Links: The Sheikh of Chic, Fragrance failures, and Made in Italy

Majed Al-Sabah, The Sheikh of Chic (New York Times, The Moment)
Sheikh Majed Al-Sabah is the guest blogger on 'The Moment' this week. Majed's first posting gives his perspective on bringing Western luxury brands to the Middle East and the second reflects on the Middle East "youthquake." It makes for interesting reading, particularly as the Middle East is one of the most promising markets for luxury brands. Majed reveals how this wasn't always the case.

Why the Perfume Business is Beginning to Stink (The Wall Street Journal)
Perfumes used to be a guaranteed money-spinner for fashion brands and a way for the masses to buy into the carefully woven dreams of fashion designers. This article suggests that the economics of perfumes may have finally tipped, as the market is flooded with new scents from fashion houses and celebrities.

Made in Italy...by undocumented workers (Agence France Press) 
The backlash from Rai3's documentary on the Made in Italy label continues. AFP reports that as much as one third of the fashion product in Italy is made by illegal labour, though the problem is not necessarily restricted to the fashion industry. According to AFP, the percentage is probably just as high for other sectors.