Luxury Institute News

June 2, 2010

News Release: Japanese High Net-Worth Consumers Rate the “Best of the Best” Luxury Brands in Five Fashion Categories

Posted in Fashion, Handbags, Japan, LBSI, Press Releases, Shoes

(NEW YORK) June 2, 2010 - The objective and independent New York City-based Luxury Institute reported today the results of the “Best of the Best” luxury fashion brands in Japan based on the 2010 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey. This survey identifies the top brands that deliver true luxury based solely on the unbiased ratings of wealthy Japanese consumers. The following five luxury categories were rated: Women’s Fashion, Women’s Shoes, Women’s Handbags, Men’s Fashion, and Men’s Shoes.

The LBSI asks high net-worth consumers to rate luxury brands by category across four equally weighted components: Consistently Superior Quality, Uniqueness and Exclusivity, Making the Customer Feel Special Across the Entire Experience and Being Consumed by People Who Are Admired and Respected.

The “Best of the Best” are: (LBSI score out of 10)

Women’s Fashion (Ready-to-wear)

o Hermes-7.28
o Chanel-7.27
o Giorgio Armani-6.80

Women’s Handbags

o Hermes-7.77
o Chanel-7.06
o Louis Vuitton-7.01

Women’s Shoes

o Christian Louboutin-7.39
o Hermes-7.20
o Ferragamo-7.18

Men’s Fashion (Ready-to-wear)

o Ermenegildo Zegna- 7.17
o Hermes-7.01
o Giorgio Armani-6.89

Men’s Shoes

o John Lobb-7.34
o Testoni-7.32
o Ferragamo-7.11

“Japan may be a challenging market for luxury, but it is still a huge market compared to most other geographies”, said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. “We see major efforts on the part of our luxury brand clients to differentiate themselves by dramatically out-behaving their competition rather than merely outperforming on products. Extraordinary customer experiences will be the drivers of luxury success in Japan’s large, but stagnant market”

The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only unbiased measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy Japanese. A national sample of 600 wealthy Japanese consumers, half male/half female, with a minimum household income of 15 million Yen (approximately $165k) was surveyed online. Males rated only the men’s categories and females rated only the women’s categories.

About the Luxury Institute

The Luxury Institute is the uniquely independent and impartial ratings, research and Luxury CRM consulting institution that is the trusted and respected voice of the high net-worth consumer. The Institute provides a portfolio of proprietary publications, research and consulting services that guide and educate high net-worth individuals and the companies that cater to them on leading edge trends, high net-worth consumer rankings and ratings of luxury brands, and best practices. The Luxury Institute also operates LuxuryBoard.com, the world’s first global, membership-based online community for luxury goods and services executives, professionals and entrepreneurs.

Contact:
The Luxury Institute, LLC
Martin Swanson
Vice President Business Development
(914) 909-6350
mswanson@luxuryinstitute.com

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March 23, 2010

News Release: Luxury Institute Survey: U.S. High Net-Worth Consumers Rank the “Best of the Best” Luxury Brands in Four Fashion Categories

Posted in Fashion, LBSI, Press Releases, Shoes

(NEW YORK) March 23, 2010 - The objective and independent New York City-based Luxury Institute reported today the results of the “Best of the Best” luxury brands in the U.S. based on the 2010 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey. This survey identifies the top brands that deliver true luxury based solely on the unbiased ratings of wealthy U.S. consumers. The following four luxury categories were rated: Women’s Fashion (37 brands), Women’s Shoes (38 brands), Men’s Fashion (32 brands), and Men’s Shoes (20 brands).

Which luxury providers deliver the best combination of quality, exclusivity, customer experience and peer prestige in the U.S.?

