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FEATURE IN MEMORIAM Gloria Sachs 2 2012 BEAUTY SYMPOSIUM 4 IN MEMORIAM RTW COLLECTIONS Trend Report, Fall/Winter 2012 6 RETAIL SYMPOSIUM With an educationGloriaGloria steeped SachsSachsnamed a member of the in the arts—a degree in fine Economic Council for the City of New York—and 7 arts from Skidmore College, according to the CFDA, SOCIAL MEDIA studies in textile design at Gloria was one of the first IN MEMORIAM Cranbrook Academy of Art, instruction in painting with women .invited to be a Fernand Léger in Paris and member of that group. 8 in architecture with Gió FRONTLINERS Ponti and Franco Albini in The past two decades Italy — Gloria Sachs’ found Gloria involved in life was one of beauty, the contemporary Chinese 9 accomplishment and richly art scene and, at the time NEW MEMBERS deserved recognition and of her death, she was honors. planning to spend a month in Shanghai where she From her start as a model hoped to help set up an for Balenciaga and Balmain exchange program between THE PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE in Paris, Sachs went on to fashion design students in work as a textile designer New York and China and to and a retail fashion work on the establishment Chair executive, rising to the position of fashion director at of a Fashion Group International region in Shanghai. both Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. In the late Katie Kretschmer Sadly, Gloria Sachs passed away on March 12, at her 1950s, she founded the preteen clothing company Editor / Contributing Writer home in Manhattan. She was 85 and is survived by Gloria Sachs Red Barn and in 1970 established her her daughter, Nancy Sachs; her son, Charles; two eponymous label known for luxurious sportswear and sisters and three grandchildren. Co-Chair glamorous, sporty evening looks: subtle, fluid, simply Wendy D'Amico, Creative Consultant cut shapes done in her beautiful, signature fabrics. A member of Fashion Group International for more than 50 years, Gloria remained active in the industry Credited as the “inventor” of Capris, the shorter pants Committee of which she was so proud. “Gloria was one of the commonly worn in Europe, which caught her visionary Stacy Lomman, Contributing Writer first female designers to influence the way women eye, she brought them to the United States where she Nancy Jeffries, Contributing Writer dress,” said designer Stan Herman. “She was a named them after the enchanted isle where she had perfectionist…she really loved fabric… her clothes first seen them. were beautiful. She dressed women in a very elegant FGI Liaison way.” Mitria Di Giacomo A consummate artist, throughout the years Gloria Director of Special Events & Brand Development exhibited her paintings and sculpture at New York’s Gloria Sachs will be so missed by her family, her Museum of Modern Art, Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, the friends, her colleagues, her admirers…all those Art Alliance of Philadelphia and the Art Institute of whose lives she touched with beauty, grace and style. Graphic Design Chicago. Debora DeCarlo, DDC Graphics With honors that include the Saks Fifth Avenue Creator –– Wendy D'Amico Award and the Woolknit Designer Award, Gloria was Creative Consultant, [email protected] 1 BEAUTY SYMPOSIUM The era of social media continues to impact the traffic to their brands with unique business of beauty, and brands at all levels are opportunities. She heralded the testing the waters. On May 2, Margaret Hayes, arrival of the new wave of “Social president of Fashion Group International, welcomed Media Editors,” now becoming a attendees to the organization’s annual Beauty ubiquitous part of the landscape, Symposium, held at The New York Hilton Hotel. and characterized the new online Titled, “Changing Lanes: New Model. New engagement, sharing photos with Distribution. New Beauty World.” The presentation Instagram and Pinterest, for provided strategic approaches to an evolving retail example, or providing “Like- economy, consumer values and key issues facing the Gates,” for visitors, which pro- industry today, not the least of which are social vide exclusive content to those media and the impact of technology. The sold-out who “like” your Facebook page. event was sponsored by Self, The Estée Lauder Cos. These digital conversations con- Inc. and Chic.TV. tribute to a new path to what she termed “citizen journalism,” Moderator Karen Young, CEO of The Young Group, allowing readers to weigh-in on introduced panelists Laurie Black, general merchan- product picks and preferences, in dising manager and executive vice president of what is an evolving communica- From left: Caroline Pieper-Vogt, president of The Scent Marketing Institute; Laurie Black, cosmetics at Nordstrom; Mike Indursky, president tions community with a range of GMM/EVP Cosmetics, Nordstrom; Peter Lichtenthal, president, Bumble & bumble: Karen