VICTORIA’S BEAUTY SECRET ABROAD/3 THE LADIES’ FAVORITES/4 WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’MONDAY Daily Newspaper • September 20, 2004 • $2.00 Accessories/Innerwear/Legwear Hi-ho, Silver... …and gold and bronze. Metallic fabrics and motifs played important roles on the New York spring runways. They turned up, for example, at Donna Karan, who went in a new, more clean-cut and industrial direction this season, which influenced even relatively small details, as in corset looks with utilitarian insets. Here, one of her metal- spiked styles: a striking evening dress with splashes of silver sequins. For more on the trend, see pages 6 and 7.

Diego Della Valle’s Drive: New Products at Tod’s Seen Speeding Growth By Alessandra Ilari — Diego Della Valle of Tod’s SpA may take a long-term view toward luxury goods, but he’s upping the tempo of his company’s expansion. Tod’s has opened 38 stores worldwide in the last 18 months; a new, modern shoe factory, and is adding more small leather goods and similar products. Now Della Valle expects to see the financial benefits. “The litmus test and stock market response of how we’ve prepared for the future will be visible in the second half of 2005,” he said in an interview. For more on Tod’s, and the upcoming Milan season, see Section II. PHOTO BY ROBERT MITRA ROBERT PHOTO BY 2 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM WWDMONDAY Holt Renfrew Eyeing Cicio? Accessories/Innerwear/Legwear

NEW YORK — Joseph Cicio, a for- ering his experience as well as GENERAL Tod’s chief Diego Della Valle said he believes in taking the slow and steady mer Macy’s executive and presi- Joseph his sense of showmanship and approach to building the luxury leather-goods brand. dent of British fragrance retailer Cicio high taste level. He spent 19 1 Penhaligon’s until several months years at Macy’s, where he rose to A boyfriend’s complaints drove Geren Lockhart to try her hand at designing ago, is a candidate to run Holt senior vice president of 8 loungewear. Three years later, she has a growing business. Renfrew, according to sources. direction and creative resources The upscale Toronto-based and was instrumental in creating Exhibitors at Vision Expo West said the outlook for spring was bright — and chain has been seeking a succes- some of Macy’s most striking 9 that’s not because they were looking through rose-colored glasses. sor to Andrew Jennings who was stores and private labels. He FINANCIAL: Business has been booming for factors on the West Coast, president and managing direc- later was chairman and chief ex- 13 prompting several firms to open offices there. tor of Holt Renfrew until ecutive officer of I. Magnin, a for- February, when he became pres- mer division of Macy’s which, ident and chief merchandising like Holt Renfrew, catered to an EYE officer of Saks Fifth Avenue. upscale audience with high-end After sitting through New York , the front row’s boldface Cicio, who also held the title goods. In addition, Cicio served 4 names weigh in on their runway favorites. of senior vice president of re- as president of retail develop- tail, product development and ment for Donna Karan and presi- merchandising for Cradle dent of retail development for FASHION Holdings Inc., parent of Sun International. Metallic fabrics and motifs were a key trend at , as Penhaligon’s, could not be Holt Renfrew is part of designers used them in clean-cut looks. reached for comment. One Under Jennings, the $250 mil- Wittington Investments, con- 6 source said Cicio has held talks lion Holt Renfrew, with nine re- trolled by billionaire Galen but there are other candidates tail units and two clearance cen- Weston, who is also owner and Classified Advertisements ...... 18-19 being considered and he is not ters, developed a reputation for chairman of Holt Renfrew. Aside To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is necessarily the lead candidate. strong visual presentation and from Holt Renfrew, Weston’s [email protected], using the individual’s name. A Holt Renfrew spokes- marketing extravaganzas high-end retail holdings include WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. COPYRIGHT ©2004 woman said Friday the company through extensive remodels and Brown Thomas in Ireland and FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. would not confirm anything special events. Cicio would be a Selfridges in the U.K. VOLUME 188, NO. 61. WWD (ISSN # 0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one additional about the job candidates. good fit for Holt Renfrew, consid- — David Moin issue in January, May, June and November; two additional issues in February, April, September, October and December; and three additional issues in March and August, by Fairchild Publications, Inc., a subsidiary of Advance Publications, Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. Shared Services provided by Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.: S.I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Steven T. Florio, Vice Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, C.O.O.; John W. Bellando, Executive Vice-President and C.F.O.; Jill Bright, Executive Vice-President_Human Resources; John Buese, Executive Vice-President_ Chief Information Officer; David Orlin, Senior Vice-President_Strategic Sourcing; Robert Bennis, Senior Vice-President_Real Estate; David B. Chemidlin, Senior Vice- President_General Manager, Advance Magazine Group Shared Services Center. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at De la Fressange Wins Investment Firm additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40032712. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 88654-9096-RM0001. Canada post return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WOMEN’S WEAR Offers to Purchase DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008; Call 800-289-0273; or visit www.subnow.com/wd . Four weeks is Back Namesake Brand required for change of address. Please give both new and old address as printed on most recent label. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. For permissions and reprint requests, 2.5M A&F Shares please call 212-221-9595 or fax requests to 212-221-9195. Visit us online: www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild By Robert Murphy magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub.com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive PARIS — Ines de la Fressange NEW YORK — Abercrombie & these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. has got her name back. Fitch Co. said it neither recom- WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS, DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND A court here ruled Friday to mends nor endorses an unso- TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART reinstate the Ines de la licited minitender offer from a WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED Fressange brand to the former private Canadian investment TO DO SO BY WWD IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED OVERNIGHT-DELIVERY RETURN ENVELOPE, POSTAGE PREPAID. Chanel and designer, now firm to buy up to 2.5 million director and communications STEPHANE FEUGERE PHOTO BY shares of its class A common coordinator of the Roger Vivier stock. The firm, TRC Capital MONDAY: continues (through shoe company. Corp., provided Abercrombie Friday). Fressange was fired in 1999 with offer to purchase docu- Nike Inc. reports first-quarter sales and earnings. from her namesake fashion ments dated Sept. 8 in which it house after majority sharehold- said it will buy the shares at $30 TUESDAY: Première Vision, Texworld, Mod’Amont, ers — including François Louis Ines de la each in cash, the retailer said in Expofil and Indigo trade shows, Paris (through Vuitton — claimed she had dam- Fressange a statement Friday. Friday). aged the house’s image by de- The offer, however, represents signing a pillbox. mine her course of action but a 5.4 percent discount to WEDNESDAY: Dress Barn Inc. reports fourth-quarter She then filed an unfair dis- she would likely demand to re- Abercrombie’s closing stock and full-year sales and earnings. missal suit, which she won in examine the type of products price of $31.71 on Sept. 7. Inditex Group reports first-half sales and earnings. 2000, along with some $220,000 bearing her name. Abercrombie said it is not affili- in damages. “I’m happy at Vivier,” said ated with TRC, and emphasized SATURDAY: (through Oct. 3). More recently, however, she Fressange, stopping short of rul- that stockholders who have al- American International Designers at the Waldorf, also sought control of her name. ing out a comeback as a fashion ready tendered shares can with- New York (through Sept. 29). She argued that the house, designer. “But it’s embarrassing draw them before the offer’s ex- which operates a boutique on to see your name on ugly things. piration on Oct. 7, according to SUNDAY: Nouveau Collective Lifestyle Show, New the Avenue Montaigne here, had I’ll want to examine the licenses.” TRC’s documents. Abercrombie, Yo rk (through Sept. 29). violated her rights by plastering Implications of the ruling re- which urged investors to COMING THIS WEEK her name on “inferior” products, mained unclear at press time. current market quotes, told in- including dog food and carpets. Fressange said she expected an vestors to “exercise caution” “I couldn’t stand it,” said appeal and neither Vuitton nor with respect to TRC’s offer. Fressange, who still has a minority French businessman Michel Shares of Abercrombie closed at stake in her namesake business. Coencas — the house’s main owners $33.37, down 3 cents, in trading In Brief She said she has yet to deter- — could be reached for comment. Friday on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock has traded ● KOHL’S TAPS CAPUANO: Kohl’s Department Stores said Chris as high as $39.46, and as low as Capuano joined the retailer as executive vice president, general $23.07 over the past 52 weeks. merchandise manager for home and footwear. She reports to The minitender offer is for president Kevin Mansell. For the past eight years, Capuano approximately 2.6 percent of served as senior vice president of home at Federated A&F’s 94.6 million shares out- Merchandising Group, a unit of Federated Department Stores. standing. Prior to that, Capuano was vice president and divisional mer- chandise manager of home at Macy’s. ● WAL-MART STORM IMPACT: In Wal-Mart’s weekly sales call, the world’s largest retailer said while 70 stores were impacted by Hurricane Ivan for the period ended Sept. 18, same-store sales “are currently tracking to be up in the 2 to 4 percent range for the September period.” The company said hurricanes “are events which affect the timing of sales, but are in the end mildly accretive to sales.” The company said the Southeast and West performed the best last week with higher average sales tickets driving results. “The mid-month paycheck cycle was pronounced this past week at a level similar to what we have seen in prior months,” he firm said adding that by segment, the strongest cate- gories for the U.S. “include bedding, electronics, food, pet sup- plies, and sporting goods.” WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 3 WWW.WWD.COM Victoria’s Secret Takes Beauty Abroad LONDON — Victoria’s Secret Beauty is that Victoria’s Secret has the rights to mer- A rendering of embarking on the Grand Tour. chandising its Aura Science brand in Asian The division of Intimate Brands will travel retail distribution. Aura Science is the installation hold a press conference here today at jointly owned by Limited Brands and the at Gatwick The Hempel, unveiling plans to cross the Tokyo-based Shiseido. South. Atlantic and enter the British travel re- Victoria’s Secret will put a strong em- tail market, exclusively at World Duty phasis on its assortment of prestige- Free — the retail arm of BAA, which has priced fragrances in entering the travel built its name on luxury fragrance and retail market, Baker said, noting, “That’ll fashion retailing. be a driver.” “This is an amazingly important Granoff said another strong element in launch for us. If it’s half as successful as the merchandising attack will be we expect, it will be huge,” said Mark Victoria’s Secret’s assortment of “giftable” Riches, managing director of World Duty merchandise — everything from toy Free in an interview earlier this month. dogs to tree ornaments holding fragrances The Victoria’s Secret beauty assort- to gift set bags to color cosmetics kits. ment, which has previously only been re- Sandra Heppenheimer, who has been tailed in the U.S., including in military recruited as vice president of new busi- outlets, will make its debut in seven air- ness development for Victoria’s Secret port locations in mid-November, includ- Beauty, said she sees an avenue of attack ing all four terminals of Heathrow in what she calls a “white space opportu- Airport, Gatwick North and South and at nity,” consisting of these gift-giving, novel Stansted Airport. Victoria’s Secret execu- and accessories items that few other ven- Sexy for Him 2. tives said the November launch date was dors carry. In addition to the three showcase Lorenzo Back to picked to capitalize on the gathering hol- At BAA, Riches noted, “we have a shops, there also will be four satellite lo- PARIS — Alain Lorenzo, former president iday traffic. wish list of brands and Victoria’s Secret cations in Terminals 2 and 4 of Heathrow, and chief executive officer of Parfums Sherry Baker, president of Victoria’s is obviously one of them. It ticks all the Gatwick North and at Stansted. Givenchy, is getting his old job back, WWD Secret Beauty, said in an interview in boxes with us: It’s aspirational, currently While the exact position of the has learned. New York that the brand has spent its not available in the U.K. and internation- Victoria’s Secret counters is still being According to market sources, Givenchy formative years in the U.S. building con- ally recognized.” He added that, while finalized, Riches said they will be in staffers were informed of the appointment sumer awareness and encouraging prod- the airport customer “main flow areas, and on Friday. An official announcement from uct trial. Now, the brand will be able to may not be aware of the easily visible.” He de- Givenchy parent LVMH Moët capitalize on that awareness abroad, with- beauty brand in particu- clined to provide any is expected shortly. out the burdensome expense of brick-and- lar, she knows exactly BEAUTY BEAT sales targets. However, Lorenzo could not be reached for com- mortar investment. what Victoria’s Secret industry sources indi- ment at press time. While executives said there are no is. “People read magazines and they cate that a conservative stance has The fate of current plans to sell Victoria’s Secret lingerie — watch ‘Sex and the City.’ The brand name been adopted in drafting the sales plan. head Alain Crevet could not be learned. He it’s a tiny segment in travel retail — the is so strong, and the company is so good The target for the first 12 months has also could not be reached for comment. power of the company’s image, first ex- at managing lifestyle.” been estimated by sources at less than Lorenzo has had a long and varied ca- perienced when the annual fashion He added that BAA’s exclusivity factor $10 million at retail for the combined reer at LVMH, most recently as the first show was held in Cannes, is not lost on should also go a long way. “We’re about pilot locations. ceo of De Beers LV, where he oversaw the any of them. giving passengers the brands of their “We are all incredibly excited about opening of its London flagship and three Jill Granoff, chief operating officer of dreams and brands they wouldn’t neces- this,” Riches said. “We all get on very well. in-store boutiques in Japan. He was suc- Victoria’s Secret Beauty, added that the sarily find on the High Street. People want The chemistry was good from the start,” he ceeded in March by former Cartier chief company was attracted by the $5 billion to spoil themselves when they’re traveling, added. “There is complete trust between Guy Leymarie and relocated to Paris to market, which makes up the global travel they become aspirational with regard to us, and we see this as the beginning of a work on undisclosed projects for LVMH. retail business for just beauty. “This is a their purchases. We want to provide for journey.” He said the launch would be ac- Before that, Lorenzo was the president toe in the water,” said Granoff. “We want those aspirations.” companied by in-terminal and airport and ceo of another new LVMH venture, to learn about the consumer.” Some eight fragrance lines — and magazine advertising. the eluxury.com Web site, which was The executives were quick to assert their related products — will be sold This is not the first time that beauty launched in 2000. that World Duty Free owns a 20 percent from within showcase shops in Term- brands have chosen to launch exclusively But he is best known for his eight-year share of fragrance sales in the U.K. They inals 1 and 3 of Heathrow and in Gat- with World Duty Free. , Chanel and tenure at Parfums Givenchy, lauded by added that Victoria’s Secret will be setting wick South. Victoria’s Secret will not MAC Cosmetics chose to launch their first LVMH honchos for his talent for marketing, up shop in the world’s busiest airport. have its own stand-alone corners, but stand-alone airport stores in Heathrow’s image building and brand rejuvenation. Victoria’s Secret has drafted a multi- rather 150-square-foot spaces with at Terminal 3. When Cosmetics de- Lorenzo arrives at a time when the Giv- year development plan, with an eye toward least one dedicated salesperson. The buted in London, it launched at Harvey enchy fashion house is in flux. It recently an eventual global exploration. Granoff brands on sale will include Dream Nichols, and at Heathrow’s Terminal 3, welcomed Savile Row tailor Ozwald Boateng noted that half the travel retail business is Angels Heavenly, Pink, Body by Victoria, exclusively. as its first artistic director for men’s wear, centered in Europe with the bulk of the re- Breathless, Very Sexy for Her, Very Sexy — Samantha Conti, London, but a couturier to succeed Julien Macdonald mainder scattered around Asia. She added for Him, Very Sexy for Her 2 and Very and Pete Born, New York on the women’s side has yet to be named.

suites, public spaces and the lobby using fabrics in farther uptown. Reid helped four couples tie the knot at wedding Mediterranean colors to revitalize the hotel’s glamorous aura. planner Colin Cowie’s 57th Street store, compliments of J.C. Fashion Scoops Penney. Cowie has developed a signature home collection for the DAIRY QUEEN: Kelis may know a thing or Kelis in chain, which used the occasion to launch its wedding registry. two about milk shakes, but the hip-hop Chanel. Reid appears in a wedding dress in Penney’s new ads with Cowie. SHARP SHOOTERS: Photographers at fashion shows are not diva is also quite the wine connoisseur. She stood witness as each couple exchanged their vows in generally a dressed-up bunch, but that will soon change — at “It’s something that I started getting the store window, causing many Midtown passersby to pause. least chez Chanel. is requesting all photographers into last year on a trip to the wine The newlyweds were selected based on personal essays. and camera crews covering the Oct. 8 Chanel show to arrive region in ,” the singer explained Erin Albrecht, a fashion designer and underwriter who lives in dressed in black suits and white shirts to match the decor at last week in Paris at the Chanel Brooklyn with her new husband, Stephen Neave, a filmmaker, the Carrousel du Louvre. Chanel declined to say more, but is boutique, which hosted a tasting for the said she wasn’t put off by the commercial spin on her big day. making the unusual request as media outlets apply for annual “vendanges” fete on chic “We never wanted a traditional, big wedding. We thought this accreditation. Avenue Montaigne. “But don’t get me sounded perfect with our lifestyles.” wrong — I love French [wine] too.” And Albrecht applied for the contest, after reading about the essay MODERN SAINT: The French partygoers loved her special contest. “I just like not having to plan things,” she explained. St. Regis is getting a performance, raising the roof as Kelis Her father, Gary Albrecht, liked not having to foot the bill, modern facelift. belted out her fetish song, “Milkshake.” but said what he really liked was that the celebration suited KELIS PHOTO BY STEPHANE FEUGERE KELIS PHOTO BY Renowned interior their personalities. Reid, a regular on the party circuit, didn’t designers Stephen PARTY TWITCH: Noses a-ready? The publicity machine behind stick around long for the festivities. Sills and James “Bewitched,” Sony’s film adaptation of the kitschy Sixties Huniford, known for television series due out next July, is riding high on a broomstick. BACK IN THE SADDLE: Ralph Pucci of Ralph Pucci International their ability to blend Just one week into production, the film starring Nicole Kidman, manufactures mannequins, but his 15-year-old daughter, Nicole, classic and Will Ferrell and Shirley MacLaine has signed on with Jem is no stiff. Fresh from winning the “Grand Champion” trophy at contemporary styles, Sportswear, known for its vintage licensed creations with Peanuts, the Hamptons Classic [Children’s Hunter division] Nicole will will begin Walt Disney Collection and Coca-Cola, for an apparel collection of compete in the Palm Beach Classic in January. But this time renovations on the T-shirts and possibly cashmere sweaters debuting next spring. she’ll graduate to the Junior’s Hunter division, jumping three landmark hotel’s Trendy boutique Kitson on Robertson Boulevard in Los Angeles, a feet, six inches, compared with only three feet previously, and 19th-century Belle haunt for celebs such as Paris Hilton and Halle Berry, gets first competing against older teens. “I definitely get nervous when Epoque interiors in crack at the line with a three-month exclusive. It also plans to do she jumps,” said her father. “But in order to participate at this early 2005. The duo it up with a launch party in April with custom-designed windows. sport, the kids must be incredibly focused and very serious, and A sketch of plans to restore the TIES THAT BIND: Fashion editors’ sights may have been focused that carries over to school and everyday life. Horseback riding is St. Regis. 222 rooms, 93 on the New York runways last week, but Tara Reid had other ideas a real learning experience.” 4 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM Ever wonder what looks fashion week’s front-row fixtures are swooning over from their prime seats? WWD polled some of the chicest ladies at the New York shows — from Kate Bosworth to Marisa Berenson — to find out their favorite styles. The ladies say pretty still prevails for spring 2005; the colors teal and yellow are hot and so are pouf skirts, dresses and Forties-inspired designs. As for the short shorts and man clutches, eye® there are no takers yet. But then again, isn’t fashion all about the right occasion? Perhaps Mandy Moore said it best after spying her must-have, a teal Calvin Klein sheath: “I need to make up an event to wear this to.” — Alison Burwell and Marshall Heyman

Lil’ Kim Mandy Moore Calvin Klein “Loved the Eighties vibe.” “I’m a modest girl but when I wear Calvin Klein, I feel like a woman.”

