Ready to Rumple There’S a Lot to Be Said for a Toss-And-Go, Just-Out-Of- Bed Style
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▲ ▲ FASHION: FASHION: Pierre Gauging Cardin’s the mood of Space- ▲ NEWS: real estate, Age show, ▲ ACCESSORIES: Chinese Sec. II. page 8. Vintage styles artists shine strong in interpret sunglasses, page 11. Dior, page 8. Women’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’ Daily Newspaper • October 13, 2008 • $2.00 WWDAccessories/Innerwear/Legwear MONDAY Ready to Rumple There’s a lot to be said for a toss-and-go, just-out-of- bed style. Burberry Prorsum’s Christopher Bailey sent out a bevy of crumpled, rumpled gardening-inspired looks, and he managed to do so to rather romantic, not fussy, effect. Case in point: the jacket, cardigan and trousers combo here, worn with a geometric necklace, cuffs and soft hat. For more, see pages 6 and 7. What a Week It Was: Consolidation Seen As Retail Stocks Reel By Evan Clark Chaos in the credit and equity markets has put a hold on consolidation activity in the fashion industry for the time being, but the hiatus might not last long. Ultralow stock prices, tight credit markets and weakening consumer demand could eventually lead to a new round of consolidation among buyers and sellers, and ultimately an even smaller fashion industry where the number of corporate players shrinks further and the big get even bigger. If fashion is going to go on a renewed consolidation kick, though, it will have to wait until the stock markets calm. Investors continued to panic Friday, selling shares with abandon and then turning on a dime to push stocks up as credit and economic See More, Page13 PHOTO BY MAURICIO MIRANDA MAURICIO PHOTO BY 2 WWD, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2008 WWD.COM LVMH Stays Upbeat During Economic Downturn By Robert Murphy retailers facing cash diffi culties and becoming overly cautious. “It’s more a lack of confi dence PARIS — Worried about the impact of the fi nan- from retailers,” said Guiony. WWDMONDAY Accessories/Innerwear/Legwear cial storm on luxury sales, analysts on Friday Despite obvious uncertainty about the future peppered LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton market, Guiony painted an overall confi dent pic- executives with questions about how the bell- ture for the resilience of luxury sales. FASHION wether French fi rm was performing. He said the workhorse Vuitton brand logged Designers ditched the irons for spring and opted In a conference call with investors, LVMH fi - double-digit organic revenue growth through the ▲ 6 for a wrinkled, crumpled ease, in looks from nance director Jean-Jacques Guiony said business fi rst nine months of the year, and that the overall tailored separates to cocktail dresses. is holding so far, even if growth was not as brisk fashion and leather goods division, with ranges as earlier this year. LVMH reported a 4.5 percent from Celine to Givenchy, had 9 percent organic GENERAL increase in sales for the fi rst nine months of the growth in the third quarter. 1 Low stock prices, tight credit markets and weak year to 11.96 billion euros, or $17.94 billion. Nonetheless, fashion and leather sales grew consumer demand could eventually lead to an He said Louis Vuitton last week logged retail less quickly in the third quarter than in the fi rst even smaller fashion industry. sales growth of 12 percent. His comments helped half, when growth was 14 percent. The division’s send LVMH stock surging into positive territory sales grew 17 percent in the U.S. in dollar terms, 29 2 Worried about the impact of the fi nancial storm on after trading in the red for most of the day. Shares percent in Asia in local currency and 9 percent in luxury sales, analysts peppered LVMH executives in the French luxury fi rm closed up 2.2 percent as Europe. Only in Japan were sales negative. “The on how the French fi rm was performing. the overall CAC40 index of top French companies quarter was a good ride for Vuitton,” said Guiony. lost close to 10 percent. He said emerging markets had shown no 10 INNERWEAR: Lingerie business may be taking Guiony said LVMH sales in September signs of slowing after some decline in Asian a hit at retail, but the sector still has areas of were relatively strong after some weak- markets due to the Olympics. Guiony said strength, according to retailers and vendors. ness in August, particularly in Asia, which Russia was “still doing extremely well 11 ACCESSORIES: The relaunch of Ray-Ban’s classic LVMH attributed to a disruption in its — there were no worrying signals in Wayfarer style has ignited the eyewear industry Chinese business