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":"3bf245fa271b914617afd43eda8694d8","s":"c6dc9a881e52ed89"}
Share your thoughts. Click here