Ashley Olsen Oscar de la Renta “So pretty.”

Kate Bosworth Marc Jacobs “I loved how young Marisa Berenson Bill Blass the polkadots looked.” “I just love the robin’s-egg blue color.”

Fergie H Hilfiger “I loved the polkadots and the high waist.”

Vanessa Getty Michael Kors “The man clutch is Jennifer Creel right for someone, just Proenza Schouler not my husband.” “To die for.” ont-Row Fantasies

Mary-Louise Parker Luca Luca “I usually can’t even wear yellow.” PHOTOS BY WWD STAFF; FERGIE BY WIREIMAGE FERGIE BY WWD STAFF; PHOTOS BY Fr © 2004 eBay Inc. All rights reserved. eBay and the eBay logo are registered trademarks of eBay Inc. Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners. All items subject to availability. (M-F 9: call now:1-866-304-3229 To Use offercode:BP0934 For alimitedtime,participationisfree! channel toreachnewcustomersandgrowyourbusiness. one-on-one phone-basedadviceonhowtouseeBay as anewsales Getting startediseasy! new customers,it’s apowerfulwaytopumpupyourmargins. registered users,eBayisnotonlyanamazingtooltoreach move unsoldmerchandise.Andwithmorethan114million 25,000 pairsofjeanssoldeachweek,eBayisaquickwayto W ith morethan80,000pairsofshoes,44,000handbagsand

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Roland Mouret Proenza Schouler Narciso Rodriguez

Flash Dance NEW YORK — The flash of silver, gold and bronze added electricity to a wide variety of spring collections, from Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez’s for Proenza Schouler to Francisco Costa’s for Calvin Klein. The looks themselves were varied, but some were more feminine than is usual for shiny pieces: Ralph Lauren’s silver turtleneck and sparkling skirt, for example, or Roland Mouret’s high-collared gold suit. WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 7 WWW.WWD.COM Ralph Lauren Calvin Klein PHOTOS BY TALAYA CENTENO, GEORGE CHINSEE AND ROBERT MITRA GEORGE CHINSEE AND ROBERT CENTENO, TALAYA PHOTOS BY 8 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM Innerwear Report Lockhart Nixes Grandma’s Pants DSquared’s Novelty Undies MILAN — It all started with By Rose Apodaca Jones beer. When Dean and Dan Geren Lockhart Caten, the twin designers be- Los Angeles — As Geren Lockhart, yet hind DSquared, decided to again, eased into her favorite comfort try their hand at women’s lin- staple after a grueling day representing gerie, it was partly due to the un- directors in the hyper-chaotic arena of expected success of their men’s un- advertising production, her boyfriend derwear, especially the briefs that had nagged her, yet again, with his edict: “No “I Love Beer” written across the front. more grandma pants!” “We sold 2,000 pieces, and girls were Rolling her eyes as she recalled that among our best clients,” Dan Caten explained. memory of three years ago, Lockhart, 31, With hardly a frill in sight, the women’s collection is a funky replied: “But they were Margiella. Not female rendition of guys’ boxers and briefs, engineered to peek that he cared. So I finally made a pair of out from those superlow-rise bottoms. The line, which debuts for drawstring pants we both liked.” spring 2005, consists of panties and tank tops made from su- She soon cut herself a pair of shorts perfine cotton or viscose jersey, at times worked with a seamless and a tank top. And, when she began technique. Most pieces are white with green and red borders wearing them outside her Brooklyn and hand-distressed to fray the edges slightly. Some pieces still apartment, associates and friends on the drawing board will feature sexy — even dirty — messages requested their own, then the friends of that the duo is still in the process of formulating. friends, among them Cameron Diaz and Manufactured in-house for the time being, the collection will be Kate Hudson. Before long, a side project sold initially in 400 stores worldwide where the brand is already es- turned into a business that now counts a tablished. Wholesale prices 35-piece fall collection of casual luxe range from $30 to $42. items cut only of natural . “We’re easing into this There are racer tops and sector, and once we’ve test- miniskirts, both drawstring, in chevron ed it, we’ll look for a manu- and pin-dot prints; long-sleeved facturing partner,” said Dan Henleys; itty-bitty silk bralets and cotton Caten. briefs, and jersey halter-style dresses with — Alessandra Ilari a drawstring empire waist. The line wholesales from a $13 silk thong to an $82 Whimsical, men’s underwear-inspired lounging tuxedo pant in flat silk with a underwear for women by DSquared. shiny stripe. considering what I want to have around, not just “It’s really chic, sexy loungewear,” said West what works from season to season,’’ she said. “I Hollywood retailer Tracey Ross. “She took the even wash everything — the jersey, the stretch concept of the Juicy tracksuit and moved into a and — before it’s sewn and do whatever it more glamorous arena.” takes to produce pieces that won’t fall apart.” Paula Abdul pitches Barely There’s Tagfree promotion. Ross ordered fall, as did Satine in Los Angeles, Lockhart dreams of an empire beyond Barneys and American Rag and Barneys in Brooklyn and Hollywood. She is already planning Japan, and resort shops such as Fifi LaRue housewares for travelers, stationery, bedding in the Hamptons and Toff in Miami. and towels. Some day she would even like Projected sales for 2005 are $350,000 to to collaborate on designing bou- $450,000. Lockhart is in negotiations tique hotels. with manufacturing partners to help “I design around the idea of produce the line. And she is consider- the jet-setters, the aspiring ing whether to bow in spring 2005, Talitha Gettys of the world,” she now in progress, on the runway at said. “It’s a life so many more of Los Angeles Fashion Week in us today engage in.” October. To wit, Lockhart includes her Lockhart opted to retain boyfriend and the rest of the some sense of anonymity by male population in that group naming the brand Geren Ford of movers and shakers. She Brooklyn-Hollywood, partly recently introduced men’s draw- after her birth father, artist string pants. John Ford, who died in 1996. Ford relocated to Lockhart’s Paula Abdul Goes Tag-Free New York from Northern multicolor California two decades geometric NEW YORK — “I don’t know who wears this but I bet you’d like to before when his paint- print silk know,” said “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul, as she stood ings made it into the top, thong, behind a triple X-size, bubble gum-pink bra. Whitney Biennial, bralet and Grammy Award-winner Abdul was on hand during fashion beginning his daugh- micro slip. week to pitch a revamp of the 10-year-old Barely There bra brand ter’s lifelong residential by Sara Lee, which is being rolled out under the new Barely split between both sides of the There Tagfree banner at major department stores this fall. country. (Lockhart is her step- The Barely There brand generates annual wholesale sales of father’s name.) more than $50 million, according to industry estimates. The She now lives primarily in launch will be completed by spring 2005, said Michele Termotto, Hollywood. brand manager for Barely There. She would not disclose an With the new line taking off, annual marketing and advertising budget, but industry experts Lockhart took courses at estimate it’s in excess of $5 million. Parsons in New York and the According to a survey conducted by Sara Lee, 71 percent of Otis School of Design in Los women are not satisfied with the comfort level of bras on the mar- Angeles to figure it all out, at the same time - ket, and 64 percent have demonstrated the need for a tag-free bra resenting directors for Partizan, an agency co- by cutting out the labels that Termotto described as “itchy.” owned by director Michelle Gondry (“Eternal “Paula embodies what Barely There is all about,’’ Termotto Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”). “It was an said. “She’s very active with a lot of projects going on and she intense existence, going to school and having needs to be comfortable. She’s actually one of 64 percent of a gnarly exec job,’’ Lockhart said. “But it def- women around the country who cut the tags off of their bras.” initely confirmed for me that I wanted to be To be marketed under the Lose the Tag, Feel the Freedom, Be a designer.” Tagfree tag line, the tag-free bras utilize a smooth printing appli- Even so, as her next phase as designer cation on the wing of the bra that gives size, fabric content and takes off, Lockhart continues to split her washing instructions. Six tag-free bras will be introduced in the time between designing and styling. She seamless Comfortable Curves collection. Termotto would not give has since moved from representing direc- wholesale prices, but suggested retail is $28 to $29. tors to wardrobe styling ads for high-pro- Meanwhile, Abdul was asked what it’s like being a judge on file accounts such as Infinity automobiles “American Idol.” and Budweiser beer. That keeps her “It’s great,” said Abdul. “I mean, the kids are striving to achieve globe-trotting most of the year. (During monumental success, and they know they can talk to me and relate to the interview she was on a break from me. All of the judges bring different perspectives, and [the contest- shooting a commercial in San Francisco ants] know they get the honest truth from me as a performer. It’s won- and would be leaving for Argentina derful. For 23 years I’ve helped young people achieve their dreams.” within days.) — Karyn Monget Ye t the fledgling company is always on the ABDUL PHOTO BY WIREIMAGE/LARRY BUSACCA ABDUL PHOTO BY OCKHART PHOTO BY TYLER BOYE; LOCKHART STILLS BY JOHN AQUINO STILLS BY LOCKHART TYLER BOYE; PHOTO BY OCKHART

L front burner. “This is a lifestyle line, so I’m always WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 9 WWW.WWD.COM Accessories Report Bright Hues, Big Frames Drive Spring Shades By Marcy Medina Oversized wraps and rimless shields, still number one sellers in Europe, were also featured. Shiny black frames were dressed up with pink temples. LAS VEGAS — The spring 2005 eyewear forecast was big and rosy for the Fun frames ruled at Ferragamo (also a Luxottica license). Opaque pink, blue 500 exhibitors at Vision Expo West at the Sands Expo and Convention and orange plastic frames featured raffia flowers woven into the temples. Center here. At Safilo, which added Alexander McQueen and Marc Jacobs to its Oversized plastic frames in candy colors and subtly graded lenses led stable of fashion brands, vice president of sales Mark Ugenti noted the trends, as did innovative temples and revival of classic shapes like the four major trends: large plastics, color, stone embellishments and aviator and Jackie O. variations on the aviator. In the Gallerie section, showcase for fashion-forward brands such as Charles “We see sunglasses as wardrobe,” he said. “Most women Jourdan, Daniel Swarovski Paris and Silhouette, Paul Frank designer Shane now have at least three or four pairs which embody Baum unveiled a dozen styles for 2005, including moderately oversized plas- these trends.” tic frames in burgundy and sea-foam green, some with keyhole cutouts in Christian Roth Some notable looks included bone-colored the bridge and sharper, hand-polished edges. “Burgundy is outselling frames at Ralph Lauren, wooden temples ac- black and brown, which is unusual,” he said. Plastic temples that bore cented with gold at Alexander McQueen, the stripes either inside or outside were another trend at Paul Frank and signature green and red stripe and others who took part in the show from Sept. 8-11. gold horse bit accents at Gucci and temple At Black Flys, a Southern California company best known for its treatments featuring gold buckles like skater-inspired men’s styles, the women’s side of the business is those on handbags at Marc Jacobs. growing, evidenced by five new looks, including white Logos were strong at Marchon, where plastic frames with rose lenses, cutouts on lenses , Coach, Calvin Klein and Michael Kors all featured and temples and frames accented with crystals. branding, either etched onto temples, with hardware ini- Viva International, which manufactures tials or signature patterns printed inside of frames. glasses for fashion brands as varied as Over in the appointment-only suites at the Venetian, Bongo, Candie’s, Carolina Herrera, Ellen Christian Roth, Kata, Judith Leiber, Oliver Peoples, Tracy, Guess and Tommy Hilfiger, Beausoleil and Charmant showed handcrafted styles showed its deepest collection in that were a step ahead of the mass-market trends. Hilfiger, with about 150 unisex and Kata steered its collection in a new and colorful di- women’s styles. No trend went un- rection with frames made of plastic wedged between ti- touched, from preppy leather- Alexander tanium. The company’s lower-priced line Kawai fea- wrapped temples to active shields, McQueen tured laminated layers of acetate in patterns inspired retro aviators and large Elton John-style by fabric and nature. Meanwhile, Oliver Peoples her- plastics in rainbow colors. Representatives alded the advent of oversized, thin, colored metal said there had been a lot of interest in red, pink and violet. frames, while chief designer and co-founder “Brand-name identity is still such an important aspect of eyewear, particu- Larry Leight revealed plans to launch a brand, larly in department stores,” said Viva’s director of business development, Mick Mosley Tribes, which is intended to meet a new Judith Leiber Kunish. “If a name is not known the sell-through isn’t as good.” niche for high fashion, performance eyewear, set to At Luxottica, the new Miu Miu collection featured combination metal and plastic debut in March. “We’re out to create another logo- temples with cutouts, newer colors like purple and acetate frames made with offbeat less brand for the active sport consumer,” he said. color combinations such as gold, tortoise and pink, or metallic green and orange. “They’re looking for Hollywood status eyewear, too.” Dweck Dips Into Diamonds NEW YORK — Jewelry designer Stephen Dweck has gained some clarity in his work — particularly the kind associated with diamonds. Known for his use of enormous colored stones and minerals, he is launching his first diamond collection for fall. The pieces don’t stray far from Dweck’s signature aesthetic, yet they are toned-down just enough to introduce the brand to a more conservative fine jewelry customer and retailer. Statement-making stones remain key, such as the large carved cognac quartz on the bronze link bracelet, but are surrounded by diamonds for accent. The collection hit stores this month, and when Dweck designs next spring’s diamond selections he will build back into fall’s color palette so that the pieces can be collected and worn for years. Last fall, Dweck designed a small number of diamond pieces in 18- karat gold exclusively for Bergdorf Goodman. “The collection is very wearable, it’s clean and it has a modernness about it,” said Robert Burke, Bergdorf ’s senior vice president for fashion and p.r., of Dweck’s new venture. “It’s unique and we’re always looking for things that look special and differenti- Bronze pin with pavé diamonds and ate themselves.” faceted and carved cognac quartz. Burke also noted that al- though all of Dweck’s pieces are displayed in the same case, the diamond designs have caught the eye of a new clientele. “It certainly appeals to his existing customer, because it’s not a big jump in aesthetic,’’ he said. “But it’s definitely bringing in a new customer as well.” The diamond collection retails from $800 to $4,000. Dweck also hopes to lure the celebrity set and plans to design one-of-a-kind pieces for Hollywood actresses walking the red carpet. One year shy of his 25th anniversary as a designer, Dweck en- joys a strong business with specialty stores like Bergdorf ’s, as well as fine jewelry stores, but he expects the diamonds to open even more doors. “We’re a very big vendor [at Bergdorf ’s], but I want to be a big vendor everywhere,” he said. “We’re a very big player in Neiman Marcus and Saks, we’re in all the best jewelry stores around the country. But not all of them understood the fashion and the min- erals; they needed this. I was tired of not being given the chance to be called a jeweler.” — Emily Holt 10 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM Vertigo Returns With Modern French Twist By David Moin

