'De-malling", "airport cities" and "the paradox of thrift" are just some of the phrases I took home with me, along with a très chic goodie bag, from MAPIC, the largest retail property trade fair in Europe, held in Cannes last week.
Although I'm always prepared for a bit of jargon busting at trade fairs (where everyone talks in sound bites), I hadn't reckoned on the language of "property retailese" being so complicated.
But hey, if you are going to brush up on the industry that ultimately keeps high fashion ticking over - never mind if Marc Jacobs says spots are the new black, without this lot there would be no Marc Jacobs shops to buy spots in - it doesn't get better than spending three days sur la Côte d'Azur.
Here, once a year, the spectacular location of the Palais Des Festivals, a 28,000-square-metre exhibition centre with 18 vast auditoriums and a 3,000 metre-high glass rotunda ceiling overlooking the twinkling Mediterranean - and Roberto Cavalli's 133ft yacht, which changes colour as the temperature rises - plays home to some serious dudes-in-suits mapping out where the newest malls and shopping centres will go globally.
Large plastic sculptures of sweets lining the Boulevard de La Croisette, Cannes' very French, very flashy strip leading to the exhibition centre, were the legacy of the G20 Summit, which took place a few weeks ago, luring Nicolas Sarkozy and Barack Obama to the south of France.
The exhibition centre's permanent red carpet, meanwhile, serves to remind you this is the spot that draws the most famous actresses and actors in the world.
If it's good enough for Angelina and Brad, it's also good enough for the owners of the land on which sit the shops who kit them out on the red carpet if you get my drift.
The conference was less about the glamour industry of frocks and more about the hard-hitting business of money and investment. Despite the global recession, numbers of investors and representatives from luxury brands such as Prada and Burberry were up 10 per cent on last year, buoyed by soaring figures from emerging markets.
At one, I learnt about "The Paradox of Thrift", where people think they are saving money but are in fact spending vast amounts on iconic brands seen as investment worthy.
In another talk entitled "How to Mix Culture and Shopping", the Mall of the Emirates in Dubai was singled out for its innovative strategies to get people to visit what is primarily a shopping location. Having Ski Dubai and a 550-seater multi-cinema complex guarantees the mall remains busy even when shops are shut.
Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, one of the rising number of "Airport Cities", houses a permanent museum, and the Quais d'Ivry shopping centre in France, which hosts craft events and attractions, is another example.
Globally, the number of attendees visiting malls is down due to the emergence of e-commerce. In response malls are slowly taking over the function of civic centres, with a drive towards education, entertainment and leisure (now known as "mall culture").
"Culture is not just classical music - it's anything people can share; something that creates a sense of community," I scribbled down.
"De-malling" (dissecting the stereotypical mall back into something reminiscent of the ancient "streets maze" bazaar-type shopping area), was another idea put forth.
Vittorio Radice - the businessman who began his professional career with Sir Terence Conran in Habitat, as the buying director, before moving to Italy's Rinascente store as the chief executive (via Selfridges and M&S) - talked about a re-appreciation of the artisan (something Louis Vuitton is already doing, showing craftsmen making bags in-store). He also warned about the homogenisation of malls and high streets.
Anyone who travels will be aware of Radice's fears. There is nothing more depressing than travelling thousands of miles only to discover a Starbucks, McDonald's and H&M on the corner.
In the context of Cannes, where there was a refreshing absence of all three, the message was driven home particularly well.
Although the Boulevard de la Croisette has its fair share of Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana and Valentino boutiques - similar to, say, New York's Fifth Avenue - set against a backdrop of palm trees, outstanding hotels (Le Grand, The Carlton, The Martinez) and sheer space, the result is unmistakably, utterly Cannes.
If ever there was a place where aggressive property retail developers eager to put their identikit stamp on the world might momentarily look around them and be glad of some of the tightest property laws in the world, this town is it.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
The specs: 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
Price, base: Dh399,999
Engine: Supercharged 6.2-litre V8
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 707hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 875Nm @ 4,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 16.8L / 100km (estimate)
NINE WINLESS GAMES
Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace (Oct 27, PL)
Liverpool 5-5 Arsenal (Oct 30, EFL)
Arsenal 1-1 Wolves (Nov 02, PL)
Vitoria Guimaraes 1-1 Arsenal (Nov 6, Europa)
Leicester 2-0 Arsenal (Nov 9, PL)
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton (Nov 23, PL)
Arsenal 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt (Nov 28, Europa)
Norwich 2-2 Arsenal (Dec 01, PL)
Arsenal 1-2 Brighton (Dec 05, PL)
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Match info:
Wolves 1
Boly (57')
Manchester City 1
Laporte (69')