The annual summit on the luxury industry, the FT Business of Luxury Summit, of the prestigious British business daily, Financial Times, opened its proceedings on Thursday in Marrakech, under the theme: "The lifestyle revolution". Placed under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, this 8th edition sees the participation of more than 350 managers and representatives of the most prestigious brands and labels as well as global companies operating in this sector, in addition to financiers from the 4 corners of the world. This summit, which is being held for the first time in Africa and more precisely in Morocco, will be an opportunity to focus on a number of themes, among others, the means to diversify and strengthen this business segment, the effects of the global economic and financial crisis on this sector, as well as the macroeconomic factors that directly influence consumption habits and modes. Speaking during the opening session of this two-day summit, the publisher of the Financial Times, Mr Lionel Barber, welcomed the "excellent organisation" of this summit which, he said, comes in a particular global context marked essentially by the effects of the economic and financial crisis