💎Brilliant Cut No. 3:
The Man Behind Chanel Watches, Burberry Ups Its Tech Game, Canada Goose Pop-Ups In China, Richemont Chairman's Digital Dream Realized, How Billionaires Are Managing, Gucci Garb In The Sims, and More
Welcome to this edition of Brilliant Cut, a free monthly newsletter that delivers the most essential stories on luxury marketing strategies right to your inbox.
Issue #3 | November 9, 2020
A Hermès trend other luxury brands hope to copy
(Wall Street Journal) Hermès became the first major luxury-goods company to report a return to growth in the third quarter. Sales at constant currencies increased 7% compared with the same period of last year. Read more
For Ferrari less is still plenty, maybe more
(Bloomberg) Relax, your Ferrari is coming. Well, some Ferraris are coming. In Maranello, Italy, the assembling line is rumbling at full speed once again. The company came through a COVID lockdown with plenty of momentum and, should the state shut down again, Ferrari will be as rattled as a Milanese cobbler on a smoke break. Read more
In conversation with Mark Morris, Burberry’s SVP of Digital Commerce
(Interbrand) As part of the Interbrand Best Global Brands 2020 Report, our Senior Vice President of Digital Commerce, Mark Morris, spoke to Interbrand’s Global Chief Learning and Culture Officer about how Burberry is pioneering online and virtual luxury. Read more
The man behind Chanel’s watches
(New York Times) Last year Chanel promoted a reworked version of its distinctive J12 watch with advertisements featuring a handful of high-profile celebrities, including Ali McGraw, Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer. Read more
Why Porsche and BMW are gunning for hoodie-wearing teens
(WSJ) EARLY THIS FEBRUARY, before we all began sheltering in place, visitors streamed into the Jeffrey Deitch Gallery in downtown Manhattan to ogle a one-of-a-kind Porsche. Read more
Richemont chairman’s dream realized: An all-embracing platform for digital luxury
(WWD via Yahoo News) It may have taken a while, and met with some resistance, but Richemont chairman Johann Rupert is, at last, seeing his dream of a wide-open digital platform for luxury take shape, thanks to his allies – and erstwhile competitors — Alibaba, Farfetch and Artemis. Read more
Dior activates Snapchat e-commerce for new sneaker
(Retail Dive) Dior last week unveiled its B27 sneaker with an augmented reality (AR) lens on Snapchat that lets users of the photo-messaging app virtually try on and buy the shoes. Read more
Burberry morphs its gaming tech into a tool for fashion design, sustainability.
(Fashion Network) Burberry continues to burnish its reputation as a technology innovator within the luxury fashion space. It has announced a new initiative to “revolutionize fashion design and engineering” with the first products resulting from the tech (for pre-fall 20) now dropping in-store. Read more
Why livestream video may be the future of luxury shopping
(Robb Report) In early August, with coronavirus cases across the United States on an uptick, Moda Operandi was trying something new. Read more
Luxury watch maker Breitling issues digital certificates on the Ethereum blockchain
(TechCrunch) Breitling is partnering with Arianee to issue a new kind of certificates of authenticity for its luxury watches. Instead of relying on physical certificates, the watchmaker gives you a unique digital passport that certifies the origin of the watch. Read more
Gucci announces new mini-series with Gus Van Sant
(AnOther) Gucci’s upcoming collection, OUVERTURE of Something that Never Ended, is set to be unveiled later this month. However, in an innovative new twist, creative director Alessandro Michele has announced his plans to present it through an eponymous seven-part mini-series. Read more
Canada Goose banks on interactive pop-up, store openings to woo Chinese consumers closer to home
(Content Commerce Insider) As the ongoing diplomatic spat between Canada and China shows no sign of letting up, Toronto-based winter fashion brand Canada Goose continues to court the Chinese consumers that have become a crucial buyer base for its high-end parkas and down jackets. Read more
Bloomingdale's hosts virtual holiday benefit featuring Misty Copeland
(Marketing Dive) Bloomingdale's announced its "Give Happy" holiday campaign, which will include a Virtual Holiday Benefit and other digital elements. The event also promises innovative animation effects for an immersive experience. Read more
Can shop windows tell a story? How Levi van Veluw creates narratives for Hermès
(FRAME) Dutch contemporary artist Levi van Veluw has created the inaugural window displays for Hermès’ new RDAI-designed Stockholm location at Nordiska Kompaniet, a heritage-listed department store. Read more
Riding the storm – How are billionaires navigating the storm?