The “Best of the Best” are: (LBSI score out of 10)

Women’s Fashion

o Roberto Cavalli-7.89
o Hermes-7.81
o Balenciaga-7.80

Women’s Shoes

o Christian Louboutin-8.54
o Manolo Blahnik-8.18
o Zac Posen-8.15

Men’s Fashion

o Ermenegildo Zegna- 7.50
o Brioni-7.44
o John Varvatos-7.29

Men’s Shoes

o Ferragamo- 7.69
o Hermes-7.46
o Louis Vuitton-7.30

“Each year we try to increase the number of brands that are rated by the wealthy and this has brought about some interesting surprises,” said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. “Brands that might not be expected to be top-rated by the fashion experts have made the top three. While unexpected, we see consumers as the ultimate experts on brand prestige and this year they are voting on the entire perceived price/value equation of the brand as well as prestige.”

The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only unbiased measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy Americans. A national sample of 1265 wealthy U.S. consumers, half male/half female, with an average household income of $287,000 and average net worth of $3.8 million was surveyed online. Males rated only the men’s categories and females rated only the women’s categories.

About the Luxury Institute (www.LuxuryInstitute.com)
The Luxury Institute is the uniquely independent and impartial ratings, research and Luxury CRM consulting institution that is the trusted and respected voice of the high net-worth consumer. The Institute provides a portfolio of proprietary publications, research and consulting services that guide and educate high net-worth individuals and the companies that cater to them on leading edge trends, high net-worth consumer rankings and ratings of luxury brands, and best practices. The Luxury Institute also operates LuxuryBoard.com, the world’s first global, membership-based online community for luxury goods and services executives, professionals and entrepreneurs.

For Further Information, Please Contact:
The Luxury Institute, LLC
Martin Swanson
Vice President Business Development
(914) 909-6350
mswanson@luxuryinstitute.com

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March 18, 2010

How Carrie Bradshaw Could Have Prevented The Recession

Posted in Customer Service/CRM, Fashion, Jewelry, Luxury Market, Shoes

Wendy Furrer
March 18, 2010
STYLEITE

If you think luxury is dead, think again. The industry still has legs… long legs. Yes, 2009 was a rocky road for the industry, but it’s starting to look up. I caught up with luxury guru Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute, to assess the pulse of the market. He anticipates a slow but steady recovery in 2010, but he says unfortunately if unemployment hovers around 10% and housing remains stagnant, demand growth will be dampened.

I see exceptions to this, of course. I’m not condoning it, but if we all had the mindset of Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw, and invested in Manolos before being able to pay for other necessities, like our rent (or a downpayment on an apartment, as it was in Ms. Bradshaw’s case), well then, the luxury industry might very well see explosive growth. Everyone, (moi included) loves beautiful shoes - and, they’re still considered very important necessities for the fashionable set. Perhaps this is why even last year, in a horrendous economic environment, apparel and accessories held up well.

One may argue it’s now more important than ever to look your best - job seekers need to look spot-on for their numerous interviews, before landing the perfect (or the only) job out there. Interesting to note that jewelry was a losing battle in 2009 - but if we’re creative, we accessorize various outfits using just a few special pieces. Pedraza also thanks Greater China for delivering specific demand to the luxury industry last year - after all, it’s an enormous market, with more fashionistas born every day… and they’re all looking to take over the world one day.

Our world looks much different today than it did a year ago - and there’s been a major shift in the consumer’s attitude. Milton Pedraza says consumers are looking for what they have always looked for in true luxury- superb design, quality, craftsmanship and service. He adds, “however, unlike in previous years, today they demand far greater evidence of those attributes and at a lower price. Today they place a very strong emphasis on the customer experience as a determinant of willingness to pay a premium.” Savvy consumers want luxury at a discount - thus, “luxe for less” is in. What’s another trend? With do-gooders on the rise, companies that give back to society are well-positioned with their clients. A recent survey from the Luxury Institute indicates consumers are more likely to be positively influenced by a brand’s charitable reputation. My advice to luxe brands? Keep on giving…

The million-dollar question is, how do luxury brands differentiate themselves going forward? Pedraza says they’ll need to reinvent their product lines for the 21st century even as they offer the classics. He says,

“with so many brands being able to deliver great design, quality and craftsmanship, the differentiator will be delivering an extraordinary customer experience beyond the product. Whether it’s online, at the point of purchase, or the after-sales experience, luxury brands have to go from being transactional to being relationship-driven.”

