Akris Accessories - Do We Need Them?

Do you ever get to the point where you just think that there is too much product out there?
Really, how many brands of handbags do we need?

From the WSJ
Akris Debuts Its Accessories Line
Albert Kriemler is known for delivering elegant vertical, architectural lines in his clothes, making them of the most expensive fabrics possible in Switzerland, and selling them like crazy. Family-owned Akris’s clothes, which he designs, outsell Armani at many department stores.

So it will be very, very interesting to see how his handbags, belts and shoes sell. In a surprise decision several months ago, Akris announced that it will produce accessories. Last fall, Kriemler insisted to me that he had no plans for accessories — despite the allure of their higher profit margins. Then he caved.

Accessories, make-up and perfume...for the sellers it's all about margins
for the buyers it's all about getting a piece of the brand for less money
You can't afford Dior couture?
No problem, just spritz yourself with Dior perfume and feel the Diorescenceness of it all

Akris is a great line, probably because the designs are tasteful and more importantly wearable, if you can afford a couple of thousand for a dress, but did they need to create yet another line of overpriced handbags.

Would you buy an Akris bag over a Balenciaga bag?

Correction -The Wrong Emmanuelle

Ooops...Polanski is married to Emmanuel Seigner not Emmanuel Beart.

I just can't stop mixing up all those french actresses.

And Just One More Thing

One of my astute readers called me out big time on my Roman Polanski post.
To clarify my position, Roman Polanski is scumbag, who not only got away with statutory rape, he went on to marry one of the most beautiful actresses in France, Emmanuelle Beart, or rather "she of the perpetual pubescent poutiness", make millions from his films and have an altogether charmed life.

And in spite of what these people think, I do support extraditing Polanski and introducing him to the inmate population of a California prison.
It's just that after I've witnessed the California court system in action, (anyone remember OJ?) I question the courts ability to actually get this pedophile behind bars.
Also, if you haven't read Ann Althouse's take down of Bernard Henri Levy, you should.

Around Town - Culture and Conflict

Or perhaps a better name for this post would be
Gardens and Gulags
because I was fortunate to attend two interesting but very different lectures yesterday.

The first was a presentation sponsored by the Friends of Virgina Robinson Gardens
by Erik Haskell, Professor of French Literature
and author of The Gardens of Brécy: A Lasting Landscape
The gardens of the Château du Brécy in Normandy, are one of the finest examples of 17th Century garden design in France. You are of course familiar with the vast gardens designed by Le Nôtre at Vaux-le-Vicomte and Versailles. Unlike those in terms of scale, the gardens at Brécy are a petit 4 acres. After decades in ruin, they were painstakingly recreated by the current owners of the Château, Didier and Barbara Wirth, and are now a little bijoux on a human scale of the cultural heritage of France.

Note: Even if you are not particularly interested in French History or Landscape Design, if you have an opportunity to attend a lecture by Professor Haskell, do go. He is fabulous speaker and charming man. And of course, buy his book!

Then last night I attended a speech by Kjell Magne Bondevik, the former Prime Minister of Norway, and the founder of the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights.

The speech, sponsored by PEN and The Beverly Hills Women's Club, was well attended not only by the BHWC members and their husbands, but by diplomats from Switzerland, Uruguay, Belgium and of course Norway.
The Oslo Center's mission is to promote dialogue, democracy and human rights, which is all awesome.
But with a focus on Eritrea, North Korea, and Burma...I'm not sure that "dialogue" does really any more good than singing a rousing chorus of Kumbaya. But I admire any organization that focuses attention on the North Korean gulag and mistreatment of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Jewelry Biz - Found Objects and Refound Brands

From Idex.com
After reporting this
Petra Diamonds posted an $8.6 million loss for the fiscal year, ending June 30 compared to a $25.5 profit in 2008. Group losses totaled $88.9 million, according to unaudited results announced September 29.

So why is Petra CEO Johan Dippenaar smiling?

Along with the results, the company announced the recovery of an exceptionally large rough white diamond weighing 507.55 carats at its Cullinan mine in South Africa as well as three other white diamonds of 168, 58.50 and 53.30 carats. At 507 carats, the diamond ranks as one of the top 20 largest high-quality rough diamonds ever found.

You'd be smiling too if you found a high quality, high color 507 carat diamond.

But I'm amused about the timing of the announcement. Did they find this diamond months, or even years ago, and then sit on the news until an opportune time to deflect the negative news about the annual loss?

What else going on in jewelryland?

Tiffany & Co. is opening a third store on the Las Vegas strip.

The new store will have approximately 10,000 square feet (930 square meters), a two-storey, 85-foot (25 meter) glass facade, slightly canted over the street and shaped like a diamond.

Why I wonder...can business really be that good?

Every time that I stay at the Bellagio and walk by the Tiffany store it is empty.

Granted this is anecdotal rather than hard evidence but I can' fathom how they can do enough business to justify three retail stores in one small town.

Harry Winston Q2 Retail Weak, Optimistic About Q4

• Total retail sales were down 40 percent.
• U.S. sales were down 48 percent.
• European sales were down 44 percent.
• Asian sales were down 21 percent.
• Sales in Japan were down only 5 percent.

But the good news is that Harry Winston is optimistic about Q4!

and finally we've got

Fabergé Brand Relaunched After 90 Year Hiatus

Famed jewelry brand Fabergé is being resurrected after the new owners of the brand launched a revamped jewelry line. Pieces in the new collection start at $30,000, with an average price of $200,000.

Well I don't know about you but I can hardly wait to see what they come up with in their new collection.

Especially given that the entry level price point is $30,000.

...and that all that expensive stuff will just make Beladora estate jewelry look better!