WILLIAMS’ WAY BEAUTY’S VANESSA WILLIAMS CALLS ON A LIFETIME OF BEAUTY SECRETS EVOLUTION FOR HER NEW SKIN- CARE LINE WITH QVC. COSMETICS FIRMS LEARN HOW BEST PAGE 8 TO CATER TO THE CHANGING CONSUMER. PAGE 12 ALL ABOARD Louis Vuitton Arrives On Shanghai Express By AMANDA KAISER SHANGHAI — Louis Vuitton brought a major dose of Belle Epoque glamour to this city Thursday night, reprising its extravagant fall train-themed show from Paris down to the last detail. True to the invitation’s indication of a 9 p.m. sharp ■ ■ FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2012 WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY $3.00 start time, the same vintage locomotive that awed WWD the industry audience in Paris pulled into a massive set erected on the waterfront of the historic Bund. Postshow, attendees clamored to have their pictures taken in front of the vehicle. They also raced to cap- ture snaps of celebrities such as Laetitia Casta, Fan Bingbing, Alexa Chung and Gong Li, who climbed aboard the train and waved to their enthusiastic fans. A view from above. Lana Del Rey performed, decked out in a white party dress and heels. She took to the stage and crooned numbers including “Video Games” and “Blue Jeans” to the crowd, assembled in a part of the venue resembling a giant train car overlooking a futuristic cityscape of neon lights and the city’s emblematic Blackout Pearl Tower. Tom Ford and the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. have concocted Tom Ford Noir, his fi rst For an interview with Marc Jacobs signature men’s scent since 2009. The fragrance, which hits counters in October and on the designer’s fi rst trip retails for $90 for a 1.7-oz. eau de parfum and $125 for a 3.4-oz. edp, could do to Mainland China, see page 6. $15 million at retail globally in its fi rst year. For more, see page 7. The show, undoubtedly one of the most theatrical fashion events ever here, capped off a two-day pub- licity extravaganza. On Wednesday, Louis Vuitton cel- ebrated the reopening of its enlarged and refurbished fl agship in the Plaza 66 mall with a cocktail and gala dinner that featured a performance of two Chopin nocturnes by classical pianist Li Yundi. At one point, a cat briefl y interrupted proceedings by scampering across the room before making a swift exit. Before Wednesday’s dinner, VIP guests assembled on the terrace where nonlocals nursed their jet lag and chatted about their impressions — however brief — of the city. “It’s great so far. I’ve only seen cars and my hotel room, but the cars are nice and the hotel is even better,” said Chung. Clémence Poésy said she PHOTO BY THOMAS IANNACCONE; STYLED BY AMY LOMACCHIO SEE PAGE 4 2 WWD FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2012 VF Net Gains 20% in Quarter the Briefing Box ter and the $2.18 billion median Wiseman believes Timberland in Today’s WWd By aRNolD J. KaRR analyst estimate. excluding apparel could grow “another Timberland’s $239 million con- $300 million.” VF coRP. sTaRTeD the sec- tribution, organic revenues rose he remains bullish about the ond-quarter earnings season for 3 percent and were up 6 percent potential for VF’s direct-to-con- Harry Brant, Kimberley U.s.-based apparel firms with a at constant currency. sumer business, which, helped Ntsimi and Peter Brant flourish, exceeding profit expec- Gross margin, under pres- by Timberland’s contribution, Jr. at “The Queen of tations and raising its full-year sure from higher input costs, expanded to 21 percent of rev- Versailles” premiere. earnings guidance. improved to 46.1 percent of enues, or about $450 million, setting a high standard for sales over the year-ago quarter’s from 18 percent a year ago. VF companies like PVh corp. and level of 45.9 percent, which was plans to add about 130 stores to Ralph lauren corp., scheduled to enhanced by a facility closure. its 1,050-unit footprint at the end report next month, VF overcame Robert shearer, chief financial of 2011. “That’s still a big oppor- softness in europe and in the mid- officer, said the improvements tunity for us,” he said. ichner