Fashion 2.0
This year was all about engaging consumers in fresh and more personalised ways. While social media platforms such as Facebook remain the most popular channels (Burberry leads the pack with 9.5 million fans), specially directed films or videos became a hot trend. One of the most memorable was Lanvin's quirky autumn-winter campaign in which models Karen Elson and Raquel Zimmermann dance awkwardly to a Pitbull tune. Then there are the cool newcomers such as Moda Operandi, an online luxury fashion retailer that allows members to pre-order runway pieces before they hit stores. Getting your fashion fix has never been so fast.
The McQueen effect
The royal wedding was the first in a series of events that would further propel the brand into the international spotlight. Despite the tragic loss of its founder last year, McQueen experienced a renaissance thanks to Burton. The brand unveiled its first retrospective, Savage Beauty, at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, which drew 661,509 visitors, making it the eighth-most-visited exhibition in the museum's history.
After dressing first lady Michelle Obama for the China state dinner, McQueen opened its first store in Beijing with a fabulous party in which its Paris autumn-winter show was restaged. As the icing on the cake, Burton bagged the Designer of the Year award at the British Fashion Awards last month. Without a doubt, Lee McQueen would have been proud.
Bride wars