2Jour Notes

In anticipation of the upcoming issue of HTSI by Financial Times with guest editor Phoebe Philo (I have a weakness for this print edition), here is an interesting observation.

Recently, while navigating the streets of London, I noticed red trash bags. The thing is, trash bags of specific colors in London are usually designated for certain types of waste. Red bags are most often used for commercial waste (from shops, cafés, offices). In certain areas (like Westminster), this color may also be used for special or mixed household waste that cannot be recycled.

Why do I think Phoebe might have drawn inspiration while passing by? x

Chloe Sevigny by Alasdair McLellah for Self Service Magazine

An unrelated observation — while butter yellow has become the trendiest shade of the season, Phoebe Philo’s cloud-like trench with exquisitely soft leather trim in that very hue appeared in her very first drop, well before the widespread craze. Coincidence?

Another unrelated observation — for a brand at…

• The concept of what luxury is hasn’t exactly acquired a new meaning, but it’s definitely gaining new layers. Brands are now facing a complex positioning challenge, and when I watch at yet another financial report or investors’ meeting, I realize that the industry still struggles to shift from the notion of “desirability” toward broader definitions. I see that as a problem.

• Fashion was invented to signal status; bluntly speaking, the wealthy created it to distinguish themselves from the poor. The latter, in turn, spent centuries trying to imitate it to gain access to a world that remained closed to them. That status is something many people want to broadcast. However, with the rise of social media—where the image often doesn’t match reality—the true markers of status are no longer clothes and bags but rather real estate, luxury cars, travel, and even silence. Naturally, this affects fashion sales. I…

I spotted yet another guest in a Saint Laurent suit in the society pages and realized something interesting. This suit works well for public figures and editorials thanks to its clear statement and memorable visual appeal.

But it’s not flexible at all. For a client outside the world of society columns—where many guests wear brand-loaned looks—or beyond the pages of glossy magazines, there’s no option to adapt it to themselves. It’s either that exact styling or the concept is lost. The brand didn’t provide that flexibility on the runway, in merchandising, or through wholesalers.

In commercial terms, the target audience for a piece like this (core piece in the collection) is extremely limited. It appeals either to those who already love this style or to those the brand has managed to influence. Influencing a solvent audience (retail price is around £2,465 for jacket and £1,180 for pants) confident in their own taste?…

Upd: I had this post in my drafts for quite some time. Today, I received an email that 24S, which I mentioned in the context of personal shopping, is closing its concierge service. Following LVMH e-commerce journey, it’s clear to me that the group is struggling to master its online presence. Partially may be explained by scale, apart from that using obvious and general methods doesn’t work in luxury.

This applies not only to 24S, which I’m sure is dragging down the group’s performance, but also to the online presence of its most prominent brands — about some of the gaps I wrote before (here I’m referring to Fashion & Leather Goods, Perfumes & Beauty, and Selective Retailing, as I’m not entirely familiar with the other divisions).

Personal shopping: A luxury gap

In the latest edition of 2Jour Gazette, I wrote an extensive article on luxury sanctions in Russia. I…

I have always loved beautiful things. When I was just starting my career, I could only afford mass-market brands. My purchases were selective and carefully considered, and ultimately, they looked quite… expensive? As my professional career progressed, luxury items began to appear in my wardrobe.

In addition, I began ordering custom clothing from a professional tailor who adjusted everything to my measurements, paying attention to details that mattered to me. I chose everything myself, from fabrics to zippers. Eventually, this interest led me to buy a sewing machine and an overlocker—but that’s another story.

Having walked this—let’s call it—a mindful journey, I know for sure that the idea "you can buy items in the mass market that are no worse than luxury" is an illusion. Occasionally, you can find items that objectively look good. But upon closer inspection, there are nuances that always reveal the difference between lower-priced and higher-priced…

Yesterday, I was passing by Gucci. I saw how fast the burgundy set sold out in the EIP preview at Net-a-Porter, and when I touched it on the mannequin, I felt a proper cotton top and great woolen pants (this set seems to be proclaimed as a collection star, so mannequins at Gucci locations all around London are dressed in the very same shirt and trousers). I then stopped near another window with a grass-green set. It looked good. I was skeptical about the collection, but after it started appearing online and I had a second glimpse after the runway presentation, it felt good.

I was skeptical about Sabato De Sarno as well. Mostly because of the positioning—it felt wrong when he had a long vanity fair walk after the shows, it felt wrong to see dedicated films about him. It felt wrong because there was no tangible result of…