💎Brilliant Cut No. 8:
Hermès Conquers Luxury Industry, Burberry's Virtual Store, Rich Millennials Splurge On Crypto Art, Audemars Piguet x Marvel, China's Booming Luxury Resale Market, Brick & Mortar Comeback, and More
Welcome to this edition of Brilliant Cut, a free monthly newsletter that helps you smartly navigate the most important luxury marketing stories and insights.
Issue #8 | April 1, 2021
Ralph Lauren enters the rental business with ‘The Lauren Look’
(WWD via Yahoo) Ralph Lauren is ready to take a big bite out of the rental business with “The Lauren Look.” The company will introduce its first subscription apparel rental initiative with the Lauren Ralph Lauren brand. Read more
How Hermès conquered the luxury industry
(Fast Company) Hermès eschews trends and embraces old-fashioned craftsmanship—and has seen its revenue climb. Read more
Breitling’s new subscription program lets you test-drive up to 3 watches every year
(Robb Report) Numerous companies, from Manhattan Car Club to Rent-the-Runway, make products available on a short-term loan basis (in those cases cars and fashion) so it’s not a surprise that a watchmaker might have been taking notes. Read more
Porsche's luxury electric bikes are coming out this spring
(Engadget) Porsche has launched a couple of other electric vehicles alongside the Taycan Cross Turismo, but they're of the two-wheeled variety. The luxury automaker has debuted two electric bikes inspired by the Taycan, both of which feature full-suspension carbon-fiber frame and Magura brakes. Read more
Hermès and LVMH stocks are as trendy as their handbags
(Wall Street Journal) Equity-happy stars like Michael B. Jordan and Jay-Z are stoking interest in luxury fashion stocks, especially as gifts. Read more
The cryptocurrency boom: Will luxury jump in?
(Vogue Business) After a number of false starts, cryptocurrencies — led by Bitcoin — could be here to stay. It’s uncharted territory for the luxury fashion sector, but momentum might build fast. Read more
Burberry launches virtual replica of Tokyo flagship store
(FashionUnited UK) Burberry has linked with Elle Digital Japan to create an interactive virtual replica of the British luxury label’s flagship in Ginza, Tokyo. Read more
Bored millennials want to spend on luxury goods, crypto art
(Livemint) At the end of January, an impeccably preserved painting by Italian Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli sold for a record $92.2 million. Six weeks later, a work that could not be further from the Old Master, a digital compilation of images by an artist who goes by the name of Beeple, sold for $69.3 million. Read more
NFTs make way in luxury watch space as first Non-Fungible Token timepiece goes under the hammer
(WatchPro) Using Open.Sea NFT MarketPlace, the highest bidder will receive the high-end NFT watch with an embedded digital certificate using a secure element with a cryptographic public‑private key pair unique to each watch. Read more
Gucci Is Selling $12 (Virtual) Sneakers
(Business of Fashion) As talk around NFTs heats up, the luxury house is teaming up with AR fashion platform Wanna to expand further in the digital product space. Read more
The Kessler Collection teams with BitPay to allow crypto payments at hotels
(Pymnts) Luxury hotel group The Kessler Collection is teaming with BitPay to accept digital currency as a payment method. Read more
Fashion is officially cancelled
(i-D) Roll up, roll up! For AW21, Loewe is cancelled. At least that’s the headline in thousands of newspapers that the Spanish house has printed and circulated today in the weekend editions of broadsheets around the world. Read more
Lexus steers toward wellness with luxury road trips
(Marketing Dive) Lexus for the first time is offering people a way to drive its 2021 IS sedan during a five-day trip aimed at promoting relaxation and emotional well-being. The "Retreats in Motion" experience lets guests take "a scenic, restorative drive" between stays at two hotels and enjoy self-care activities along the way. Read more
Chanel launches ad campaign for classic flap handbag
(WWD) Chanel is launching a new advertising campaign for its signature 11.12 bag featuring models and friends of the house, including budding actress Zoé Adjani, the niece of Isabelle Adjani. Read more
The world added 412 billionaires in 2020, bringing the total to 3,288
(Barron's Penta) The world added 412 billionaires last year, bringing the total to a record 3,288, despite the disruption caused by Covid-19, according to the Hurun Global Rich List 2021. Read more
The fashion world promised more diversity. Here’s what we found
(New York Times) Against the backdrop of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, and amid a flurry of racist incidents in the fashion industry, the fashion world vowed it would change. Has it? And how would anyone know? In an effort to find out, we looked for concrete numbers about who gets to make fashion, sell fashion and represent fashion. Read more
Altient's annual Sustainability Luxury Brand Index 2021
(Altient) The inaugural edition of luxury research firm Altiant’s annual Sustainable Luxury Brand Index. The purpose of this report is to drive the agenda on sustainability and corporate responsibility in the world of luxury and wealth management by offering an independent view of sustainability-related behaviours and sentiments from validated global affluent and High Net Worth Individuals. Read more
Why go to Paris when you can buy Hermes in Hangzhou?