We know life is all about relationships… and we must cultivate them carefully. Luxury brands need to focus on superior service, deliver unique, one-of-a-kind experiences that will outperform any premium or mass brands. Time will tell, but this just may be the true test in determining future leaders in the luxe category.

http://www.styleite.com/retail/how-carrie-bradshaw-caused-the-recession/

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November 10, 2009

News Release: Which Lux Brands Receive Top Scores in Europe?

Posted in Automobiles, Fashion, Handbags, Hotel/Resort, LBSI, Luxury Market, Press Releases, Shoes

(NEW YORK) November 10, 2009 - The objective and independent New York City-based Luxury Institute (www.LuxuryInstitute.com) reported today results of the top luxury brands in Europe based on the “2009 Best of the Best European Luxury Brand Status Index” (LBSI) survey. The LBSI identifies the top brands that deliver true luxury based solely on the unbiased ratings of wealthy European consumers, rated in the following seven luxury categories: Women’s Fashion (31 brands), Women’s Shoes (35 brands), Handbags (36 brands), Men’s Fashion (30 brands), Men’s Shoes (29 brands), Automobiles (20 brands) and Hotels (18 brands).

Which luxury providers deliver the best combination of quality, exclusivity, customer experience and peer prestige in Europe?

The “Best of the Best” are: (LBSI score out of 10)

Women’s Fashion:
o Chanel-7.56
o Valentino-7.54
o Louis Vuitton-7.53

Women’s Shoes:
o Christian Louboutin-8.37
o Manolo Blahnik-8.35
o Jimmy Choo-8.30

Handbags:
o Hermes- 7.84
o Chanel-7.69
o Jimmy Choo-7.66

Men’s Fashion:
o Loro Piana-7.79
o Ermenegildo Zegna-7.32
o Giorgio Armani-6.94

Men’s Shoes:
o Bottega Veneta-7.83
o Piaciotti Cesare-7.77
o Salvatore Ferragamo-7.64

Automobiles:
o Porsche-7.53
o Mercedes-Benz-7.24
o Jaguar-7.18

Hotels:
o Small Luxury Hotels of the World-8.40
o The Luxury Collection-8.25
o Maybourne Hotels-8.11

“Europe will always be a core market for the luxury industry, said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. “It is still the largest continental economy in the world and continues to be the cradle of luxury. That is why it is so gratifying to see the top-rated European luxury brands embrace Luxury CRM as the next step in their evolution. Top-tier brands recognize the need to not only outperform, but, to dramatically outbehave their competition and are embracing a complete redesign of their corporate culture and values to be aligned with those of their customers. These leading brands also are using data, analytics and technology to manifest the culture and values across all channels.”

The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only unbiased measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy European consumers. A European sample of 752 wealthy women and 752 wealthy men in France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom, with a minimum household income of 50,000 Euros and/or 60,000 Pounds was surveyed online.

For Further Information, Please Contact:

The Luxury Institute, LLC
Martin Swanson
Business Development
Phone: (914) 909-6350
E-mail: mswanson@luxuryinstitute.com

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November 2, 2009

Jimmy Choo Launches Line for Main Street

Posted in Fashion, Luxury Market, Retail, Shoes

Jimmy Choo is that latest luxury retailer to launch a more affordable line in hopes of boosting sales hit hard by the recession.

Choo, renowned for shoes and handbags ranging in the thousands of dollars, will produce footwear and clothing for the Sweden-based international clothing chain H&M, starting Nov. 14.

The company heralded its change in strategy, saying “the brand’s glamorous world will be available to all.”

The Jimmy Choo brand will be sold in about 200 H&M outlets worldwide, including four in Canada.

Other high-end designers have already made the retail plunge. Anna Sui has launched a clothing line for Target in the U.S., Vera Wang has entered into a partnership with another American chain, Kohl’s, and taking a slightly different retail route, Narciso Rodriguez has plans to sell a line of his clothing exclusively on eBay.

