Today in luxury marketing:
Luxury brands are different
French luxury brand Hermés posted second-quarter sales last week. They were reminiscent of the Orson Wells line, “Living in the lap of luxury isn’t bad except that you never know when luxury is going to stand up.” Sales were up, but only a little – 5.8 percent, a real softening of the growth the brand has seen in recent quarters. Down from the first-quarter’s 10.1 percent growth, and +12 percent achieved a year earlier, Forbes reports.
{"ct":"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","iv":"29a160490794461ebfa757c9191c8669","s":"3a5a07d69d09a65e"}