Growing sales at Dior and Richemont

Christian Dior and Richemont have shown demand for luxury goods has not been hit by flagging consumer sentiment like other retail sectors. Christian Dior – parent of the world’s biggest luxury goods group LVMH – said its 2004 sales were up six per cent to £9.17 billion. The firm – which comprises both LVMH and the Christian Dior haute couture label – also expected that business would continue on an upward trend, with forecasts for a 25 per cent growth in operating profit at its couture arm to £34.8m.

At Christian Dior couture, whose collections are designed by John Galliano, Hedi Slimane and Victoire de Castellane, sales rose 12 per cent in the fourth quarter, helped by strong growth in Asia and the United States. That took full-year turnover growth at the couture label – which sells goods at 184 worldwide boutiques – to 18 per cent on an underlying basis, to £414.5 million.

Meanwhile, Richemont’s sales rose nine per cent during the key Christmas quarter on fresh customer interest for expensive gems, as jewellery and watch sales shone, the company said. Stripping out the effects of exchange-rate movements, sales rose 13 per cent in the October-December period, the Swiss group said. The group’s jewellery brands, including Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, saw a seven per cent rise in sales in the October-December period.

Click Here: Tienda Chivas