Influencing, leather and a new generation
ILM Editor Megan Thomas reflects on leather "influencers" and what their popularity says about the future of the industry, from Gen Z's opinions on luxury to items that are made to last. Read More...
Business insights for the global leather community
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Chanel sales rise as Blazy collections drive demand
Chanel’s comparable revenue has reportedly increased 16% in the first half of 2026, outperforming several major luxury rivals, according to Bloomberg financial reporting, as demand strengthened following the debut of creative director Matthieu Blazy’s first collections. Read More...
Leather goods drive strong Hermès H1 2026
French luxury brand Hermès has reported consolidated revenue of €8.2 billion for the first half of 2026, up 6.1% at constant exchange rates and 1.6% at current exchange rates compared with the same period last year. Read More...
Burberry momentum continues as Q1 sales rise 5%
Burberry has reported continued sales growth in the first quarter of FY27, building on the momentum seen in FY26, with comparable retail sales rising 5% and growth led by the Americas and Greater China. Read More...
Italian police raid luxury brands in widening labour exploitation probe
Aggregated sources have confirmed that the Italian police have raided the offices of several luxury fashion brands, including Bulgari and Chanel, as part of an expanding investigation into alleged labour exploitation involving Chinese-owned subcontractors in the country's luxury goods supply chain. Read More...
France and Italy pledge closer cooperation
France and Italy have committed to strengthening cooperation to support the competitiveness of Europe's fashion and luxury industries, according to a joint statement issued following the 36th Franco-Italian Summit in Cannes in June. Read More...
LVMH Innovation Award to spotlight luxury tech pioneers at VivaTech 2026
Luxury goods group LVMH will recognise three technology partners during VivaTech 2026 through its annual LVMH Innovation Award, highlighting solutions that are helping shape the future of the luxury industry. Read More...
Chanel tops US$19 billion in sales as profit and cash flow climb
Chanel has reported revenue of US$19.26 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025, an increase of 3.0% from US$18.69 billion in 2024, while operating profit rose 5.2% to US$4.71 billion. Read More...
Resilient Q1 2026 growth for Hermès
French luxury brand Hermès has reported consolidated revenue of €4.1 billion for the first quarter of 2026, representing a 6% increase at constant exchange rates, although sales declined 1% at current exchange rates due to a €290 million negative currency impact. Read More...
RLSD International Student Design Competition 2026 opens for entries
The Real Leather. Stay Different. (RLSD) International Student Design Competition 2026 has officially opened, inviting students in fashion, footwear and accessories design to submit entries by June 30, 2026. Submissions are free and open to participants worldwide. Read More...
