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":"d2d65e037f57532d4f731302b42e31db","s":"1b8ee10a4e797e62"}
Share your thoughts. Click here