Retail
December 31, 2019
Sky's the limit: Hermès gets the luxury formula right, and will continue to do so in the Twenties. Image credit:Hermès. Illustration by Marc Antoine Mathieu
By Mickey Alam Khan
The urge to resist December punditry was tremendous, but staying silent would mean abdicating responsibility to luxury brands and retailers trying to figure out their strategy for the 2020s.
{"ct":"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","iv":"15bf1a6b2eb283ded6c4175f22aabc43","s":"b565ccdc67cf191a"}
Share your thoughts. Click here