Gucci CEO Patrizio di Marco says the brand combines its 90-year luxury heritage to strengthen its position at the upper end of the market

A: Gucci's heritage and Florentine roots are inseparable from Gucci's identity, so to tell our customers about our heritage and our craftsmanship is to help better inform them about who we are. To demonstrate this, we had our artisans go around the world to show first-hand their expertise. We opened a museum to honour the history of our craftsmanship. And Frida Giannini [Gucci's creative director] upgraded the whole product offering and gave new life to our icons - such as the Jackie, the Bamboo and the Horse Bit Loafer - bringing our heritage into the present and the future.

A: Frida and I believe that the brand should capitalise on its unique dual soul, combining its 90-year luxury heritage with its fashion leadership. With this vision in mind, we were able to distil our strategy into a simple phrase that encapsulates the balance we seek: "Forever Now". It ... refers to our heritage and ... our modernity. When Frida and I decided to [set up] the Gucci Museo, the strategy was to present our story in a dynamic and engaging way. The Museo is very much a reflection of Gucci's "Forever Now" appeal.

A: The Chinese market and Chinese luxury consumers have recorded not just an incredible growth in the past seven or eight years, but also a remarkable evolution. Chinese customers' preferences have [developed], and [that] has happened much faster than anticipated. This is very much influenced by the Chinese client's enhanced mobility - travelling to places such as Italy or France and seeing the full range of possibilities available to them. This pushes us to work even harder at creating a seamless brand experience across our entire retail network.

A: Hong Kong remains one of the world's most influential and dynamic markets for the luxury sector. One of the things we are working on in Hong Kong is to better differentiate our stores to cater to the diverse clientele we serve there. This will allow us to bring a fuller representation of the world of Gucci to Hong Kong.

A: Corporate social responsibility is a way we do business. Last year, we launched "Chime for Change", one of the most ambitious and innovative humanitarian and philanthropic projects this sector has ever seen. "Chime for Change" has raised nearly US$5 million, funding more than 300 projects in 81 countries, with over 100 non-profit partners. Moreover, Beyoncé - a founding member of "Chime for Change" - in June committed to donate US$500,000 to fund projects for girls and women. That same week, Gucci donated 10 per cent of sales from our Fifth Avenue flagship store from June 2 to 5 to further support Shining Hope for Communities, Millennium Promise in partnership with Embrace Innovations, and Girls for Gender Equity.