Luxury hotels take collaborations with fashion designers to another level At Langham Place Mong Kok, big spenders have access to Thomas Pink's vintage Morgan, as part of the Elevated Experiences service. High fashion and luxury hotels have always been connected. But it was, of course, Versace who took this to the next level, opening his first branded hotel in 2000. He paved the way for others, such as Armani, Moschino, Ferragamo and Missoni. Last September, Versace's hotel chain announced plans for a new grand hotel in Macau, designed by Donatella Versace and billed to open in 2017. Sending an online purchase to a luxury hotel ... the concept was irresistible  DEAN WINTER, SWIRE HOTELS   The designer hotel trend has evolved in recent years. Big names such as Diane Von Furstenberg, Karl Lagerfeld, Barney Cheng, BAPE and Vivienne Tam - who worked with Hong Kong's Hotel Icon - started to design exclusive suites, rooms or uniforms for h...

No deluge of diffusion brands in 2014 Michael Kors accessories As luxury brands look to tap into new consumer segments to gain greater market shares around the world in 2014, they should be wary of setting up too many diffusion lines. Brands propelled by entry-level options such as Michael Kors had record-breaking sales in 2013, but instantaneous boosts that come from subsidiary lines are not always good for long-term development. Moreover, the rise of brands going public may increase the frequency of expedient moves that raise short-term revenue. “I’m not expecting a deluge of diffusion brands this year,” said Marie Driscoll, CEO and chief consultant of Driscoll Advisors, New York. ”If anything, luxury brands tend to move slowly and cautiously regarding new businesses and are patient in brand development. “I would look for the luxury houses to get behind a few talented new designers/labels for potential growth,” she said. “The multi-brand luxury conglomer...