💎Brilliant Cut No. 13:

LV Iconic Trunk Collabs, Burberry NFTs, Ebay Handbag Vending Machine, Pre-Owned Luxury Accelerates, Luxury Crackdown Under Xi, Breitling x Bentley, Paul Smith Mini Strip, and More

Sep 1, 2021

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 #13 | September 1, 2021

For Louis Vuitton’s birthday, 200 artists reimagined an iconic steamer trunk

(Inside Hook) Can a piece of luggage be transformative? In 1858, the steamer trunk that put Louis Vuitton on the map did exactly that. Read more

How the world’s most exclusive card is about to look even cooler

(The Points Guy) American Express has solicited two accomplished individuals to help them improve the aesthetic of their hyper-exclusive Amex Centurion Card. Read more

Beyoncé and Jay-Z meet a blue Basquiat in Tiffany’s new campaign

(WWD via Yahoo) While no one could ever upstage Beyoncé and Jay-Z, together for the first time in an ad campaign for Tiffany & Co., it’s fair to say there is a third star in the spots: a never-before-seen painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat in the jeweler’s signature robin egg blue. Read more

Nordstrom debuts young adult ambassador program

(Marketing Dive) Joining other retailers with social media ambassador programs, Nordstrom has opened applications for people ages 14 to 22 to join The Ambassador Program @Nordstrom, which facilitates mentorship experiences in retail, fashion, digital styling, content creation and other roles. Read more

Louis Vuitton marks 200th anniversary with art video game

(Wallpaper) In a distinctive anniversary celebration, luxury French fashion house Louis Vuitton has launched an art-infused video game that blends education, entertainment and escapism. Read more

Mythical launches Burberry NFTs in Blankos Block Party

(Venture Beat) Luxury clothing brand Burberry is dropping its non-fungible token (NFT) collection in Mythical Games’ Blankos Block Party blockchain game. Read more

Luxury’s guide to the new rules of audio advertising

(Vogue Business) Chanel and Estée Lauder are some of the luxury brands turning to audio marketing, a long overlooked advertising channel. The non-visual medium means taking some creative risks. Read more

Vogue Singapore eyes crypto community with NFT mystery boxes

(Marketing Interactive) Months after Vogue Singapore's publisher, Media Publishares, entered the NFT scene, the magazine is launching its first NFT mystery box this September. The theme "New Beginnings" unites all 28 editions of Vogue to feature a sunrise as a leitmotif indicating a hopeful outlook towards a new dawn. Read more

Ralph Lauren makes metaverse play with Zepeto partnership

(WWD via Yahoo) With digital apparel ramping up in recent months, fashion is clearly coming for the metaverse. The latest to join the fray is Ralph Lauren, who announced a new collaboration with 3D avatar platform Zepeto to offer a digital fashion collection for sale, along with themed virtual environments. Read more

Mercedes, Amazon promote new 'Cinderella' with ads emphasizing female empowerment

(Marketing Dive) Mercedes-Benz and Amazon Prime Video have partnered on a campaign promoting the streaming platform's new "Cinderella" movie, which offers a modern take on the classic fairy tale, per a press release. Read more

Ebay just dropped a designer handbag vending machine in NYC

(Time Out New York) The auction site eBay just installed a first-of-its-kind luxury handbag machine with a "lust-worthy" selection of designer handbags from its marketplace in Dumbo, Brooklyn (and Silver Lake, Los Angeles). Read more

Porsche takes a victory lap

(WSJ) It’s fair to say that this has been the year of Porsche at the Petersen Automotive Museum. The curators have put together three small exhibits—fewer than 10 cars each—that trace the history of the German brand. Read more

Ragged Edge’s heritage-inspired rebrand for luxury luggage company Globe-Trotter

(Designweek) Design studio Ragged Edge has rebranded British luggage company Globe-Trotter, with an identity inspired by the company’s archives. As well as designing a new logo for Globe-Trotter, the studio has provided strategy guidelines and printed promotional material. Read more

