Manhattan’sThe Retail RentsInside: Pg. 12 WILL FEDS EYE MAGS?/3 LAUREN GETS ACTIVE/10 WWD WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • The THURSDAYRetailers’ Daily Newspaper • June 16, 2005• $2.00 List Sportswear The Gathering MILAN — “My resort collection reveals the essentials that have come to define an Armani style revisited for today’s ever-evolving woman,” Giorgio Armani said of his latest looks. Indeed, few things epitomize the designer’s style more than fluid fabrics, soft neutrals and feminine silhouettes, as seen here in his fitted, gathered silk jacket over printed silk pants. For more on the season, see pages 6 and 7. Tommy’s Tales of Woe: State Probes Revealed As Pretax Income Falls By Lisa Lockwood NEW YORK — “Tommy’s Troubles” might be a better name for his reality TV series. As Tommy Hilfiger Corp. reported a 45.9 percent drop in its preliminary net income for fiscal 2005, it disclosed Wednesday that it is in discussions with state and local tax authorities in New York and state authorities in New Jersey to settle an income-tax issue for its subsidiary, Tommy Hilfiger Licensing Inc. THLI is a Delaware intangible holding company that collects royalties from third parties and affiliated companies that use the Hilfiger trademark. See Tommy’s, Page14 PHOTO BY KHEPRI STUDIO PHOTO BY WWD.COM WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear GENERAL ™ Tommy Hilfiger reported a 45.9 percent drop in 2005 pretax income and 1 said it’s in talks with authorities in two states to settle an income tax issue. A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based Saks Fifth Avenue has landed Hilary Swank as the Entertainment Industry on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated 3 Foundation ambassador to its annual Key to the Cure campaign. Saks Inc. was slapped with a default notice on $230 million worth of WEDDING BELLES 3 convertible senior notes, but said it had the money to repay it. Today’s bridesmaids opt for light and airy fashions EYE: Attendees at the New York City Ballet’s “Dance With the Dancers” event 4 grappled with the heat and the ambiguous dress code of “Cannes Chic.” As the temperature rises, so does the number proverbial star of the show. “Today’s bride is FASHION: Flowing, easy cuts made for sophisticated resort looks, as seen of weddings. “Summer is a fantastic time to get definitely more open-minded and a little bit older,” 6 in collections from Giorgio Armani, Diane von Furstenberg and Peter Som. married,” relates Beth Blake, owner of Thread, a concurs Yoo. “She’s comfortable with herself.” chic destination for bridal parties in New York. According to the Monitor, 65% of women ages Obituary ..................................................................................................17 “Warm weather weddings have that easy feel and 25 to 34 gave their marital status as married in Classified Advertisements ..................................................................18-19 sentimentality to them.” 1995, compared to just 61% in 2004. Among those To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is But that air of romanticism 35 to 55; 72% in 1995 stated [email protected], using the individual’s name. also beckons a dose of reality, that they were married compared WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. COPYRIGHT ©2005 cautions Jenny Yoo, a designer of to 66% in 2005. FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 189, NO. 127. WWD (ISSN # 0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one sophisticated bridesmaid dresses. The overall look for the additional issue in June; two additional issues in April, May, August, October, November and December, and three additional “A bride needs to be considerate modern bridal party generally is a issues in February, March and September, 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., of the season,” she explains. collaborative effort among the Chairman; Steven T. Florio, Vice Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, C.O.O.; John W. Bellando, Executive Vice-President and C.F.O.; Jill “Dresses for the wedding party bride and her attendants. “I think 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- should be light and airy and in the majority of women in bridal President_General Manager, Advance Magazine Group Shared Services Center. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at tune with summer.” parties are well educated about 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: DPGM, 7496 Bath Road, Unit 2, Mississauga, Agrees Christina Dalle Pezze, style and fashion,” agrees Andreas ON L4T 1L2. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008. FOR designer and founder of Simple Padazoboulos, an owner of SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008; Call 800-289-0273; or visit www.subnow.com/wd . Four weeks is Silhouettes, a boutique for Banico, a New York City custom required for change of address. Please give both new and old address as printed on most recent label. First copy of new bridesmaids, “Bridal parties shop. 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, can select lighter colors, easy “Bridal parties can select “Nearly all of our customers please call 212-221-9595 or fax requests to 212-221-9195. Visit us online: www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild lighter colors, easy silhouettes, bring in pictures from magazines,” magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub.com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully silhouettes, and natural fibers screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive for the dresses. That will go a and natural fibers for the dresses. she says. “They’ve done their these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. That will go a long way in WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS, DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO UNSOLICITED long way in ensuring that the homework and at the end of the MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND bridesmaids are as comfortable ensuring that the bridesmaids day, they want what looks best TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART are as comfortable as they WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED as they are beautiful.” for their body type.” TO DO SO BY WWD IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE This season’s wedding attendants are beautiful.” According to the Monitor, one ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED OVERNIGHT-DELIVERY RETURN ENVELOPE, POSTAGE PREPAID. seem to have an endless array to — Christina Dalle Pezze, in three women cite fashion choose from, agree the experts, Simple Silhouettes magazines as a source for clothing and they are all ultimately fash- ideas. ionable. “Our collection is all about natural fibers, There truly is something for every bridesmaid, In Brief so our dresses are perfect for the warmer months,” no matter what her body type or size, stresses Dalle Pezze continues. “What you wear should be Dalle Pezze from Simple Silhouettes. “A bride ● COURT DATE: François Pinault is expected to travel to Los breathable; a cotton dress is ideal for a summer can decide that she wants her attendants to wear Angeles July 12 for the next round of negotiations in the ongoing wedding, whether the ceremony is right by the a strapless dress and the bridesmaids still have Executive Life case. Last month, U.S. District Court judge water or in the middle of the city.” a range of choices, from a lower-waisted cut to an Howard Matz urged Pinault and the California insurance com- A majority of women will put their money empire waist.” missioner to reach a negotiated accord after a jury ruled that where their comfort is, according to Cotton “Strapless happens to be our number one seller, Pinault’s family-owned holding company, Artemis, conspired to defraud insurance regulators when it acquired Executive Life’s Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™. so it’s not only a style that’s on Willing To Pay More For junk bond portfolio, reaping huge profits. Meanwhile, the jury Sixty-one percent of female trend but in keeping with the Natural Fibers Such As Cotton cleared Pinault personally of any wrongdoing. Attempts by the respondents stated that they were season,” Yoo confirms. “Sleeveless two parties to settle on a penalty sum failed earlier this month. willing to pay more for natural (Women 16-70) is a close runner up and that also ● fibers such as cotton. Yes 61% happens to be an ideal silhouette HEADING WEST: Mango, Spain’s cheap-chic fashion chain, is “It’s a very cool and summery No 34% for the summer.” set to open its first U.S. store by the end of November in the Los fabric,” considers Blake from However, warm weather Angeles area, a spokesman confirmed this week. Spanning 8,600 Thread.