Commerce
January 6, 2011
By Peter Finocchiaro
Luxury brands are riding high after a successful holiday sales season. Do the strong results foretell an industry-wide return to prosperity or an aberration during a prolonged period of austerity?
{"ct":"87g9BkaMjQfrSqXPodVOKvIP6tbYdRCKQH42WTIflmQRa8zPsRqsiCwaIeKwFQHdJJo2YP3QhVQdgPVXQfygPZIDxmfdM417A564oP7btj16CvIhc334vThpRdJcWHyaCTUAtVJzIXw0dKpW4c9x+eANKP2n8eH+Bs\/UOTK5qiEprh8kUrZSGv3Gji9vL0DJ5\/tmFXo43wTqyBp3mombGVQpXc0T2ceJo+3kPDKTWkA\/\/LRydthYmP8IgW7wfwsAU\/6JgJzwGE388HbWkYlCFg2PXi5iVAbxKxXEhVLWAtRlncETs9PlqZvDuIhVV+bBc6HsiE95+ABqka63sACi+DloJWWPN1J0McNPD2dYoz6r1DsqvJaSQUb2YIMb3QgGKXdXQXSmoyl7lYtyb6AjKMdNUyQxEfHRDpU3RBlIZ0814JV\/7AW\/2XVDqm+na\/KKFHAzxm35nkJM84HE8DZaQYSubMFsHuvWssg\/5UIrkrnJsiQSZpnancNEtG7+mzM7WESB6qYJlnOHX3a10QkufkDpcAXvCLwfQJzErbd97+oYLMFELj4u2c5+R9AxRN4YfqaEqwD3USn\/sSncHoH0xhoWn\/fT+2pufN3ThsHcfchscYQOUIE0o6Jt7\/I2ZGA8cGsHtWV8MukMdsnWs8rGWHKEdujZOIdwI1QJS19GxLa\/HEG9EfFoVOcM+iQvcMNFirq7aECPpxuRJeMRAXAuy7PYZAbjHoeKLs87Ag2UCCiJerrkrcTFtCjLfk5sd67bmQucqz\/CDXkgsG+kPdJf1IlEkq86d6P2HNgBCsYZ+z0+K9rPi6SyewzWQh+FDinF+PeIqlfjdaNQQOwuuKJsY8NBIC+TKdcPp4ykHITLKowbXkGl0HlXP7bngmmhIuXiAfB5CAwzEj8yBwIhhOl0tYOTHDpEaKTPXqWzLo22U2VQIafOnXLKtY5oZlLJyqJw9qMR3\/BGxDhTRZOrmr0GzXI9Sn3Ddo5pGRWxbZGbUhMmoLqN0eKr5etDn5Qkc+ECRrCh8gG4+oJjjb1xSczNy9qnQT7fag2967dtKCNqr431mzP\/OCPwxXW+cKrHDy\/1yCFibcFYiKdWtTqLnE1K6nkBYSvA1V7lxHe9EuHjYn93AZy\/uw92FZO7szas4ZmawV\/9\/8JgQriq714rIg1KySpl305+JnErg53nqANKxEb8s7uyIFaA33zCdM8k2NdF3bGRyNpr4UpA6\/yH2StXFwcmHhOWwleB3iTaLmerZRckWUXNJqbtZG0WcaF4xrKyJzh\/dqKwMDrfjxCAvbSlgk+pIa5xIE4sHTU0DaHeUsnC2QlVobB53NCuc3msR25BkPVwkQc2HhmjcLx+fNn7ymoB2\/7xAVU0fv1Tzg7CPw2KOOFdbKY6qoV5Ag4ch3Ytf1LPcdGFG6FWuKgSyf5aIvc8zHpgsM+5aQL7PZgPKBkX6UGMGrv6LDzCLEKxozr7KCiPMDfC7oVoughOn5\/ELwE+YZftQbVWaWWtT2cGMchsZwz2Ku2zdkEl\/LbhHIngySFgjJ64lAAn\/La34PMwLrl4dOI9ikhO0kxi9T1wcBetJDSTVNcGGJPKebS+TpnvTetEqxvH\/ygEy+NBLmtDI8FngUAlI12itYA0BbTpwiwQ7rKrcRDREcJ2dR3JGF9\/sQBVm5TOtK7dOo4cfSFBh8McE1PXcc+YKEcvrAmHn8nmck5q+7ISFDwmtgrFXAw6UrhQn7wRIgCrq9fZOh\/2OuL7FdclqFrxBiNjuVRWvC9pog5AVKzL1cTnnp7XcmhDAI3oZNa5Z\/QOMOQfWXWb5eOg9wdP+Q1Y0dRWz9ikKPk5A+wCLinjp42WQ77tHCYFZfHv6RS+OiHCMH2VXCFDcfDMMFMepJs6qL\/ZIvW\/oF15WrUOaq3vRH2TtE7KEGu2iGVli819rXbXz9ypO4i8OOLPUU+A00XemBgwCOCeg+ZtVgW9NWwVfs\/jVTihnycpTIz4bsYB+Pusmo35hMrMAopxwsmasI54dkzWXDCYotkoeY5b1M2ckyhcpdqJGTsCnbLIM8u6UG7R4riNrkRMwQz6yiYnOID4fOWmxYCvhBrJOU1mofmTtUo0pONs4O5dpfytWiqizU\/5A3Bux0KMdrA3EoehMOwAauZvb2asXv3GRvSf3DMLn3wfGptgtf2qbBUK6hDmx+dAplf2FUBfCIT5Nl869nMFbdQgBCsiNPa16I\/y1ZoP7MUF4h1FOBR8tNiJEFmPTdVUnELEIdVHbqm3za+El0CTD99G9sM7wvs9CBLkccJWW2rn0HHPMYOD\/8oOB\/IVtPZ7DrsxJW\/dy5zqDDo1HHnP83et4JjikmuqPzjFbIafdxPGSzrLZATijyVHH43dwMBUfQsuZeU2IGgIRoZrFTZZT4zjBJjtYRiTPjp9vsD4CPGH2nIUd3Nmj6ALy2t7slWp6MZAPJ9HMtcstoSAKzoQvmI64RkOBycVYZCA6JC\/UUZweg0Z3McVKRz6CVIBozF3H08G9EPT8qb4n9xOqQQGOKSspGPWl3svxRw1tw2DvpvFt3Ipba0rqTcWJKP4fJwMFovFJ8KmQWFC71SLSzGhv2PrR30kTkUV9GZKz+7Qf+SIfBvpM0S3UbJOngjYuCzJlZ8uBNAgniObqcj3rHxKCmaSD9qEFD\/HYV4Tfc+87yYCW5LltxzDatJoH15YEK2bR\/uDzO3BeJjD5UKyTb3wZTmT3dUQ2NGQwD6EpKWGXYSsgjReSUUzkXcxM1ksfW0K57iDokZSjOx8AAImr4ViY9xSnfTaLTzLHkru8wu7mtpCX1jviGo2VEICFvXPRg4lYV1IFSHJgfYO23j7mD7HENURRalDwDRt7tYcmPPWSB97Aeht0UMikyxQbvgvDGGR9I0233vLib1Wns4SVHPQZDp7Uamxi4r29kYhJjGySV4j2Vnd1UWhbMrjmpQoeFtQgcvXPi5v4bHBsGhi+lnQopQ1+uyKmUrpAzotlGwsbxiZ1+LTekkfLOVG9WmlB+Bmk3mb+pbN35sLvrh4TgTWAovUui7qzm72mSjN4q1p8+5AnN\/VMxDPlkA4s\/TP009xofWoFH8pm5yie9BpH1ZlTtdV0Zr0X76ijwAeCT025lbGD2nQE6WwncVpBGhFlZ1pG\/UklDAU\/XyFeksELwCrtly3ELiSUrMHi1oxIC9nE8I\/ln+JE+jFjZbV9r91vvDxNWfm035iSECHSWkFe25z6MusCV5KrH+Y6vSSEerXNGCKBH8YoWQvnj0NsuKDEFrtuDem4AyF7021pDuFeD1fT3rcUOGqk02pjSVcWhEnntoip5ZmPsMMZS8+8WaS1irTyRrs1ApBe+ntNnCLlh3v2Y0f6BtdknwtOeOjVU3KPjX0yiue3nuF4tcRhtB5xY5K8vtMGyZ8tyfY4KDWPQM\/rGgH9hPku7yPW9pK+mrvpJN2y3QZGTkAzJcb+1cemBlh1Zx4aGFklWgBk+HpwOXSuRbBOCQxw+8SdxiLo4T\/v85oJ6tyz5K7J7Koesab5pZMgA\/I51XNM3v1E66G26iDBqqZeBFzwDB2QmYTpQTRnls\/eyG3tx2ZJHGqIbD\/9CZQVikJR\/cySH9\/kmHHvNMpZcyzzo\/8ObEj\/V6FeRDeWZaQ1JdFAhkuGWOq1FC3BlGPOBdH2+yBNTg9ZSYn+ohqeLLc7Yxd\/3zXBC71TkLVM+DG2rC+Uy6xyPBAzJ1ZV8RQh98bkn+wj0qnmGph5zZG3CdHU09QK6+Ub3vCgcVOsGrelpjXsHWekEA2LGoknOJLhqkxUUFZkRRgV0jqI7t4b7YFu5vlBXkRH3KOMcWt5Q+kOKZjEQxUpZ7vRbHfUNiZX6xUJYVGWuVE3Qe\/P3itQ2nnbg91c3ypHzKdLtsTGue29bxNKyEpOdGNZD6bluodmj68BuGz3yt3MHd\/yCg4Cpf33BhhISKJMkz6r15\/4CD+qi1pG80R4N50KY2CADLxZ\/a4FvvGVrAiVjMBMv+JbSp6TLrKPXIeybkUT\/bTWZqRhsXdRiSs6U0AgQDyS\/vEuw8rAeN6fgvVbEIwz7s8sEqhG6YT2lsEGdvVIvS4hyZd5bC5MeRnbSCCw5wfRH1vj1Rhy3uNHW7rMlohZytA8OBQOao1uMG7eGalIQZWXu6bc+ReJxvmg2ILC7IFXbDPpEW28zgFQRiLAHFdD+rgJCktAVJZ+8ZbsKz4vel1\/w6i0DbukIPiFMdxh+hA5gRd+cQepnLT47f0YHLarUYOJeBdQeYVR+TAr7ezqlH37OekF5hrTNvmqUSfOiO1zqTfs5XTmgr26Sy8PupqdkIvcgUgtxKjNv9Zx62isK2DCNnpXTIfG2YN8D1Gm6xLWNKwT9E5Wg6O3+kdADgO0269TpiY6\/uW7XbHskErXUvIn8wUi\/5PZ6jbfI6wni3dfwDt3fnZ9GgTJ6D6T5tfSFUYLb\/NTNiBCiMLLVU5DHfAxesiDupgtzBnbKMz+WUHpAAjVDH\/QSEGJKAi+EAOa1zgREKdPcP9Q1bN+T4yJiSx+X8NuzEvfSslxWCgMsIg+1b\/SgAYYvqLcTQiUX8wrNrQi5aQInbATw7uP1WRoL5VlNMv12pTHf41gdyoFeDGiFxRHttkVrXoW4d9uuBxI+MR4VscYIQ7jzX+hgj\/fR5edXYVnO867lgAMPkJ44H+PCnC4maYTdpBBuTY1vf4PTvZYRoNiyxgC7H\/ODK2aQxXdGOPHFx7c2lksdnRu1OMCwlMX6CvUQlhL52DZQ+Hawvxr1+Sexg26mfdCNwNdCK0i\/\/UM5\/vVVsKOcuSIg3+gGNwmFu5NqU0BANTSx1KoJyTCIg5N9Ueq37e\/+vjWwBFjYw5xpy+Q2WkZ7RRyJF0YHmfXMr8MiIvSybTPH1e4yFARfycyl3IZ1XsJUSj5MRuwdhwUXIfuQc894YOuMkOKGKSt0vsdiKSl0UDjTfpK9nXMxKGDrhK7SYY2qr0CmY+GHb4pPc+WBEYKn5ATKaU3FLYCgBglJd1q8CIVZQYFn+p4lXNPdUyDiKUed1kV74v3vu9dKXZL++O8CyfiZeZbjjBYyVgOexQafUUYrnCxtkvXup6JNmewsbsJZq+q\/omuRx2w+ftQTb9I8Mpk5N8iMNfufrZnVw6+Gjc5JJluM0yKVmCWHaadVz4Pf\/jBrWzr1HFNCBKQZYUVMV8JNxjUWEGxSaLul+zg+usULbyb+WHvaXPmYlt4Xqg0c+UuAbLJe20W8+D4SDTVO+UoE53U+NIdvtPTQLbZrVJ5ll6T7jCR3H9UlyvO8KpN2hvULT9XRoxeNxCJpIGrKXrNaSkGS0aILdnQG8KC7r1OCKVGtMmtwfhAozKP2c7uofibvRopvJ1EHqurgTlGsd6hC8PhH0NHRKSvZHK4OvD65tWFDH+0cUVM\/EKTIp\/jwsfBb2O5BUQCU7nOINEqzamy1jfO\/e954Q52aWItXYxkEnbMokWnnWxpZoq5rkbnsJtyfx8PbLjdtcFvQK0a7PLPCvd7Z8FCvNCIYFdcMheTZ2Y7l\/8zfZFolACjpgUWMAEDEiFABe66X29hkPWb3HXMFBPQ6hxGEw1Bprj\/7LYo\/Fucp6+nXa0XHnisAld6TYvR97xSeEsGW1fUxmVmil0Kh+z9gJN\/jKO9VotkLdEYZ1R8VyiiFYV6VmX5M1GuleLSkcXlsNAZYL\/JuBDxj5P9OiDR3RjJyfRxUIUIjwjW7GpJtoB\/+g76aYZV8HUc44senxG0Pv+BB6c9z6tXWCdWttMRXd\/YCXxefdWR4CBU4nD5INLUDZYEn8RWNqTMPyjqKLKrbLHTuSgL1Z22HfqnZfAeZvnQgK5bALsm3av0HpkhfPQ+U06CtXywSo6hQXxsAL0dHouCHVM6akNTvkhYelTXnNRMxLHInN2CX6IEqWIGOgv9tnJrNsW5iYfDOKvkvzy9RdXbEpiBouFM08mq6g+AxZX2aHuPHBo+KwnWKDIPU0QPvHYQJKg4pS5gGfB9lzp1WAgjdFBmhUJRHXjmPmMbRc83K3PxTK5\/1QCYPrP5jTZL+2iE0GrxZieTLb2v0YAtjb5Tyk\/gwpJTI779sxskZOgq0B8t39IGANnN4w1vq+owWVBwCvo5dYe4G4QBqiwATw72aCQY\/\/9AzPE0sFHqNPkaug4LPPdWmaLyjbXrD3zgTPfCuWwTELJBpAk5edO6nPW840Cu3JF3frSl5C3Q8e7Jo+y+AXEip9IS+wUVYiZIt1a5nc8GLy1IjHJfC1koEzguKPlpmWyukYuLHTx0+CsS4rviQ0gwps7iVXiwtUPDczG7RWaCWnxCvlPyX2Nj4dlHYs4CccKdkrmayIZgzgjanj9BmJK+YtJ1GRSDD8tX4Jv+GyOKXgBfXi1ACNa5MM4J7pm1iIEx4OXLA7NxWJkVwN0FISfFtHZZuEHu6Dy999ZLLIY1Au9Ah7J+H2xs7esAlrmVQQqqP+WfJuZ\/kBAPAw\/CrGmFVj+VXbyj1TAjvW8kjErhAJIwTt2APk\/4zPSdinbrOqqzIxAKOfq2cpSvrOsvktSJuFyaFTrCCVNmo\/m5avh+g9aiUEFpUgfvXdOwIWA5ARtVF+vP\/es5Pg300dRHNcW5y5V+wmZCSZk3EfxgH3r6AtnB81Kd+OJgT401e+rH9xSVtsFmGiV8Dlap7+LaC2MVxH7THz\/Qy56FrafCtcutfoORWI42Z1hKe5qYzSFU2bHltAxStnfjj4MLUMecwMI0Dw2k1UjdyC\/DntEIVrcfdaOuHvTBSIqGb0zISO77NWXuSPIBsEGq5xpSHnemQ6+GbNDa89Zaf8yxuH2GD\/YiihOGNwtZQgJIz7D\/+mMENpL04CiJX+WWPyNh0+NLrY7sBhCPWVxuval0OTvKBdZhRCPjGSYCxuRdbqf8\/gbIaGKQYwTVYRsine7b5V7050Ka226flGXoG0hDddMfAS7mf9zEAk52qhAARVrXWvX2b4xXFysWnoQmfx4IhrK6HxrZtb85NJNtescr2Xc7liSCKt0QKCvHTYFmEKsLrRPyK+v20nYvxhB3Pyq4X9j6rECIDFdMaRqQCCMpXTRWujVfRT7mzZFyY5UQsBarq4qOrV\/YyD9wksV6CFPw1tWM2vedYFXWLQ1GGIS\/U6bvn3knARRf8ejsmwOtSuZw2F\/C6vYFeB8fOlvNorJ9axmhlyP9gFVaz2g3WBnEVPzOGv24mBj9NjucQSBvKajljLQEPeddOlpbrMr+EInNdrKx00EP3irqZXem0bqmJKjqNX\/5inRYU8YEoHl15ghupOTB34V84RRgIrzVrlojahV32yO3uuSVoYcX3bPfexU1D2JJxacJUBIjRLcEXgunAtrkqJFREH42lSKVFF7gg0