Articles by AFP
The 10 million dollar bag: Original Birkin smashes records at Paris auction
The first-ever Birkin bag designed by French luxury brand Hermes for celebrity Jane Birkin sold for 8.58 million euros (10 million dollars) at a Sotheby's auction in Paris on Thursday, smashing previous price records for a handbag. The modern design classic, owned by a well-known Paris-based handbag collector, sparked a telephone bidding war up...
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E-commerce: Belgium faces "tsunami" of parcels from China
Brussels (Belgium) - A Belgian economic body believes that Belgium is facing a "tsunami" of small parcels sent by major players in Chinese e-commerce. It has stated that Belgium must urge the European Union to accelerate its customs reform, according to an opinion obtained on Thursday by AFP. The EU has been working for two years on a customs...
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Viktor & Rolf's "inflated" proposal in Paris
The Dutch duo Viktor & Rolf once again employed irony with a show that displayed 15 pairs of black dresses. The dresses were replete with pleats and layers of fabric (tulle, crinoline and others), in a style reminiscent of the austere gowns of the 19th century. Each pair of garments was exactly the same. However, one of the two was inflated with...
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Syrian designer Rami Al Ali to make history at Paris Couture Week
As well as being optimistic about the future of his war-ravaged country, Rami Al Ali has other reasons to be upbeat: he is about to become the first Syrian fashion designer to show his work at Paris Haute Couture Week. The invitation to appear on the world's most prestigious fashion stage is a huge endorsement for the 53-year-old from the...
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Robert Wun unveils theatrical silhouettes at Haute Couture Week
Paris - Hong Kong designer Robert Wun presented his new collection with cinematic accents in Paris on Wednesday, the third day of Haute Couture Week. Entitled "Becoming", this AW25 collection is "a nostalgic exploration of the ritual of dressing and the profound role fashion plays in life's most important moments," the designer explained in a...
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Hermès heirs top French fortune ranking in 2025, dethroning Arnault
Paris - The Hermès heirs benefited from the luxury group's strong stock market performance in 2025. This allowed them to take the top spot in the annual ranking of French professional fortunes. The ranking was published on Wednesday by Challenges magazine. They dethroned Bernard Arnault and his family. Since the start of 2025, Hermès has shown...
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Temu's "uncontrolled growth" in the French market
After an "explosion in sales" in 2024, the Chinese online commerce platform Temu accelerated its presence in the French market in early 2025. This move was in response to US protectionism, which is encouraging its "uncontrolled growth", according to a Joko application study relayed to AFP on Tuesday. This shopping application questioned, "Who...
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Chanel autumn/winter 2025: a winter of elegance and comfort
Paris – Chanel presented a glamorous and understated Haute Couture collection at the Grand Palais in Paris on Tuesday. This is the last collection designed by its in-house creative studio before the highly anticipated debut of new artistic director Matthieu Blazy. For the autumn/winter 2025 season, the French fashion house reinvents winter...
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Bangladesh hopes for trade agreement with US
Dhaka, July 8, 2025 – Bangladesh, the world's second-largest textile manufacturer, still hopes to reach an agreement with the US to avoid the sharp rise in customs duties threatened by Donald Trump. A senior official told AFP on Tuesday. The textile industry contributes 80 percent of the South Asian country's total exports. One-fifth of its...
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Iris Van Herpen dresses women as a jellyfish, Schiaparelli launches them into the future
Paris – Designer Iris Van Herpen proposed a descent into the deep sea on the first day of Paris Fashion Week Haute Couture. The spectacular show included laser lights that sculpted her creations as they moved down the runway. Known for her fusion of high technology and fashion, the Dutch designer presented skin-tight dresses. These dresses...
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