Harrods quells speculation on takeover bid March 30, 2010 HARRODS, London’s iconic luxury department store, confirmed yesterday that it is not up for sale, following speculation over a takeover approach from a Gulf-based investor. “We have been aware of gossip circulating over a possible sale, and we took the decision to reassure staff this morning that this was not the case,” Harrods said. “We [...]
Kurt Geiger’s earnings show luxury still sells October 10, 2010 LUXURY shoemakers Kurt Geiger posted record annual profits suggesting the market for designer footwear is undimmed despite the global economic downturn. The company said turnover increased 17 per cent to £162m for the year to 30 January with earnings up 21.2 per cent to £14.7m from £12.1m last year. Like for like sales also increased [...]
The pursuit of a style less ordinary December 16, 2010 LAST week Patrick Grant was the director of a medium-sized Savile Row tailor’s and creator of a little-known, ready-to-wear offshoot that had been causing ripples in fashion circles. This week, after being crowned Menswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards – a shock victory over the likes of Paul Smith and a [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING September 26, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES GOLD SALES AT EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANKS DRAW TO HALT Europe’s central banks have all but halted sales of their gold reserves, ending a run of large disposals each year for more than a decade. The central banks of the eurozone plus Sweden and Switzerland are bound by the Central Bank Gold Agreement, which [...]
Russians lead army of oil rich shoppers in UK August 9, 2010 The UK has seen a rise in international shoppers from oil rich countries, according to new data. In July there was an 81 per cent increase in shoppers from the Russian Federation, 60 per cent more from the Middle East and 38 per from Nigeria, compared to the same period last year. According to the [...]
Old-fashioned luggage for the modern male August 19, 2010 HERITAGE, tradition, craftsmanship – these are the menswear values du jour. A perfectly constructed brogue has never been more fashionable, a tailored tweed suit is oh so very now. Which means you need the accessories to match – and if you’re travelling, a common-or-garden trolley bag really doesn’t cut it. Thanks to brands like Tumi, [...]
True Class December 7, 2010 PROBABLY like most men, my first encounter with Aston Martin was through James Bond. That image of Sean Connery looking ineffably sharp in his Sixties suit, leaning casually on 007’s DB5 – hands in suit pockets, half-smiling expression of supreme assurance – remains the quintessential embodiment of the “women want him, men want to be [...]
True Class December 7, 2010 PROBABLY like most men, my first encounter with Aston Martin was through James Bond. That image of Sean Connery looking ineffably sharp in his Sixties suit, leaning casually on 007’s DB5 – hands in suit pockets, half-smiling expression of supreme assurance – remains the quintessential embodiment of the “women want him, men want to be [...]
PROPERTY NEWS September 16, 2010 FOODIE BRITS FORK OUT FOR KITCHEN UPGRADES A poor economic climate combined with the popularity of television cookery shows has encouraged homeowners to fork out almost twice as much on their kitchens than on any other part of the home, property website Rightmove said earlier this week. Its survey found that over the past year [...]
PIMCO’S GROSS ISSUES WARNING OVER A BRAZEN PONZI SCHEME: QE October 27, 2010 PIMCO’S resident bond expert Bill Gross yesterday, in his usual verbose fashion, issued a stark warning over the upcoming second round of quantitative easing (QE) in the US – dubbing it no less than a “Ponzi scheme” on the part of the Federal Reserve. “Check [sic] writing in the trillions is not a bondholder’s friend; [...]