GAGA WALKS! The Lady took her turn on the runway at Mugler. SEE STYLE, PAGE 5. HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL Comp Sales Help Fuel Optimism Over Economy By VICKI M. YOUNG ACCELERATING ECONOMIC headwinds eased on Thursday with strong reports about retail sales and jobs, Wall Street’s best day of the year and even a pause in the escalation of oil prices. Retailers reporting comparable-store sales for February averaged increases of 4.2 percent, FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2011 ■ WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY ■ $3.00 better than the 3.6 percent expected, according WWD to Thomson Reuters, with men’s, women’s and children’s apparel and accessories generating some of the biggest gains among broadlines re- tailers ranging from Saks Inc., with an indus- try-leading comp gain of 15.3 percent, to Target Corp., up 1.8 percent with apparel up in the low- to midsingle digits. While a strong sense of caution remains, par- ticularly about the second half and impending increases in apparel prices brought on by higher costs for cotton and other commodities, there was cause for optimism on Thursday, and not just in the better-than-expected sales numbers. New jobless claims last week fell to 368,000, their lowest level since May 2008, according to the Labor Department, fanning optimism about the employment report for February due today. While gasoline prices continue to escalate at the pump, posing an immediate threat to the dis- cretionary spending that drove February comp sales upward, the price of crude oil slipped back on Thursday from recent highs as Venezuela and the Arab League worked on proposals to end the standoff in Libya and its potential to disrupt glob- al oil markets. There were even indications that the price of cotton could stabilize after a long period of volatil- ity. Cotton Incorporated economist Jon Devine said New Perspectives Thursday, in his organization’s fi rst podcast, that Before the show, preliminary estimates for the August crop season, while still early, are for “the largest cotton harvest Nicolas Ghesquière ever recorded” worldwide, to 127.5 million bales, 6 described his fall million bales more than have ever been harvested. collection for SEE PAGE 4 Balenciaga as “a game of perspectives and IN WWD TODAY scale.” And so it Dior, Galliano Shows Set was, yet he failed to PAGE 2 mention one major NEWS: As the fashion descriptor: chic. He house continues to deal with the fi ring of John Gal- wove tubes of fake liano, Christian Dior said leather into sturdy it will show today while jackets, placing them the Galliano line will show over fl imsy transparent Sunday. sweaters and drapy UGG’s New Luxury dresses in bold nature PAGE 6 prints — all to beautiful FASHION: The Australian brand introduces a higher- effect. For more from priced luxury line of hand- the Paris collections, bags and footwear for fall. see Style, pages 2 to 5. Dinner and a Movie PAGE 8 L EYE: Chanel hosts a dinner at Le Grenouille, while Tom- my Hilfi ger heads downtown for a screening of “Happy- ThankYouMorePlease.” PHOTO BY GIOVANNI GIANNONI 2 WWD friday, march 4, 2011 WWD.COM Dior, Galliano Shows to Go On Tom Ford sunglasses. By MILES SOCHA swirl in the hothouse atmosphere of Paris Fashion Week. It is understood Dior is in no hurry — and is legally PARIS — The show must go on. unable —to name a successor until it has completed its That seems to be the mantra at Christian Dior SA, procedure to terminate Galliano’s employment. which is soldiering ahead with the Dior fashion show Under French employment regulations, the proce- today despite John Galliano’s dramatic ouster over anti- dure to terminate employees can go quickly for what Semitic outbursts. is known as faute grave, a serious misdemeanor. If the It is expected to be a straightforward affair, with little of reason for termination concerns a personal matter or in- the usual celebrity hoopla. News organizations have been cident off the company clock, it can take several weeks. Ford Extends Eyewear Pact instructed that photographers will have no access to back- According to sources, Arnault’s various advisers are pitch- MILAN — Tom Ford International is set to take its stage or the front row. That hasn’t stopped what Dior’s pub- ing a variety of candidates, among them Haider Ackermann, eyewear to the next level. lic relations battalion describes as “overwhelming” demand Hedi Slimane and Givenchy’s rising star, Riccardo Tisci. The American designer and Marcolin Group said for invitations. (For more on the Dior brand, see page 6.) Delphine Arnault, deputy managing director at Christian Thursday they have renewed their current licens- According to sources, the attendance of Dior and the daughter of