PARIS, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A decline in luxury goods markets has pressured several European companies to scale back on workforce or expansion plans, the companies said.
French fashion icon Chanel canceled a posh art show at the last minute a week ago and said it would lay off 200 employees in Paris, The Times of London reported Tuesday.
With a global workforce of 16,000, Chanel's announcement "in the world of luxury goods … has the impact of a bombshell," the newspaper Le Parisien said.
Luxury conglomerate LVMH has also scaled back, canceling plans to build a mega-store in Tokyo, The Times said.
The company's share value fell 44 percent in 2008. Similarly, Richemont, owners of Cartier and Montblanc, suffered a sharp fall in share values this year.
In total, profits in the luxury goods market is expected to reach $239 billion this year, the newspaper said.
