What does luxury powerhouse Louis Vuitton do as designers step away from haute couture and multi-national brands file for bankruptcy? They throw a party – several in fact. Still basking in the golden glow of their World Cup triumph – providing the trunk from which the cup itself traveled from Paris to Johannesburg – the legendry fashion house finally opened its long-awaited Beirut store with a string of soirees and press events. The ostentatious branded trunk facade that covered the Beirut Souqs store whilst it was being prepared came off with a fanfare, perfectly illustrating the statements of brazen confidence from Vuitton’s chief executive officer Yves Carcelle. “We were the only brand which published double digit growth 2009 worldwide, so yes there was a crisis but we didn’t feel it. We rather have the feeling that each time there is a crisis, that reinforces our market share because people in