The world of haute couture has been dabbling in the lower end for years: witness Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan and Calvin Klein. But many more have launched secondary lines recently.

Earlier this month, Coach Inc., based in New York, credited its cheaper Poppy collection of handbags for helping to boost sales.

The luxury industry has been hit hard in this recession because the top income earners have pulled back in spending. Luxury department store sales are down 25 to 30 per cent on average from their peak in early 2008, according to analysts.

And a September survey by the New York-based Luxury Institute found that just over half of wealthy consumers were spending more on essentials than on what they wanted.

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/10/29/consumer-luxury-market-jimmy-choo.html

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September 7, 2009

C.E.O. Helps Jimmy Choo Diversify

Posted in Fashion, Shoes

NYTimes.com
By SONIA KOLESNIKOV-JESSOP

SINGAPORE - Diversification often pays off in tough economic times, and it certainly has helped the luxury brand Jimmy Choo, which, like many companies, has not been immune to the sharp global downturn.

Better known for its elegant stilettos, Jimmy Choo has been stretching its footwear mix in the past couple of years to include $175 plastic “jelly” sandals and $375 espadrilles in a bid to “dress” women for their entire lifestyle.

By the end of this year, the company, which is based in London, plans to bring out a range of Jimmy Choo scarves; add to its handbag line, introduced in 2003; and expand its eyewear line, begun last year. A Jimmy Choo perfume is under development and the company is exploring branded accessories like jewelry, watches and even swimwear.

For the chief executive, Joshua Schulman, this diversification is all about positioning Jimmy Choo as a “global luxury brand across product category and geography,” and has little to do with the recession.

“Our most expensive shoe, which sells for $1,395, is one of our best sellers, even in a recession environment,” he said during a recent visit to Singapore to open the company’s 96th Jimmy Choo boutique.

He acknowledges that geographic diversification - recently into Asia and the Middle East - and online distribution, are helping the company weather the downturn.

In the first seven months of the year, online sales were up 80 percent compared with the same period last year. Mr. Schulman says he believes that the Web site is on track to become the company’s largest store by 2010.

“Obviously, it’s a very challenging market globally, but there are bright spots in Japan, the U.K., Korea and online,” he said. “Overall sales are up, but not in every store. In some, traffic is down significantly and sales are down, but overall as a company, we continue to grow.”

Since Mr. Schulman, 38, joined the company as its chief executive in early 2007, leaving his job as president of the brand Kenneth Cole New York, Jimmy Choo has accelerated its rapid expansion. By the end of the year, the brand expects to have 105 boutiques worldwide, a near doubling of the number of stores since Mr. Schulman joined.

Under him, the company is also reaching out to a new clientele. Most recently, it announced plans to create a small shoe and bag collection for the Swedish clothing giant Hennes & Mauritz, following in the footsteps of Stella McCartney and Karl Lagerfeld.

“The H&M project is a ‘flash,’ a ‘moment in time’ and as such allows us to explore a younger client base and other product categories for a limited time basis,” he explained. He said the project did not represent “an ongoing diffusion strategy in any way.”

“We remain deeply committed to our overall luxury positioning,” he said.

Mr. Schulman does view Jimmy Choo as a brand in transition.

“We think we’re on our journey to transcend a great product into a lifestyle,” he said, while stressing that the company was being very disciplined about the way it branched out in order to retain “the full DNA of the brand.”

Milton Pedraza, chief executive of the Luxury Institute, a market research firm in New York, says that expanding in new categories is a great idea, as long as those categories are related to shoes, a sector in which Jimmy Choo has “impeccable credentials and expertise.”

Mr. Pedraza sounded a cautionary note about expansion in other areas. “Perfumes are easy to do, but other categories will be challenging, unless there is a breakthrough product that achieves immediate credibility and is seen as worthy of a significant premium,” he said. “Luxury consumers have new and different standards for parting with their money these days. Slapping a label on a me-too product, as many so-called lifestyle luxury brands have done, will not work anymore. Consumers are no longer willing to reward jacks-of-all-trades with premium pricing in the luxury world.”

