1. Is the Fashion World Changing? Brands pointed to European anti-discrimination laws to avoid answering question about diversity. In France, a controversial 1978 law regarding “data files, processing and individual liberties” prohibits the collection and processing of personal data that reveals, directly or indirectly, the racial and ethnic origins, or religion, of any persons. – Read More on the NY Times

2. Why Go to Paris When You Can Buy Hermes in Hangzhou? The share of Chinese consumers’ high-end purchases made in mainland China more than doubled from 32% in 2019 to over 70% in 2020. All the big fashion houses will need to adapt. – Read More on Bloomberg

3. RELATED READ: How a Decline in Chinese Tourists Around the World Has Hit the Luxury Sector. Most of this overseas shopping is done by women between the ages of 19 and 29, according to a 2018 survey of over 750 million Chinese people. It seems clear that as the Chinese economy recovers from coronavirus they will return to spending. Where they are able to travel and spend will have a big impact on economic recoveries from the pandemic. – Read More on TFL

4. Elon Musk Doesn’t Care About Patents. Should You? HBO tolerates theft of its core product. SpaceX forgoes patents. Knowing its software would be pirated, Microsoft followed the same strategy to build its presence in China. – Read More on HBR

5. Gap Inc. CEO Predicts Apparel Rebound as Consumers Emerge From Covid-19 Pandemic. Gap CEO Sonia Syngal has laid out a plan to revive the long-struggling company by closing hundreds of Gap and Banana Republic stores, cutting the number of items it sells and pushing executives to take more creative risks with the flagship brand. – Read More on the WSJ

6. The Absurd Nike Scandal That Has Sneakerheads Losing Their Minds: It’s unclear to what extent Ann Hebert was directly involved in her son’s lucrative endeavors, but it appears to have been enough to end her Nike career. – Read More on Slate