 Posted: Wed 9:56, 23 Mar 2011 Post subject: |
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| A design room of Tod’s breathes tradition. Its chairman refuses to move production outside Italy. More Photos »
Sant’Elpidio a Mare, Italy Add to Portfolio Geox Saks Incorporated Benetton Group SpA Luxottica Group SpA Motorola Inc Go to your Portfolio » SOMETHING wasn’t right about the black sport shoes that Diego Della Valle wore on a recent stroll around the sleek campus and factory that form the heart of the Tod’s luxury shoe empire here. “I don’t like the way they feel,” declares Mr. Della Valle, the chairman of Tod’s, stopping mid-stride to study his feet more closely. “It’s the part around the toes,” he says. “It needs to be rounder.” Mr. Della Valle does things the old-fashioned way: by instinct. To find out if a new style of shoes will work in the marketplace, he doesn’t need focus groups or poll testing — he wears them. After a few days, if they’re not to his liking, he renders his verdict: “These won’t go into production.” Despite running Tod’s like a traditional, Old World family business, Mr. Della Valle has turned it into a successful multinational, multibillion-dollar company, whose buttery leather moccasins adorn the feet of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco, Gwyneth Paltrow and thousands of other loyalists around the world. Around his sweeping white office, there are no computers and no iPhones; Mr. Della Valle, 56, feels more comfortable clinging to an outdated Motorola cellphone. Above him looms the painted silhouette of President John F. Kennedy, one of his idols. His father, Dorino, 85, whose business in hand-cobbled shoes was transformed by Mr. Della Valle into a family empire, still shuffles in each day with a silver-knobbed cane to inspect things. Across the hall, Mr. Della Valle’s younger brother, Andrea, manages operations; he is also co-owner of the Fiorentina soccer team that Tod’s bought in 2002. But if relying on tradition is a fading style in the modern luxury market, that is what has kept this company growing. “We don’t take risks,” says Mr. Della Valle, who has kept the business concentrated on shoes and handbags. “We want to guarantee our customers we’re giving them the best.” While he never gambles with Tod’s itself,Tod's Shoes, he occasionally does go out on a limb. Since 2009, he has amassed a 9 percent holding in Saks Inc., making him the second-largest shareholder, behind the Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helú. Mr. Della Valle says he became interested in the retailer on his first visit to the United States as a youth, when he stopped in at a Saks Fifth Avenue store — to which his father used to sell high-quality shoes — and was “overwhelmed by the size of the store and by the amount of people shopping.” He says he views Saks as having "enormous potential for growth with an excellent management in place.” All the investment comes from Mr. Della Valle’s own private purse and is not linked to Tod’s. Though he refuses to say if he is pursuing a takeover, he bought the shares when they were a bargain and has said he has no plans to sell. Something else he hasn’t done is follow the trend of other Italian-based multinational companies that are moving production to cheaper points like China, even as the luxury industry stakes much of its future on the growing ranks of wealthy people there. Tod’s has 24 stores in China, and Mr. Della Valle is making Beijing his first stop on an Asian tour this month. A men’s crocodile loafer, which retails for 3,500 euros, or about $4,850, costs 1,590 euros for Tod’s to produce in Italy. Making it in China would reduce the cost by half. But while “Made in Italy” may cost more, Mr. Della Valle says he still thinks it is worth the price. He sniffs at companies like Geox, which has sent most manufacturing of its Italian-designed shoes abroad. Thanks to cheaper labor, Geox had strong margins until the financial crisis hit, but now its performance has stumbled. Tod’s, by contrast, must defend its margins by passing the costs of hand-stitching, expensive leathers and continued innovation on to consumers, which it can do only by promoting exclusivity. “For true luxury brands, lowering prices by outsourcing is not something they could really ever consider as a strategy for growth,” said Davide Vimercati, the chief analyst for luxury goods at UniCredit in Milan. On the other hand, he said, Tod’s is “certainly giving up some profitability because they don’t spend less on manufacturing.” Even if outsourcing shoes and handbags could plump the bottom line, the strategy of Tod’s has paid off — and seems likely to keep doing so as long as it stays a premium brand with universal appeal. It was one of the few luxury companies worldwide to increase sales and profits through the financial crisis: profit grew from 77 million euros in 2007 to 83 million in 2008 and 86 million last year. |
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| Posted: Sat 16:15, 19 Mar 2011 Post subject: |
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| Capsule Hotel Shanghai Photo: Xinmin Evening News
located near the Shanghai Railway Station North Square, a According to hotel staff, the steel frame of the Let cool air-conditioning, a pillow quilts,流鼻血, fans, adjustable lighting, alarm, power socket, LCD TV, but also to surf. Grid divided into 68 rooms A, B, C three districts, and another bathroom, toilet,moncler piumini, smoking area, canteen and storage materials areas. Basic fee received 28 yuan per person, plus four yuan per hour, such as a bath to sleep on sleep, 10 hours is 68 yuan. According to the investigation which is the first capsule hotel, Shanghai,moncler sito ufficiale 商场厕所装门禁系统 如厕需办, the not the same,moncler piumini 同事回忆龚曲此里与战友间生死之情,moncler uomo, do not pack the tenant is a long way,Moncler donna, and here is the hour of the hotel. started in Japan, capsule hotels fire to Britain, France, Germany and other countries, not only convenient but also low-carbon economy and environmental protection, not only loved by backpackers, but also white-collar office a good place for a moment at ease. (General News Agency, |
