Luxury soles, Chinese choices, Oliveira Baptista’s Lacoste

Stepping Into the Sole of Luxury (WSJ)
“The U.K.’s reputation for making the finest cars, building the most luxurious ocean liners and running the greatest leading hotels may have waned, but in the county of Northamptonshire… workshops still produce what are regarded by many as the finest gentlemen’s shoes in the world.”

China’s rich: Armani or Vuitton? (FT)
“The country now boasts 1,900 renminbi billionaires – a third more than in 2009, and a stark jump from 24 in 2008 – and 875,000 renminbi millionaires. And so, with increasing numbers of Chinese making more money than they can spend, it’s useful to know: what do they want.”

A New Vision for Lacoste: Felipe Oliveira Baptista (Dazed Digital)
“Four months into his new gig (replacing Christophe Lemaire, who is now at the helm of Hermès), the Paris-based fashion designer sits down with Dazed Digital to talk about his visions for the famous sportswear brand.”