(Bloomberg) Even as China makes its way through a bumpy Covid-19 recovery, the country’s big spenders are splashing out. Luxury brands should pay close attention to where their cash is going. Right now, that’s at home. Read more
Million-dollar showrooms in malls new battleground for China EVs
(Bloomberg) China’s electric-car makers are paying top-dollar rents to open showrooms in luxury malls, as they seek to gain an edge in the hyper-competitive market. Read more
Why Chinese brand Icicle topped the Tmall 11.11 Single’s Day sale
(South China Morning Post) Icicle Fashion Group might not be a household name outside China as yet, but the successful Shanghai-based fashion brand has its eyes set on the world stage. Read more
China’s luxury resale segment is expected to grow into a $154 billion market
(The Fashion Law) While the sale of new luxury goods on the Chinese mainland continues to command the focus of brands and analysts, alike, China’s secondhand luxury market warrants increased attention, “as young and internet-savvy consumers, who are also environmentally conscious, are looking for affordable high-end goods through secondhand luxury trading platforms." Read more
7 luxury sectors Chinese consumers love post-Covid
(Campaign Asia-Pacific) The last year has been catastrophic for retail and luxury. However, one of the most surprising effects of the pandemic has been the rise of new luxury sub-segments exceeding our expectations. Read more
Jing Daily’s weekly roundup of the latest luxury social media campaigns in China
📲 March 5, 2021 // March 12, 2021 // March 19, 2021 // March 26, 2021
Porsche and Balmain creative director Olivier Rousteing collaborate In stunning new video
(Hong Kong Tatler) Porsche and Balmain Creative Director Olivier Rousteing have this week announced a high profile new collaboration. The automaker and designer have teamed up to create a stunning new video to illustrate the meaning of “drive”—and is set to be just the beginning of the intriguing collaboration. Read more
Canada Goose and RHUDE celebrate NBA All-Star Weekend with new outerwear capsule
(Hypebeast) Canada Goose has built up quite the portfolio when it comes to collaborative projects as they’ve teamed up with the likes of OVO, Angel Chen, Junya Watanabe and more. Now, its collaborators list is set to grow by two as it has just announced a multiyear partnership with the NBA, in addition to a brand new outerwear collection alongside RHUDE to celebrate the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. Read more
Lexus leans into sneakerhead culture with car-inspired shoe, video series
(Marketing Dive) Lexus partnered with Complex and designer collective RTFKT to create the custom shoe partly out of materials from the car's NuLuxe interior. Read more
Avengers Assemble: Audemars Piguet teams up with Marvel’s Don Cheadle
(South China Morning Post) The partnership between the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the luxury brand will benefit non-profits First Book and Ashoka in a programme to empower students. Read more
Tumi collaborated with McLaren on a collection of sports car-inspired luggage
(Travel & Leisure) If you're a fan of fast cars and modern luggage, you'll be thrilled to learn that Tumi has just collaborated with McLaren on a new collection that includes suitcases, backpacks, duffels, and more travel accessories. Read more
Benetton unveils sustainable store in Florence
(WWD via Yahoo) United Colors of Benetton is introducing a new store concept in Florence, which chief executive officer Massimo Renon hailed as “unique in the world and setting the benchmark for the future of retail.” Read more
Stella McCartney shows off the world's first clothes made from mushroom leather
(Engadget) Stella McCartney is today showing off its first set of clothes made from a new form of artificial leather; Mylo’s Unleather, a mycelium leather created by startup Bolt Threads. Read more
Lancôme unveils global sustainability program
(WWD) Lancôme is launching its first global sustainability program, called “Caring Together for a Happier Tomorrow,” which emphasizes biodiversity and social inclusion. Read more
Gucci’s latest Chime Zine spotlights international women-led movements
(WWD) Building on its commitment to support and promote gender equality through its Chime for Change campaign launched in 2013 in collaboration with Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Salma Hayek Pinault, Gucci released the latest issue of its Chime Zine. Read more
🥃 Rémy Cointreau USA CEO Ian McLernon discusses alcohol industry and consumer trends that will persist as we return to post-Covid life Apple / Spotify
🏎️ Alessandro Farmeschi, CEO of Lamborghini Americas talks about the Italian luxury sports-car company's record sales and changing perceptions Apple / Spotify
✨Mixed Gems: Featured writers on luxury, fashion, and culture✨
Forget ‘ladies’ collections.’ Women watch buyers want more options
New York Times writer Victoria Gomelsky says women “are frustrated with the industry’s reliance on outdated gender classifications and sexist marketing campaigns.” Read it here
The return Of luxury brick-and-mortar: 4 reasons to go back
Luxury analyst and author of “Future Luxe” Erwan Rambourg says a brick-and-mortar comeback is in the cards. He gives four good reasons why. Read it here
How can the luxury industry become more inclusive?
Interesting interview in Knowledge@Wharton with the diversity leaders from Kering and Moet Hennessy about how the luxury industry can become more inclusive. Read it here.
Thank you for reading this,
Scott
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