NEW YORK — Vertigo, the better-priced contemporary line, has returned to Manhattan’s East Side with a store created in the mood of Paris in the Forties with a twist of modernism. With a reconstituted and broader collection, the 5,000- square-foot store at 36 East 60th Street has been renamed Vertigo and Friends and is expected to hit $4 million in first-year sales, according to Larry Kaynes, an owner of the store, which is a joint venture with Vertigo U.S.A., a sub- sidiary of Vertigo, the Paris-based manufacturer. Ultimately, Kaynes expects the store, which he considers a flagship, to reach $5 million to $6 million in annual sales. He also said that several additional Manhattan sites are already being sought, and that he’s partial to Bleecker Street, SoHo, Third Avenue in the Seventies, and Columbus Avenue on the Upper West Side. He is also considering stores in Connecticut, New Jersey and Westchester County, N.Y., but has no additional leases finalized at this point. The 60th Street unit, located between Park and Madison Avenues on the same block as Dooney & Bourke, opened Sept. 7. Two years ago, Vertigo had a store on Madison and 65th Street that closed because the company thought it was too small and wouldn’t be able to handle a more comprehensive and upgraded collection. “The line had to be redesigned,” Kaynes said. “We’ve upgraded it. It’s a bit more modern, and we are using more expensive fabrics. Prices are about 25 percent higher, and we are much more fashion-forward. We A new showcase for Vertigo’s revamped collection. want to brand Vertigo as a total collection.” PHOTO BY DAVID TURNER The 20-year-old Vertigo does about $30 million in wholesale and retail volume combined, according to and Edge boots and moccasins from Australia, about 70 “We’ve had a 360-degree revamp. Now we consider Kaynes. The French company has a showroom here and percent of the merchandise bears the Vertigo label. the collection to be designer-inspired at affordable operates four Vertigo stores in Florida, three stores in The 60th Street site formerly housed a center for items,” said Meg Himmelfarb, sales manager, citing Paris and one in California. medical testing, such as blood work, and had much of its such items as cashmere/ jackets priced at $690, Jean-Marc Zarka is founder, president and chief ex- original elements covered up with tar or plywood. The pleated sueded evening bags for $310 or animal skin ecutive officer of Vertigo; Philippe Pire is a partner and building was stripped bare, and now has exposed brick handbags, around $600. vice president. Other partners are Daniel Mimoun, who walls and two skylights 16 feet high above a small bistro The executives also noted the collection has greater is also the designer, and Simon Attias, who runs the serving wine, juices and sodas. detailing and luxury appeal than in the past, citing such non-U.S. operations. There are also Brazilian mahogany wood floors, white bestsellers as the $895 suede jackets with zip-off pock- Kaynes also owns Shari’s Place, a two-unit designer columns, vintage wallpaper, a mosaic tile floor at the en- ets and raw edge seams, or the goat suede capri pant, store in Boca Raton, Fla., and Kings Point, Long Island. trance, chandeliers, animal-print ottomans and zebra priced at $695. In addition, precious jewelry by Some of the 15 suppliers to Shari’s Place will help stock carpets. Kaynes said it cost about $1 million to build and Michelle Lynn is sold. the Vertigo and Friends store with shoes, outerwear, decorate the store and that it has a 20-year lease. “There are a lot of young, trendy of-the-moment handbags, knitwear, jeans, leather, suede, shearlings Rather than merchandising by category, “We are just pieces, and classic pieces that appeal to someone who and T-shirts. While Vertigo and Friends sells such labels merchandising by color and feel and how we want to doesn’t want something as funky or embellished,” as Notify Jeans and Pirelli winter boots, both from Italy, see customers wear the collection,” Kaynes explained. Himmelfarb said. “There’s a much broader spectrum.” ‘Fashion Passion’ Comes to Brazil Fin.part in Deal RIO DE JANEIRO — São Paulo is playing By Amanda Kaiser sportswear and/or cosmetics.” host to Latin America’s largest-ever exhibi- Executives at First Wall Street tion of 20th-century fashion, featuring 26 MILAN — Financially troubled Capital were not available for further foreign designers — mostly French couturi- Fin.part has struck a preliminary comment. ers or those they inspired. deal to rent and possibly eventually Fin.part, which said in July it’s The exhibition, called Fashion Passion sell its Frette home business heading for a default on millions of — 100 Years of Fashion, is expected to draw to New York-based investment bank dollars worth of bonds, has yet to hear some 700,000 visitors, said Emilio Kalil, First Wall Street Capital Corp. back from the banks on whether they president of BrasilConnects Cultura, the or- Fin.part said it has inked a letter of will loan the fashion company 80 mil- ganizers. It opened last week and runs intent with the U.S. bank that should lion euros, or $97.6 million. Fin.part is through Dec. 5. be finalized in the first week of trying to recapitalize, carry out a re- Fashion Passion is being held at a con- October. Under the terms of the deal, structuring plan and partially reim- crete, dome-shaped hall called the Oca, in First Wall Street Capital would rent burse disgruntled investors. sprawling Ibirapuera park. There are 11 Frette SpA’s assets for 12 years and The Frette deal fits in with separate pavilions inside the 108,000- after that period would have the option Fin.part’s announced strategy to strike square-foot, four-story hall, each housing a to buy Frette and all of its subsidiaries, licensing deals, rent out infrastructure group of designers. excluding its printed-fabric unit, Star. such as showrooms and factories to On display are 156 creations, some dat- Neither party disclosed financial these licensees and sell off noncore as- ing from the early 1900s, by Coco Chanel, terms of the deal, but Italian daily sets to generate cash. Fin.part has Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, Finanza & Mercati reported the struck a licensing deal with Tombolini Christian , Karl Lagerfeld, Jean Paul A vintage photo of Coco Chanel. transaction could be worth 100 mil- for men’s and women’s Cerruti collec- Gaultier, Elsa Schiaparelli, Cristobal was inspired by Brazilian themes. And, lest lion euros, or $121.9 million at cur- tions through the fall-winter 2007 sea- Balenciaga and Azzedine Alaïa, who was a visitor forget he or she is in the land of rent exchange rates. son and Fin.part said it is in exclusive present at the opening. Rio, there’s a sampling of home-grown biki- First Wall Street Capital said in a talks with Mittel Generale Investimenti Other creators include , nis and designer jeans. statement it will capitalize on the for a deal regarding sportswear busi- Gianni Versace, Alexander McQueen, John The exhibition also features 800 photos of Frette brand’s untapped licensing ness Pepper Industries. Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, Commes des fashionably dressed women, taken by Helmut possibilities. Fin.part’s president and ceo Garçons, Junya Watanabe, Yohji Yamamoto, Newton, Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, “This transaction is illustrative of Gianni Mazzola said in a release that Viktor & Rolf and Charles James, the only Henri Cartier-Bresson, Man Ray, Nick Knight, our commitment to establish strate- the deals for Cerruti, Pepper American designer on display. Guy Bourdin, Bruce Weber and others. gic alliances with business and finan- Industries and Frette, Fin.part’s Included are dresses that Gaultier made Corporate sponsors contributed $1 mil- cial institutions around the globe,” main assets, show the company is for Madonna in 1992-93; creations Dior made lion of the $2 million cost to mount the said Glenn Myles, chief executive of- working toward a turnaround. for Eva Peron; Pucci numbers for Marilyn show, with ticket sales — at about $3 a pop ficer of First Wall Street Capital. “We “As we outlined in the [strategic] Monroe from the Fifties, and Balenciaga’s — expected to pay the remainder. believe Frette has strong growth po- plan, the cash generated by these outfits for Marlene Dietrich from 1957. BrasilConnects Cultura last put on an exhi- tential globally, and in the months deals is earmarked for the company’s One pavilion featured several top bition of 128 Picasso paintings and sculp- ahead, we will be exploring addition- financial commitments and therefore Brazilian designers, like Alexandre tures from Jan. 25 to July 4 in São Paulo al luxury goods divisions for possible they constitute the guarantee needed Herchcovitch, Reinaldo Lourenço and and drew 920,000 visitors. expansion, including women’s wear, by the banking system,” Mazzola said. Ronaldo Fraga, whose on-display apparel — Michael Kepp WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 11 WWW.WWD.COM

A spring Generra look. Flick Art Collection Showcased in Berlin

BERLIN — The German billionaire Friedrich Christian “Mick” Flick will celebrate his 60th birthday on Tuesday. But when German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, leading politicians and hundreds of Berliners join him at the Hamburger Bahnhof here, they’ll be celebrating another Flick milestone: The opening of the Friedrich Christian Flick collection of contemporary art. After considerable controversy and political debate, Flick’s extensive art collection will finally have a home of its own here in the newly renovated Rieck Halls of the Hamburger Bahnhof Museum of Contemporary Art. At least for the next seven years, the collection — which one art world insider de- scribed as “one masterpiece after the other” — will be shown to the public in a rotating series of seven annual exhibitions. The controversy, which has yet to end, doesn’t concern the contents of Flick’s collection of almost 2,500 pieces. They include the largest group of works by Bruce Nauman, as well as key paintings, sculp- tures, photographs, videos and installations by 150 European and North American artists such as Marcel Broodthaers, Marcel Duchamp, Peter Fischli and David Weiss, Duane Hanson, Candida Höfer, Mike Kelly, Martin Kippenberger, Sigmar Polke, Jason Rhoades, Gerhard Richter, Pipilotti Rist, Thomas Ruff, Cindy Sherman, Luc Tuymans, Jeff Wall and Franz West. Rather, the wrangle bears upon Flick’s family history and the original source of his art-acquiring for- tune. His grandfather, Friedrich Flick, was one of the main arms suppliers of the Nazi regime, and one who employed 40,000 hard laborers. These facts exploded into emotional public censure when plans were being considered for a Flick museum in Zurich, his second city of residence. Critics maintained that Flick was trying to “whitewash” his family’s dark history though his art collection, and further noted he had declined to contribute to the remuneration fund being assembled for the forced laborers of World War II. Flick, who instead established a Foundation Against Xenophobia, Racism and Intolerance in Potsdam with a grant of almost $7 million, argued that his contributions to the fund as a private person would not have served to in- crease it, but only reduce the amounts other companies would have been obliged to pay. Flick has never shied away from confronting his grandfather’s past. “My grandfather was rightly con- demned for his deeds in the Nuremberg trials and spent his time in jail…but the guilt is his, not mine,” he said in a German press interview. “And the way in which I deal with my family history has nothing to do with my collection,” he added. Nevertheless, one could argue this uneasy legacy is reflected in Flick’s pen- chant for art that addresses the social and political questions of our time. He has said in interviews that he is fascinat- ed by the relation of contemporary art to our lives and its problems. An aspect, he has noted further, that makes rough- edged Berlin more suited to his collec- PHOTOS BY GEORGE CHINSEE PHOTOS BY tion than established Zurich. Bruce Nauman, whose works form the “heart” of the Flick col- lection, clearly illustrates Flick’s Arts orientation. Described by the Literary Generra collector as “the most important artist of the actual period,” Nauman’s work, he said, address- & NEW YORK — “I cringe es the reasons for persecution, tor- when I think things ture and war and mankind’s weak- People don’t look real,” ness in the face of technology. Generra designer Flick, who now devotes 80 percent of Tony Melillo said. his time to art — and collecting — has So instead of a said, “My experience with art is very smoke-and-mir- personal and almost intimate. I can in- rors fashion terpret artworks for myself, but I dare show, Melillo not use them to spread political mes- and his long- sages. Art works are like breathing and time friend Generra eating to me. They’re an elixir of life. Kelly Klein con- designer Tony They throw out questions, they irritate, ceived a book Melillo and and I draw a great deal out of them for based on the ca- Kelly Klein. my life.” sual instant pho- The public will now have the oppor- tos that the pair tunity to do the same in the Rieck Halls, often take. And to five former shipping halls each measur- celebrate the result, ing over 150 feet long and 65 feet wide. called “Polaroids by Encased in anthracite corrugated metal Friedrich Christian Kelly Klein,” they threw a for an arresting and slightly Darth “Mick” Flick book party-cum-fashion show Vader-like look, the seemingly endless last week on the rooftop of the Maritime Hotel. halls are connected by a sculptural The slim, matte volume, designed by Sam Shahid, is filled with bridge to the Hamburger Bahnhof, a ter- dreamy images of boys and girls dressed in Generra’s spring line, minus railway station built in 1847 and turned into a contemporary art museum in 1996. Flick shelled interspersed with stills of orchids and flowering trees. Though out the $9.1 million renovation costs for the Rieck Halls, but this represents only a fraction of the boun- Klein’s images do benefit from the ultracool styling of Camilla ty he’s making possible for Berlin. Nickerson, Melillo noted that, in a departure from most fashion Hamburger Bahnhof and Flick Collection curator Eugen Blume told WWD the most surprising as- shoots, they dispensed with both a hairstylist and a makeup artist. pect of the Flick collection is “the quality of what he has.” Although Flick has pointed out that the col- “I think we captured the feeling that we were going for,” Melillo lection “is deeply private” and does not follow art historical or didactic criteria, Blume said, “If I had said. The book seemed to be a hit with the rooftop revelers, some had the money, I would have put together the collection in much the same way.” With other private col- of whom even asked Klein to sign their copy. lections, you sometimes have to sort out a good deal, a junior curator added. “But not here,” she said. As for the clothes, Melillo decided at the last minute to show off a “The quality is of the highest throughout.” few in the flesh. But in the gathering crowd, you almost missed the few The first exhibition of 400 artworks, cited as “the biggest exhibition of contemporary art in Berlin long-limbed models dressed in candy-colored T-shirts, skirts, dresses ever,” will be housed in both the Hamburger Bahnhof and the Rieck Halls for a total of almost 140,000 and even a few of the jeans that he plans to launch this week. Melillo square feet of exhibition space. It is organized by themes, such as “Creation Myth”; “Partial Truth” — is a photo buff, and he cited photographer David Hamilton as an inspi- the name of a Bruce Nauman work; “The Third Space,” which refers to visual art in architecture, and ration for the line. “You know the way things hang off the body in those “Service Area.” A 500-page catalogue in German and English accompanies the exhibit, in a normal and pictures?” he said. “It just has a really soft and easy vibe.” special edition, the latter featuring differing types of paper and pull-out pages. A free exhibitions — Meenal Mistry newspaper will also be distributed to visitors. — Melissa Drier 12 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

