TOMMY’S PROENZA SCHOULER, CALVIN KLEIN NEW AND L’WREN SCOTT WERE AMONG THE STANDOUTS AS THE NEW YORK SCENT COLLECTIONS WOUND DOWN. FOR MORE, Tommy Hilfi ger SEE PAGES 6 TO 10 sticks to his roots with his latest fragrance, Eau de Prep. PAGE 12 COLLECTIONS 2012 NEW YORK SPRING WWDFRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011 ■ WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY ■ $3.00 CALENDAR CLASH Milan vs. New York Over 2012 Show Dates By LUISA ZARGANI and MARC KARIMZADEH MILAN WANTS TO SHAKE UP the show calendar — and New York and London are digging in their heels. The spring 2013 shows are slated to kick off in New York on Sept. 13 — a date that’s become a thorn in the Milanese side, with Mario Boselli, head of the Italian Chamber of Fashion, lashing out at a calendar he believes was foisted upon the Italians by New York’s Council of Fashion Designers of America. In 2008, the governing fashion organizations of the four fashion capitals — New York, London, Milan and Paris — agreed to kick off the collections season on the second Thursday in February and September. Sometimes — like this year — that means the New York shows start three days after Labor Day, but for the next three years, the shows will kick off the following week. Boselli claimed the sec- ond Thursday rule was only for the short term. “After three years, we should sit down and decide on the next three years, and we don’t understand why the CFDA has single- handedly set the New York show dates later in September next year,” Boselli said. “What are the reasons behind this arrogant step? We have to redefi ne the calendar all together.” The chamber, he added, stands “united and fi rm,” as it does not want to postpone its shows too late into September or be “squeezed” in between London and Paris. “If anything, several Italian design- ers would like to see the shows running earlier, some even in July,” he said. While it would not impact the February shows, Boselli explained SEE PAGE 10 IN WWD TODAY Hermès Wins a Round PAGE 2 NEWS: Hermès International won a key victory in French court in its ongoing Twenties battle with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. Infl ation Is Back PAGE 4 FINANCIAL: Apparel prices leaped over 1 percent in August, the fourth monthly Something increase in a row — and more are ahead Ralph Lauren paid a visit to the decade with everything from cloches building up to the key holiday season. to Gatsby-esque suits, but it was the gorgeous eveningwear and Get Ready for London PAGE 20 knockout accessories that gave the collection its razzle-dazzle. FASHION: London’s designers are next Here, one example: a fl oral lamé gown with silver plumage. up on the runways and here are a few to watch, along with things to do while in the British capital. PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO PHOTO 2 WWD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011 WWD.COM Hermès Wins Key Ruling in Battle With Arnault siders an unwelcome suitor. By Joelle DiDeRich lVMh revealed in July it had increased its stake in hermès to 21.4 percent in the first half from the 20.2 PaRis — hermès has won a big victory in its battle percent it declared last December. with Bernard arnault. hermès chief executive officer Patrick Thomas, a French court ruling Thursday gave hermès speaking in shanghai where he was celebrating the international a major boost in its fight to block first anniversary of the group’s chinese luxury label what appears to be a creeping takeover attempt by shang Xia, reiterated his wish to see lVMh reduce its arnault’s lVMh Moët hennessy louis Vuitton, saying shareholding. Thomas made the comments before the that hermès can group family-owned shares into a publication of the Paris court ruling. nonlisted holding company by year-end. “The outcome is that hermès will become very in- The court of appeal rejected an appeal by mi- dependent, and one day there will be a solution that nority shareholders, who were seeking to overturn a we will find with them. We are not at war. it’s not a January decision by France’s stock market authority financial fight, it’s a cultural one,” he said. “i’m not The homepage of the new site. aMF exempting hermès from rules that would have saying that theirs is bad and ours is good, i’m just say- required it to launch an offer for outstanding shares ing it’s different, so we don’t want to live with them.” as part of the operation. The Dumas, Puech and Guerrand families col- The family members who filed the request to pool lectively own more than 70 percent of the shares in Updated Moncler Site their shares, which include hermès artistic director hermès international, a limited partnership structure Pierre-alexis Dumas, greeted the court decision. that guarantees they keep control of management. “The creation of this company, which will become The holding company will group 