The China Edit | Luxury Slowdown, Alipay's EPass, Versace, Hermès

"The Asian Luxury Market Is Stumbling" (AFP)
"Protests in Hong Kong, an economic slowdown and anti-corruption drive in China and a coup in Thailand: Asia is no longer a market of constant growth for luxury goods firms."

"China's Alipay Offers EPass Payment Service for U.S. Retail Websites" (LA Times)
"China's 500 million online shoppers will soon have an easier way to shop in the U.S. Alipay, the payments unit recently spun off from Chinese e-commerce powerhouse Alibaba, is launching a service for U.S. retailers called EPass."

"Versace Sidesteps Corruption Crackdown to Maintain China Growth" (Financial Times)
"Versace's sales in China are still growing at a "double-digit" pace in spite of the economic slowdown and a crackdown on corruption that has dented sales of other luxury brands."

"China's Jet Set Spends Overseas, While Luxury Sales Rise in the U.S." (Business Week)
"For the first time since Boston consultancy Bain & Co. began tracking the global luxury market, overall sales of luxury goods declined in mainland China over the first eight months of 2014."

"Hermès' Chinese Brand Slow to Gain Traction" (The Wall Street Journal)
"Hermès doesn't expect its Chinese brand to break even until 2016, a date that consultants say reflects its slow traction in China and the difficulties it faces in the midst of Beijing's crackdown on luxury gift-giving by officials."