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Luxury fashion

March

Heidi Middleton at home, wearing a black oversized bow bralette by Nina Ricci.

What Artclub designer Heidi Middleton can’t live without

From ’90s Prada to a sentimental signet ring, the fashion designer and Sass & Bide founder details the five wardrobe items she holds dear in this new regular column.

Jennifer Lopez and Donatella Versace recreate the singer’s red-carpet Grammy moment on the Milan runway in 2019.

Donatella steps down as iconic Versace struggles

The creative director will be replaced after nearly 30 years as the figurehead of the troubled Italian company she inherited from her murdered brother.

Alex Consani walks the runway during the Marc Jacobs 2025 Runway Show at New York Public Library in February 2025.

The best shows from fashion month

From a long-overdue runway show at Calvin Klein to wearable womenswear at Givenchy, the latest collections have given the fashion set plenty to talk about.

At Australian designer Christopher Esber’s third Paris runway show, the designer elevated his collection with leather, chiffon and gabardine.

Third time a charm for Australian designer Christopher Esber in Paris

The first Australian to win the ANDAM prize is more than a rising star at Paris Fashion Week – he is now part of the “it” crowd.

Luxury Japanese watchmaker Grand Seiko has opened its first Melbourne boutique across three levels at The Block Arcade on Collins Street.

Luxury slump hits shop openings across Europe’s fanciest streets

The slowdown in European luxury retail contrasts with a pickup in Australia’s two largest cities.

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February

Some of the luxury goods up for grabs in the Plutus auction.

Plutus tax frauds’ luxury taste goes under the hammer

The original owners of these proceeds of crime don’t have much use for them in jail.

The fashion designer making smart dresses for powerful women

Edeline Lee has made a business out of creating modest yet flattering dresses, winning her fans the world over – including the Princess of Wales.

Matteo De Rosa, CEO of LVMH at Paddington Reservoir Gardens late last year.

The secrets of Loewe handbags and Dior slingbacks start here

Matteo de Rosa, CEO of LVMH’s Métiers d’Art, knows luxury goods inside out – literally.

The hourglass figure reigns supreme in Paris

An idealised version of the female form is back, accentuated by the extravagant use of corsets and crinolines at the couture collections and beyond.

January

Ukrainian tennis star Marta Kostyuk sporting a Van Cleef & Arpels bracelets at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Birkin bags and vintage Alhambra: GCQ bets on luxury in 2025

The fund believes Cartier and Van Cleef’s core clientele are becoming wealthier and less exposed to macroeconomic fluctuations.

These colourful monogrammed bags from the early 2000s are back.

What crisis? Millennial nostalgia fuels rush for $7050 handbags

The limited-edition designer goods market is in rude health as a Louis Vuitton collection nears sellout in Australia.

December 2024

A Versace luxury fashion store on Via Montenapoleone in Milan.

Via MonteNapoleone usurps Fifth Avenue as most upscale shopping street

The average rent on the Milan street has surged to $33,000 per square metre, slightly higher than the rent on an 11-block stretch of upper Fifth Avenue, New York.

Models wear the Chanel spring/summer 2025 collection in Paris.

Chanel fills hottest job in fashion with young outsider

One of the most prestigious roles in global fashion has just been filled, as Chanel appointed 40-year-old designer Matthieu Blazy as its new artistic director.

Fashion should focus on its best customers – and they’re not 20-year-olds

Aussies over 40 are spending more on discretionary goods, so why aren’t more smart designers and retailers looking to leverage their older clientele?

High-net-worth spenders are focussing more on experiences than luxury goods, according to analysis by Morgan Stanley.

Qantas hits record as cashed-up Baby Boomers ditch handbags for travel

A pivot in luxury spending from designer goods to premium travel is expected to benefit Australia’s largest airline, according to Morgan Stanley, saying the stock has much further to run.

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November 2024

The secrets to (male) supermodel style

Englishman David Gandy built his career hocking clothes for designers, so he knows a thing or two about getting dressed. Here’s what he’s learnt about personal style.

Jewellery’s hottest trend? Raiding Nanna’s treasure chest

Pinning on a brooch adds a stamp of your personal style. Here is a stunning selection to add to your treasure chest.

Gillian Kilgour.

This jeweller creates custom memento pieces for times of bereavement

A Sydney designer’s memorial creations are helping bring solace to people who have lost a loved one.

MB&F Horological Machine 8 Mark 2

You probably don’t know these watch brands. You should

Independent watchmakers have long attracted the attention of enthusiasts. Now major players are taking a look.

The object of Woolton’s affection: Lot 1175 at Sotheby’s Royal & Noble Jewels.

How to invest in jewellery

Covering the jewellery beat for 30 years, historian and author Carol Woolton has glittering tales, and ideas for your hard-earned cash.

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