Factoring & Receivables Weekly Stock Index 52-WEEK VOLUME AMT WWDCOMPOSITE STOCK INDEX VS. S&P 500 HIGH LOW P/E (00’S) LAST CHANGE RETAILERS 39.46 23.07Abercrombie Abercrombie & &Fitch Fitch 14.8 65531 33.37 1.20 33.98 16.83Aeropostale Aeropostale 25.3 70970 30.07 -0.88 38.22 14.44American American Eagle Eagle 26.7 71550 36.85 -0.22 31.43 20.47Ann Ann Taylor Taylor 14.4 65024 26.10 0.92 24.33 15.22Bebe Bebe 24.1 12639 20.60 0.35 5.97 1.20Bluefly Bluefly - 2923 2.05 0.06 17.95 8.30Bon-Ton Bon-Ton 11.5 2671 12.82 -0.45 22.50 17.42Burlington Burlington Coat Coat 12.8 2041 20.73 0.23 23.63 11.31Cache Cache 15.2 14334 13.93 -0.16 22.94 18.65Cato Cato 14.1 3770 22.13 1.58 22.24 9.18Charlotte Charlotte Russe Russe 14.0 46345 11.93 0.81 9.19 5.09Charming Charming Shoppes Shoppes 12.3 21919 7.25 0.05 47.60 30.13Chico’s Chico's FAS FAS 27.0 102457 36.90 0.81 32.85 16.77Children’s Children's Place Place 22.2 25656 23.07 -0.58 44.14 29.47CVS CVS 17.7 72646 41.07 0.72 27.01 17.93Deb Deb Shops Shops 22.0 557 24.26 -0.69 24.98 13.80Dillard’s Dillard's 27.5 24213 20.26 0.32 S&P 500 23.19 16.91Dollar Dollar General General 21.0 82929 20.23 0.14 18.72 12.90Dress Dress Barn Barn 52.0 2953 17.32 0.50 95.89 50.63eBay eBay 93.3 679004 93.10 3.03 44.13 25.09Family Family Dollar Dollar 17.8 56235 28.14 0.74 55.06 41.00Federated Federated 12.1 104216 46.10 1.13 27.59 15.97Foot Foot Locker Locker 15.1 28935 23.70 0.54 25.72 16.99Gap Gap 16.3 239228 20.01 -0.01 14.80 7.35Goody’s Goody's 16.1 14315 8.69 0.39 6.70 2.90Gottschalks Gottschalks 19.2 5907 6.40 1.58 19.58 8.39Guess Guess 34.7 6506 17.55 1.15 5.25 1.03Harold’s Harold's Stores Stores - 336 2.44 -0.09 32.30 13.85Hot Hot Topic Topic 17.5 76416 17.40 -0.41 41.50 20.64J.C. J.C. Penney Penney 20.6 179572 36.56 -1.43 WWD COMPOSITE STOCK INDEX 90.20 22.41Kmart Kmart - 139824 87.75 4.98 59.60 39.59Kohl’s Kohl's 26.5 145965 49.48 -1.10 22.00 14.82Limited Limited Brands Brands 14.6 109482 21.81 0.80 36.48 23.70May May Dept. Dept. Stores Stores 11.8 84968 25.22 -0.19 6/25 7/9 7/23 8/6 8/20 9/3 9/17 32.13 16.18Mothers Mothers Work Work 7.9 492 16.65 -0.09 59.70 41.70Neiman Neiman Marcus Marcus 13.3 8633 56.15 0.35 46.30 24.52Nordstrom Nordstrom 16.9 57377 39.55 -0.12 25.78 17.25Pacific Pacific Sunwear Sunwear 18.0 111279 22.00 0.66 46.56 31.71Regis Regis 17.7 8897 42.30 0.58 9.70 3.70Retail Retail Ventures Ventures 20.8 1850 7.62 0.02 32.86 20.95Ross Ross Stores Stores 17.3 54870 23.19 -0.47 17.92 11.21Saks Saks 19.4 56778 11.97 -0.30 56.06 31.21Sears Sears 3.9 76378 40.31 -0.32 WWDSTOCK INDEX DIPS 18.70 12.14ShopKo ShopKo 13.9 11293 18.16 0.16 42.01 25.31Stage Stage Stores Stores 11.3 9419 34.87 1.80 NEW YORK — The WWD Composite Stock Index slipped 0.2 percent last week to close at 1,082.62 from 18.96 5.09Stein Stein Mart Mart 28.9 20271 14.34 -1.56 1,085.20 a week ago, as the relentless hurricane season continued to cast a pall over retail sales throughout 12.15 6.25Syms Syms - 80 10.75 0.05 much of the Southeast. 39.82 26.00Tal Talbotsbots 15.5 18321 29.13 0.09 47.40 36.19Tar Targetget 21.3 140430 45.32 -0.50 Among the broader indices, the S&P 500 finished at 1,128.55, up 0.4 percent from 1,123.92 a week ago. 26.82 18.71TJX TJX Cos. 16.0 97430 22.13 0.25 As Ivan was downgraded to a tropical storm and Jeanne was upgraded to a hurricane, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the 35.81 12.30Urban Urban Outfitters Outfitters 40.0 75438 34.53 0.93 world’s largest retailer, said 77 of its roughly 600 facilities in the Southeast were closed. With 209 facilities in 38.07 30.18Wa Walgreenslgreens 28.9 136608 37.07 -0.62 61.31 50.50Wal-Mart Wal-Mart 23.8 491622 52.48 -0.97 Florida, 105 in Alabama, 96 in Louisiana, 138 in Georgia and 53 in Mississippi, Wal-Mart is in hurricane alley, and 12.50 0.69Wet Wet Sea Seal - 88372 1.56 0.14 investors responded by trading down its stock 1.8 percent to $52.48 from $53.45 a week ago. The retailer’s shares 10.15 1.95Wilsons Wilsons Leather Leather - 10601 6.39 -0.21 have fallen more than 4 percent, or $2.36, since Aug. 18, acting as a brake on the wider WWD Index. 31.30 22.05Zale Zale 13.9 18504 27.38 0.23 Pulling in the other direction this week, however, was Federated Department Stores Inc., which saw its shares add VENDORS 52.30 38.55Alberto Alberto Culver Culver 30.4 13716 46.30 -1.82 2.8 percent to close at $46.10 versus $44.84 last week. The company’s stock got a boost after Federated said it 46.65 30.67A Avonvon 13.8 119939 43.44 1.30 will convert all of its units — except Bloomingdale’s — to the Macy’s nameplate in January. The change will make 27.41 20.60Benetton Benetton 31.3 238 23.50 0.35 Macy’s a $13.5 billion, 423-unit national chain and, if Federated has its way, evolve the nameplate so it becomes 25.70 18.68Cherokee Cherokee 13.8 478 23.76 -0.24 47.45 26.63Coach Coach 30.9 69454 43.50 -1.36 known as “America’s department store.” 59.39 49.22Columbia Columbia Sprtswr Sprtswr 17.7 5036 55.09 -0.37 Gap Inc. also released fairly momentous news last week, but investors just yawned. The nation’s biggest specialty 34.60 22.48Del Del Labs Labs 17.2 874 33.60 -0.25 retailer said it will target women aged 35 and older with a new concept, but chief executive officer Paul Pressler ac- 23.94 15.96Elizabeth Elizabeth Arden Arden - 8418 21.36 0.39 49.34 33.00Estée Est?e Lauder Lauder 26.5 47859 44.00 -0.48 knowledged it could be up to two years before there is any significant rollout of the format. Wall Street responded by 29.49 15.87Fossil Fossil 17.8 11649 28.83 0.56 trading down Gap’s shares by a penny, or 0.04 percent, to $20.01 from $20.02 last week. While Gap disclosed few 11.90 6.00G-III G-III 21.1 104 6.16 -0.09 details about the new division, up to 10 stores are expected to open in fall 2005. 39.97 31.01IFF IFF 17.2 9506 38.70 0.08 Gottschalks Inc. celebrated its 100th birthday on Friday by ringing the closing bell at the New York Stock 33.36 9.34Inter Inter Parfums Parfums 14.8 10367 12.15 0.53 40.00 29.30Jones Jones Apparel Apparel 14.4 50812 35.25 0.47 Exchange and enjoying the fact that its stock shot up 32.8 percent last week to $6.40 from $4.82. But investors 45.10 32.26Kellwood Kellwood 12.7 9799 37.06 0.08 didn’t buy Gottschalk’s stock for mere sentimental reasons: the 73-unit chain tripled its earnings in the past 12 37.39 26.11Kenneth Kenneth Cole Cole 17.8 5533 30.48 0.46 months. Moreover, the retailer, which is boosting its bottom line through cost cuts, forecast fiscal 2004 earnings of 39.79 32.09Liz Liz Claiborne Claiborne 14.4 28374 38.45 -0.47 6.90 2.67Mossimo Mossimo 16.0 804 3.85 -0.31 41 to 43 cents a share, which would almost triple last year’s profits. 17.97 10.08Movado Movado 17.2 3017 16.74 -0.25 Amid speculation over a possible bankruptcy filing, ailing specialty retailer Wet Seal Inc. said it appointed 78.56 56.90Nike Nike 21.5 58652 76.56 0.91 Rothschild Inc. as its financial adviser. The company’s stock closed the week at $1.56, up 9.9 percent from $1.42 2.65 1.03Novel Novel Denim - 197 1.14 -0.11 a week ago. 47.50 29.60Oxford 16.9 3259 41.70 -0.50 29.95 20.41Perry Perry Ellis Ellis 12.1 2339 23.09 -0.21 For insight into what drives fashion and retailing — and, by extension, the WWD Index — the American Apparel 21.39 14.10Phillips-Van Phillips-Van Heusen Heusen - 7885 21.25 0.48 & Footwear Association and Emanuel Weintraub Associates will host an issues and solutions conference titled 38.57 25.94Polo Polo Ralph Ralph Lauren Lauren 20.3 32672 36.70 -1.21 “Creativity: From Concept to Market” on Sept. 30 at the Princeton Club in New York. Panel presentations will be 26.74 14.70Quiksilver Quiksilver 19.6 38960 26.22 0.32 42.95 31.25Reebok Reebok 13.8 28137 35.67 1.12 made by Kenneth Cole, ceo of Kenneth Cole Productions; Federated’s chief creative officer Joe Feczko; David 3.93 2.03Revlon Revlon - 28139 2.67 0.02 Meister, president of the Kellwood-owned company that bears his name; Liz Claiborne executive vice president Trudy 19.23 15.50Russell Russell 13.2 4360 17.49 -0.51 Sullivan; and Elie Tahari, ceo of Elie Tahari Ltd. 4.76 0.85Tarrant Tarrant - 7537 0.89 -0.11 18.25 11.68To Tommymmy Hilfiger Hilfiger 11.5 28740 13.63 -0.39 — Dan Burrows 5.90 0.90Tr Tropicalopical Sprtswr Sprtswr - 1689 1.31 0.04 51.02 38.19VF VF Corp. Corp. 12.7 13313 49.38 -0.51 21.98 12.94Wa Warnacornaco - 8200 20.82 -0.08

You’ve Got The Order... Weekly % Changes Are You Sure You’ll Get Paid? WWDStock Market Index (ending Sept. 17) Sterling Factors: Serving Businesses for 75 Years! •Protects your receivables Largest Gainers Close Change •Puts cash back into your cash flow Gottschalks 6.40 32.78 Wet Seal 1.56 9.86 •Opens letters of credit to bring in product Composite: Retailers: Vendors: ...and we do it all as part of Sterling National Bank! 1082.62 1050.20 1265.10 Cato 22.13 7.69 Charlotte Russe 11.93 7.28 Sterling wants to be your financial partner. For your own pieceof mind, Contact: explore the possibilities by calling one of our relationship managers. Guess 17.55 7.01 For Factoring call Stanley Officina, For Asset-Based Lending call Robert Schnitzer, -2.58 -4.08 8.22 Largest Losers Close Change President Vice President Tarrant 0.89 -11.00 Sterling Factors Corporation at 212-575-4413 Sterling National Bank, at 212-575-4446 Stein Mart 14.34 -9.81 STERLING FACTORS CORPORATION FDIC Novel Denim 1.14 -8.80 STERLING NATIONAL BANK NYSE: STL Mossimo 3.85 -7.45 500 Seventh Avenue • New York, NY 10018 • www.sterlingbancorp.com Index base of 1000 is keyed to Alberto Culver 46.30 -3.78 closing prices of Dec. 31, 2002. OUR DOORS ARE OPEN ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 13 WWW.WWD.COM Financial West Coast Factors Mean Business Boom

By Ross Tucker try and we’ve got extreme sports.” He said these businesses tend to be smaller, younger and “more energized.” LOS ANGELES — As the factoring industry continues to consolidate, competitive There are also other differences between West Coast suppliers and others — espe- pressure is reaching a boiling point, and nowhere is this more evident than here, cially the start-ups. The factors said the West Coast start-ups have a more entrepre- according to three West Coast-based factors during a recent WWD roundtable. neurial spirit that sets them apart from the more storied East Coast companies. From The factoring firms, companies that handle suppliers’ receivables for a fee, said the factors’ perspective, this means altering their business approach. new businesses, soaring import levels and the West Coast’s position as the gateway “In some cases, there are less obvious nuances to doing business here,” said into the U.S. market have created a boom in business. Enoch, a New York native. “It’s a little slower paced and not as aggressive. The pace of growth has been frenetic in recent years. “Evidence of that would be Sometimes a softer sell is necessary.” the port of Los Angeles, which has gone from operating from 9 to 5, to being open 24 Meanwhile, the factors are clearly looking to electronics and other consumable hours a day,” said David Reza, a senior vice president for Milberg Factors. goods to help break out from the more niche apparel goods segment. According to data from port authorities, the number of imported, twenty-foot “We’ve been in this business for 25 years,” Reza said. “When we opened up out equivalent units — the standard maritime industry measurement used to count Continued on page 14 cargo containers — rose 53 percent to 3.8 million in 2003 from 2.5 million in 2000. Data for the first six months of 2004 shows imports already outpacing the previ- ous year. Through June, the Our customers’ business needs vary as much number of imported TEUs as the reasons they count on GE: acquisitions, came in at 2 million, 9.5 per- consolidations, business cycles, market changes, cent higher than the 1.8 mil- lion TEUs reported in the and more. No matter the need, one thing’s the same period a year ago. same: every financing event provides an It’s figures such as these that have led factoring firms opportunity for us to help you grow your company. such as Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Milberg Factors and others to Why GE? No one else can provide the agility, open West Coast offices during the past two years. flexibility and stability that comes with a triple-A “I think one of the biggest rated lender with 100+ years’ of consumer changes has been China and product experience and first-hand retail the influence of China, not only Cha-Ching! in the apparel industry, but operations know-how. Factor in direct access also consumer electronics and to our wealth of knowledge and resources consumer goods,” said Mitch That’s the sound of Cohen, senior vice president and you’ve got an equation that adds up to for CIT Commercial Services. your business growing. your business success. “The West Coast is the first stop for product going into the U.S. buying market.” According to Cohen, even manufacturers in GE Commercial Finance Mexico have begun shifting operations to Asia. Retail Finance “We’re looking more to importers than we are domes- tic manufacturers,” Cohen said. “The West Coast is going to have a bigger transition from domestic manufacture to importing.” There’s a mix of businesses popping up, said Reza. “There are companies that are West Coast-based and producing domestically or they are West Coast-based and importing goods from Asia,” he explained. “I think we’re probably seeing more people set up shop here and import- ing from Asia.” Cohen said he’s seen more and more Asian companies establishing subsidiaries on the West Coast. Some CIT clients, said Cohen, had done this more than 10 years ago. However, the trend is gaining momentum. “One thing we need to remember, there’s a lot of competition for factoring on the West Coast,” Cohen added. Jeff Enoch, a vice president with Rosenthal & Rosenthal, said the apparel business was “still our bread and butter,” but admitted in the same breath that growth opportuni- ties in apparel have slowed. As Reza pointed out, West Coast apparel businesses have typically been confined to the junior market. “In some cases, it insulates us. In some cases, it Jim Hogan · Norwalk, CT · 203-956-4592 Stuart Armstrong · Managing Director Daniel Williams · New York, NY · 212-309-8779 has made us more vulnerable.” Lori Potter · Charlotte, NC · 704-992-5444 Norwalk, CT · 203-956-4085 Kimberly Morse · Pleasanton, CA · 925-730-6464 Cohen said the West Coast Stephen Metivier · Norwalk, CT · 203-956-4596 Matt Christensen · San Francisco, CA · 925-730-6425 has the “surfwear industry, Pamela Rashid · Chicago, IL · 312-441-7763 Patrick Clemens San Francisco, CA · 415-277-7420 we have the skatewear indus- © 2004 GE Corporate Financial Services, Inc. All rights reserved. 14 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

Factoring & Receivables Firms Give Clients Competitive Edge

Continued from page 13 here in the late Seventies, we were the poor second cousins to New York. I think there’s been big growth, much bigger growth than in New York.” Enoch agreed that West Coast growth occurred at a more rapid rate than the East Coast. “Factoring was very young, which is why a lot of us were coming from the East The Port of Los Angeles Coast,” said Enoch. “Certainly, the West Coast has come into its own.” Still, most new companies lack a track record, raising the question as to their abil- ity to survive volatile times. “This is the garment industry, it’s always volatile,” joked Enoch, who added that a start-up company “hasn’t weathered the ups and downs of the economic cycles. And I think you need to weather those storms. I think the average tenure of a manufac- turing company is somewhere between 4 to 7 years.” And for many suppliers, especially younger companies, the common way to do business is to rely on one or two customers for the bulk of sales. The factors say they are better equipped to handle high customer concentration levels, and sales con- centrations are even beneficial. “I think concentration has driven business to the factoring community because of the additional risk they have to take,” said Cohen. Enoch believes concentration issues are client-specific. “A company like Wal- Mart isn’t going under anytime soon, so we only have to worry about problems with the client’s production.” Cohen asserts that concentration issues that arose following the bankruptcy of Kmart, for example, don’t necessarily apply to scenarios such as how to sell to the Wal-Marts and Targets of the world. “We have to understand who they’re selling to and the model of who the ultimate customer is,” said Cohen. “Wal-Mart is going to be around for a long time. With Kmart, there was a question — were they going to be needed? So what if they left? It’s a different business.” Smaller factoring firms are recognizing the need of having a physical presence on the West Coast in order to capitalize on this recent boom in business. Ultimately, said *IN TEU'S, OR 20-FOOT EQUIVALENT UNITS, A STANDARDIZED MARITIME INDUSTRY CONTAINER MEASUREMENT. the factors, it is still a relationship-driven business. SOURCE: THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES “Local decision-making has always been very important,” Reza said. “Sitting across the table from management members and being able to respond very quickly helps them to be more responsive.” pany has 125 people working in L.A. The smaller factors will be hard-pressed to catch up to CIT, however, which has “Entrepreneurs want to deal with people who can make decisions,” Cohen said. brand strength as well as a long tenure in the market. According to Cohen, the com- “There’s always going to be a percentage of clients that want to talk directly to me.”

You focus on what you do best. Chargebacks. Markdowns. Guaranteed Margins. Quotas. Duties. Returns. Shortages. No Credit. Inventory Problems. We Understand.

We know what you have to go through in the apparel business these days. After all, it’s the business we chose to serve when Ben Milberg founded the company back in 1937. And for three So do we. generations someone named Milberg has been here, providing factoring and financial services to the apparel industry. A clients’success is our success... What are the other reasons to choose us when you are looking While you take a product or idea for a factor? We make decisions FAST. Need a credit approval? from start to finish, our team of accountants and business advisors Need more money? Your best customer is postponing help you navigate through the delivery on your biggest order? At Milberg, a principal challenges and opportunities facing is just a phone call away. your business. No committee. No long wait.

As Mahoney Cohen celebrates its 35th Anniversary, we thank our clients and friends for the achievements we have attained together.