linked to the the quarter.” He said China and with an eye on what’s next. Olympic Games. He said the the Middle East also continued U.S. was holding up, as well. robust. By region, revenues in 12 Flagging consumer demand and economic pres- “I didn’t say September the fi rst nine months gained sures dragged apparel and textile imports down in was fantastic,” stressed 9 percent in the U.S., 22 per- August for the sixth straight month. Guiony. “But it was much bet- cent in Asia and 9 percent in 14 With Asian and Russian stock markets in free fall, ter than August and more or Europe. Sales in Japan, due luxury and fashion brands fear they will have to less in line with July.” to “ongoing challenges,” fell 7 forgo growth in emerging markets. Even if the Vuitton brand percent. remained robust, watches Sales of perfumes and EYE raised alarm from some ana- Vuitton’s leather sales grew less quickly in cosmetics gained 7 percent lysts. Sales of watches de- the third quarter than in the fi rst half. in the quarter on “good mo- 4 Breaking bread with renowned chef David Bouley, clined 2 percent on a like-for- mentum” in the U.S., where whose new Bouley restaurant is still weeks away like basis, according to an investment note from they gained 16 percent in dollar terms, and 25 from opening. HSBC analyst Antoine Belge. LVMH said watches percent growth in Asia. Fashion and leather had 4 percent organic growth in the quarter. goods grew 9 percent in the quarter, with dollar Classifi ed Advertisements...........................................................................................18-19 “Sales of watches did not slow down, but col- sales in the U.S. growing 17 percent. Sales ad- TO E-MAIL REPORTERS AND EDITORS AT WWD, THE ADDRESS IS lapsed,” said Belge in the report. vanced 29 percent in local currency in Asia, and [email protected], USING THE INDIVIDUAL’S NAME. Guiony said much of the deceleration came results in Japan were negative. WWD IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT ©2008 FAIRCHILD FASHION GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. from declines in Tag Heuer’s lower-end watches. Selective retailing sales gained 7 percent in VOLUME 196, NO. 78. WWD (ISSN 0149–5380) is published daily (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with Sales of watches fell midsingle digits in the U.S. the quarter, led by 14 percent growth in the U.S. one additional issue in January, October and December, two additional issues in March, April, May, June, August and and in Japan during the quarter, Guiony said. and 13 percent growth in Europe. Sales in Asia November, and three additional issues in February and September) by Fairchild Fashion Group, which is a division of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services He said sales of watches in Asia grew 20 edged ahead 8 percent. provided by Condé Nast Publications: S. I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, President/CEO; John W. percent in local currency, and in Europe, grew Separately on Friday, Christian Dior Couture Bellando, Executive Vice President/COO; Debi Chirichella Sabino, Senior Vice President/CFO; Jill Bright, Executive Vice about 10 percent. Guiony said watch sales were said sales in the fi rst nine months totaled 564 President/Human Resources. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offi ces. Canada Post suffering most in the U.S. and that business million euros, or $858.7 million, an increase of Publications Mail Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 886549096-RT0001. Canada Post: return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B looked “particularly diffi cult” going forward. 3.5 percent at constant exchange rates. Christian 4R6 POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA “We are in a strange situation,” said Guiony, Dior SA, parent of the Dior fashion house and 91615–5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please noting that sell-out rates of watches were higher LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, also con- write to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008, call 800-289-0273, or visit www.subnow.com/wd. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. First copy of new subscription will be mailed than sell-in rates. He attributed the situation to fi rmed its objective of tangible growth in 2008. within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permissions and reprint requests, please call 212-630-4274 or fax requests to 212-630-4280. Visit us online at www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild 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.