Find the rest of the article here

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/29/business/global/29iht-spot29.html?_r=2&pagewanted=print

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July 14, 2009

Chinese High Net-Worth Consumers Rank “Best of the Best” Luxury Brands in Six Categories

Posted in Automobiles, China, Fashion, Handbags, LBSI, Press Releases, Shoes

(NEW YORK) July 14, 2009 - The Luxury Institute reported today results of the “Best of the Best” luxury brands in China based on the 2009 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey, which identifies the top brands that deliver true luxury based solely on the unbiased ratings of wealthy Chinese consumers. The following six luxury categories were rated: Women’s Fashion (29 brands), Women’s Shoes (18 brands), Handbags (27 brands), Men’s Fashion (25 brands), Men’s Shoes (25 brands) and Automobiles (20 brands).

Which luxury providers deliver the best combination of quality, exclusivity, customer experience and peer prestige in China?

The “Best of the Best” are: (LBSI score out of 10)

Women’s Fashion

Prada- 8.77

Yves Saint Laurent- 8.75

Hermes, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana (tied)- 8.68

Women’s Shoes

Ferragamo- 8.69

Gucci- 8.66

Hermes- 8.64

Handbags

Hermes- 8.93

Lulu Guinness- 8.77

Ferragamo- 8.76

Men’s Fashion

Giorgio Armani- 8.74

Louis Vuitton- 8.68

Dior Homme and Paul Smith (tied) - 8.54

Men’s Shoes

Louis Vuitton- 8.66

Versace- 8.51

Giorgio Armani, Brian Atwood and Gucci (tied) - 8.48

Automobiles

Porsche- 8.79

Mercedes-Benz- 8.72

BMW- 8.70

“China is now the most important luxury market for near-future growth for luxury brands,” said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. “In some ways, Chinese luxury consumers covet many of the same brands as the Japanese. In other ways, they tend to rate luxury brands much higher, yet differentiate far less between brands than their more experienced Japanese counterparts. Early movers who flawlessly execute on the new luxury fundamentals and ignore the ‘back to basics’ movement will have the advantage because the luxury game in China is still wide open, therefore luxury brands will have to go to a new, innovative level; making China a wonderful laboratory for global innovation.”

The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only unbiased measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy Chinese consumers. A national sample of 600 wealthy Chinese consumers, with a minimum household income 1 million Chinese Renminbi (or 147,000 U.S. Dollars) and an average household income of 381,000 U.S. Dollars was surveyed online.

About the Luxury Institute (www.LuxuryInstitute.com)

The Luxury Institute is the uniquely independent and impartial ratings and research institution that is the trusted and respected voice of the global high net-worth consumer. The Institute provides a portfolio of proprietary publications and research and consulting services that guides and educates high net-worth individuals and the companies that cater to them on leading edge trends, high net-worth consumer rankings and ratings of luxury brands, and best practices. The Luxury Institute also operates the LuxuryBoard.com (www.LuxuryBoard.com), the world’s first global, membership-based online community for luxury goods and services executives, professionals and entrepreneurs.

For Further Information, Please Contact:

The Luxury Institute, LLC
Martin Swanson
Business Development
Phone: (914) 909-6350
E-mail: mswanson@luxuryinstitute.com

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June 4, 2009

Japanese High Net-Worth Consumers Rank the “Best of the Best” Luxury Brands in Six Categories

Posted in Automobiles, Fashion, Handbags, Japan, LBSI, Press Releases, Shoes

(NEW YORK) June 4, 2009 - The Luxury Institute reported today the results of the “Best of the Best” luxury brands in Japan based on the 2009 Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey, which identifies the top brands that deliver true luxury based solely on the unbiased ratings of wealthy Japanese consumers. The following six luxury categories were rated: Women’s Fashion (29 brands), Women’s Shoes (18 brands), Handbags (30 brands), Men’s Fashion (22 brands), Men’s Shoes (18 brands) and Automobiles (20 brands).

