CPP's team has recently compiled research and actual experience data to create a top of the five luxury SPA's within major city hotels worlwide: 1. PARK HYATT Dubai 2. MANDARIN ORIENTAL Las Vegas 3. CAUDALIE at PLAZA HOTEL New York 4. THE LANDMARK Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong 5. MANDARIN ORIENTAL Tokyo The main criteria CPP employed: - quality and variety of treatments - design features of ... read more

Italian luxury outdoor apparel brand, MONCLER reported a 50% increase in its turnover in 2009 (EUR 220 million, compared to EUR 148 million in 2008). As reported by CPP in all its analysis materials, niche luxury brands for which success comes from the very clear positioning on high quality manufacture, innovation and creativity. ... read more

Legendary French fashion label BALENCIAGA, one of the best performing GUCCI GROUP companies, has been flourishing under the creative direction of Nicolas Ghesquiere who is also accreddited with the revival of the French brand. Much like Christopher Bailey at BURBERRY, Ghesquiere has been drawing on the brand's heritage while constantly adding innovative designs, products, fabrics and new marketing ... read more

Former CEO of Hugo Boss and current CEO of ESCADA, Mr Bruno Salzer commented on his decision to joing ESCADA which he considers very inspired, considering the stability the new owner, the Indian steel billionaire family Mittal. The Mittal family paid EUR 60 million to buy ESCADA at the end of 2009 when the German luxury brand was facing bankruptcy. The injection of an extra EUR 30 million at the beginning ... read more

Famed French luxury shoe manufacturer ROGER VIVIER has unveiled this week its Carla Bruni inspired bag. The bad which is made of calf skin is called Miss Viv' and designers have drawn on Carla Bruni's impecable first lady look for the creation. The First French Lady has also attracted tabloid criticism over her gown choice at the gala dinner attended by Russian Prime Minister Putin at the Elysee Palace ... read more

The much anticipated yacht project of HERMES realized jointly with shipbuilder WALLY has recently culminated with the withdrawal of the top luxury French brand. Hermes indicated the lack of experience as the main reason for the withdrawal. However, the yacht project will go ahead as planned, yet it will not bear the signature of Hermes. ... read more

Premium five star chain FAIRMONT HOTELS is to open a 257 room hotel in Kiev, Ukraine's capital. The hotel is situated downtown and will mostly cater to the business travellers. Unfortunately, the opening could not have come at the worst time for the FAIRMONT in Kiev, considering the dramatic losses of the other five star hotels such as InterContinental and Radisson. Even with the new president officially ... read more

Leading Slovene fashion retailer SPORTINA GROUP opens on March 2nd the largest luxury multibrand accessories and fashion store in Ljubljana, the capital city of Slovenia. Branded XYZ, the store follows the already operating 2000 sqm XYZ store opened in March 2009 in Belgrade, Serbia. The XYZ in Ljubljana is located within the highest traffic shopping mall in Slovenia, namely the CITY PARK MALL and ... read more

Along with GUCCI, BOTTEGA VENETA has been one of the best performing brands of the GUCCI GROUP and recently announced it will no longer produce after receiving orders. Therefore, BOTTEGA VENETA will decide ahead of the buying which items to produce and in what volumes and send the merchandise directly to its stores. This way, BOTTEGA collections will reach stores earlier reducing delivery times. ... read more

BURBERRY presented its Fall Winter collection yesterday in a 3D show which was broacast live in all major capitals worldwide. Burberry is the first luxury brand to present its collection exclusively in a 3 D presentation. Designer Christopher Bailey was ''present'' through a 3D interview in which he described his inspiration for the collection. The most important and at the same time the most ... read more

GUCCI's brilliant creative director Frida Geannini confirmed in an interview to the Italian media that she will continue to draw her inspiration from the vast heritage of the GUCCI brand which has remained in all its history a brand deeply rooted in Florence and which will never produce outside Italy. She also mentioned the new advertising campaign which features b/w photos of GUCCI artisans at work ... read more

The newly formed Italian French holding company owned by businessman Matlin Patterson which includes PAL ZILERI and CERRUTI announced this week 2010 is a transition year towards stable results, and a return to profitability is expected in 2012. The group is currently reviewing licenses of PAL ZILERI and are looking for a licencee for the 1881 women's line of CERRUTI. The group CEO Mr Florent Perrichon ... read more

The very publicised luxury mountain resort project of SILVER MOUNTAIN in Poiana Brasov owned by Romanian business entrepreneur Dan Fischer, has been struggling for the past 6 months. The owner has already changed the architecture and layout of the project and the already signed franchise agreement with RADISSON BLU might be cancelled. The same fate will face E'SPA which have had an agreement to ... read more

Italian luxury apparel and accessories brand LORO PIANA annouced this week a better than expected sell-out for the first semester of 2010. Suprinsingly, the US market, otherwise underperforming for most of luxury brands, is one of the strongest regions for LORO PIANA. Orders in January were up 10 to 20% compared to the same period last year. The Italian brand is also considered by many the 'Italian ... read more

World leader in the cosmetics industry, French giant L'OREAL announces an 8% drop in profits for 2009 to EUR 1,79 billion for a turnover of EUR 14,47 billion. A company press release also explains that the drop in profit margins is due to the higher expenditures on advertising and promotion. The company expresses a return to higher levels of profits in 2010.

Thursday, judges at a Milan court declared officially bankrupt the B.D.H. Holding which indirectlty controls MARIELLA BURANI Group. For months, the Italian group has been seeking soutions with financing banks, which refuse to proceed unless the Burani family shows it has at least EUR 50 million available as part of a capital increase of EUR 83 million. Mariella Burani includes apparel RENE LEZARD, ... read more

Tuesday late evening together with CEO of Dior, Mr Sidney Toledano, Mr Bernard Arnault, owner of Louis Vuitton and the LVMH Group was spotted inspecting the site of a closed HERMES boutique within the luxury shopping gallery at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. He actually took the time to enter the closed store, which was most probably left open accidentally. HERMES which is ten times smaller than Vuitton ... read more

The newly elected Ukraine President Viktor Ianukovici. faces a daunting task to take immediate action to revitalize an economy which many consider as nearing bankruptcy. The world financial crisis, the strained relations with Russia and the political instability have brought down Ukraine's economy in less than 3 years, at the time one of the most dynamic markets. The luxury sector saw a boom until 3 ... read more

Italian luxury hotel owner and developer Alessandro Rosso has come up with a unique luxury hotel concept which will be implemented in several major Italian cities. The hotels comprise of numerous luxury rooms all street level, in most cases former retail spaces. The rooms would all have a different design and offer the full range of five star facilities. The developer of the concept is the owner of the ... read more

Mercedes Benz and Four Seasons Hotels are the only two luxury industry companies to make it to the 2010 Fortune Top 100 ''Best Companies to Work For'', ranking 49 and 58 respectively. While regarded by many as one of the most glamorous domains to work in, luxury industry is also one of the most underpaid and lacking employee incentives. From hospitality to travel, from fashion to fragrances, few companies ... read more