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":"8b37a423edd588c7b1757d65685c8b61","s":"25573a106cf0f76f"}
Share your thoughts. Click here