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| Posted: Sat 12:20, 19 Mar 2011 Post subject: _ORIGI~2 |
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| the Financial Forum »spring evening listening to the rain>> [original] motherly love
always want to pick up the pen to write something mother, because of the recent work of busy writing skills in addition is limited, so the delay pen to paper. Tomorrow is mother's birthday, just to take advantage of spare time to rest today, write a small paper gift mother. I understand that in any way make up for it with gratitude the mother language is redundant, I understand that any rhetoric can hardly express the mother of the children's share of selfless love. ; --- inscription So far, I've done a lot of dreams. Some dreams make me happy nostalgia, and some dream scared me terrified. life would like this, remember fading memory, look back on the late years, but it is it not in joy and grief, spent hovering between gains and losses. In fact, I do not want this, I've always thought of a simple normal life, have been trying to find in the hope that their relaxed state of mind to fill and the abundance of daily life tedious. Can often backfire, often caught off guard between the vulnerability of infection, sorrow of the heart. Water in the lonely night, secretly likes wet, your soul to bleed out the drying in the dark, how can the resurrection in the humid darkness? This practice of self-deception return for mold and decay the wound, even if temporary, can play a slow drying, can be dicey for every day of the storm, the wounds are still biting pain. Every time, they will think of my mother, because mothers know their daughter, the most understanding of her daughter's mind. Mother was the sea is blue sky, the prairie is the clouds. She appreciates and inclusive of all of my strengths and weaknesses, she soothe my mind and body sores and dark Ming injury, because your mother does not flaunt your wealth and not because of your lowly and abandon you. mother, the great and sacred words. Maternal love, the eternal subject, platitudes, enduring favorite. Bring the mother, and a look of sunshine, think of maternal love, infinitely warm the hearts of emission. Mother, you gave her life, feeding his daughter grow up, you teach her culture, but also to teach her daughter how to behave, you are the daughter of good friends in life, is the daughter of a loyal mentor. Mother, your every move, every word, should influence the daughter. Your goodness, kindness, always infected with a strong character, encouraging her daughter. mother, your daughter should learn to be strong regular education with himself, and learn to understand and tolerance, learn empathy issues. In her way of life after marriage, although stumble Ke trip, but more pleased and happy. Chunchun teachings because your daughter has always engraved in mind. In the long years, her daughter deeply understand, Tolerance and silence can make the sharp event saved the day; understanding and tolerance can smoke scattered cloud and psychological conflicts; empathy can be more aware of their own. Mother, that you let her daughter know how to Thanksgiving, and how to respect, how to love everyone around him, including once to bring her daughter deeply hurt people. mother, born to my babbling, walking from the staggered to my future adults, have devoted every step of the growth of the hardships and your selfless efforts. After getting married, and you have more than ten years apart, but in my compromise on, window-dressing of the day, in my blazing, daytime and years to come, in my despair, sadness, miserable and helpless time, the first time You think of the mother, the happy marriage of my home, I always think of that house before marriage, it is a warm haven, where carefree childhood I have my girlhood's bright smile. life's long road, there are dark clouds and dusty; a color Toru cloud Qu, Ji Yu Hong elimination. Mother is always dependent on my heart, my heart belongs, every time my heart like leaves swaying in the wind, whenever I'm depressed to a negative point can not be relieved, as long as Shout at the bottom of my heart gently mother, somewhere, My mother seemed to sense the call, she looked at me kind of good temperature, to encourage and comfort me, my heart will then clean, spacious and very inviting Lang. mother worried about children traveling thousands of miles. Occupying every time I travel overseas, my mother always asked thousands exhort million regular phones being, cold medicine with yet? Warm belt she was not? Go to a strange place, everything must be careful, know how to take care of themselves. Perhaps in the eyes of mothers, children, the children always grow up, in short, the mother is ten thousand do not trust, ever worried about her daughter. Mother, I'm sorry. Ten years ago, her daughter will never forget that dark day, a flying Henghuo daughter taken to hospital. Shortly after the death of his father, afraid you can not afford double the pain, the daughter hide the truth so big the first time you spread the big lie, panic, said his daughter to travel for some time, due to time constraints, not enough time to say goodbye with you. Mother and daughter know that you always trust her daughter, her daughter's remarks on the words you are no doubt stall. In your old home to see her daughter recovered,Tod's Men's Shoes, the hospital the night before, where your brother from the outspoken understand the truth. The moment you see her, his arms tightly to her daughter: carefully looked at the face, gently rubbing the nose under the car accident left scars, tears, murmured, not without blame, said: But you know what, you are my Xin Tourou, I am your pro-OMG? Looking at your daughter glow of frosted temples, watching you lose Guanghua eyes, looking at your face growing old daughter several times carrying your eyes moist. That