the billionaire ing agreement for the design, production and world- luxury titan Bernard Arnault — typically LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton chair- wide distribution of Tom Ford optical frames and flanked by glamorous Dior ambassadors John man, is said to be a champion of Tisci. In sunglasses through December 2022. such as Charlize Theron and French gov- Galliano a splashy cover feature in Madame Figaro The original agreement was signed in 2005. ernment figures — is not assured, owing to magazine in January, Tisci coaxed Arnault Maurizio Marcolin, style and licensing director the tug of other business obligations. to be photographed among five women said for the Marcolin Group, said the contract was re- Meanwhile, the John Galliano fall to be under his spell. (The others were Liv newed well ahead of its expiration date in 2015 be- collection is to be presented on Sunday Tyler, Isabelle Huppert, Vahina Giocante cause of the brand’s strong sales since the products in its appointed time slot, but in a dif- and Lou Doillon.) were introduced in October 2005 and the desire on ferent format and venue. Sources said “There won’t be any choice for quite both sides to plan long term. plans for a runway spectacle in land- a while,” said one source familiar with “Marcolin is an exceptional manufacturer and mark Left Bank brasserie La Coupole the French luxury group. “They’re re- partner. The extension is a natural result of the ex- have been changed in favor of a tableau ceiving offers.” cellent relationship that we have had over the past vivant format in a hôtel particulier. The It is understood overtures have been six years,” said Ford. designer will not be present. made recently to Ackermann as a pos- Although he declined to break out figures, Marcolin nnoni Dior, which controls the John Galliano A sible candidate for Dior, or to succeed said Tom Ford eyewear is carried in around 12,000 i company, has yet to disclose its intentions G Tisci at Givenchy, should he be moved points of sale worldwide. “It’s still a selective distribu- for the business, now that its namesake nni over to Dior. tion compared to similar brands; we don’t plan to win VA designer is to stand trial this spring in a io Approached at the Ann Demeulemeester over the competition by over-distribution,” he said. G French criminal court on a charge of pub- by show Thursday, Anne Chapelle, chief To this effect, Marcolin said the Italian group plans lic insult after three people filed com- executive officer and owner of Bvba 32, to grow Ford’s business through geographical expan- hoto plaints alleging Galliano hurled racist P which controls the Haider Ackermann sion including new markets such as China and bolster- and anti-Semitic remarks at them. brand, declined to comment, saying the ing market share in existing territories, particularly If found guilty, he could face six months imprisonment focus for now should remain on Ackermann’s own show, in the U.S. The recent launch of Tom Ford’s women’s and a fine of 22,500 euros, or $31,207 at current exchange, scheduled for Saturday. Asked whether the designer would wear collection — introduced at retail last month — according to the Paris public prosecutor. Galliano has contractually be free to work for another house, should he is also set to ramp up the brand’s eyewear business, apologized “unreservedly” for his behavior in causing any be offered a role, Chapelle replied: “Everybody is free.” according to Marcolin. “We were selling women’s eye- offence, assured “anti-Semitism and racism have no part As principals at LVMH hunt for a successor to Galliano, wear before Tom launched his women’s wear collec- in our society” and reiterated he denies the claims made some are hoping to make a profit from their final deci- tion, but now we can showcase it through his own dis- against him and has commenced proceedings for defama- sion. PaddyPower.com, the British online betting site, has tribution network to drive additional sales,” he said. tion and threats made against him. odds on Stefano Pilati (11-8) or Hedi Slimane (9-4) getting Plans are also underfoot to expand the existing Dior initially suspended Galliano from his duties the top job. The odds are lower, however, for Tisci (3-1). optical frames side of the business, added Marcolin. on Friday and then ousted him on Tuesday amidst the Meanwhile, Nicolas Ghesquière, Kris Van Assche and In 2010, the publicly listed Italian eyewear com- mounting allegations and an explosive video depicting Roland Mouret are all tipped at 4-1. Alber Elbaz trails pany produced around 5 million pairs of glasses in the maverick designer saying in a slurred voice, “I love them with odds of 6-1. The site specifies that all bets apply more than 600 styles.