Which luxury providers deliver the best combination of quality, exclusivity, customer experience and peer prestige in Japan?

The “Best of the Best” are: (LBSI score out of 10)

Women’s Fashion
Hermes- 7.38
Chanel- 7.20
Louis Vuitton- 7.01
Women’s Shoes
Manolo Blahnik- 8.18
Jimmy Choo- 7.58
Hermes- 7.45
Handbags
Hermes- 7.76
Louis Vuitton- 7.24
Chanel- 7.20

Men’s Fashion
Ermenegildo Zegna- 7.08
Giorgio Armani- 6.97
Louis Vuitton- 6.71

Men’s Shoes
Salvatore Ferragamo- 6.82
Versace- 6.59
Giorgio Armani- 6.38

Automobiles
Mercedes-Benz- 7.47
Porsche- 7.21
Lexus- 6.99

“Japan continues to be a critical market for luxury due to its highly discerning and still affluent consumers,” said Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute. “The Luxury Institute conducts more surveys globally with wealthy consumers than all other entities in the world combined, and we also clearly see that luxury is no longer ‘back to basics’ .While some are busy predicting the death of luxury around the developed world, we predict that luxury will regain its luster, and with a vengeance, when truly wealthy consumers fatten their wallets again and can focus on acquiring the best. It is a historical fact that luxury is cyclical and dramatically outperforms in up cycles and dramatically underperforms in down cycles. We predict that savvy Japanese wealthy consumers will not be fooled again by faux luxury brands.”

The proprietary Luxury Brand Status Index (LBSI) survey is the only unbiased measure of the prestige of leading brands among wealthy Americans. A national sample of 600 wealthy Japanese consumers, with an average household income of ¥50,000,000 Japanese Yen (or $525,000 US Dollars) was surveyed online.

About the Luxury Institute (www.LuxuryInstitute.com)

The Luxury Institute is the uniquely independent and impartial ratings and research institution that is the trusted and respected voice of the high net-worth consumer. The Institute provides a portfolio of proprietary publications and research and consulting services that guides and educates high net-worth individuals and the companies that cater to them on leading edge trends, high net-worth consumer rankings and ratings of luxury brands, and best practices. The Luxury Institute also operates the LuxuryBoard.com (www.LuxuryBoard.com), the world’s first global, membership-based online community for luxury goods and services executives, professionals and entrepreneurs.

For Further Information, Please Contact:

The Luxury Institute, LLC
Martin Swanson
Business Development
Phone: (914) 909-6350
E-mail: mswanson@luxuryinstitute.com

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May 11, 2009

Third Annual “Handbag Awards” in June; Finalists Selected

Posted in Fashion, Handbags, Shoes

Luxury Institute CEO, Milton Pedraza will be one of the presenters at the 2009 IHDA (Independent Handbag Designer Awards) taking place in NYC June 17, 2009

New York, NY (PRWEB) May 9, 2009 — Handbag Designer 101, the handbag designer resource, announces today the long awaited results of the finalists for the Independent Handbag Designer Awards ™ Now with Shoes. Over 600 applications were received from around the world ranging with diverse backgrounds from North Dakota to Mongolia to Finland. The Independent Handbag Designer Awards is the only design competition of its kind in the world for handbag designers to receive credibility and recognition to stand out in today’s competitive accessory market. The winners will be announced on June 17th at the IHDA event at the New York Historical Society. The live Finalist Announcement can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jINHPgdQVdU

“These 35 designers whether they are established or emerging, share a common passion, commitment and creativity to make a unique handbag while being role-models for entrepreneurship and small business,” says Emily Blumenthal, founder of Handbag Designer 101 and the Independent Handbag Designer Awards. “Each designer is well deserved in their recognition for in each category of Best Student-Made Handbag, Best Handmade Handbag, Most-Socially Responsible Handbag, Best Green Handbag, Best Use of Swarovski Crystallized (™) Elements, Best Show in Overall Style and Design and Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design.”

