Bits and Bytes
The “inhale” shape, crisp lines and cool greenish whites of the Xbox 360, a gaming console from Microsoft that will make its debut at the end of the year, signal the company’s first foray into high-concept hardware design à la Apple.
Portugal’s Petratex Makes Clothes Without Sewing
In what is probably a first, Portuguese manufacturer Petratex is constructing activewear for Nike using only fused seams and no thread.
The Automated Mystery Shopper
It’s no mystery: You can learn a lot about a competitor by browsing its Web store.
Rich Move
Buoyed by the success of a small-scale test that tripled shopper-to-buyer conversion rates online, Anthropologie is now expanding its use of advanced Internet graphics and special effects to build sales and strengthen its bonds with customers.
Burberry’s IT Bounce
In the eight years since Rose Marie Bravo joined Burberry as chief executive, the company’s market value has increased tenfold, there’s preparation for a full flotation on the London Stock Exchange and designer Christopher Bailey has become a fashion world favorite, infusing the company’s well-tailored, weather-proof heritage with a classy, youthful flair.
Louis Vuitton’s Time Out
A new workforce management initiative in Louis Vuitton’s U.S. stores drives savings to the bottom line and store managers to the front of the store.