VALENTINO Up 24 Per Cent

According to VOGUE UK, Ella Alexander, VALENTINO has reported a revenue boost of 24 per cent in the past six months, helping it to return to the black. The Italian label posted first half net profits of 2.6 million euros, compared with a loss of € 7.4 million during the same period the year before.

“We are quite pleased – revenues will reach more than 300 millions euros in 2011, even more”, said Chief Executive of Valentino Fashion Group, Stefano Sassi. “This is a brand that deserves an even bigger development and a stronger presence, and there is the basis for this to happen. It’s a positive loop. We actually increased our envestments, from personnel to communication, as we wanted to convey the brand’s changes to our customer”.

The label is currently working on a new store look, to better showcase creative directors Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli’s designs – as well as its accessories line – which accounted for 35 per cent of the total revenue. Sassi also spoke out about the realtionship between the brand and its eponymous founder Valentino Garavani.

“There is a great respect and we do projects together,” he told WWD. “Valentino has made the history of fashion in Italy, and given the quality of the person, the company, together with Chiuri and Piccioli, is pleased that he is appreciative of our work.”

Astrid Wendlandt (China Daily) describes – The Italian fashion brand VALENTINO is enjoying solid demand for haute couture pieces, thanks to Middle Eastern, Russian and US buyers and trading overall continues to improve. Chief Executive Stefano Sassi said buyers from China, the biggest growth market for many luxury brands, were starting to emerge bit it was still early days.

“The Chinese – they are just starting. The most important are Middle Eastern customers, followd by the Russians and Americans.” Sassi told Reuters in an interview after the brands haute couture show – ‘VALENTINO Couture F/W 2011/12′ – in a private mension in Paris. For next season’s haute couture collection, the brand favored by Hollywood actresses and European monarchs opted to woo Russian buyers, who have made a strong comeback in luxury boutiques since the 2009 downturn.

VALENTINO unveiled a collection inspired by the tsarinas and Moscovia and the empire’s Boyar guards, mixing fairy-tale style with military details, which drew the awe of fashion critics and celebrities. “When I was a little girl, I dreamed of dresses like this. This is one of my favorite collections, the best one I have ever seen,” Anne Hathaway said after the show.

Striking pieces included embroidered long black velvet dresses, straight gilded tunics and short cocktail dresses as well as see-through long dresses ornamented with silk roses, bronze lace or feathers. “We have very good Russian  customers,” Sassi said, adding these customers were attracted by the brand’s glamourous image. “And in Russia, there are a lot of very affluent people.”

While demand for couture remained buoyant, Sassi said the brand’s ready-to-wear business was also growing well and iverall the company achieved a 25 percent rise in first-hals sales. Sales roses 20 percent in 2010. Sassi said demand was driven by all of the brand’s main markets in Asia, the United States and Europe.

VALENTINO RTW Fall/Winter 2011/12 Ad Campaign

‘La Raison D’Etre – Valentino Couture FW 2011/12′ by ANDREA JANKE Finest Accessories

By ANDREA JANKE

Follow Andrea by Twitter @andreajanke

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Feminity, elegance, sensuality, energy and romanticism – qualities as recognisable in Chloé’s clothing and accessories today as they were upon the brand’s creation nearly 60 years ago. Chloe’s talent for evolving its style while remaining true to these underlying values has earned the brand its iconic status amongst the world’s most fashion-conscious and sophisticated women.

Since view years Chloé is a part of the Richemont group, home of several of the world’s leading companies in the field of luxury goods. Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA owns a portfolio of leading brands or ‘Maisons’, which are managed independently of one another, recognising their individuality and uniqueness. The businesses operate in four areas: Jewellry Maisons, being Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels; Specialist watchmakers, being Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, IWC, Baume & Mercier, Vacheron Constantin, Officine Panerai, A. Lange & Söhne and Roger Dubuis, as well as the Ralph Lauren Watch and Jewelry joint venture; the Writing Instrument Maison Montblanc, and Other, being Chloé, Alfred Dunhill, Lancel and NET-A-PORTER as well as smaller Maisons and watch component manufacturing activities for third parties.

The Group’s net cash position at 31 December 2010 amounted to some € 2.2 billion (2009: € 1.4 billion). Linked to the position, it is anticipated that the strength of the Swiss franc will result in higher non-cash financial charges for the year. Richemont’s Maisons were already well positioned in the region and in the growing market of mainland China. The strategy in China is to continue to develop the distribution network and to ensurethe ability to offer customers ahigh-quality shopping experience in keeping with the values of the Maisons. For this reason, Richemont established their own distribution infrastructure to service the market and, most importantly, setted up a comprehensive after sales service organisation and training schools to develop the necessary skill sets for their staff in China.

Chloé resisted the economic downturn fairly well, and gained significant market share in the most affected markets, such a Japan. It also saw a significant sales increase in Asia-Pacific, most notably in China where Chloé now has 17 boutiques.

During 2010, Chloé opened three new boutiques in China – Guangzhou, Hangzhou and Chengdu – and one in Beirut. During 2010, the Maison’s reputation strengthened noticeably as both the Fall/Winter 2009/2010 and the Spring/Summer 2010 ready-to-wear and accessories collections received excellent receptions and enyojed extensive press coverage. Demand for leather goods has continued to grow arround the world, and was evidenced in the successful launch of the Marcie bag. In parallely, the Paraty bag is becoming an iconic product. Demand for small leather goods is equally increasing and the range is now a major contributor to the business. Shoe designs remain very distinctive, with each new collection generating considerable editorial coverage and customer excitement.

The new Spring/Summer 2011 advertising campaign express a feeling of optimism, energy and complicity. It is not about one Chloé woman, but the Chloé women: different and contrasting personalities which altogether show grace and feminity. It is about the woman and her silhouette, not her environment.

Chloé Spring/Summer Ad-Campaign 2011

Editorial by ANDREA JANKE

Follow Andrea by Twitter @andreajanke

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The word is out that Rolls-Royce is planning on targeting the younger generation of wealthy consumers. I must admit when I think of Rolls-Royce I don’t traditionally think of cool or even a younger wealthy driver for that matter. However, with the right strategic planning and approach the concept could be a favorable one.

Rolls-Royce will need to engage the young and rich. Consider this when Sean “Diddy” Combs gifted his son a Maybach for his 16^th birthday he also added a chauffer. Typically, a Rolls-Royce is not a car that you drive but is driven for you. The twenty something generation like to be in control of the wheel so Rolls will need to engage them by introducing the young and rich to the lifestyle concept of driving and riding in a Rolls-Royce. Make it a lifestyle experience.

This is when understanding the difference between traditional vs. contemporary luxury counts. Rolls-Royce should seek to engage the young rich online and build credibility first to win their trust. The world is waiting and can’t wait to see how kool younger Rolls-Royce will be like.

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