These finalists were chosen by a preliminary judging panel of Handbag Designer 101. A Judging Panel consisting of Famed Handbag Designer and 2007 IHDA Lifetime Achievement Recipient of 2007, Carlos Falchi, Lisa Smilor (Associate Director for the Council of Fashion Designers of America: CFDA), Lincoln Moore, (SVP DMM, Accessories, Saks Fifth Avenue), Sam Edelman (CEO of Sam Edelman), Stephan Toljan, (CCB Vice President Market Management of Swarovski), Devi Kroell (CEO & CCO for Devi Kroell), Christina Polychroni, (Director of Marketing for Korres Natural Products), Katie Boertman (Trade Marketing Manager for Singer Sewing Company), Tina Aldatz (President of Foot Petals), Meghan Cleary (Miss Meghan: America’s Shoe Expert) and Julia Poteat (Assistant Professor of Fashion Methods for Parsons The New School for Design) will decide who has the “Top Handbag and Shoe Design” and select a winner from each respective category. These finalists, whose bags and shoes all must be made under their own label, representing a wide range of styles and designs, in each category are:

Best Student Made Handbag - These finalists’ bags are students who have successfully started their lines while still in school. This award will be presented by Devi Kroell, CEO & CCO for Devi Kroell.
-   Bridget Duffy: Bridget Duffy Originals, Philadelphia Univeristy
-   Carmen Talavera: Carmen Talavera, Mercy Jackes College
-   Rachel Esswood: Rachel Esswood, Cordwainers at London College of Fashion
-   Daisy Ho: Hodaze, London College of Fashion
-   Susan Jina Lee: Movement, Parsons The New School for Design

Best Handmade Handbag - These finalists’ must be sewn, crocheted, knitted where the design themselves is making their bag by hand or machine. This award will be presented by Katie Boertman, Trade Marketing Manager for the Singer Sewing Company.
-   Alexis Campagna: Antibellum
-   Brenda Zheng: Brenda Zheng
-   Nanang Agung Rahmanto: Muttox 9
-   Lauren Finelli: LaurNelli
-   Darren Wallace, Darren Wallace

Best Green Handbag - These finalists’ that are made out of sustainable, recycled or organic materials. This award will be presented by Christina Polychroni, Director of Marketing for Korres Natural Products.
-   Allison McGowan: TEICH
-   Linda Wong: Canopy Verde
-   Karin Maislinger: kontiki
-   Andres Stickney: DRES
-   Nazly Villamizar, Ecoist

Most Socially Responsible Handbag - These finalists’ meet certain ethical and moral standards in regards to production, employment and philanthropy while impacting the local culture. This award will be presented by Kendall Farell, Executive Director of Bottomless Closet.
-   Pauline Lewis & Le Thi Hong Tu: oovoo design, Made in Vietnam
-   Cherry Kwunyeun: Blumpari, Made in Thailand
-   Katie Smith: Angel Jackson, Made in Bali
-   Clare Elsmore-Dodsworth: Gifted Label, Made in Mongolia
-   Maria Estrada: IGNES Handbags, Made in Uruguay

Best Use of CRYSTALLIZED™ - Swarovski Elements
This category represents the best executed handbag in overall style and design and will be Stephan Toljan, CCB Vice President Market Management of Swarovski.
-   Heather Choi: Farfaraway
-   Michele Gresh: Modern Unity
-   Ana Niculae: Imperfect Indulgence
-   Lorna Nixon: Lorna Nixon
-   Erin Vorhees: Kempt

Best Shoe in Overall Style and Design - This category represents the best executed shoe in overall style and design and will be presented by Sam Edelman, CEO of Sam Edelman and Tina Aldatz, President of Foot Petals.
-   Raphael Young: Raphael Young
-   Minna Parikka: Minna Parikka
-   Jamie Presson: J.L. Presson
-   Marti Zabell: Marz
-   Weronika Lesniak: Weronika: Lesniak

Best Handbag in Overall Style and Design - This category represents the best executed handbag in overall style and design and will be presented by Lincoln Moore, DMM, Handbags, Saks Fifth Avenue.
-   Minna Parikka: Minna Parikka
-   Johanna Baccardo: Beautiful People
-   Emily Cheetham: Cheet London
-   Alice Tapajos: Zibba
-   Adriana Castro: Adriana Castro

The final category to be celebrated is “Audience Fan Favorite” where fans can vote for their favorite independent handbag or shoe designer based on the 35 finalists on Handbag Designer 101. This award will be presented by Founder and Creator of Handbag Designer 101 and the Independent Handbag Designer Awards, Emily Blumenthal. This designer that received the most votes will be announced the night of June 17th at the IDHA event with the other category winners. These aforementioned category finalists’ work can be seen at http://www.hbd101.com/finalists_2009.

Celebrated British designer Lulu Guinness will receive the IHDA ICONOCLAST Award this year for her 20 years in accessories design. Lulu Guinness famous for her exquisite, witty handbags and accessories originally launched her company in 1989 and instantly became a “must” in every fashion aficionado’s international address book. To celebrate the brand’s 20th Anniversary Year, Lulu Guinness will be releasing a new limited collection of her legendary Rose Baskets, which will be on display at the night of the IHDA. Throughout the year, Lulu will be collaborating with famed and up & coming artists to produce limited edition specialty items to be sold at the Lulu Guinness stores worldwide.

The 2009 IHDA Sponsors include CRYSTALLIZED (™) - Swarovski Elements, Singer Sewing Company, WWDMAGIC, Parsons The New School for Design, Pantone, Saks Fifth Avenue, Sam Edelman, Foot Petals, Devi Kroell, The Fashion Center, UK Trade and Investment, Korres Natural Beauty, The Garment Industry Development Corporation, The Luxury Institute, Ripe Ideas, Soho House NYC, Red Branch Public Relations, Collective-E, Miss Meghan, Rosangel from Gran Centenario, Kristof Wines, Shine to Go, Megan Howard Design, Smart Water, enSof Graphics, M&J Trimming, Leather Suede Skins, Rosen & Chadick Fabrics, Verve NYC and Bottomless Closet.
For complete information or to purchase tickets for the Independent Handbag Designer Awards, check out www.handbagdesigner101.com or www.hbd101.com.

Handbag Designer 101, the handbag designer resource, was inspired by the need for the handbag designer, aficionado and fan in all of us as one knows we can never have too many bags. Handbag Designer 101 and Independent Handbag Designer Awards trademarks are owned by handbagdesigner101.com, a privately held company based in New York City.

Today’s HB101: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/designer
Bag Trends: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/trends
Celebrity Bag Watch: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/celebrity
Jobs & Services: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/jobs
The Independent Handbag Designer Awards Now With Shoes: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/independent_handbag_designer_awards
IHDA Ticket Purchase: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com/handbags?s=processCard
Contact: http://www.handbagdesigner101.com, http://www.hbd101.com, 1-866-206-9067 x2342

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/05/prweb2400054.htm

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March 15, 2009

Luxury Institute Names Best in High-End Footwear

Posted in Fashion, LBSI, Luxury Market, Shoes

Jocelyn Anderson Posted Friday March 13, 2009 From Footwear News

Salvatore Ferragamo and Christian Louboutin win top honors for high-end men’s and women’s shoes, respectively, according to a new survey released Thursday by the Luxury Institute.

Results of the 2009 survey identified those luxury shoe brands that deliver the best in quality, exclusivity, customer experience and peer prestige, based on responses from 1,208 wealthy Americans.

For men’s shoes, Versace ranked second, followed by Louis Vuitton. In the women’s category, Manolo Blahnik took second place, and Jimmy Choo was a close third.

This year’s rankings are even more meaningful than they have been in the past, Milton Pedraza, CEO of the Luxury Institute, said in a statement. “We are finding that you don’t have to be the most expensive or best known to be rated highly by wealthy consumers,”

he said. “Contrary to popular myth, most wealthy consumers don’t live above their means and have always looked for true lasting value in luxury purchases.”

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