domingo, março 27, 2005: Luxury is so last year, says Saks chief

...
Luxury is staid, rigid and snobbish. It is "establishment". It is for "ladies who lunch". It is just plain "dull".

This disdain for the ultimate in retailing comes not from an H&M-style discounter but from Fred Wilson, chief executive of Saks Fifth Avenue, a monument to sybaritic consumption.
...
"An old luxury department store is a store. Our vision is an intimate service relationship," Mr Wilson said. "Old is selling - new is consulting."

Milton Pedraza, who heads the New York-based Luxury Institute, a consultancy, believes Mr Wilson has given voice to a long overdue revolution in luxury retailing, where "snootiness" can sometimes antagonise even the wealthiest customers.

Luxury clients "are looking for a relationship," he says. "They're looking not for arrogant luxury, but for friendly luxury."

But not everyone is ready to give up on old-fashioned luxury. Burt Tansky, chief executive of Nieman Marcus, Saks' arch-rival, declared this month that luxury "is alive and well."
...

FT.com

Site Meter
Get awesome blog templates like this one from BlogSkins.com