In New York: In Los Angeles: Dan Milberg, SVP Dave Reza, SVP 99 PARK AVENUE 655 NORTH CENTRAL AVENUE NEW YORK, NY 10016 GLENDALE, CA 91203 (212) 697-4200 (818) 649-7587

Factoring • Working Capital Financing Letters of Credit • Collateral Monitoring Services Receivables Outsourcing . . 1065 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10018 212-790-5700 www.milbergfactors.com www.mahoneycohen.com WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 15 WWW.WWD.COM Factors Can Give Cash Flow a Boost

By Arthur Zaczkiewicz company describes as a “cus- able, which cuts operating and size of client. high level of service. A higher tomized outsourcing program costs, bolsters cash flow and re- Rosenthal & Rosenthal and level of service often means a NEW YORK — As Wall Street, designed to manage the full life duces write-offs. Milberg Factors, for example, higher rate charged. shareholders and lenders pres- Several of the major factors sure companies to reduce ineffi- will also lend money with an ciencies, they often seek front- Factors are experts at assessing the creditworthiness of asset-based agreement. It’s impor- end solutions such as reducing tant to note that factors are ex- head count, slashing advertising retailers, which is valuable knowledge when competitive perts at assessing the creditwor- and cutting commissions. thiness of retailers, which is valu- But there’s one area in pressures swell and sales soften. able knowledge when competitive which a supplier can improve pressures swell and sales soften. efficiencies while also protect- Moreover, factors are inter- ing itself from credit losses, a cycle” of a company’s accounts Other factoring firms posi- tend to target mid-size compa- ested in developing longer-term solution that also improves receivable. tion themselves with similar nies with their services. They, relationships with clients, cash flow, which is by sourcing The positioning of this type products and solutions. The along with DCD Capital, which is why they work closely out accounts receivable to a of product aims at taking on a major points of differentiation Sterling Factors and Hilldun, with suppliers to help them factoring firm. company’s full accounts receiv- include rates, level of service also focus on offering clients a grow their business. According to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, “factor” is defined as “a person that acts or transacts business for another.” It’s an old way of doing business and is the gene- sis of the modern real estate agent or broker. But today, it’s roup Inc. the business of handling a com- pany’s receivables that carries the factor moniker. Although there are many types of factoring arrangements, such as factoring with or with- out recourse, or advance factor- ing, the basic idea is simple, and works like this: A supplier ships goods to a retailer. But through an arrangement with a factor, the supplier is paid by the factor for those goods shipped. The factor bills and collects the money owed on the goods from the re- tailer. For handling the transac- tion and doing the bookkeeping, and paying the suppler for the shipped goods, the factor charges a rate to the supplier. Factoring arrangements are either done with the factor han- dling the transaction with re- course or on a nonrecourse basis. A deal without recourse, as the name implies, means that the fac- tor takes on the credit risk. There’s also advance factor- ing arrangements, which offer

companies the ability to be see what you see” and “c it” are service marks or registered of CIT G the CIT logo, “We 2004 CIT Group Inc. CIT, paid as soon as the goods are © shipped and invoiced. Barron’s Dictionary of Finance and Investment Terms describes this type of factoring as “dis- count factoring” where the “seller receives funds from the factor prior to the average ma- turity date.” This is based on the invoice amount, “less cash discounts” and allowances. In most cases, the factor is paid a rate based on “daily balances and typically 2 percent to 3 percent above the bank prime rate,” according to Barron’s. There’s also maturity factor- ing, an arrangement where the factor handles all of the ac- counts receivable. Commission rates paid to the factors with these types of deals are between 1 and 2 percent. In the apparel, home goods, fashion footwear and consumer electronics segments, there are a variety of product solutions offered by several large and small factors. Each of them positions themselves Franco Sarto’s footwear designs stop women in their tracks, while differently in the market. CIT financing solutions help the company keep making one great stride after CIT Commercial Services is ® the largest of the factors. The com- another. Care to try us on for size? Call (800) 248-3240. We see what you see. pany, a unit of CIT Group, offers a broad suite of factoring and asset- based lending products for both small and large companies. They offer traditional factor- ing as well as products such as CIT TotalSource, which the FPO 16 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

Factoring & Receivables Analysts Try to Keep the Faith in Luxury Market By Meredith Derby Two handbags NEW YORK — It seems hard to believe luxury retail spending could maintain such a strong course from Coach, for so long. While there is evidence on Wall Street of luxury’s potential decline, it’s the individ- which is ual companies rather than the group as a whole who are showing signs of weakness. enjoying Meanwhile, several luxury companies continue to report and project huge increases in continued sales profits and sales. Stepping back a bit, luxury spending had rebounded sharply in late 2002 — along with momentum. the turnaround in the financial markets — and hit full-blown proportions in 2003. If you believe the strength of luxury spending is tied to the market’s performance, how- ever, high-end retailers could start to see fewer consumers “trading up” for coveted luxu- ry items while loyal customers could begin to limit their spending. The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit a two and a half year high in late January, near- ly eight months ago. The market has been wobbly because high oil prices, the turmoil in Iraq and the uncertain outcome of the pres- idential election has kept many investors on the sidelines. A classic Nevertheless, Eric Beder, senior equity watch style analyst at J.B. Hanauer and Co., recently initi- from Movado, ated coverage of two luxury retailers — each a brand with for different reasons. potential for The analyst said jewelry and watch retail- expansion. er Movado Group is “on the money,” but he called Saks Inc. “a compelling value play,” which is in light of the company’s recently reported wider quarterly loss. A stock is con- week low of $11.21 reached on Sept. 29, 2003. “Investors have pun- sidered a value play when the company is in a ished the company for the slow pace of the turnaround and Saks’ rough patch, but is expected to turn around. inability to drive upside in a period of spending frenzy by the high- Investors scoop up shares at discounted end shopper and a stanching of bleeding by the department store prices because they’re banking on the compa- sector,” Beder said. ny’s operational improvements to conse- On the other hand, Movado has a lot going for it, according to Beder, quently boost the stock price. Eventual suc- due in part to its control of several names in the luxury and moderate cess, however, is not guaranteed. arena beyond its “iconic” Movado brand offering. “The company’s Saks’ “results for fiscal year 2004 will retail boutique expansion has provided a significant platform to posi- remain somewhat mixed, reflecting the cost tion Movado as a key lifestyle resource; we believe the chain is on the of a number of key upgrades,” Beder said in cusp of profitability,” said Beder. a Sept. 13 research note. Shares of Saks have Shares in Movado, currently trading at about $17, are poised to responded in turn to its disappointing news, surpass their 52-week high of $17.97 hit on June 30. and at around $12, sit just above their 52- Another accessories retailer, Coach Inc., remains on a roll, while the fate of Tiffany & Co. is being questioned. The leather keeps flow- ing at Coach, which last week upped its first-quarter earnings and rev- enue guidance. Pacific Growth Equities analyst Andy Graves said the company’s line embodies “luxury and glamour,” is “fashion-right and should contribute to Coach’s continued strong financial perform- ance.” At about $44, Coach shares are sitting just under their 52-week high of $47.45 reached on July 2. Tiffany, however, will likely report a meager 4 percent increase in 2004 earnings per share over 2003 and there could be a downside to 2005’s results, said J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. analyst Brian Tunick in a recent research report. Tunick said Tiffany’s top line is being challenged internationally and domestically, with the latter hurt recently by hurricanes Charley and Frances. Internationally, margins have declined, mainly from negative same-store sales results in Japan, an important region for the company that has been underperforming. At around $32, shares of Tiffany are down roughly 36 percent from their 52-week high of $49.45 reached on Nov. 11, 2003.

FACTORING BY DESIGNSM

Ask us for a Factoring By Design Plan. Call Howard Moore, Senior Vice President at 212-273-2988

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18 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

Technical Designer/ Production Development Manager - NYC Fit Technician - Torrid This position is responsible for coordinating development efforts for a quickly growing private label brand of handbags and small leather goods. Torrid is one of the fastest-growing mall-based specialty retailers. We offer exciting and cutting-edge apparel and Responsibilities include working closely with the design team in formulat- accessories for young women sizes 12-26. We are looking ing product concepts, daily follow up on all development details with for an experienced Technical Designer/Fit Technician to join Asian factories, product presentation to buyers and monitoring of retail our Merchandising Team. performance. Domestic and Asian travel a must. Minimum 2-3 years prior product development experience in handbags also a must as well as Job Responsibilities: strong organizational and multi-tasking skills. Please email resume and • Work in conjunction with the Merchandising Teams and salary history to [email protected] Vendors to develop garment specifications, fit and construction DSGNR/CONTEMP. BAGS OPEN $ • Attend garment fittings with Buyers to review and correct Maj. co. seeks exp’d designer for ORDER ENTRY garment samples as well as ensure that the Buyer’s vision contempbags/ SLG. Travel. Importer needs order entry person. of the garment is achieved Also graphic artist. Must have good communication skills • Be accountable for applying technical knowledge when A.D. FORMAN ASSOC. and have knowledge of Excel. Call Ana 212-564-9155 measuring fit and production samples 450 7TH AVE (AGCY) 268-6123 • Manage and track fit approval and sample process • Assure quality control of pre-production and shipment samples • Possess technical knowledge of fabric, trim and details as it EXECUTIVE V.P. BRA MERCH relates to garment construction Lunaire, a leader in full • Remain current with fashion trends and technical advances ASSISTANT figure bras, is looking for a Account Executive - NYC • This position also supervises an Assistant Fit Technician senior merchandiser with and Clerical to the CEO strong market sense and This position is responsible for developing the wholesale BCBGirls CEO of a top fashion company Job Qualifications: product development skills. handbag license business managing a major department store buying seeking dedicated, detail oreinted Fax resume in conf. to: office and some specialty stores. Responsibilities include analysis of • 5 years technical design experience individual with at least 2 years • Fashion Merchandising/Design degree (Associate or 212-725-0089 or email: retail sales, inventory management, and quarterly profitability. Qualified working with the President of the [email protected] candidates will be highly self-motivated and possess superior presenta- Bachelor) company. Must be computer liter- tion, analytical, negotiation and communication skills. Strong retail math • Strong technical skills with an emphasis in design ate, team player, detail oriented, skills needed. Domestic travel a must as well as 2-3 years prior handbag principles, practices and procedures and able to handle multi task proj- sales experience. Please email resume and salary history to • Knowledge of pattern grading, garment construction and ects. Excellent benefits. Excellent production [email protected] opportunity for committed individ- • Demonstrated ability to lead and develop teams ual. Salary commensurate with Admin. Assit $45-$55K. Current exp. in ap- • Possess proficient computer skills with intermediate parel co required. Assist head merchandis- experience. er of large midtown co. Excel, spread- Salesperson - Costume jewelry/ acces. knowledge of Word and Excel Fax your resume and sheets, Word, etc. Fast-paced dynamic at- NY importer/mfr. seeks exp’d. self- • Must be organized and have good time management skills mosphere. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy Leading Midtown Fashion Accessory Co. starter w/proven following of volume in Jrs’., Ladies’, Mens’, and Kids’, seeks • Possess excellent communication skills with the ability to salary requirements to spclty., catalog & other retailers. Base J. Taylor 212-869-3639 exp’d. Salesperson Must have strong + comm. Mr. B T. 212-594-4455 F.212- gather and disseminate information effectively following. Competitive salary & benefits. 594-4466 email: [email protected] Fax resume: 201-573-4616 As a division of Hot Topic, Inc., we are proud of our track record, consistently producing record-breaking sales, earnings Alexis Bittar per share, and net income. Hot Topic ranks 10th among the Data Entry Clerk 100 Fastest Growing Companies according to Fortune Detail oriented organised date entry Magazine. Forbes Magazine ranks Hot Topic 4th on their clerk. must be exp’d. F/T "200 Best Small Companies" list. DESIGNER Line Manager / Jewelry Production HANDBAGS/SLG’S Will focus on time mgmt/ purchasing If you’re interested in the position, please forward a for fast paced prod line. Mandarin, Can- Well-established accessory co. tonese a plus. F/T. comp lit. + Fleece Word-formatted version of your resume to: seeks designer w/ 3-5 years exp. Rib + Jersey Lycra [email protected] to design & merchandise a licensed Great growth and benefits. fax res w/ Drake Fabrics salary to 718-422-7584 718-389-8902 ADDITIONAL INFO: Employee Discount, Annual Bonus, brand. Creativity, technical specs, Medical/Vision/Dental/Life Insurance, 401k, Employee Stock computer skills & overseas travel PATTERN/SAMPLES exp. a must. For immediate Reliable. High quality. Low cost. Fast Purchase Program, Scholarship Program, Concert Reimburse- work. Small/ Lrg production 212-629-4808 ment and Upward Mobility. considertation, e-mail detailed cover letter & resume to: NO PHONE CALLS OR FAXES PLEASE. Cash For Retail Stock & Closeouts. [email protected] No Lot Too Big or Too Small. PATTERNS, SAMPLES, Apparel Production Call CLOTHES-OUT: Visit us at www.torrid.com (937) 898-2975 PRODUCTIONS Coordinator All lines,Any styles. Fine Fast Service. Leading apparel company seeking a Call Sherry 212-719-0622. highly motivated, detail-oriented indi- vidual. The candidate should have a minimum of 3 year’s experience in the PATTERNMAKER apparel industry. The candidate will PATTERNS, SAMPLES, Well established, high-end oversee all aspects of production appro- women’s fashion designer vals to ensure on-time delivery. Will PRODUCTIONS maintain and handle line plans, styles, Full servcie shop to the trade. Fine (whose label can be found in Saks, fabric and trim tracking, and seasonal fast work. 212-869-2699. Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf’s) si status reports. The candidate will seeking highly exp’d Production standardize and approve raw material development, daily communication Patternmaker. Must know factory with vendors and be responsible for procedures. 5-10 yrs. exp. required. maintaining sample lines. Office skills PTTNS/SMPLS/PROD Fax resume: 212-268-0547 required include a working knowledge High qlty, reasonable price. Any de- of the AS400 & Microsoft Word & Ex- sign & fabric. Fast work. 212-714-2186 cel. Please e-mail your resume to : [email protected]. No telephone SLEEPWEAR DESIGNER calls please. EOE Oscar de la Renta is currently in search of a talented Sleepwear Designer/Design Associate to join our dynamic team. This is a wonderful chance for a creative, talented For Space in Garment Center person to join our exciting, expanding organization. We are Apparel Staffing, LTD Helmsley-Spear, Inc. seeking someone with a very high taste level, great color & 212-880-0414 Designer - Sweater exp. print sense, who appreciates fine and fabrics. Must Designer - Tops - Knit & Woven Fabrics Showroom / Office / Retail Willing to pay top $$$! have at least 3-4 years of design background in the lingerie Designer Asstnt.- Boys & Menswear, PDM exp. We find you space-best deal-no fee Women’s contemporary company or designer markets. Must be capable of working in a team Production Mngr- Missy & Jr. Sptswr Mfr. Sublet 525 7th/ready seeks to share booth for the following: Techn Dsgnr - Sweater bkgrd Garment Center Real Estate Fashion Coterie (9/28/04 - 9/30/04) and/or environment as well as independently. Strong understanding Techn Dsgnr - C.N.S. Knit exp. Call Paul 212 947-5500 X 100 Account Representatives Techn Dsgnr - Full Fashion Sweater exp. Designer & Agents (9/27/04 - 9/29/04) of sourcing trims, working with laces and embroideries. Fossil is searching for New York and Please email: [email protected] Other [email protected] or Showrooms & Lofts Should be self motivated with problem solving and organiza- Miami based Account Reps to join our Fax resume to: (212) 302-1161 tional skills. This is a rare chance to "spread your imaginative sales team. This candidate should posses BWAY 7TH AVE SIDE STREETS at minimum 3 years experience Great ’New’ Office Space Avail wings" in an increasingly dull and confining world. partnering with buyers, analyzing ADAMS & CO. 212-679-5500 sales trends, recommending assort- Carole Hochman Design Group is a wonderful company, ments, monitoring stock to sales filled with talented people at every level. We take great pride relationships and pursuing new A/R ASST. MGR. in retaining the "best and the brightest" in our industry, our accounts. College degree or equivalent BRobinson Optical, a well established required with 20% travel. SAP eyewear firm seeks A/R associate to reputation and successful growth record are proof of this. experience is a plus. handle collection work, daily bank deposits, posting of payments, posting FASHION RESUMES SINCE 1970 Please apply online at Lifetime Updating/Phone Interviews Qualified candidates can: of monthly credits, and EOM report- Broadway @ 37th St. Rush Service Available www.fossil.com ing. Competitive salary incl. excellent Office Available in Showroom. PROFESSIONAL RESUMES, INC. Fax your resume to: ODLR Designer @ 212-725-8723 or fax directly to 972-744-8261 benefits package. Wall Grids / Racks - $800.00 (212)697-1282/(800)221-4425 or Email: [email protected] Fossil has many other amazing Please fax resume to: 212-683-0437 or 212-997-4300 www.resumesforfashion.com opportunities for design positions as well. E-mail to: [email protected] WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 19