50.2 percent of Goes Live on the Web effective in the coming weeks, will lastingly reinforce the company’s capital and will have priority purchas- MilaN — Moncler’s new online boutique is a further the independence of the hermès group, the pursuit of ing rights on the remaining shares held by the family step forward in the brand’s retail push, fitting in with the its strategy of creativity and artisanal excellence and members participating in the initiative — some 12.6 strategies mapped out by new owner, Paris-based invest- the respect of its values,” they said in a statement. percent of capital. ment firm eurazeo. officials at lVMh could not be reached for com- “The majority will remain within the family, which With innovative graphics, the italian outerwear ment. colette Neuville, president of the French is a very strong signal of its attachment to the compa- brand’s corporate site and its virtual store, optimized association for Minority shareholders, or aDaM, said ny and the fact that it absolutely does not want to sell, for iPad, are now under the single moncler.com ad- she was disappointed by the court’s decision. whether in the short, medium or long term,” Diaz said. dress, operated by Yo o x Group. in addition to the signa- “From a legal standpoint, this sets an extremely he added that roughly 10 percent of capital was ture Moncler collection, the site includes the Moncler dangerous precedent and completely threatens the held by family members who are not joining the hold- Grenoble line; Moncler s, by sacai designer chitose abe; legal security of minority shareholders in family- ing group. They include Nicolas Puech, the brother and Moncler V, by Visvim designer hiroki Nakamura, owned groups in future,” she said. Neuville added of Bertrand Puech, the executive chairman of emile which can all be browsed in the “news” section. that she has two months to decide on the next step, hermès sarl, which represents the family shareholders. The virtual boutique is available in five languages — which could include a further appeal. Trading in hermès shares was suspended Thursday italian, english, French, spanish and German — and in olivier Diaz, a lawyer for hermès, said any such move in expectation of the ruling, and was scheduled to re- 27 countries. Yo o x manages online stores for designers would not block the creation of the holding company. sume today. shares in hermès closed up 2.5 percent and brands ranging from Giorgio armani and Roberto Though lVMh chairman and chief executive of- Wednesday at 268.30 euros, or $367.24 at current ex- cavalli to Marni and Bally. ficer arnault has said he is not seeking full control change rates, representing a 71 percent leap since the Remo Ruffini, Moncler’s president and creative di- of the maker of Birkin handbags and silk scarves, start of the year. — With contributions from rector, said the launch was “a crucial point within our hermès has vowed to protect itself from what it con- casey hall, shanghai global strategy. our retail network is also being expanded through the Web. Further initiatives that have already been planned will respond even better to the require- ments and the demands of a world which, on one hand, Ungaro, Giles Deacon Decide to Part Ways is increasingly globalized and which, on the other hand, selection of groovy vintage jewelry from its archives, demands exclusive proposals in retail outlets.” By Miles socha designed by the late artist oskar Gustin for the house The company is also expanding its brick-and-mor- in the sixties and seventies. tar units. since July, Moncler has opened boutiques in PaRis — emanuel Ungaro sas and Giles Deacon said aronsson said the brand would strive to be both Tokyo; Rome; italy’s luxury tourist destination Forte Thursday that they have “mutually decided” to end “modern and rooted in the past.” dei Marmi; Beijing; antwerp; Vienna; and copenhagen. their collaboration. london-based Deacon, who is slated to present Planned in the near future are units in Naples, Geneva it is understood the spring-summer 2012 collection, his signature Giles line on Monday during london and five venues in china. to be paraded oct. 3 at salle Wagram, will reflect the Fashion Week, presented two collections for Ungaro, There currently are 64 Moncler stores. work of the in-house team. recently steering the brand in a sexed-up direction. in June, Moncler decided to pull the plug on its pro- “We have a hugely talented design and merchant Reached on Thursday, Deacon said: “i’ve been posed initial public offering in Milan and said it had agreed team in place to mine and further develop this heri- having some serious meetings with potential inves- to sell a 45 percent stake to eurazeo for 418 million euros, tage,” said Jeffry aronsson, the american turnaround tors over recent months about developing the brand or $571.2 million at current exchange rates.