have declared that it is not possible to do it this way: that you can’t buy yourself into the role of an important, relevant fashion designer.”