Simons was subtle in his approach

the more likely successor of the two, according to Luca Solca, an analyst at Exane BNP Paribas. While Berluti is important, it’s less so than Vuitton, which accounts for more than half of LVMH’s 5.9 billion euros of profit, Solca said.tion was better than usual, too many of the Gaultier standards, like zippered leather dresses, feel impervious to change  Hermes constance handbag. In his July haute couture show, Raf Simons of Dior included dresses and jewelry inspired by African motifs and colors. They were a small but distinctive part of a show aimed at global style. If Mr. Simons was subtle, Phoebe Philo used a magnifying glass on Sunday in her Céline collection. uture show, Mr. Simons included dresses and jewelry inspired by African motifs and colors. They were a small but distinctive part of a collection aimed at reflecting global style.

 If Mr. Simons was subtle in his approach, Ms. Phil Those African motifs were now fat squiggles of color (yellow, blue, red, green) on tunics; the jewelry became big and loopy, and sometimes cagily evoked John Chamberlain’s crushed metal sculptures. It was a clever show, in more ways than one. Ms. Philo knows how to pile on the eye candy and get everyone worked up. There were the new pillow-shaped leather clutch bags with a Hermes evelyne silver-rimmed porthole; the sculptural metal heels on shoes, relating to contemporary art (and a cobbler’s nightmare); the reworking of some of her earlier fabrics, like black netting for skirts, and a very smart continuation of her fall proportio Her appointment at the handbag maker, which stages its women

’s fashion show this week, is “a huge Hermes faux crocodileendorsement” for the top job, the analyst said. Others are betting on Antoine. Delphine’s job at Vuitton has more to do with signaling to investors Arnault’s commitment to reviving the fading brand, according to Mario Ortelli, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein. Antoine, 36, is more likely to replace his father because he has better people management skills, the analyst said. Extrovert, Introvert “Antoine is more extrovert. Delphine is more introvert,” Ortelli said. “Delphine can have a very important role but more in the way of a shareholder or chairman, not a manager. Antoine can be the face of the group.” Delphine and Antoine differ as much as the tasks their father has asked them to do, according to people who have worked with them. The siblings declined to be in