(PwC) The latest edition of Billionaires Insights from UBS and PwC. Read more
Private aviation update from The Wealth Report 2020
(Knight Frank) Private jet traffic has bounced back more strongly from Covid-19 than the commercial airline sector, but the pandemic’s second wave is stunting growth, according to the latest data from WINGX. Read more
Wealthy shoppers in China more confident in luxury spending outlook than US
(South China Morning Post) Despite the coronavirus pandemic still raging across continents, wealthy luxury consumers in China and the United States are optimistic about their economic well-being, according to a new report by consulting firm Agility Research & Strategy. Read more
Why American luxury fashion doesn’t sell in China – an ‘ordinary’ image, weak marketing, and few social media influencers
(South China Morning Post) “Any luxury brand that’s not doing well in China is not doing well, full stop.” So says Mario Ortelli, a luxury brand consultant who doesn’t mince his words. Read more
Covid-19’s second wave made China’s economy the world’s largest – here’s what that means for luxury brands in 2021, according to experts.
(South China Morning Post) With the West currently living through the nightmare of a second wave of Covid-19, luxury brands are focusing on 2021 and how to win in what has become the world’s largest economy: China. Read more
Don’t even try paying cash in China
(New York Times) It’s hard for those of us who live outside of China to grasp how paying for everything has gone digital in the country. Read more
Luxury brands double down on China’s emerging social platforms
(Gartner) China has been a key driver of growth for luxury brands in recent years, and having virtually eliminated the COVID-19 pandemic within its borders, is one of the few economies projected to return to expansion in 2020. Read more
Porsche Taycan EV gains exclusive Apple Podcasts and Apple Music time-synced lyrics integration
(9to5Mac) Last year Porsche and Apple collaborated to integrate Apple Music streaming directly in the first all-electric Taycan. Now the German automaker and Apple are extending the partnership to bring new features to Porsche’s first electric vehicle. Read more
Gucci partnered with Sims community to make its Off The Grid campaign virtual
(Nylon) Gucci is now available for the Sims universe. The Italian fashion house has teamed up with Sims custom creators Grimcookies and Harrie to recreate its Off The Grid campaign for the virtual world. Read more
Harper's Bazaar gets in on the music game, with Dev Hynes becoming first-ever 'music director'
(The Daily Front Row) The longest-standing magazines are really upping their game when it comes to engaging audiences (case in point: Cosmo has just launched merch and every publication worth its salt has a podcast.) But editor in chief Samira Nasr is cementing her arrival at Harper’s Bazaar with a music partnership—a first for the 153-year-old title. Read more
Fashion’s diversity experts on how the industry can avoid tone-deaf missteps
(WWD via Yahoo News) When fashion finally gets diversity right, the presence of people of color in roles from the runway to the boardroom will be commonplace enough that the racial justice conversations reaching a boiling point in 2020 may be rendered obsolete. Read more
Ralph Lauren Corporation and Parity.org convene fashion industry group to take action to close the gender gap
(Business Wire) Ralph Lauren Corporation and Parity.org, a non-profit organization focused on bringing gender parity to the highest levels of business, along with PVH Corp., Lacoste, Tiffany & Co. and Movado Group Inc., unveiled a new roadmap for the fashion industry to make measurable progress in achieving gender parity. Read more
Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron outlines philanthropic approach
(WWD) The coronavirus crisis may be accelerating existing trends more than recasting priorities, but it has certainly added urgency to many issues, according to Cartier chief executive officer Cyrille Vigneron. Read more
Produced and hosted by Scott Kerr, The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury. Check out the last three episodes and gain new insights on the luxury industry:
🖼️ Learn how high net worth Millennials are driving the art market and artists go D2C on Instagram from Annie Wang, VP, Head of Marketing at Artnet Apple / Spotify
🏙️ Hear how social media has changed the game in selling luxury real estate from Ryan Serhant, real estate industry mogul and star of Bravo TV’s 'Million Dollar Listing New York' Apple / Spotify
👜 Learn about the major forces in emerging trends that will reshape the luxury sector over the next decade from Erwan Rambourg, top-ranked luxury analyst and author of “Future Luxe” Apple / Spotify
🏠🏠🏠 Home-Related Trends in the Time of Covid (Part 1)
Thrilled to have Dr. Stephen Kraus, author and leading expert on consumer insights and social trends, contributing to Brilliant Cut. His first article is one of a three-part series exploring how home, work, and places where people congregate are evolving in The Corona Economy.
👉First up: Six key trends reshaping the first place -- the home.
💎💎💎3-Carat: Opinion Pieces and Interviews With Luxe Leaders
♦ Acqua Di Parma’s Laura Burdese on the new definition of luxury in Glossy
♦ Transforming the luxury industry for the new normal, by Christophe Caïs in Forbes
♦ 12 China predictions for luxury brands In 2021, by Liza Foreman in Jing Daily
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Comments or questions? Send a letter to Scott Kerr, publisher scott@silvertoneconsulting.com
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