VOA标准英语2011--Luxury Retail a Bright Spot in Drab Glob

Luxury Retail¹ a Bright Spot in Drab Global Economy

As slow economic growth and high unemployment continue to stress the United States and other parts of the world, economists³ say many of the world’s wealthy are continuing to shop at designer stores, making big purchases. The global economy has also affected⁴ the luxury retail industry.
Luxury shopping
In the heart of Beverly Hills, tourists and the rich flock to Rodeo Drive -- a street famous for its designer brands and high-priced stores. It is where C.C. Hong and her family are spending their last week in the United States, before returning to Malaysia. “We think it’s a good time to buy right now,” she said.
Hong says the relatively⁵ low value of the dollar has made everything in the United States cheaper than in Malaysia. She just purchased a limited-edition Coach handbag, calling it a bargain. “About $650 U.S," she said. "Back home [it] probably [is] double the price.”
"This has actually been one of the few bright spots of the economy, mostly because it’s affluent⁶ consumers who continuously spend in this segment of retail,” Economist² Armen Bedroussian stated. He is with the Milken Institute research center in California, and says that was not the case during the recent global economic recession. The wealthy curbed⁷ their spending.
Beverly Hills fashion designer Pol Atteu had to lay off all his employees. “At one point, I had over 35 people working for me. I was the number one seller at Saks Fifth Avenue [stores], I sold to Neimans [Neiman Marcus stores],” Atteu said.
As these luxury department stores suffered in 2008, Atteu’s relationship with them ended.
“If you’re looking at luxury retails⁸ like Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, these types of retailers⁹ -- they took a big hit because a lot of their market were these aspirational¹⁰ wealthy, those who really save up and try and buy something that is a big treat for themselves," David Winter explained.
Winter is with the Luxury Marketing¹¹ Council, which represents many of the world's major luxury goods and services companies. He says luxury shoppers are starting to spend again. But he says the ultra-rich around the world have not been affected by weak economies.
Supply and demand
“We are noticing every month, there seems to be more and more interest, bigger and bigger projects,” Jamie Adler said. Adler owns Phyllis Morris, a company that designs, manufactures and sells luxury furniture.
“Our beds start at $20,000 and they can go up to $60,000 to $70,000, depending on the finishes, the size of the bed, the fabrics¹², the detailing,” she added.
Adler says that although her clients in the United States stopped spending in 2008, her business overseas has grown. “I think the dollar became more attractive and I really do think that the Internet allowed visibility for American-made products to be showcased all over the world,” she stated.
“The high-end retailers, even when they were not doing well in Europe and in the U.S., were doing very well and continue to do well and are doing even better in Russia, India, China, Brazil, what we know as BRIC countries [Brazil, Russia, India, China]. They are the ones who are driving the world economy right now,” Winter noted¹³.
But economist Armen Bedroussian cautions that recent economic turbulence¹⁴ will be felt in the luxury retail industry. “In the near term, [the] increase in the volatility¹⁵ given the recent downgrade in the U.S. credit rating, and the European debt crisis is [are] actually going to harm sales in the near future. However, I think the market would have to take a much more substantial hit for it to have a more meaningful impact on the luxury goods segment,” he stated.
Winter says the ultra rich are actually benefiting from the economic downturn. And they’re not just buying designers clothes. They are also investing in cheap real estate. “It’s the very rich people who are buying with cash and it’s also the ultra-high net worth individuals who are buying dozens of homes at a time because there’s a fire sale [i.e., at relative bargain prices]. The rich are getting richer,” he explained.
Malaysia resident C.C. Hong is not only on Rodeo Drive shopping for designer handbags. She is also in the United States looking for opportunities to invest in real estate.

1 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

2 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

6 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

7 curbed   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Advertising aimed at children should be curbed. 针对儿童的广告应受到限制。 来自辞典例句
• Inflation needs to be curbed in Russia. 俄罗斯需要抑制通货膨胀。 来自辞典例句

8 retails   

n.零售( retail的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This book retails at 10 dollars overseas. 这本书的海外零售价是十美元。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This radio retails for ＄ 14.95. 这种收音机的零售价是14美元95美分。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

10 aspirational   

志同的，有抱负的

参考例句：

• Most of the images that bombard us all are aspirational. 轰击的图像，我们都期望最大。
• Analysts said self-help and aspirational reading could explain India's high figures. 分析师们指出，自助读书、热爱读书是印度人均读书时间超过别的国家的主要原因。

11 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

12 fabrics   

织物( fabric的名词复数 )； 布； 构造； （建筑物的）结构（如墙、地面、屋顶）：质地

参考例句：

• cotton fabrics and synthetics 棉织物与合成织物
• The fabrics are merchandised through a network of dealers. 通过经销网点销售纺织品。

13 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

14 turbulence   

n.喧嚣，狂暴，骚乱，湍流

参考例句：

• The turbulence caused the plane to turn over.空气的激流导致飞机翻转。
• The world advances amidst turbulence.世界在动荡中前进。

15 volatility   

n.挥发性，挥发度，轻快，（性格）反复无常

参考例句：

• That was one reason why volatility was so low last year.这也是去年波动性如此低的原因之一。
• Yet because volatility remained low for so long,disaster myopia prevailed.然而，由于相当长的时间里波动性小，灾难短视就获胜了。