Maleficent Children’s Collection & LVMH and Prada’s Expansions

Maleficent Kids Collection
British Designer Stella McCartney and American Actress Angelina Jolie have teamed up to create a capsule collection of children’s clothing, inspired by her forthcoming Disney movie Maleficent. The collection will be the second collaboration of Stella McCartney with the Disney brand after her jewelry collection for Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland in 2010. The line, which will be available a month before the films debut online and in selected stores, includes eight styles from dazzling princess dresses for the girls to dragon emblazoned t-shirts for the boys, alongside a range of sandals and sneakers.

LVMH and Prada expand into Hospitality
LMVH the world's largest luxury goods manufacturers private equity arm L Capital, has finalized the acquisition of Singapore’s KU DÉ TA nightclub located on the rooftop of iconic waterfront landmark Marina Bay Sands. Ravi Thakran managing partner of L Capital Asia indicated to the media that a major renovation would follow with plans to take the KU DÉ TA brand global. Meanwhile LVMH’s rival Prada has acquired 80% of Angelo Marchesi Srl, owners of the historic Milanese pastry shop, a local institution that has been serving its famous pastries and chocolate to the Milanese people since 1824.

The Year of Hermès
French luxury house Hermès, famous for its handmade bags and iconic scarves, has recorded record profits over the last year, with its best ever operating margin - 32.4 percent with net incoming rising by 6.8 percent. The brand credited an overall 8.9 percent increase in earnings to an strong growth in sales of clothing and accessories. In a year which has seen many luxury brands contract, Hermès has expanded, adding a staggering 900 new jobs, with plans to open two new leather-goods production sites in France to respond to the increase in demand globally.