DESIGNERS IMMED Retail Planner $$ open. Min 2 yrs exp as SALES MANAGER-Women’s Assistant Patternmaker TOP BRAND MERCHANDISER- SR planner required. Either retail or whole- Bobby Jones, a name synonymous Large childrenswear company seeks as- GROWTH SPOTS Accessory co. seeks a creative, person sale co background OK. For midtown appa- with superior quality golf and sports- sistant patternmaker with experience OUTERWEAR-MENS $100K to oversee all aspects of product devel- rel co. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy wear has an exceptional opportunity sizes 2-6x. Must have experience with TECH- SWEATERS $60’S opment for costume jewelry and/or available for a highly motivated denim, knits and wovens. MENS- ACTIVE $60’S novelty gift lines. Min 5 yrs exp. Retail Planners (3) $60-$85K. TOP TALENT NEEDED candidate to join our NYC team in our Fax resume 212-239-2766 WOMENS- SPORTSWEAR $60’S Salary comm w/ exp. Strong WalMart or Department store exp expanding Women’s line. A min of 3-5 ASST SPOTS TO $45K Email resume: [email protected] JanetStevens *Just Mgmt* 800-544-5878 • Director of Product yrs exp in women’s wear sales & mktg BELT DESIGNER/to $75K [email protected] For mjr accessory Co. Sr. belt dsgnr [email protected] Development is required. Enhance your career w/ needed to develop lines for Dept store our prestigious organization and brands. Req: 3+yrs designing, developing DESIGNER SR/Handbags/to 75k+ RETAIL SALES • Director of Design receive an excellent compensation & belt lines, exp wrkg & traveling to CONTEMPORARY/DEPT. STORE ANALYST benefit package. Pls submit resume: Asian factories. Supvsry exp. Strong Fantastic oppty. at mjr Accessory co. and Concepts [email protected] or to design Contemp. ladies line of Hand- Apparel company seeks individual with fax: 585-467-1315 Adobe Illust & Photoshop skills. knowledge of apparel business and • Men’s/Women’s Email resume: [email protected] bags /access. for Dept. store mkt. Must have solid handbag design expr., trend high volume accounts. Excellent com- Fax: 212-725-7116 Tel: 718-481-1941 munication and Excel skills required. Accessory Buyers Sales - Showroom Model knowl.,strong\ Illust/Photoshop and su- Evening Dress Company seeks pervisory skills. E-mail resume: Order Entry / Walmart / RetailLink exp. a must. Apply at www.steveandbarrys.com BOOKKEEPER Please fax resume to: 212-239-2766 specialty store salesperson and Wanted: Full-charge bookkeeper for [email protected] showroom modeling size 8. (Fax) 212-725-7116 (Tel) 212-481-1941 Customer Service Fax resume to 212-391-8753 growing womens apparel company. Great opportunity with fast-growing Sales Assistant Knowledge of peachtree a must. Some Designer to $90K. Current exp. in better to babywear/layette importer. Experience Established, fast paced ladies apparel co office administration as well. Min. 5 bridge contemporary cut & sewn tops. Fashion amust.MAS90 experience a plus. Data seeks a detail oriented, organized, indiv yrs exp. Pls. fax resume w/salary history vision similar to Theory. Strong knowledge of to work closely with VP of Sales. Follow Showroom Sales and requirements to: entry speed/accuracy important, must Fast paced, established. contemporary- 212-334-6738 cut & sewn fabrics devel. Import co. Call 973- be able to communicate effectively up customer sample needs and deliver- 564-9236 Jaral Agcy ies. Coordinate with production on Sales multi-line showroom seeks aggressive and with sales staff, reps and customers. energetic person with great follow up. Buyer - Children’s EDI Programmner to $65K. 2 yrs min, exp in Fast paces but pleasant work environ- Line Sheets, Coord Nat’l Sales Mtg. Plus much more. Must have excellent commu- Must have 1-3 yrs exp in the contemporary Children’s sportswear company needs mapping required. Write command language ment. market & strong relationships w/ depart- full time experienced buyer. Strong scripts. AS/ 400. Correct EDI non compliance. Fax resume to Flora Ho 212-695-4508 nication and computer skills. If you are described as fast paced and a multi task ment & speciality stores. Some travel in- trend, brand and fashion knowledge. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agcy or email [email protected] volved. Sal.+ commission, great bene- No freelance. Norwood, MA. type person, please apply for this excit- ing oppty. Excellent benefits. SALES REP fits, energetic environment. E-mail: [email protected] FABRIC MANAGER Order Entry /Reception Fax resumes to 212-382-1021 Growing Jr. Women’s Urban Line Fax to 212-391-5268 CAD Artist $40-$50K. Min 1 yr current exp. Womens wear mfr. seeks fabric coord. or email to [email protected] NY SHOWROOM in CAD. MAC. Illustrator. Photoshop. w/ 5 yrs exp. in import. Must have seeks highly organized, detail oriented, Mdtwn kids outerwear co. Assist design- contacts w/ European and Asian mills. order entry/reception person. Must be For JR/YM Apparel Distributor Showroom Sales/ ers.. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agy Comp lit. a must. computer literate. Fast paced, but SALES ASSISTANT Est’d lifestyle manftr seeks exp’d sales Fax resume to Lynn : 212 382-0237 pleasant work environment. Please Fax resume w/ sal 213-746-9187 Product Development email resume & salary requirements: assistant. Must be organized and Fast paced and growing accessory co. Children’s Wear General [email protected] detail oriented w/ excellent follow up E-mail: [email protected] is looking for a highly motivated and PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT skills. Competitive salary and bene- organized individual. Must be a self Patternmaker $80-$90K. Current exp. fits. Computer skills required. Please COORDINATOR Merchandise Manager starter as well as a team player. Indiv. On womens tops & bottoms, wovens & fax resume to 212-643-0684 E-mail must be detail oriented with ability to Bright, detailed individual needed for Reporting directly to the CEO, you will knits. Strong exp. On Gerber. Call 973- merchandise the entire bebe line, and resume to [email protected] Account Executive multi-task. 1 yr. exp. Strong computer hands-on role in technical & aesthetic 564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agency. Children’s Apparel aspect of the garment. Person will be impact every product that hits our skills, Photoshop & Illustrator. Great stores. These top level initiatives Patternmaker to $60K. Current exp. on Sales Assistant Aleading Manhattan based childrenswear Opportunity for Growth! Please call: responsible for all aspects of production co. is seeking a high-level motivated including communication with overseas, require the creative focus to not only Gerber or Lectra required. Large co in Major apparel company seeks sales Telephone: (212) 730-6983 identify and predict trends, but to Philidalphia area. Call 973-564-9236 assistant with 1-2 years experience. children’s apparel Account Executive. lab dip approvals, fit, tracking, reports, Candidate must have extensive children’s etc. Fax resume to Sumita: 212-967-7395 extend and enhance their presence Jaral Fashion Agy Individual with work closely with through others. That’s why we seek Account Executive on managing retail apparel contacts and sale exp. Need to the collaborative spirit to partner with PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT accounts. Must have good follow up track retail sales & maintain appropriate U.S. SUPERVISOR CONTROLLER and computer skills. stock levels. Involvement with merchandising 5-10yrs.exp.forestab.hi-endapparel design, production, planning and COORDINATOR Seeking professional to take the lead allocation, visual, and marketing. Your Fax resume 212-239-2766 &product development. Must be avail- for this well established European Luxury importer.Resp.forallphasesofadmin. Major apparel company seeks individual able to travel. Excellent salary & benefits. & finc’loperations.MAS90, importexp., background must also spotlight the with minimum two years experience. Shoe Brand . Candidate must have strong great leadership to motivate a talented Sales Assistant to $45K Please fax resume to 212-869-2781 wholesale sales background, some experi- CPA pref. Fax res/ sal reqs. Responsibilities include approving lab Attn: Cathy (212) 398-9695 staff of DMMs and buyers; 10+ years dips, fabric and accessories. Individual 2-4 yrs. Target exp a must. Strong math/ Excel ence in department store accounts and in retail buying and merchandising; will review design worksheets and Jennifer *Just Mgmt* 800-544-5878 retail management. We are seeking a Cutter to $28K.. Min 3-6 months exp. and strong product management expe- coordinate information between design [email protected] self motivated individual with the in cutting. Will be trained on short rience. Please e-mail or fax your department and production depart- Fast paced trend fashion Jewelry Co. leadership skills to manage our whole- knife & electric knife. Samples. Call resume, indicating General Merchandise ment. Must have good organizational, seeks energetic & motivated Sales Person. sale division and retail stores in the 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agcy Manager in the subject line of your cor- SALES United States. Sales planning experience communication and computer skills. Est’d lifestyle manftr seeks exp’d sales Must have experience in the contemporary respondence, to: [email protected], market w/strong relationships in Dept. and bi-lingual English / French a plus. Designer $100-$125K. Current exp. in updated Fabric construction knowledge a plus. people w/ retail contacts. Must be ag- (415) 657-4445. Fax resume (212)239-2766 & Specialty stores. Team player attitude Please send resume and cover letter to missy tops. Must hang w/ DCC, At Last, Style gressive to open new accounts while Fax: (212) 274-9383 expanding current business. Unlimit- w/excellent communication skills and &Co, etc. Exp in dealing w/ travelling to India presentation ability necessary. Great sal- &Europe. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fasion Agcy Production Assistant ed growth potential. Competitive Intimate apparel/foundations importer salary and benefits. Please fax resume ary, commission & benefits with excellent Designer $65-85K. Current exp. in womens GIRLS DESIGNER growth potential. Fax / E-mail resumes to: (2-4) (4-6X) (7-14).Juniors & Denim A+. seeks production assistant with 3-5 yrs. to212-643-0684 or E-mail resume to underwear/ panties. Must hang w/ Berlin, experience. Self starter, detail oriented, [email protected] 732-345-9991 / [email protected] Delta, Ariela, Innersecrets, etc. New York Location. Fax Patti @ 973-812-1731 highly organized, multi-tasking. Excel Design exp on PC. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy a must. Please email resume to: National Sales Director Designer $80 to $100K. Current exp. in [email protected] SAMPLEMAKER Growing NYC Jewelry manufacturer contemporary missy full fashion sweaters. seeks a dynamic Sales Director with 10 7th Avenue ladies eveningwear show- yrs+ exp. in bridge jewelry business. Must hang w/habitual Joie, Marc by Marc Production Assistant room seeks exp’d samplemaker to Jacobs, Sleeping on snow, BCBG, Language, Leading children’s wear importer seeks Ideal candidate must have established sew couture suits and bridal gowns. department store and private label PAUL&SHARK Vince etc. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy. an experienced production assistant. Great salary. Please call: (212) 398-2271 GRAPHIC ARTIST Responsibilities include daily e-mail relationships. Excellent benefits and Immediate part time Sales position for Designer $90-$100K. Current exp. in jr. -GIRLS- communication with oversea factories performance package offered. a qualified sales person. full-fashion sweaters. Trendy. Must hang Leading childrenswear mfr searching and all phases of approval process. Ideal [email protected] Please fax 212-452-9861 Attn: Sal Cretella w/ Unique, Airport, One Step Up, for a Girls Graphic Artist. Candidate candidates must have 2 to 3 years exp; Samplemakers Coolwear, Weavers, etc. Photoshop/ Illus- will work along side the Sr. Designer knowledge and understanding of gar- For Couture Evening Co. Experience trator. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy &Merchandiser in the development of ment construction, knit and woven fab- a must. Excellent salary. Please call: NATIONAL SALES MANAGER prints, embroideries, appliques and 212-944-7144 PAUL&SHARK Designer $90-$110K. Current exp. in JR. rics; must be detail oriented with good WORLDWIDE EUROPEAN BRAND mock sketched bodies for newborn, in- communication skill, computer skill LAUNCHES HANDBAGS, LUGGAGE OPENING IN cut & sewn updated fashion basics, fant & toddler. 6x girls.Will be responsi- primarily active tops. MAC Illustrator/ and able to work under pressure. Also AND ACCESSORIES IN U.S. ble for the development of wovens & must be a team player. SO. FLORIDA 12/03 Phjotoshop. Import co, Broadway at 39th board presentations projects. Must Share Our Success! Exclusive U.S. Distributor of world- Has openings for a Sales Manager and St.Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy Please fax resume & salary requirement A career opportunity to work for an wide European brand seeking a "roll have extensive working knowl of to: 212-564-5201 Attn. CB Complete Sales Staff, Salary + Com- Photoshop & Illustrator. Knowl of U4ia A+ industry leader in bottoms & sportswear up your sleeves" National Sales Manag- mission, Great Benefits Package. Designer $90 to $135K. Current exp. in for a new junior division: er for handbags, luggage and accesso- women’s moderate to better wool coats re- Email resume: [email protected] or Please fax resume to 212-452-9861 fax: 212-643-2826. No calls please. EOE. PRODUCTION 1. Mdse Mgr/Key Acct Executive ries. Must have department store and Attn: Sal Cretella quired. Mid-town Co. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral 2. Exp’d Designer specialty store relationships. Great Fashion Agcy. COORDINATOR Fax details to H.R. 626-338-6886 opportunity. Fax or email resumes to Designer Assoc $65-$75K. Current exp. in pri- Est’d lifestyle mnftr. seeks exp’d prod Fax: 212.840. 8333 vate label woven women’s casual or career coord. Must be organized and detail Email: [email protected] RETAIL MANAGER oriented w/excellent communication SHOWROOM TRAINEE $25-28K sporstwear. Adapt better to bridge line to mod- Work w/Finished Products, Must know Rugged Bear, a children’s specialty erate private label line. Strong knowledge of and follow up skills. No travel retailer, located in Darien CT, needs a required. Competitive salary and fabrics. Ideal FIT Grad or student. Nouveau Fabrics Inc woven fabrics. Preferable to hang w/ Liz Excel a Must. Full Time. E-mail Manager and Assistant Manager. Prior benefits. Please fax resume to Amajor design house specializing in retail experience required. Great bene- Claiborne, Jones, Kellwood, Ann Taylor, [email protected] heat transfer prints, novelty items incl Talbots, etc. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy GRAPHIC ARTIST 212-643-0684 or E-mail resume to fits / no mall hours. Fax 781-255-7098 We are seeking an experienced, [email protected] wet prints & solid basic items is seek- or E-mail [email protected]. DESIGNER creative individual with strong girls ing a fresh, innovative & aggressive (infant through 7-16) background. Tech Designer Asst/Sr salesperson to cover the NY market. ASST. DESIGNER Individual will work closely with our Production High volume childrenswear company Please fax resume 212-382-1341 RETAIL Prestige Fashion House FOR DESIGN & PRODUCTION TEAM design staff, translating concepts and seeks Tech Designers to join our fast Store Mgr/Madison Ave-NYC.....$65K+ Contemporary knit sweater manufac- ideas to create and develope prints. Coordinator growing team. Asst - entry level ok, Store Mgr/Chicago ...... $60K+ turer is seeking a motivated individual Working knowledge of Illustrator and Organized person to handle all aspects must be willing to learn. Sr. Tech - min Sales Executive Sales Assoc/Jewelry exp...... $35K+ with at least 3 yrs experience. Photoshop necessary. of production. Must be able to work 5yrsexp. Knowledge of patternmaking, Bridge designer knitwear co. seeks FAX: 212-481-4086 [email protected] • Must be creative and skilled in Please fax resume to (212)239-2766 closely w/accounts. 3-5 years experi- construction & communicate well with exp’d bridge sales pro with strong Illustrator/CAD/Photoshop and ence. Capable of multi-tasking. Com- fty’s. Fax resume 212.967.8631 Att: CC store contacts. Must generate new proficient in computers puter skill is a must. Duties include and maintain existing accounts. Min. • Strong organizational & multitasking GRAPHICS IMMED daily communication with oversea fac- 5 years exp. Team player req’d. skills to deal with our operations CHILDREN’S tories, issue cutting tickets, track and Fax resume to (212) 695-9483 or email Sales Associate • Only those who want to grow long $50,000s follow up production schedule / deliver- Tech Designer [email protected]. MICHAEL KORS term with this fun, young and [email protected] ies. Must be able to communicate and Secaucus co. seeks Tech Designer full- Our Madison Avenue boutique is seek- ambitious company should apply! provide clear information to oversea fashion sweaters; cut&sew knits. Must ing a dynamic, FT Sales Professional Fax resume to 212-302-4577 factories. have complete knwldg sweaters, , SALES EXECUTIVE with at least 3 yrs. luxury brand exp. Please fax resume to 212-221-3726 stitches. Must be exp’d in specing, fit- Fast Growing Vertical Manufacturer of and a strong clientele "book." Great Sal- Designer - Children’s tings, patterns, grading, sewing, mens sportswear seeking Sales Executive ary, Commission, Benefits and Cloth- Children’s sportswear company needs Import/LC Production Spec Tech $45-$50K. Cur- sketching. Strong vendor comn & with minimum 2 years experience in ing Allowance. Please fax resume to: full time exp’d designer. Must be tech- Growing Company seeks rent exp in writing spec sheets, tech comptr skills. 5 yrs exp. Salary com- apparel industry. Mens background a D. Girard @ (646) 354-4881 nical, able to spec, grade and prepare import/export person with strong LC packages, knowledge sewing instruc- mensurate with experience. plus but not necessary. Salary/ Com- technical packages & communicate experience. Must be detail oriented tions, put together cost sheets. Compu- Fax Dir Tech Design: 201-866-0387 mission based position in our NY of- with overseas factories. Strong trend, and computer literate and able to work terized. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy. fice. Please fax or email resume: brand & fashion knowledge. Photoshop, in a fast paced environment. Fax re- 212-279-0760 or [email protected] Illustrator. No freelance. Norwood, sume in confidence to: 212-869-4371 Production Spec tech to $40K. Current TECH DESIGNERS IMMED MA. E-mail: [email protected]. exp. in spec pakages. Excel. Adobe CHILDREN’S Illustator. Measurements & fittings. $55,000 Designer - Handbags [email protected] Import Traffic Coord. $35-$40K exp. in Comminication w/ oversea’s factories. SALES MANAGER OTB - "One Tuff Babe" tracking shipments from vendors to Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy. Must be highly professional, self- Seeks an experienced junior handbag warehouse. Deal w/ custom brokers. motivated individual to lead sales for designer. The candidate must have Delivery order. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy Tech Designer Womens woven tops $80K women’s designer hat and accessory strong sense of color and trend. Must PRODUCT MANAGER Tech Disgner JR. tops, bottoms $80K company. Experience a must, comput- be experienced in MAC /PhotoShop/ We seek a Product Manager to work Tech disgner Full-fashion sweaters $ 75K er literate, able to travel. Fax resume Illustrator. Must be organized and with the design team and sales group Tech disgner Kids Wear $BOE with hand-written cover letter to: detail oriented. Magazine Marketing from development stage through ship- Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agency KOKIN (212) 643-8284 Please fax resume to: & Distribution ping. Knowledge of retailer reporting 212-629-7918 Attn: Jeff and quality systems (i.e., Partners On Fast-paced publishing company looking Line to pull up reports, factory Technical for enthusiastic, organized multi-tasker registration) required. Garment and Designer to market and distribute (3) fashion Assoc. Technical Designer fabric testing procedure as well as casual Fast growing sweater co. seeks indiv. w/ Major apparel company seeks talented, and art magazines worldwide. 2 years woven bottoms experience, knowledge creative Designer with experience distribution and marketing experience 2-3 yrs exp in sweaters/cut & sew/ of bottom washes, finishes and fabric woven’s for new division. Must be a girls 4-16. Fashion Denim background for a magazine required, knowledge of constructions a must. and experience in developing Key items Excel and Filemaker Pro, attention to self-starter. duties incl. specs, lab dips, fittings, follow-up. Must know Excel. in both Denim and Knits separates. detail, thorough follow-up, team player Minimum 3-5 years experience. Good Must be proficient with Illustrator. amust.Great opportunity for growth. Good work environment. Pls e-mail res: communication skills and analytical [email protected] Fax resume 212-239-9709 45K + Health. Please send resume to: ability to interpret customers in stock E-mail: [email protected] requirements (to read ladders and be SALES MANAGER able to monitor whse stock). Designer Technical Design/Production Paul Frank Industries is seeking an Men & Children’s Apparel MANAGER Major Jr Denim Import/Mfg seeks an experienced sales manager for Small Experience a must. Please fax or email resume to: Paul, Paul Frank’s new children’s 646-366-0288 or [email protected] experienced individual to be responsible Call Nathan @ 212-868-3351 MORGANE LE FAY for initial to production spec packages for division. The candidate must have at Seeking a manager for their Madison development, analyze fit samples and least 3 years of sales management Designer $$ open. Current excp. in Ave. store. Must have 3 yrs. experience RECEPTIONIST-Must speak English communicate with over seas offices/follow experience and extensive knowledge newborn/ infant required. Knits & wovens. in . Please send resume, well /know Excel / Word / E-mail / greet up. Must be computer literate. of the children’s market. Must hang w/ Little Me, Ralph Lauren, etc. attention Silvia @ Fax: (212) 604-9190 people/answer phones/do admin. $27-33K Fax resume & salary requirements Please email resume to: Mdtwn Lg. Co. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy or [email protected] Les Richards Agcy-Call (212) 221-0870 attn: RS at 212-398-2287 [email protected] Today’s stain-resistant cotton isn’t afraid of a few spills. Buy it for what it does. Buy it for what it doesn’t do. Cotton. The fabric of our lives.® www.cottoninc.com

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Romantic Getaway Designers are going romantic for spring with tissue-thin silks and ruffles, and even fitted jackets. Here, for example, Versace’s cotton jacket with leather inserts and jersey skirt. ONA/NRG MODEL; HAIR AND MAKEUP BY JESSICA NEZDA/CLOSE UP; STYLED BY ALESSANDRA ILARI ALESSANDRA UP; STYLED BY JESSICA NEZDA/CLOSE ONA/NRG MODEL; HAIR AND MAKEUP BY PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOHNSON SARKISSIAN ON THE LEVANTADES AT ITALIAN YACHT CLUB, GENOA; MODELS: STEPHANIE COLEMAN/FLASH CLUB, MODEL AND IL YACHT ITALIAN AT JOHNSON SARKISSIAN ON THE LEVANTADES BY PHOTOGRAPHED 2 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

SECTION Il WWW.WWD.COM

MILAN FASHION WEEK

HEAD TRIP: While manis and GET YOUR LICKS IN: Lollipops, pedis are a beauty necessity decked out as a French for fashion week,hair salon boudoir in shades of pink, is Metodo Rossano Ferretti is also teeming with accessories: pitching a new treatment for shoes, bags, scarves and those stressed-out tresses: jewelry, all vying for space scalp massages with nutritive atop dressers and pouf chairs. oils. The 30-minute therapy is This season’s collection is a relaxing and relatively quick especially girly and features antidote to any hair issues bows on everything: in pink on brought on by Milan’s smog a pair of black flats, in and fog. Meanwhile, the pale blue on the handle of a salon’s new spa is one of only chocolate brown leather a handful of places in Milan doctor’s bag and in black on a where hot stone massages pair of pearl drop earrings. are available. Lollipops, 9 Via San Pietro dell Metodo Rossano Ferretti Hair & Orto; Phone: 39-02-365-6789. Spa, 30 Via Turati; Open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Phone: 39-03-29-060-017. and 3-7 p.m.

