Apart from well-written profiles of designers and editors, the fashion-related articles I find most interesting are those to do with money. How the brand makes money. What the brand is doing right to make even more money, or wrong to lose money like that. The money-spinner in the company. The brain propelling the money spinner to greater heights and hence, earning even more money for the company. Brand-building and the value of such strategies in dollars and cents.
Absolutely delicious to know that the richest people in fashion are the ones who own Zara, H&M, Chanel, Gap and LVMH, according to Forbes here.
Or how about how chief executive Valerie Hermann has done marvellous things for Yves Saint Laurent's books since her appointment three years ago, as reported by Financial Times? Coupled with the work of creative genius Stefano Pilati, YSL is starting to see light after 10 years of losses - the number has halved from 70 million euros to 31 million euros ever since she came on board.
That's a lot of money made from selling bags. But it's hardly as simple as that. There are tonnes of brands trying to cash in on the bag-owning syndrome, but it doesn't always work. YSL has the lethal combination of brand heritage and defining design which results in a sentiment - I want.
The unfortunate thing is that so many people want, and have, that it becomes a bit of a turn-off, which is why I had to remove it from my list of considered brands in the planned acquisition of my first real bag. But I really did love the Downtown when I first saw it. Maybe I'll change my mind, I don't know. Plans have been shelved until I see something I truly love anyway, so we shall see.
In any case, The Business of Fashion is great for industry trends, news and commentary.
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