Women's issues are top of mind, with International Women's Day on March 8th and the the 57th Session the main focus of the United Nations' Commission on the Status of Women now underway in New York, with about 700 related events taking place March 4-15.

Kicking off CSW, UN Women executive director Michelle Bachelet today formally convened the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (follow on Twitter at #CSW57). The recent gang-rape and murder of a student in Delhi and the One Billion Rising campaign drew global attention, Bachelet notes: "2012 demonstrated that this [violence] is a terrible reality for many women every day. I'm an optimistic woman and I believe it's clear that we can't continue in the 21st century with this terrible violation of women's human rights."

More than 6,000 UN officials, NGO workers and women's rights activists are expected in New York to debate and create action around the issues, lobbying behind the efforts to counter the work of rightwing groups and countries such as Iran, Russia and the Holy See who are already calling for “removal of key lines of this year's draft document that relate to reproductive health and rights, and those that suggest governments take responsibility for tackling gender violence,” notes the Guardian.Continue reading...

As the luxury goods market looks to rebound next year, we're already seeing some interesting jockeying for position.

Shares of Hermes and LVMH rose sharply today on news that LVMH had acquired as much as a 17 percent stake in the high-end luxury brand Hermes.

LVMH, a French conglomerate, already has ownership of iconic luxury brands in a variety of markets. In fashion and perfumes, the company owns Christian Dior, Donna Karan, Fendi, Givenchy, and Louis Vuitton; in jewelry and watches, De Beers, Hublot, and TAG Heuer; in wines and spirits, Dom Perignon, Hennessy, Krug, and Moet & Chandon.

Increasing its holdings in Hermes is a "friendly" move, not a takeover bid, says LVMH. According to the company, "The objective of LVMH is to be a long-term shareholder of Hermes and to contribute to the preservation of the family and French attributes which are at the heart of the global success of this iconic brand." Continue reading...

As he plunges into promotional efforts for his new book on personal branding this week, brandmeister extraordinaire Peter Arnell is turning to where he’s always gotten support: his high-profile friends.

Martha Stewart wrote the foreword for his new book, the back of which bears endorsements from celebrity friends and clients ranging from Donna Karan, whose iconic DKNY brand he worked on for many years, to Mark Wahlberg.

This week, Arnell will be talking about his very personal book on NBC's Today Show, a friendly venue where he has appeared frequently over the years (including taking Matt Lauer for a spin in the Peapod, his electric car that's still idling). It’s hardly surprising that Arnell is effectively leveraging his vast personal network to help promote his book on personal branding.

“By networking with friends and family, you can get confirmation of your strength necessary to grow, and that’s really important,” he told Brandchannel.com in an exclusive interview over the weekend. (Click here for his Brandchannel Q&A).Continue reading...

Estée Lauder has launched a mobile application called Ascent, available for download via an Apple iPod Touch at department and specialty store counters worldwide.

The app takes consumers through a series of questions, with the answers helping whittle fragrance recommendations down to a handful of scents that fit each customer’s criteria and mood.

It currently features fragrances in Lauder’s Aramis and Designer Fragrances division as options including Donna Karan Iris, DKNY Be Delicious Fresh Blossom and Michael Kors’ namesake fragrance.

The program will bow in Nordstrom during its Half Yearly Sale weekend later this month. It is also being promoted on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and expands on Lauder's social media push foray into Facebook marketing last year.Continue reading...

If you have been reading about retailers' scramble to motivate holiday shoppers and asking, “Recession? What Recession?,” then the Wall Street Journal has the perfect holiday gift suggestion: the snood.

This hot headgear, not to be confused with the addictive computer game, is a scarf/hood hybrid that may remind you of something your ancient grandmother wore whenever she ventured outside to buy low-salt margarine or attend a funeral. Only grandma’s didn’t carry a label from Burberry ($295) or Donna Karan ($695).Continue reading...