Cartier joins the sponsors of the Venice Film Festival

(New York Times) Along with lavish screenings of new films starring Oscar winners like Penélope Cruz and Olivia Colman, the 2021 Venice Film Festival will feature a different type of premiere: the debut of Cartier as a new main sponsor. Read more

The World's Most Valuable Luxury Brands

(Statista) If there is one market that France dominates, it is indeed that of fashion and luxury. As our Statista chart shows, out of the ten most valuable luxury brands in 2021, six are French. With a valuation of $75.7 billion, LVMH - the parent company of Louis Vuitton owned by Bernard Arnault - ranks first, followed by Chanel with a brand value of roughly $47 billion. Read more

The rise of pre-owned luxury in the US

(Vogue Business) Over the last few years, the accelerated demand for sustainable fashion and affordable luxury has given rise to a number of digital resale platforms. A survey conducted by the Vogue Business advisory team revealed that 69 per cent of luxury consumers in the US purchased pre-owned luxury over the past year. Read more

Wine drinkers know less, don't care

(Wine Searcher) The average consumer knows less about wine than two years ago – but that hasn't stopped people from spending big bucks on vino. In fact, there is some evidence that people who know less might even be spending more. Read more

Everyday social media users may now be more influential than celebrities: study

(Internet Retailing) According to research from ratings and reviews provider Bazaarvoice, ‘everyday’ social media users may now be more influential than celebrities, new research suggests. Read more

Interest in designer collabs grows as Gen Zers view luxury goods as assets

(Retail Brew) Legacy brands are eyeing Gen Z as the demographic’s spending power grows, but companies must learn the different ways these buyers think about luxury. Fashion marketplace and resale platform StockX, where 70% of the users are under the age of 35, has been watching their consumption habits evolve since 2016—and facilitating the shifts. Read more

Christian Dior exhibition on show in Chengdu

(China Daily) Following shows at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, Victoria & Albert Museum in London and the Long Museum West Bund in Shanghai, the exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is running at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chengdu, through Sept 7. Featuring a new graphic narrative by Nathalie Crinière, this event celebrates over 70 years of creative passion. Read more

Selling luxury goods in a more socialist China becomes a problem

(WSJ) Beijing’s crackdown on business that doesn’t support its policy goals suddenly looks like it might extend to luxury brands. Investors are only just waking up to the risks. Read more

Defying conventions, Chinese millennials turn to watches

(Vogue Business) They’re young, they’re female – and they’re buying pre-owned. China’s new consumers are breaking all the conventions of the luxury watch sector. Read more

Affluent jet-setting tourists stuck in China are fueling surge in demand for luxurious domestic destinations

(South China Morning Post) Luxury resorts in China’s southernmost tourism destination have an opportunity to cash in on stymied international travel as affluent domestic holiday-goers seek out tropical shores to tide them over until they can again return to their jet-set lifestyle abroad. Read more

12 Key Dates for your e-Commerce & Marketing campaigns in China

(Marketing to China) So, it is clear that in order to succeed in China, you will have to focus on e-commerce, but you will also have to plan your marketing campaigns according to China’s festivals and specific events. Read more

Where China's wealthy travelers are going during the pandemic

(CNN) The sandy shores of Sanya. The mountains of Yunnan. Giant panda sanctuaries in Sichuan. Wealthy Chinese travelers may not be able to travel internationally with ease these days, but they have no shortage of attractive travel destinations in their own backyard. Read more

Jing Daily’s weekly roundup of luxury social media campaigns in China:

📲 August 6, 2021 // August 13, 2021 // August 20, 2021 // August 27, 2021

Breitling x Bentley celebrate the final watch of its record 19-year partnership

(duPont Registry) The partnership between Bentley and Breitling defines the luxurious craftsmanship behind automobiles and timepieces. Throughout the 19-years spent collaborating on special models for owners, collectors, and enthusiasts, the two brands pushed the limits to help achieve extraordinary levels of luxury. Read more

Fendi partners with Rimowa for an exclusive suitcase

(Hypebeast) Fendi has officially joined forces with the luxury sector’s most iconic travel luggage brand, Rimowa, for a one-of-a-kind suitcase. Read more