APERITIVO HOUR: The new hotel opened by the fabled Roman jeweler is not only considered one of the most luxurious places to stay, but also the chicest place to sip a cocktail. The hotel’s lush grounds, a part of Milan’s Brera Botanical Garden, is HOT SPOTS home to the bar. Woven rattan couches Interesting places to eat, drink, primp, chill — and with chocolate brown organic cotton cushions sit between perfectly shop — during fashion week. manicured trees and hedges. Cocktails are presented with plates of Italian nibbles, and if those aren’t enough, a PART OF THE CLAN: Located next to Gianfranco Ferré’s more bountiful menu is available. It’s best to get in early to ensure a garden seat, as Milan’s showroom in Brera, Clan Café is the latest Milan bar to chic set has already decided it’s the place to be seen holding a Manhattan. court the cool crowd. Part-owned by Christian Vieri, an 7B Via Fratelli Gabba; Phone: 39-02-805-805; Bulgarihotels.com. Open from 7 p.m. for aperitivo. Italian soccer star who plays for Inter Milan, the Clan boasts all the right ingredients: First, there’s no drinks menu because the bartenders stir up beverages based on a customer’s favorite flavors. Then there’s the FEEL THE BURN: If your moody lighting that illuminates the bottles and glasses hotel gym just barely rivals behind the bar, softened further by the latest house that of your home and lounge music that floods the space, with its treadmill, work up a post- curved lounge chairs, and filters out to the street — show sweat at the new where many of the hip thirtysomethings congregate. Downtown Palestre Diaz. Clan Café serves breakfast, lunch and a “buon” Located just across from aperitivo as well as happy hour from 6-8 p.m. Clan Milan’s Galleria, Café keeps its glass doors open until 2 a.m., Downtown’s sprawling welcoming local soccer players, TV personalities and cardio equipment room the fashion set for late-night cocktails. guarantees immediate Clan Café, 19 Via Pontaccio; Phone: 39-02-805-3403. guilt relief from one too Open Tues.-Sat., 9:30 a.m.-2 a.m.; Mon., 3:30 p.m.-2 a.m. BOOKS AND BREWS: Midway between the city center and the many glasses of railway station is Mediateca, a new multifloor cafe and champagne or luxury bookshop. The eclectic and broad selection includes rare Italian expenditures. The rooftop and foreign DVDs from every decade, and guests can enjoy bar serves fresh carrot FERRAGAMO REFRESHES: browsing or reading perched on bar stools or nestled in comfy juice for that needed dose Salvatore Ferragamo has couches inside the cafe while watching Milan street life wander of B-12 to get through recently redesigned its by. Mediateca’s cafe also spills out onto a manicured garden, show week. women’s store on Via where generous umbrellas shade a lunchtime treat. Downtown Palestre Diaz, 6 Montenapoleone, part of Via Della Moscova; Phone: 39-02-3653-5957; Atellani.it. Open Piazza Diaz; Milan’s famous Golden Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-midnight; Sat., 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Phone: 02-863-1181. Triangle. The aim was to give the store a “more modern and welcoming” ambience, the Florentine company says. SWEDISH MEATBALLS: It took Swedish fast-fashion chain Hennes & Mauritz 17 years to land Customers are greeted by the in Italy — where the group opened in central Milan last year. This month, the chain four impressive windows that celebrated the opening of its second Italian store, in the popular Milanese shopping street were part of the original Corso Buenos Aires. Now there are no plans to stop, as Margareta Van Der Bosch, the store’s design, but inside the 3,200- head of design, revealed. H&M is concentrating on spreading its brand throughout other areas square-foot space they find a of Italy. The 13,500-square-foot space on Corso Buenos Aires features an array of women’s new layout, complete with columns in natural stone. The store will be open on wear and children’s wear, and the kids’ section is festooned with paintings of zoo animals, Sundays during Milan Fashion Week. funky wallpaper and wooden display containers shaped like trucks. Salvatore Ferragamo, 3 Via Montenapoleone; Phone: 39-02-772-21-211. Open Mon., H&M, 56-58 Corso Buenos Aires; Phone: 39-02-29510292; hm.com. Open Mon.-Sat., 3-7 p.m.; Tues.-Sat., 10 a.m.-7 p.m. 10 a.m.-7 p.m.

EDA LOT: Eda is the latest addition to Milan’s stylish restaurant scene. Dark brown glossy tables line the three-level restaurant and bar, complemented by accompanying banquettes and centerpiece cacti. Eda’s dining tables also have another purpose that’s purely fashion — to be arranged to form a catwalk. In fact, Eda already confirmed its place in Milan’s fashion scene, after hosting a party during the last fashion week in the spring and regularly entertaining such designers as Alessandro Dell’Aqua, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana and the Caten twins from DSquared. Minimalist in design with antique and modern touches — like the multicolor mirror painting that dominates the entrance — Eda’s cuisine is far from fussy. The fare is typical Italian, as owner Gianfranco Olivotto serves trattoria-style dishes with a Sicilian flavor, like Pasta Alla Norma — fried eggplant and tomato pasta. The extensive wine list, however, touches every region of Italy. Eda, 7 Via Filippo Lippi; Phone: 39-02-2668-1962. Open for lunch from 12:45 p.m. and for aperitivo and dinner from 7 p.m. PHOTOS BY MAURICIO MIRANDA MAURICIO PHOTOS BY IMC Group - Ph. 212.750 2990 - www.allegri.com 4 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

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MILAN FASHION WEEK DIEGO DELLA VALLE Tod’s ‘Coherent’ Approach to Growth

By Alessandra Ilari ● Exploiting the brand’s bullish retail expansion should be less conventional in these hard times.” over the past couple of years. All the new categories will find a home in Tod’s DIEGO DELLA VALLE OF TOD’S SPA TAKES A LONG- ● Raising international awareness at Hogan and new and improved network of 105 directly operated term view in a short-term business. Fay. stores, plus 30 franchised ones. Tod’s chairman and chief executive officer has a Della Valle cited small leather goods as the market Della Valle admitted the retail rollout has com- conviction: If he wanted his cashiers to ker-ching with the most short-term potential. pressed the group’s margins, partially because its exe- faster and louder, he could do so in the blink of an eye. “For many of our competitors, small leather goods cution was accelerated by the recession. Tod’s had to “We could triple our sales by inventing new products, are a large portion of sales. We’ve just started but the capitalize on the fact that the economic downturn pro- new licenses and new distribution channels,” he said. moment we expand this category, we’ll get a huge re- vided good locations at reasonable prices. “The numbers would soar, but that approach wouldn’t sponse,” said Della Valle, sitting in his marble and “However, we’ll absorb the investment starting with be serious or coherent with the group’s growth strate- stucco Milan headquarters. “I think we need another the first half of 2005 when the new stores will carry gy for the next 10 years.” year before the consumer perceives that we are spe- more merchandise and new categories,” Della Valle Della Valle might prefer a steady-as-she-goes ap- cialists in other sectors, too.” predicted. proach, but he’s upping its tempo in the months ahead. As for jewelry, Tod’s metal bangles covered in color- Sunglasses could soon be a new entry, obviously à la Tod’s will continue to expand its collections of small ful python and crocodile skin bridge the gap between Della Valle. “We’re looking into buying a small eyewear leather goods, leatherwear, jewelry and other products costume and “haute joiallerie,” said Della Valle. manufacturer because this is an important market, al- while introducing new categories such as sunglasses. It “It’s a way to make beautiful things at accessible beit an inflated, saturated and commercial one. I’m also is strengthening the management team at its other prices. Someone who buys a Tod’s bracelet feels in- looking for an alternative approach to selling eyewear, brands, Hogan and Fay, with the appointments of new stantly gratified because it’s an identifiable object and perhaps a top-quality item only sold in our sales point brand managers and creative personnel. not the cheaper piece at a high-end jeweler. In our since we don’t license,” Della Valle said. But while Tod’s has opened 38 stores in the past 18 consumer’s mind-set this has an added value,” said The term licenses really don’t belong in Tod’s vo- months, don’t expect to see any explosive expansion at Della Valle. cabulary. the company. That’s not the Della Valle way. “The mar- He takes a similar view of the last plank in the com- “I just don’t love them because if it’s true that they ket is replete with products, con- bring cash flow — and maybe it’s sumers have everything, so we a sacrifice to give that up — in owe them something special. We the long run, licenses dilute the must never betray their expecta- brand’s image and respect,” tions, which, in our case, means noted Della Valle, adjusting his the best leather quality and a staple horn-rimmed glasses. modern product that isn’t slave to To that end, Della Valle is dates,” he said. “This may require also fed up with the abuse of the more time, but once the products word “luxury.” “Even jeans hit the market, we realize that the makers talk about luxury. I consumer respects the fact that think it’s a way to draw advan- we live up to their desires.” tage from the price multiples A staunch opponent of the that pertain to the luxury goods mergers and acquisitions fury world,” he said. that galloped through the fash- High prices work if they’re the ion business in the late Nineties, consequence of fine craftsman- Della Valle’s business acumen ship, a quality intrinsic to the goes well with the adage, “A label, Della Valle journey begins with a single added. step.” But that’s not to say Tod’s “I have no problem with future growth is at stake, as brands that outsource to China some analysts have suggested or India if they guarantee the considering the brand’s prod- quality and make it clear to the ucts focus primarily on shoes consumer,” he said. “I don’t and bags. want the Italian production to “The litmus test and stock be depreciated because, at least market response of how we’ve in accessories, it is the best in prepared for the future will be the world, period.” visible in the second half of To prove that, Della Valle in- 2005,” Della Valle said, speaking vested between $48 million and primarily for the Tod’s name- $61 million in this spring setup, plate, which is still the group’s what he describes as the cash cow at 59.5 percent of its “biggest factory of luxury shoes sales of $450 million. Heavy in- Tod’s has opened 38 stores in the past 18 months. in the world,” a state-of-the-art vestments in its store network plant in Casette d’Ete, Italy, that contributed to a 28.2 percent drop in net income at pany’s product-diversification strategy — leatherwear. churns out more than two million pairs of hand-fin- Tod’s last year to $31.4 million, or 25.8 million euros, “These pieces will represent our consumer’s ished shoes annually. versus $43.8 million, or 35.9 million euros, in 2002. wardrobe staple, dedicated to a man or a woman who That said, he didn’t rule out farming parts of Hogan Della Valle’s formula to stand out in the crammed already wears our accessories,” said Della Valle. because “I would be guaranteeing both fair prices and universe of luxury goods consists of three rigid rules: Spring’s styles include versions of the fitted leather quality.” Don’t dilute the brand, don’t logo products that aren’t jacket with Tod’s ubiquitous rubber dots in outerwear; To boost Hogan’s international appeal, a new brand coherent with the brand’s philosophy and don’t over- a colorful, laser-cut rendering in suede and elk of its D manager is poised to join, as did Carmen Borgonovo, expose the products because, in the long run, it kills Bag, Tod’s first-ever bag launched in 1997 and named the newly appointed fashion coordinator and former the brand. after Princess Diana, and, in footwear, variations on accessories editor at W and editor in chief of W “Our vision for Tod’s may require more hard work, the ballerina theme. Jewelry. Cristina Cortesi has joined the Fay apparel but it’s one that has gradually turned us into one of Following the success of February’s show, Della division as general manager. Meanwhile, Noona the few real luxury brands worldwide,” Della Valle Valle will again present his new wares at the PAC, Smith-Petersen will join the Tod’s Group as global di- contended. Milan’s museum of contemporary art. This time, set rector of corporate public relations worldwide for all Growth for the 50-year-old businessman, who designer Dante Ferretti has traded last season’s ro- of the group’s brands: Tod’s, Hogan, Fay and Roger launched the first pebbled-sole driving shoe in 1978 mantic side for a surreal effect. Vivier, starting in mid-October. Smith-Petersen cur- and now makes custom-made bags for Charlize Theron “This is Tod’s way of presenting the collections. It’s rently is with Calvin Klein Europe. and puts Madonna on a waiting list, will come on a modern, it represents a small dream and it’s a vehicle When asked whether his other interests — the number of different fronts: to follow the collections’ evolution,” said Della Valle. Fiorentina soccer team, sitting on the board of direc- ● Consolidating Tod’s core business of shoes and bags. “I think Milan lacks the glamour of 10 years ago, al- tors of , Maserati, Banca Nazionale del Lavoro ● Filling out the accessories with focused collec- though fashion week is well organized and filled with and LVMH and owning a stake in RCS publishing com- tions of jewels, small leather goods, scarves, hats and good names. What’s missing is a special and interna- pany — are distractions, Della Valle shakes his head. gloves, leatherwear and possibly sunglasses. tional event that would charge up the industry and “It’s all low-commitment . I go to the football ● Upping Tod’s presence in Asia, a market that cur- make people happy to attend, even if it’s work-related. match on Sunday, but 95 percent of my time is here. rently represents only 10 percent of sales. The press needs to be stimulated, and designers This is my full-time job,” smiled Della Valle. WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 5

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I don’t want the Italian production “to be depreciated because, at least in accessories, it is the best in the world, period. ” — Diego Della Valle PORTRAIT BY CRISTINA NUNEZ. BY PORTRAIT 6 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

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MILAN FASHION WEEK

Dolce & Gabbana’s denim jeans, cotton rib tank top and linen blazer; Roberto Cavalli’s stretch cotton denim jeans and reversible cotton and rayon jacket.

Spring Sail As Italian designers revise their pre-collections for the upcoming runway shows, it’s clear they’re going romantic this spring. Beautiful color combinations, tissue-thin silks and ruffles are top choices this season, and for a more formal moment, there are fitted jackets. Even jeans are getting the glam treatment with rhinestone insets and embroideries. Whether you’re headed to Capri or Paris, you can’t go wrong with spring’s new assortment. WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 7

WWW.WWD.COM ONA/NRG MODEL; HAIR AND MAKEUP BY JESSICA NEZDA/CLOSE UP; FASHION ASSISTANT: CHIARA HUGHES; STYLED BY ALESSANDRA ILARI ALESSANDRA HUGHES; STYLED BY CHIARA ASSISTANT: UP; FASHION JESSICA NEZDA/CLOSE ONA/NRG MODEL; HAIR AND MAKEUP BY

Giorgio Armani’s kidskin jacket worn over an embroidered silk skirt. PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOHNSON SARKISSIAN ON THE LEVANTADES AT ITALIAN YACHT CLUB, GENOA; MODELS: STEPHANIE COLEMAN/FLASH CLUB, MODEL AND IL YACHT ITALIAN AT JOHNSON SARKISSIAN ON THE LEVANTADES BY PHOTOGRAPHED 8 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

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MILAN FASHION WEEK

Spring Sail

Miu Miu’s ruffled silk crepe dress. WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 Gianfranco Ferré’s 9 leather jacket worn over a cotton and WWW.WWD.COM top and a linen, acetate and skirt. Moschino’s cocktail dress; Blumarine’s silk floral dress and embroidered cotton cardigan.

WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 11

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Ichiro Seta — Gibò was previously designed by Julie Verhoeven and showed in London; from Spain and THE SHOWS GO ON Greece, respectively, designers Agatha Ruiz de la and Angelos Frentzos, who showed his men’s collection A CALL FOR UNITY AND COOPERATION CAME LOUD in June here. Absent from the runways since February and clear from Mario Boselli, president of the Italian 2001, Ter et Bantine, now under the Mariella Burani Chamber of Fashion, during a news conference Fashion Group umbrella, will show Oct. 2. The line is Thursday to introduce Milan’s fashion week, which kicks designed by Manuela Arcari. off Saturday and runs until Oct. 3. Of note during the week: “Frozen,” an exhibition of Boselli said total revenues for the fashion industry photos by Scottish photographer Albert Watson; a photo are expected to climb 2.5 percent by the end of the exhibition by Gerard Malanga at Carla Sozzani’s gallery, year to $83.69 billion (or 69.74 billion euros at and an exhibition of footwear designs by Andy Warhol at current exchange), compared with last year — which the city’s Triennale museum. These are part of Luigino was generally considered fashion’s annus horribilis. Rossi’s private collection. Rossi heads Rossimoda, a In 2003, the sector reported a 4.3 percent drop in footwear maker under LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis revenues from 2002. “We must all work together and Vuitton, which is opening a showroom in Milan as well. promote fashion around the world, cooperating with Rossi, a pop art collector and friend of Warhol, will also other excellent industries, such as design and food,” display other Warhol paintings and a selection of vintage said Boselli, noting that exports are still weak. “A footwear, ranging from Yves Saint Laurent to Ungaro and Versace’s biker bag. sign of recovery came late in the year and is still far Fendi at the showroom debut. from being extended to all divisions: the leather and Another venerable footwear company, René Caovilla, with those from the U.S. rising 20 percent. He also forecast full-year textile sectors were still suffering midyear, while will open its first store with a cocktail party on Via revenue growth of 10 to 15 percent. apparel reacted better and faster to an improvement Bagutta, off Via Montenapoleone, on Sept. 29. Missoni said the company is working to protect margins through of the macroeconomic climate, up 5 percent in the Decorated with Caovilla’s personal 18th-century Venetian various cost-cutting measures, like reducing travel and fashion- second trimester.” sofas and tapestries, glittering chandeliers, antique rugs, show expenses. He estimated that the company has cut runway Well into 2005, a weak U.S. dollar will remain the a Christo painting and Chinese vases, Caovilla said, “A expenses by 10 to 15 percent from last year. For the past few seasons, big stumbling block for Italy’s exports, he added. minimalist decor would not suit our shoes,” referring to Missoni has teamed up with Etro to share the costs of building a Milan’s fashion week lists 219 collections: These the jewel-encrusted stilettos displayed on a table covered stage that both houses use for their fashion shows. include runway shows (see calendar, page 14) and other by gold leaves and surrounded by an ostrich-hide frame Missoni is one of the few houses to admit it’s shaving costs off the presentations. Boselli said 1,600 journalists are expected or in a large Louis Vuitton-style trunk made with eel skin shows but the Camera’s Boselli said he’s witnessed a growing trend for from 50 countries. and lined in . houses to opt for less expensive static presentations than runways The following houses will hold their first runway and Ralph Lauren will officially open their shows. Some have said the presentations are actually better for buyers’ shows during fashion week: Collection Privèe, designed new boutiques here during the week. And while schedules, but the bottom line is that they are cheaper to produce. by Massimo Bizzi; Debora Sinibaldi, a former designer keeping mum on details, Hogan is planning a film- “In this image-driven industry, no one wants to admit that they are at Gianfranco Ferré and consultant at ; Gibò, related extravaganza. cutting these types of costs, they just do it and that’s it,” Boselli said. under the creative direction of the Japanese designer — Luisa Zargani 12 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

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MILAN FASHION WEEK Industry Overhaul Aims to Give Italy an Edge

By Luisa Zargani ing Idea Biella, Idea Como and Moda In, are working to offers and ideas which are often dispersed and over- combine these exhibitions into one big trade show, to be looked through too many exhibitions,” said Bandi. A SEA CHANGE IS IN THE WORKS FOR THE ITALIAN held just before Paris’ massive Première Vision fair. Beppe Pisani, president of Idea Como, said the one textile industry, involving a widespread investment in “Trade exhibitions are still important and there is a show is confirmed for the first week of March and it technology and equipment and a restructuring of the need for a more substantial fair, as the existing ones will be held at the fairgrounds here. Pisani called it entire trade show process. are way too fragmented today,” said Arianna Leone, more of a “container” and different from other shows, Together with innovative design, substantial invest- vice president of Gruppo Luigi Botto. as it will regroup Idea Biella, Idea Como, Shirt Avenue ments in machinery will enhance Italy’s competitive- Luciano Bandi, who heads the division at Loro and Moda In under the same roof, but each will main- ness with low-cost countries by allowing greater flexi- Piana, said as Italy is increasingly focused on foreign tain its own identity, autonomy and organization. bility and speed. markets, this would be a way to please buyers and visi- “We are still deciding on the name, but we want a To capitalize on the recovery that’s expected for the tors coming from outside the country, who would save simple one, and we are setting up a new organizing second half of 2005 and to attract more visitors to Italy’s time, energy and money. “[A single fair] would also help body based in Milan that will be in charge of the show’s trade fairs, organizers of the main textile shows, includ- showcase and enhance a wider variety and range of advertising and communication,” said Pisani. Pisani said he expects the num- ber of exhibitors to be around 600 on about 216,000 square feet. Typically among the smaller shows, Shirt Avenue lists around 40 exhibitors, Idea Biella around 70, Idea Como around 60, Prato Expo around 100, producers and Moda In around 300 or 400. By comparison, Première Vis- ion, which runs this week in Paris, and distributors has 727 exhibitors and draws about 35,000 buyers. “I am very pleased with this de- velopment,” said Pisani, noting how organizers had been talking TOGETHER about this issue for at least two TOGETHER years. “This is a big service we offer to our clients and exhibitors, who, a meeting of ideas with such turbulent markets, sim- ply don’t have the time or the budg- et to travel around Italy attending for new products all these shows.” There are still some kinks to work out, though. Pisani added that mills from the Como district autumn-winter could not miss this show. However, the dates “penalize the kind of product we show, which is more 05/06 design and pattern-oriented, not basic — it’s always a work in progress for us as we work with designers who give their input global expo even after their shows.” Italian textile mills are investing in faster, more efficient equipment to remain competitive, like this XT HS spinner at Luigi Botto.

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Organisation Secretariat: STUDIO SABATINI - MILANO - ITALY CENTRO FIERA DEL GARDA Via Cefalù, 2 - tel. 02.33400854 - fax 02.33401012 MONTICHIARI - BRESCIA - ITALY [email protected] WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004 13

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Accordingly, Pisani said he is working toward creating to the next,” said Cariaggi. duce a larger number of yarns and allow to intertwine the a meeting point in Como after the Paris shows. “Designers and knitwear companies expect an yarn for richer, four-color mélanges,” said Leone. And Vincenzo Pagano, president of Prato Trade, increasingly faster response from us,” said Mila Zegna Baruffa predicts a return of and which organizes the Prato Expo show, said, “In theory, Baruffa, who is in charge of product and communications “yarns that have a rich, fluffy feel,” that trigger a need we agree to a single exhibition as a service to our at Zegna Baruffa-Lane Borgosesia. This fall, the compa- to reach out and touch them. Zegna Baruffa said “any- clients, but we need to evaluate the costs of moving to ny is setting up a stock house in to “offer a serv- thing goes,” any yarn or material, from chenille to silk. Milan from Prato and to discuss the strategies of the ice and meet the demand of our clients that produce “It is the client who eventually makes the difference, companies in our Prato district. We need time, and a there,” she said. Zegna Baruffa insisted on the value of the way he or she interprets the yarn,” she said, noting decision cannot be made by March.” research. This summer, the company trademarked a new how this implies “constant work” between the textile Pisani averred the decision to have a single show 18-micron Saxxon wool with a natural elasticity, as if it company and the designer to fine-tune the materials. was “not a declaration of war” against Première Vision, were mixed with spandex, which comes from special “Clients now expect silk to look and feel like silk, which he described as a “beautiful and well-organized sheep grown in Australia after years of research. Shetland wool to look and feel like Shetland wool — exhibition — simply, it was silly not to have a single fair As stock expenses are becoming barely sustainable, they choose materials based on their qualities,” agreed here that would combine the best textile companies.” investments in technology are one way to cut costs and Bandi. “The different workmanships and variations on Pisani doubted these companies would abandon guarantee flexibility and fashion content. Leone said Luigi the yarns, so that silk looks like wool or wool looks like Première Vision. “You don’t leave what is sure for the Botto has invested $85 million over the past five years in a silk, for example, are so expensive that often clients unsure: I myself am not leaving Première Vision.” new spinning process. The outcome is XT-more, a yarn simply can’t afford them and they’d rather go for the Pisani’s company, Serikos, shows at the French fair. that is more compact and lighter. “These machines pro- original, clean material.” Changes, he said, could come over the course of three or four seasons, if the Milan show becomes a double of Première Vision. Back on the investment and cost front, Cristiana Cariaggi, commu- nications manager at Cariaggi, believes in investing in a classic product on the high-quality, higher- price end of the scale. The market

is still “difficult,” she said, adding, AmatoStudio “a lower cost of cashmere is help- ing.” While expanding its business abroad, as Italy accounts for 80 percent of revenues, Cariaggi is firm on maintaining production in Italy. This view is shared by the Fondazione Biella, an association headed by Ermanno Rondi and founded at the end of 2000 in the northern town of Biella to guaran- tee Italian quality and standards. Rondi said the associates are restructuring and investing in new machinery that will allow greater flexibility and speed. “Until 2000, orders were based on big volumes. Today, orders are smaller but more frequent and faster,” said Rondi. Accordingly, textile companies must always be prepared with large stocks. “Although risky, this is the only way to work today, as clients often put in orders one day

High quality quick response

FINE YARNS FINE PEOPLE 14 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2004

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10 a.m.: Alviero Martini, B/1 Milano Moda Donna Via Palestro MILAN FASHION WEEK 11 a.m.: Byblos, E Milano Moda Donna 3 p.m.: Giorgio Armani 59 Via Bergognone Noon: Lancetti, C Milano Moda Donna 4 p.m.: Giorgio Armani 59 Via Bergognone 1 p.m.: Rocco Barocco, A Milano Moda Donna 5 p.m.: D&G, 9 Via S. Damiano Milano Moda Donna 2 p.m.: Just Cavalli, Piazza del Cannone-Viale Gadio 6 p.m.: , 15/17 Viale Piceno 4:30 p.m.: Premio Limoni Freshion, 4 Galleria 3 p.m.: Emporio Armani, 59 Via Bergognone 7 p.m.: Burberry Prorsum, 16 Corso Venezia Show Calendar del Corso 4 p.m.: Emporio Armani, 59 Via Bergognone 8 p.m.: Gilles Rosier, 14 Via Piranesi 5 p.m.: Pollini by Rifat Ozbek, 5 Via Bezzecca 9 p.m.: Roberto Musso, 16 Via Vannucci Following is the runway schedule for the SUNDAY, SEPT. 26 6 p.m.: Gibo, 34 Via Orobia Milan women’s ready-to-wear collections, 9 a.m.: Agatha Ruiz de la Prada, E Milano Moda 7 p.m.: Daniela Gregis, 23a Piazza Sant’Ambrogio WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 29 running Sept. 25 through Oct. 3. It is Donna 8 p.m.: Dirk Bikkembergs, 6 Via G. Negri 9 a.m.: Alberto Biani, 42 Viale Piave accurate as of press time, but attendees are 10 a.m.: Gai Mattiolo, A/C Milano Moda Donna 9 p.m.: Exté, 21 Via Valtellina 10 a.m.: Missoni, Milano Moda Donna Sala urged to confirm times and locations. 11 a.m.: Lorenzo Riva, E Milano Moda Donna Terzoprimo Noon: Angelo Marani, B/1 Milano Moda Donna TUESDAY, SEPT. 28 11 a.m.: Mariella Burani, B Milano Moda Donna SATURDAY, SEPT. 25 1 p.m.: Gattinoni, D Milano Moda Donna 9 a.m.: Seta Ichiro, 34 Via Orobia Noon: Trend Les Copains, A Milano Moda Donna 10:30 a.m.: Premio Chi è Chi del Giornalismo e 2 p.m.: Frankie Morello, E Milano Moda Donna 10 a.m.: , 27 Via Tortona 1 p.m.: Anna Molinari, Milano Moda Donna della Moda Milano Moda Donna 3 p.m.: Luciano Soprani, B/1 Milano Moda Donna 11 a.m.: Blumarine, Milano Moda Donna Padiglione 21 Padiglione 21 12:30 p.m.: Un-Dress Milano Intimo Mare, A 4 p.m.: Debora Sinbaldi, D Milano Moda Donna 11 a.m.: Maurizio Pecoraro, 27 Via Tortona 2 p.m.: Borbonese, Milano Moda Donna Sala Emiciclo Milano Moda Donna 5 p.m.: Gentucca Bini, 17 Via Pantano Noon: La Perla, C Milano Moda Donna 3 p.m.: Enrico Coveri, Milano Moda Donna 1:30 p.m.: Clips, D Milano Moda Donna 1 p.m.: Emilio Pucci, Milano Moda Donna Sala 4 p.m.: Fendi, 34 Via Turati 2:30 p.m.: Lidia Cardinale, E Milano Moda Donna MONDAY, SEPT. 27 Secondoprimo 5 p.m.: , 21 Via Manin 3:30 p.m.: Sabhyasachee Mukherjee-Pichitra, B/1 9 a.m.: Mila Schön, Milano Moda Donna 2 p.m.: Alberta Ferretti, Giardini di Porta Venezia- 6 p.m.: Prada, 36 Via Fogazzaro 7 p.m.: Prada, 36 Via Fogazzaro 8:30 p.m.: DSquared2, 25 Via Valtellina

THURSDAY, SEPT. 30 9 a.m.: Moschino, 5 Via Bezzecca GO•UP 10 a.m.: , Milano Moda Donna Sala Secondoprimo 11 a.m.: Erreuno, B/1 Milano Moda Donna Noon: Antonio Marras, A Milano Moda Donna 1 p.m.: Sportmax, Milano Moda Donna Sala Secondoprimo 2 p.m.: Laura Biagiotti, 6 Via Rivoli 3 p.m.: Iceberg, 10 Via Palermo 4 p.m.: John Richmond, TBA 5 p.m.: Gucci, 2/b Piazza Oberdan 6 p.m.: Paola Frani, 51 Corso Venezia 7 p.m.: Guerriero, TBA 8 p.m.: Collection Privee, 27 Via Tortona

FRIDAY, OCT. 1 9 a.m.: Antonio Berardi, Milano Moda Donna Sala Secondoprimo 10 a.m.: Blugirl, Milano Moda Donna Padiglione 21 11 a.m.: , Milano Moda Donna Noon: Dolce & Gabbana, press, 9 Via S. Damiano 1 p.m.: Dolce & Gabbana, buyers, 9 Via S. Damiano I demand. 2 p.m.: Luisa Beccaria, 17/A Via Fiori Chiari 3 p.m.: Gianfranco Ferré, 21 Via Pontaccio 4 p.m.: Gianfranco Ferré, 21 Via Pontaccio 5 p.m.: Moschino Cheap & Chic, 5 Via Bezzecca 6 p.m.: Jil Sander, 1 Piazza Castello 7 p.m.: Jil Sander, 1 Piazza Castello 8 p.m.: Angelos Frentzos, 5/7 Via G. Sacchi 9 p.m.: Valentin Yudashkin, 6 Viale Alemagna

SATURDAY, OCT. 2 9 a.m.: Cividini, D Milano Moda Donna 10 a.m.: Alessandro Dell’Acqua, Milano Moda Donna Sala Emiciclo 11 a.m.: Etro, Milano Moda Donna Sala Terzoprimo Noon: Fisico, Milano Moda Donna 1 p.m.: Roberto Cavalli, Piazza del Cannone-Viale Gadio 2 p.m.: Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, Giardini di Porta Venezia-Via Palestro 3 p.m.: Trussardi, 5 Piazza Scala 4 p.m.: Trussardi, 5 Piazza Scala 4 p.m.: Gaetano Navarra, Piazza del Cannone-Viale Gadio 5 p.m.: Miu Miu, 26 Via Fogazzaro 6 p.m.: Miu Miu, 26 Via Fogazzaro I make a value choice. 7 p.m.: Ter et Bantine, 28 Via Moscova I prefer garments made using 8 p.m.: Gianni Versace — Versus, 12 Via Gesù fabrics and yarns labelled 9 p.m.: Gianni Versace — Versus, 12 Via Gesù "BIELLA The Art of Excellence." The mark of excellence which embodies the best SUNDAY, OCT. 3 of style combined with attentiveness to health and wellbeing. www.biellatheartofexcellence.com 10 a.m.: Evisu, E Milano Moda Donna Noon: Amaya Arzuaga, E Milano Moda Chosen by: Lanificio Ermenegildo Zegna & Figli - Botto Giuseppe & Figli - Tonella - Tintoria Finissaggio 2000 - Lanificio Fratelli Cerruti Ing. & C. - Fratelli Piacenza - - Lanificio Fratelli Garlanda - Filatura Marchi Giovanni Donna Pettinatura Italiana - Tintoria di Trivero - Filatura di Trivero - Filatura di Pollone - Lanificio di Lessona - Botto Poala - Italfil 1 p.m.: Alessandro De Benedetti, Milano Lanificio Luigi Botto - Filatura di Crosa - Gartex - Lanificio Tessilstrona - Lanificio Fratelli Fila - Biella Vertical Textile - Quality Biella. Moda Donna 2 p.m.: Naba, Milano Moda Donna 3 p.m.: Ines Valentinitsch, TBA ber 04 cto

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