technological tools at its disposal. Young, CEO, The Young Group; Mike Indursky, president, Bliss; Jill Scalamandre, CMO, of Bliss; Peter Lichtenthal, president of Bumble and Chrysallis; Laura McEwen, VP & publisher, Self; Elaine D’Farley, beauty director, Self. bumble, and Jill Scalamandre, chief marketing officer of Chrysallis, and introduced the opening presenta- Panelist Perspectives tion on Social Beauty by Self magazine’s VP and Moderator Karen Young noted the changing technologi- Jill Scalamandre cited Strivectin as an example of publisher Laura McEwen and beauty director Elaine cal environment, saying that access to products and reinvention, as it evolved from a stretch-mark cream D’Farley, which provided an overview of the current services has increased exponentially and become more to a clinical/pharma antiaging brand. “The consumer state of digital media in the context of a community sophisticated. She noted that the era of Instagram, “I for Strivectin wanted efficacious stuff. She didn’t conversation. Can Stream,” Zipcar, Twitter and more have made the want to pay for gold stamping,” she said. “This concept of the DVD rental a dinosaur! brand is reaching a broad spectrum. It goes from The Roots of Social Beauty Ulta to QVC and Costco. It goes where the consumer “The idea of social beauty is not anything new,” said Mike Indursky said, “Not long ago, you did some great is shopping,” she said. Chrysallis, which acquired McEwen, who pointed out that the idea of sharing advertising and promotion, but now media consump- the brand in 2009, knew that “this was a brand that information among a community of women was at its tion has changed. There are flash-sale sites, social was going after the ‘Botox alternative’ audience,” roots the very nature of women’s community building media and blogs. The consumer outnumbers us and said Scalamandre, “We knew we had to get the prod- and socialization. However, in the digital age, it is has the ability to tell our story differently. While we’re uct right.” Scalamandre knew the Strivectin brand clear that social media has taken on new proportions. trying to figure this environment out, everyone else is, needed to keep the DNA of its clinical roots, but too. It’s a bunch of roulette wheels going around and with a modern look and feel. “We changed the “The age of social media is paramount and it is upon there’s no right answer. At Bliss, we have some advertising and communication…and went on to talk us,” said McEwen. D’Farley supported the premise, guidelines, including the fact that strengthening the with consumers via awareness engagement and noting that with the speed of change in the world core of your brand is most important. Make sure keeping the consumer loyal by knowing how she today, it is essential to be nimble and flexible, inspire everyone speaks in one voice to avoid distortion of your ticked. Since there are so many ways to reach her, audience engagement and give brands a way to tell message, and work the message of the brand into we found that the predominantly ‘self-made woman’ their story uniquely. “It’s a platform to write your own everything you do.” audience, who liked to read news magazines, could script,” said D’Farley, who highlighted Self’s “Drop be reached through Time magazine. It stood out 10 Challenge,” which the magazine conducted via An abundance of media outlets make it difficult to from the clutter,” said Scalamandre. She credited Facebook and Pinterest, to engage readers at various choose, added Indursky, noting that it is important to Stephen Denny’s book, Killing Giants, with providing touch points and create an authentic conversation select the means of communication that works for you. strategies to help smaller brands topple giants, stand around exercise and healthy goals. “Social media is “The world doesn’t need another shampoo, it needs up to industry Goliaths and essentially hijack the the new syndication,” she said, intimating that in a different story,” he said. “Doing things differently is consumer with an array of tactics, including events, order to get through all the clutter, brands need to be the most important. Always challenge convention,” sampling, e-mail targeting and in-store approaches. especially creative, engage in partnerships and drive he said. “With every tactic you use today, there is an online CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 2 BEAUTY SYMPOSIUM . Moderator Karen Young, CEO, The Young Group Featured members in this issue“Our customer wants Young, “is that having enough budget is still no to shop different ways, and it’s always changing. guarantee you’ll be doing the right thing.” Some days she wants beauty expert advice, and sometimes she wants the branded beauty advisor, or Black said, “We are kept motivated by wanting to the fragrance advisor. We’re looking at ways to keep our customer happy,” and Young noted that Event Chair change the way we offer brands on the floor.