Paul Smith designs one-off MINI STRIP car that maximizes material reduction

(Designboom) Two British design icons – MINI and Paul Smith – strip off carbon to wear a more natural outfit inside and out. the MINI STRIP is a custom-made, one-off model co-created by the fashion designer and automotive manufacturer with an approach to reduction. it aims to highlight inspiration ideas for sustainability in car design as well as manufacturing. Read more

Supreme put its famous logo all over a New York City subway line

(Input) Well, here’s one we didn’t see coming. If you can't afford the upcoming Supreme-branded spinner rims, or if you live in New York City and don’t have a car for them in the first place, you can still make the $2 billion box logo a part of your daily commute — by riding in it. Read more

Salehe Bembury and Lexus announce new collab capsule

(Complex) Luxury car-crafter Lexus and designer Salehe Bembury have announced a new collaboration. The partnership is intended as a celebration of the next generation of Lexus wherein electrification is at the forefront. Read more

Shinola debuts new furniture, houseware collection with Crate & Barrel

(The Detroit News) The 115-piece collection, called Shinola for Crate & Barrel, includes clean-lined furniture crafted from FSC-certified American hardwood, geometric motif pillows, woven leather lighting, home office decor and more. Read more

TRR’s resale ‘it’ list sees Gucci gain on Vuitton

(WWD via Yahoo) Louis Vuitton has maintained its ranking as the most popular luxury brand among consumers searching for resale items at The RealReal over the past year. But Gucci is nipping at its heels. Read more

Can luxury fashion brands ever really be inclusive?

(The Conversation) Luxury goods tend to be associated with exclusivity rather than inclusivity. But thanks to the universal scrutiny of social media and consumer activism, high-end brands are under increasing pressure to be seen as companies who care. Read more

How plant-based ‘leathers’ are becoming the future of luxury fashion

(Input) With consumer demand for sustainable products on the rise, houses like Hermès and Gucci are replacing leather with cutting-edge materials, fabrics, and methods. Read more

Ganni and Vestiaire Collective team up on circular clothing project

(Harper's Bazaar) Scandi label Ganni and luxury resale site Vestiaire Collective are working together in an effort to make the fashion industry more circular. Read more

The Resale Market: Who’s playing, who’s leading, who’s emerging

(WWD via Yahoo) While secondhand is nothing new, incoming and existing resale players are changing faster than the listings in a Gen Zer’s Depop shop. The space today is best described as a playground of peer-to-peer selling apps, managed marketplaces, re-commerce and logistical powerhouses alongside the age-old brick-and-mortar charity shops and retailers getting in on the action. Read more

Produced and hosted by Scott Kerr, The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury. Check out the last two episodes and gain new insights on the luxury industry:

🚣 Paul Lavoie, Co-founder and CEO of luxury waterside equipment company Beau Lake discusses building a luxury brand with nature as the catalyst Apple / Spotify

🛣️ Geneva Long, Founder and CEO of luxury RV manufacturer Bowlus, discusses reviving a 90-year-old heritage brand and today’s luxury land travelers Apple / Spotify

✨Mixed Gems: Featured writers on luxury, fashion, and culture✨

Why heritage brands like Patek Phillipe are dusting off their glamorous backstories

Robin Swithinbank from Robb Report says heritage has never been more important for watchmakers—even the ones that were founded less than 20 years ago. Read it here

How to look at a watch: A purely personal take

Hodinkee's editor-in-chief Jack Forster offers a purely personal take on how he conducts reviews of new watches. Read it here

How luxury Cognac is attracting whisky collectors

Owen Bellwood from The Spirits Business writes that rare whisky is so expensive on the secondary market, it's out of reach of all but the most wealthy. Cognac is becoming a popular choice for collectors and brands are now actively targeting them. Read it here

Thank you for reading this,

Scott

If you know someone that would enjoy Brilliant Cut, please share this with them.

Share Brilliant Cut

Comments or questions? E-mail me: scott@silvertoneconsulting.com

Find me: Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram