Maybe we haven't seen the return of the roaring global recovery everyone has hoped for. The U.S. economy is sputtering, and the European continent isn't looking very bullish at the moment. But none of this seems to be terribly concerning to the luxury hotel market. There has been a spate of recent openings — hotel extensions of luxury brands — to prove it.

Bulgari, which operates a luxury hotel in Milan, a luxury resort in Bali, and restaurants in Tokyo, has just opened the doors of its fourth Bulgari Hotel, with its latest five-star property opening in a chi-chi pocket of London.

Located in the city's prestigious Knightsbridge section, its well appointed rooms (such as the one above) are opening just in time to take bookings for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Bulgari gushes about the property: "It is a perfect expression of the Bulgari aesthetic of timeless glamour. Innovative artistry and a lavish use of precious marble and silver blend harmoniously, exuding an understated elegance. The quality of the service, magnificent elements such as the spa, pool and private screening room, and the distinguished location beside Harrods and Hyde Park all contribute to an uncompromising sense of excellence."Continue reading...

Liv Tyler continues her long association with Givenchy, this time taking a page from her father Steven Tyler's songbook by breaking out her rock chick persona to cover the INXS hit, Need You Tonight.

The campaign is for the launch of Givenchy'sVery Irrésistible Givenchy Electric Rose perfume, with this music video/commercial shot by director Johan Renck. According to Givenchy, "The Need You Tonight video captures Liv's resolutely rock 'n' roll spirit and shows her more magnetic and irresistible than ever. Featuring a choreography by famous dancer Bianca Li, its unique style and energetic vibe resonate perfectly with the Givenchy world."

See her previous campaigns for the brand below.Continue reading...

Lancôme has signed its first Muslim model — the 22-year-old gamine-cropped Tunisian, Hanaa Ben Abdesslem — as a global face. The brand features Hanaa, who debuted as a model in Vivienne Westwood's spring 2011 runway show and broke out a few months later after cropping her hair for Givenchy, in the short film above; check out her first campaign work for the makeup brand below.Continue reading...

It's getting to the point where one might consider LVMH the European Union of brands.

The French conglomerate, which legitimately calls itself a "world leader in luxury goods," owns 60 upper echelon brands, many of which have the kind of global cachet most brands can only dream about. These brands accounted last year for more than 20 billion euros in sales and 3 billion euros in profit.

The LVMH stable includes Dom Perignon, Krug and Hennessy in wine and spirits; TAG Heuer and DeBeers in watches and jewelry; Celine, Givenchy and Louis Vuitton in fashion; Christian Dior, Emilio Pucci and Fendi in perfumes and cosmetics; and beauty products purveyor Sephora in specialty retailing.

Add the one billion-euro Italian luxury jewelry brand, Bulgari to the list, acquired this week by LVMH.Continue reading...

Aon plans to spend much of its big cash hoard to buy back shares.

Audi takes aim at toppling BMW.

Bank of America says home-loan business is recovering.

Barbie hits $3 billion in global annual sales as brand shutters China flagship.

Boeing gets a boost from China orders.

Cap’n Crunch gains guerrilla-fueled “success” in social media.

CBS, Warner Bros. and Charlie Sheen are at war, as Sheen apparently plans to sue post-firing.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...

Apparently, “basic” is the new black. The Spring/Summer 2011 Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, which ended yesterday, demonstrated that designers are still courting recession-wary customers by offering signature pieces that translate beyond a single season.

Among fashion's old guard brands, Ralph Lauren returned to his Western roots, Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein presented sleek, simply-cut dresses, and Oscar de la Renta stuck to his fail-safe Upper East Side cocktail dresses—to a fault, some believed.

But amidst this return to familiar territory, several up-and-coming designers made their presence known in the tents. Over the last few years, Asian-American designers have been gaining in sartorial influence, with Michelle Obama favorite Jason Wu, Parsons grad Alexander Wang and Richard Chai, who together swept the 2010 CFDA Awards. This year, the up-and-comer to watch was Prabal Gurung, a CFDA-nominee who hails from Singapore, by way of Kathmandu. Click through to check out his collection, and more fresh faces on the catwalk this past week.Continue reading...

When people in France don't like what their government's doing, they take to the streets and protest. LVMH, the French owner of such luxury brands as Christian Dior, Givenchy, and Louis Vuitton, symbolically launched its own public protest by lobbying the EU to protect brands from unsavory online sellers.

The strategy worked. Under new rules issued yesterday by the European Commission, "makers of goods that have less than a 30 percent share of the market would essentially have a free hand to decide how to distribute and sell their wares," reports the New York Times.

The Europe-wide protection, which goes into effect in June and will last for 12 years, gives retail brands the authority to designate online distributors and the legal means to pursue e-tailers who are illegally selling their goods—or just their good name.Continue reading...