Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They
AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e
BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German
Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who
By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an
Navigation
Primary Navigation
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
Asia Pacific
World
Search
Search:
Doldrums for top-of-the-line Italian fashion
AFP - 2 hours 51 minutes ago
MILAN (AFP) - - Gone are the long lines in Milan's high fashion streets as top labels revise their sales strategies to cope with the global financial crisis.
Sales have already begun in the chic district centring on Milan's Montenapoleone street, and not just for regular customers. Even at Prada, discounts are up to 40 percent.
"Even major luxury labels have launched more affordable lines," said Paolo Fontanelli, managing director of leather goods purveyor Furla. "That shows you where the demand is."
The venerable company with nearly 300 stores worldwide and a turnover of around 150 million euros (200 million dollars) is not immune to the crisis.
"The business plan that we presented in June 2007 needs to be revised," Fontanelli told AFP. "Like our competitors, we will work on the basis of two scenarios, one that is very realistic and pessimistic, and the other a bit more optimistic," he said.
"We haven't frozen our investments, we've just rescheduled them. We have become more selective about opening new stores," Fonanelli said.
Then, sounding optimistic, he added: "That doesn't make us miss opportunities, because thanks to the crisis we can find good spots that are a lot less expensive."
With sales of upmarket "Made in Italy" down by some three percent over the first nine months of the year, Italy's textile and fashion federation, together with the employers association, have set off the alarm bells, calling for government support.
The global financial crisis has not spared the well-to-do in emerging economies despite a recent boom in demand for Italian luxury goods, according to a consultant for Russian retailers.
"It's a disaster. Russian buyers have abruptly cut off all of their orders," he said. "They used to pay up front in cash, so clothes companies could go ahead and produce. Now everything is held up."
Leading knitwear maker Lineapiu is one of the main victims of the crisis, having sought bankruptcy protection early this month.
It Holding, with Gianfranco Ferre and Malo among its labels, is negotiating for a partnership with a Chinese company.
The crisis is inspiring new types of sales strategies, such as online or "travel trade" at airports.
"We can no longer just wait for customers to come into the shop," said Michele Norsa of Salvatore Ferragamo at the recent Milano Fashion Global Summit. "You have to go where they go."
"In Europe, consumers are turned off, even immobilised," said Enrica Corbellini of Milan's Bocconi University. "So it is very important to innovate by stressing a product's environmental or ethical value, for example."
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
Related Articles: Entertainment & Lifestyle
Ruling could put 'Watchmen' in jeopardyAP - 1 hour 51 minutes ago
Nintendo says to offer videos on WiiAFP - 2 hours 57 minutes ago
Nobel-winning playwright Harold Pinter dies at 78AP - Friday, December 26
Nazi themes dominate holiday cinema seasonAP - Thursday, December 25
Disney pulls out of third 'Narnia' filmAFP - Thursday, December 25
Enlarge Photo
A woman walks with her shopping bags in "Via Montenapoleone" one of the luxury fashion streets in Milan in July 2008. Gone are the long lines in Milan's high fashion streets as top labels revise their sales strategies to cope with the global financial crisis.
Most Popular – Entertainment
Viewed
US sees no holiday cheer; Russia, China warn of grim 2009
French investor takes life after massive losses in Madoff scandal
Housing market feels more pain, bottom not yet in sight
Quake zone hero pig named China's animal of the year
Actress Jennifer Aniston appears naked in GQ magazine
View Complete List »
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular