In most parts of the world, "well-edited" is one of the highest compliments given to a boutique. But in Russian retail, as with many other things, the less-is-more ethos is a foreign concept. Rather than fill retail spaces with a succinct selection of painstakingly chosen items, Moscow's multi-brand boutiques contain an assortment of labels more extensive than any we've seen to date, and that's even with an economic crisis looming...

The Marc Jacobs brand is arguably one of the most dynamic labels in the current marketplace. Sales were up 30%, at last check, while advertising campaigns remain gossip page fodder and boutiques continue opening at a rapid pace, most recently in Paris and Moscow. We caught up with Patrick Duffy, vice-president of Marc Jacobs, while he was in Moscow to launch the brand's first boutique in conjunction with the Landau Fashion Group...