the hospital, I turned down all of the entertainment business, concentrate on her family some days, the hand of the mother has many years of joint disease, according to a doctor's practice, I gently massage joints on time every day to his mother, his mother rubbed shoulders Chuibei for distributed attention mothers, mothers hand joint pain relief, sometimes to his mother easily Laoke, joking. Night my mother and I sharing a bed, like a child in the mother's arms drill, listening, feeling the familiar atmosphere of gentle mother, enjoying a rare share of platonic love. mother and daughter with heart. In fact, I know and understand the mother, since my father passed away, my mother suddenly find it difficult to let go of their loved ones leave, can not afford the sudden pain, shut ourselves up, the body lean a lot, far fewer words, we have a still harder mother to our small lives, can the mother was not strong bend, not used to always say to live. We understand the mother's temperament, she would not do, mine can not hit the move, so we are no longer reluctant. The outsider, the mother is happy, no shortage of food is no shortage of clothing, but the mother's heart is a lonely, she needs to talk to their loved ones are thinking of her, I know my daughter well enough, not a qualified daughter, I too need more exchanges with the mother, spend more time with mother. remember one time, the weather is fine, after work, visiting my mother. Something to eat dinner with his mother to accompany me to the river walk, the mother exclaimed, naturally excited. I married the first time alone with my mother like a leisurely stroll, and I helped her mother walked side by side, while the river tours with the colorful scenery, trance found in the mother's height disadvantage than I, in my memory , the mother's height is 173 cm, 4,5 cm taller than me. Oh, mother and bent! Looking at the mother bent back, my eyes moist. I am self-blame, guilt, marriage over the years, only busy with business, busy with their own small home, the mother did neglect, never really paid attention to the mother heart, love through his mother, sister, mother's care than, I feel ashamed Crime can not be forgiven, but my mother never asked me what, complained about what the mother's face in front of each sister reprove me, my mother and for the reasons I find all sorts of excuses, too busy to say I work at home work more , got the time to Huijia. under the sun How can the mother do not want to reunite with their children? Great mother's cooking, every time we go home to visit his mother and sisters Sa, the mother was always happy to ear to ear, bored in the kitchen busy preparing to do what we like to eat the food, we want to intervene in all Forget it. Mother said: to heart and maybe to meet. day I accompanied the mother river of the park turn around a large circle, I was tired, But she is still full of spirit, excited, and walked faster than I am also neat, interesting walking interest with me talking about the, how about our sister Sa child how? How about how she and my father was young? We now talk about how how the family and children? On the river of the original dilapidated appearance to talk about the splendor of the river now and so on. Perhaps the people to twilight years, like nagging, like to forgive and forget it! In short, the mother has been with me forever home chatter. off duty for the next day, that night my mother's stay, and we have been chatter until 2 am went to bed, so the next day I awakened from a dreamless rubbing eyes open, the bright morning sunshine already covered the whole room, I sat up leaning against the bed half-idle, warm and elegant room, the mother was sitting on my bed quietly gently smiling at me, eyes showing the infinite tenderness and sympathy and affection. I carefully looked at the mother, even discovered that his mother was beautiful! Hale and hearty, even the same applies forehead lines in shades of unique scenic gully, bearing the vicissitudes of her mother's life hard, silver-haired illuminated by light in the morning shine, the kind of face ... ... I could not help but indifferent calm head shoulders against the mother, what do not want to do nothing, Weibi eyes, as quiet as a child listening to my mother to say that the distant fairy tale, I continue to sing the old songs ... ... away from the mother's home, the mother reluctantly, bent on sending me down the stairs and insisted to accompany me onto the section of the road. Mother, mouth, said: , and then staring back, the mother gave me a vague figure still ahead ... ... said the daughter is a mother caring cotton jacket, your daughter will always do this daughter often not in your side, but her daughter's heart is always with you together, and like you, miss her all the time, worried about your health. Mother, daughter, being a mother finally understand the love of the world there are many, but the most permanent, most powerful, most deeply moving than motherly love. Mother, tomorrow is your birthday, we had a good discussion Sa sisters, go home to visit your old people, give you a surprise ... ... motherly love like a warm breeze was blowing, Yan fry bright, quiet beauty of autumn leaves Wan , still winter snows pure. Maternal love, like the warm sunshine, itch in me to withdraw; maternal love, like Oasis clear mountain stream, cool to flow into my heart; maternal love, is the most warm, is the most selfless and most broad, the greatest . --------- I certify that I am the author of this work, consent to works published in the Financial Forum. And that in the absence of any restrictions before publication of the case, otherwise I would like to bear all legal responsibilities. Hereby authorize the Zhejiang Investment Group Financial Investment Co., Ltd. solely responsible for the publication and reprint this work and other related matters, without Zhejiang Merchants Investment Group Co., Ltd. authorized financial, and other media all rights reserved. |
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