Last month, Gucci dethroned sportswear giant Nike as the world’s hottest brand according to fashion shopping platform Lyst. Initially, some people may be surprised to discover the presence of a non-luxury brand, Nike, on this list, considering the remaining top ten is packed with major luxury houses such as Prada and Balenciaga. Nike’s highly prolific marketing strategy, exclusive collaborations and its sharp focus on consumers’ needs have certainly contributed to the creation of the global powerhouse that it is today. Despite the fact that Nike is not a traditional luxury brand it has adopted certain characteristics of the luxury industry that have contributed to the strength of the brand today.…

It’s that time of the year again: we are less than two months away from Christmas, the time when people pour out into the streets of their cities, grouping in and out shopping centers, rushing around looking for the perfect gift, or simply having a relaxing walk enjoying the spirit and magic of Santa Claus’ season. However, nothing will be the same this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic, which upended people’s habits. This includes the way they shop, as well as the amount they spend. Retailers hoped that September could help them recover the lost sales, however, especially for the fashion industry, this did not happen. According to the…

We all know about the “dream factor” created by Hermès bags and accessories and we all know about the brand’s unusual distribution process; what we don’t know, on the other hand, is what makes Hermès differentiate up to a point that allows the company to exploit the scarcity factor, namely production well below demand. One peculiarity with the French public, yet family-run, brand is that it doesn’t have and, supposedly, doesn’t need a marketing department, it doesn’t monitor customers’ preferences nor competitors’ strategies. What the company does need, instead, is to be true to its 183-year-old style and to create desire for clients.  Hermès marketing strategies are usually referred to…

Low-despicable  LVMH vs Tiffany Looks like the largest luxury deal of the year has just become the most followed lawsuit. Let us recap. Remember that the luxury giant had proposed to the iconic jeweler of the robin’s egg blue box worth $16bln? Nine months later we would aspect a sweet (acquisition) announcement and yet here comes the divorce. Tiffany sued LVMH in Delaware Chancery Court last week after LVMH said it was dropping the deal… we’ll keep you updated, but it seems that for now Arnault would continue doing breakfast at Starbucks.  The Armenian beauty Minding its own business will never be trendier and yet people seem to be so…

On Tuesday 26th May, Stefano Galassi led the first online Fashion Tech Global Summit. This event was initiated by the Milano branch of the global network of industry-focused start-ups accelerators named Startupbootcamp. Its Milanese site is actually dedicated to young Tech and Fashion companies devoted to re-imagining the Fashion Industry, to make it more efficient, digital and ultimately more sustainable for the future generations. The 11 start-ups presented in this first edition were found thanks to the important Tech and Fashion experience of Stefano Galassi and his team, that scouted tech summits worldwide in search of the next players of this sector. Across the years, Startupbootcamp acquired a vast and…

Let’s be honest: these past few months have been far from easy. However, it’s important to see the silver lining in even the worst situations. We from BS4F thought that maybe you would have enjoyed reading only positive news in this weeks’ column, and this is exactly what you’ll find here. We hope you like it. Enjoy your reading! A walk down the memory (carpet) We all know that the first Monday of May has historically marked a very special place on the fashion calendar… The iconic night that inaugurates the Costume Institute of New York’s exhibition. This year, you are all invited to join Vogue in “A moment with…

Watching a movie with a glass of wine on a Tuesday evening. Standing in the bathroom, your Iphone in a hand, picking the right songs for your shower. Driving towards Porta Venezia for the aperitivo that you’re already late for. What is it that all these situations have in common? They all are examples of a trend that, in the past few years, has been silently shaping both the way we live and the way we take part to the economy. Individuals are increasingly changing the way they consume goods and services, questioning the concept of ownership and its necessity. Little by little, a new business model is being adopted…

Eyebrows have always played a role in women’s history. They started being important when Cleopatra used to wear them carbon lined (The Guardian, 2016). From then onwards, the eyebrow trends followed different styles depending on the era: ladies wanted their eyebrows pencilled, thin and round in the 20s, 30s, 70s and 90s; they wanted them natural and soft in the 40s; and bold and heavy in the crazy 80s (Vogue, 2018). Today, eyebrows are trendy if they are sharp, bold and natural. More than ever, they are of extreme importance, standing side by side with icons such as lipstick and mascara. But why are eyebrows so much more important today…

Luxury retailers are being hit hard by Covid-19, but this has not stopped them from standing by their nation’s side. It doesn’t matter how geographically diversified a brand can be: when moments like this come, that tiny little label “Made in Italy” becomes much more than just a quality sign, it is something to fight for. And indeed, fashion icons such as Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Prada, seem to know this very well! From the catwalk to the battlefield, these top Italian fashion brands are making donations to fight one of the most threatening enemies of recent years. In particular, king Giorgio has donated 1.25 million euros to The…