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France
Luxury freight heists: How Paris cargo hijackers operate

Thefts of luxury cargo near Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport - like the 16 September hold-up of a lorry laden with Balmain pieces bound for Paris Fashion Week - is an enduring problem that French police are struggling to curb.

Africa, Belgium, China
Antwerp diamond traders cut fresh deals to bypass EU sanctions

In search of an alternative to Russian diamonds, whose trade the EU has been trying to sanction for a year, Antwerp, one of the world's three stone-trading centres, is trying to bring back Zimbabwean diamonds, which have long been under sanctions.

France, Middle East
Luxury giants change their tune on French rap

Spotlight Having long snubbed French rappers in favour of their American counterparts with bigger audiences, luxury brands are now forced to ingratiate themselves with certain artists as they become indisputably influential.

China
As EU ban on Xinjiang cotton looms, luxury sector weaves fine line between Western embargoes and Beijing interests

Spotlight With the European Union set to vote in September on whether to ban goods made with forced labour, LVMH, Kering and others are engaged in a delicate balancing act. While luxury giants boost efforts to ensure no Xinjiang cotton is used in their products, they are also avoiding overtly criticising China, a top strategic market.

Russia, United States
Looming Russian diamonds' embargo fails to take shine off sales of its coloured stones

US diplomacy has been pushing to get the G7, which is about to meet in Japan, to discuss a sanctions plan on Russian diamonds. Whatever the outcome of these talks, one thing is certain: emeralds mined for Moscow will continue to be sold freely.

France
Brigitte Macron's penchant for LVMH irks French luxury industry

French President Emmanuel Macron's wife flaunts her unabashed taste for LVMH brands - and Louis Vuitton in particular - to the dismay of rival houses, who long to see the first lady touting the full breadth of French luxury's wares, ambassador-style.

France
French Senate revisits issue of extremely thin models

In 2017, France introduced a law banning dangerously thin models from catwalks that has had little effect since. Former health minister Agnès Buzyn pushed for a reform, but later dropped the issue. Now members of the Senate are picking it back up again.

France
Who will dress France's Olympic athletes for the Paris 2024 opening ceremony?

Glitz.paris reveals the name of the stylist in charge of the inaugural show of the next Olympic Games.

France
French daily Le Monde's society of editors takes aim at Chanel partnership

Le Monde's society of editors, SRM, which holds 33.34% of voting rights in the French newspaper company, is investigating a partnership with Chanel that involves writing articles and co-hosting conferences about fashion and the textile industry in Senegal.

United States
Consultancy heavy hitters swoop in to help Macy's, Bloomingdale's and pals

Struggling to recover from the pandemic and facing stiff competition from e-commerce platforms, US department stores like Macy's and Bloomingdale's are being approached by major strategy consultancy firms. Their advice is to draw inspiration from the recovery plans European department stores have put in place.

France, South Korea
K-pop stars rise to the top of the fashion world charts

Spotlight South Korea's pop stars are in huge demand as brand ambassadors for major fashion labels. Behind them are the powerful talent agencies negotiating their lucrative contracts - and millions of dollars in support from their own government.

Russia, Turkey
Putin weaponises counterfeit luxury goods amid Ukraine war

Spotlight One of Russian President Vladimir Putin's responses to Western support for Ukraine has been to make it much easier for fake luxury products to transit through - and be manufactured in - his country.

Europe, United States
Condé Nast on the move in European downsizing

US publishing giant Condé Nast has just announced the departure of its UK teams from its historic Vogue House headquarters in London's affluent Mayfair district, but other European teams will shortly up sticks too, with France next on the list.

China
Beijing prepares new generation of duty-free shops

Two years after giving out new duty-free operating licences on the island of Hainan, China's government is preparing another revolution in tax-free luxury shopping: duty-free shops in the hearts of cities.

France
After London debut, star butcher Salt Bae looks to set up shop in Paris

Nusr-Et luxury steakhouses are already plying their trade in Turkey, the Gulf region and London. Now the chain is talking to a subsidiary of France's Caisse des Dépôts to rent space and open a Paris restaurant.

France, United States
In New York, French diplomats and luxury brands go arm in arm

French luxury houses have forged close ties with the various French diplomatic delegations in New York. In return, they have benefited from particularly enthusiastic ambassadors.

Russia
Luxury sector eludes effort to seal Ukraine sanctions loopholes

Spotlight After Moscow annexed four Ukrainian regions last week, the European Union and the United States sought to tighten the grip of sanctions already in place against Russia, particularly over the trade in luxury goods. But at the eleventh hour, brands that have long prospered from their Russian clientele have managed once more to slip through the cracks in Europe.

France, United States
Vivendi to publish French edition of legendary fashion title Harper's Bazaar

French press giant Prisma Media, a subsidiary of Vivendi as of last year, is finalising its purchase of the licence to publish renowned fashion monthly Harper's Bazaar in France. Recruitment for new editorial management for the magazine is underway.