oMWSiX8XtP1\/1e2hvkUwA6+P0UNwdH3HNxWayBoF6Ao+Tx+Q8M4pAD\/DURiwPfeVmZ4B2D1bNjoUZI\/KfWfyl92UtPKSEAkbLT063eduSyF6IqGbdicg6XX6i\/ZFm9sQ6\/YDm3aRFY2sTN98cqh+x2evb60djBCi6P0YCNTzSJ7LYblrXg6YNzbLCFMyXHdsB8z6dCdqjtZHibXOvCbASlSQvluN86cDNCFqCdlX905MfdswUnn3ieSm2Ns0+M+hoOCrr77S5RrcDnevuuDL8i988N2ogGEQF\/yMta3aC8PNT4\/62DvmyRxq9KiD\/4A3ZlZd13doEekOAEpA0YayleAatPc4IGdEWKanMLQ3bTXrfnUz5ui0buUW64RxL\/zyECfwXDktwFOhOQt9qvq9ve9PE4z3KMQ7\/AyKe0+9tuC3VnPm8lUnWLSMvQPeWT0MjfKRwM4iZBptwvANUTk1dJFws+dkStlSoJZj+cZBlAr5cnCjbOzgCXSBiNTe3uhxdY02GnALDIbMg9+azAv3NTJE0sotcgSwZcVpaFvomOiF+tS0DJhIUtvAc9XWvgmfJV1dl6T11Frhxq039wPXNYUz3phyH1cgxLuGM4\/UHab6iT2Z3IHrUOpXERZRRgnkSMzOottwoLqn8qoNHCCg7Q8KBtBSYXKZKFWKidYYrMl2gcTo1i6dBqlFit\/R5yUMD2sPOChVPi9V5dKfHl2QeHplPjnx7zeaaPR0dzqwxM2OZf6us+Yzdiby2zgXHVZbWF3KYwDLflehZ31ykuUWGWKDJ5Ed5FYF7FxXdw9X3\/Og+PMgDw\/5d1+N29kLuIj+fIo+KbM\/Q1Zcaw2q9WgHMVaLxPgamd8rpdQRf9+UYDm57SZlWQ26XWqoagC\/i4agccB9rQ81ME534UtATnBR5F0UzS1xcp93oQ45moYz\/skYtH9nBBbnXKwoWbZ5Y85pdQa0hIHprxyG6zazwAtUPMDZ1gwKvDCNmyq\/Fg2fDvI\/BiYvv6YcxrKNMmxb6+M9nv1oImgHgSbQCFhBHtxPFw\/\/Xu4sqYwrGpXEkWxHOVQWkwc6uWYGJKgtJETjlCM1S2vqMp9mFjTpdcTx+tt+SteVxZurluCUdYP54ZfnXfmxdm+EcIdsw1T\/3CsW2B\/BcuROk1X3IWPeGAPPLHKI2c+2oNZcIo4YpTg6QAkWaDD\/dez\/1oXXjS5qzM8drX2yODTklj6Dw+7AFkbLTGDSTcs7zSenD1qSdhOT335dkM1KHXXszwwkuVLxNm\/9VRfa\/RZp6B4frixpOzxvWhr7k0n5RNqCo6U0Jo4dgorK1oMn\/00KEC6Wd1950PX4ePu1bN3xnBOf4zVatfD4NxpPspnZ1OoRUmxE4z0G8PxgXhYhP9o2iFiLPxbKVl0o81Dn2NSoaudbRZqIEa9Vwx0FjBgGuUyUyjIPbaSmAmmGu+Ip7BR\/sLHZjPZS1b5zKx99o6ZMZoequGKgwewyiv4qdJRdz0F5T3o6OjxMp642fBxQwohfJsKbOmzkcUJqe63lo6XZoJtYX88hwU5kcXIFu8KZL965htmgDPSfV6zA3ec2s+CDunWyicBZ1Fl2Z29olFDYmZ7B66DksjXsYY6pnOD0VV9aYOdVkbjP6+X\/WzLT0KjUMzD\/hq0QzOrHprX23K18UTVs\/XueX9FA0\/OMztESiJJ7lNWKqp5FqRSnYKFDpWNsrcCeqUZafQ85ibcayCYmh0EQ3SsxqBzjhvBxQUUuPrkbJtL62pj+5Ow7SjNSnyfRh8GxwGx\/pDW9su4RIn9RUlA==","iv":"c67deeaaca9f041950e90f6fe20dfdbd","s":"903cc07fb0c7b9a4"}
Share your thoughts. Click here