Qatari investors for Valentino, Choo profits, Cash strapped Italy, Mobile marketing, Alaia invasion

Qatari royal family in talks for Valentino brand (FT)
"The Qatari royal family is in advanced talks with private equity firm Permira over the sale of Valentino, the Italian luxury brand, for between €550-€600m. The sale talks come five years after Permira purchased Valentino Fashion Group in a deal worth €2.6bn. It has since been forced to write down the value of its investment heavily."

Jimmy Choo steps up its profit by 19 per cent (Independent)
"The demand for 5in-heeled Jimmy Choo shoes – as demonstrated recently by the Duchess of Cambridge, left – is showing no signs of waning, helping the luxury brand post a 19.2 per cent leap in profit."

Cash-strapped Italians ignore summer sales (Reuters)
"Sales on the opening day of summer discounts in Italian stores slumped compared with last year, consumer group Codacons said, as shoppers struggle to cope with tax rises, recession, stagnant wages and unemployment."

4 Rules for Luxury Brand Mobile Marketing (Mashable)
"Through video and other forms of brand content, luxury brands have become media companies and content marketers selling a vision of an exclusive lifestyle attainable only by a select few. This new media has not, however, been effectively translated for the mobile audience."

Azzedine Alaia invades Avenue Montaigne (FT)
"The Maison will be Alaia's first outpost since Jacqueline Schnabel closed the New York boutique in 1992, and as such is a testament to the growth of the brand over the last few years."