e tier channel of the U.s. to post a 20 came principally from U.s. jeans- similarly, he noted that VF percent increase in net income. wear, which he described as VF’s brands are generally underpene- “The challenge out there is “most challenged” business, and trated in china, where sales rose 34 Steve the trajectory of the global econ- the outdoor and action sports percent in the second quarter, led by omy,” eric Wiseman, chairman, group, which includes The North by a 50 percent increase in jeans. president and chief executive Face, Vans and Timberland. “We’ve got about 2,200 points Photo officer of the Greensboro, N.c.- investors indicated their ap- of sales in china across four Louis Vuitton brought a major dose of Belle Epoque based apparel giant, told WWD proval of the numbers by sending brands, and some of the big foot- glamour to Shanghai Thursday, reprising its fall train- Thursday. “That will be the head- shares of VF up $10.61, or 7.5 per- wear players there have 10,000,” themed show from Paris down to the last detail. PAGE 1 wind for us, but you can make cent, to $152.42 in New York stock he noted. “a lot of runway? Yes. progress in a headwind.” exchange trading Thursday. We have plenty.” Jonathan Greller, the top women’s merchant at and progress was certainly Wiseman said that Timberland’s While lee remains VF’s big- Hudson’s Bay Co., has left the Toronto-based retailer to made in the second quarter. in 2011 performance exceeded expec- gest brand in china, it’s struggled join The Doneger Group as chief operating officer. PAGE 3 the three months ended June tations and that it’s currently ahead against weakness in the midtier 30, net income rose to $155.3 of plans for 2012. channel in the U.s., where its The memory of Marvin Traub hung thick at Four Seasons million, or $1.40 a diluted “overall, Timberland is a little revenues fell during the quarter. Grill Room in New York on Wednesday at the launch of share, from $129.4 million, or ahead of schedule, but the truth Without direct reference to the “Pin Down Bladder Cancer” initiative. PAGE 3 $1.17 a share. adjusted earn- will be told about that acquisition J.c. Penney co. inc. or Kohl’s ings per share, excluding a gain and whether it delivered what corp., Wiseman commented, Five Below on Thursday saw strong investor support in from the sale earlier this year we paid for it probably in 2015,” “The midtier in general is hav- its first day of trading as a public company. PAGE 3 of John Varvatos and expenses he said. “We have a lot of work to ing a difficult time right now related to the acquisition of do on our apparel launch for fall and one of the issues is foot traf- WWD caught up with Marc Jacobs, who was making his Timberland, was $1.11, 17 cents 2013. sixty percent of its business fic. What we look at is whether first visit to Mainland China, the night before the Louis above the analysts’ consensus is outside the U.s. and it’s got a we’re a headwind or a tail- Vuitton show. PAGE 6 estimate of 94 cents. very successful apparel business wind for [those stores]. With Revenues came up slightly in asia, where footwear and ap- lee, we’re outperforming total Estée Lauder’s John Demsey discusses growth short of estimates, rising 16.4 parel are about even.” store numbers and those for the opportunities and launches for Tom Ford Beauty. PAGE 7 percent to $2.14 billion versus on track to generate about denim category. The answer is $1.84 billion in last year’s quar- $1.5 billion in sales this year, that you have to take share.” Actress and new author Vanessa Williams will share her skin care regimen, beginning Aug. 3 on QVC when she launches ReVitalistic Skincare. PAGE 8 Hermès Sales Increase Despite Headwinds Luxhair is setting out to make consumers think of hair add-ons as everyday accessories and is poised to gains in the second quarter. at generate $200 million in its first year at retail. PAGE 8 By Miles socha constant exchange rates, sales advanced 3.6 percent for table- The Duchess of Cambridge got in the Olympic spirit PaRis — like the mythical post- ware, 5.4 percent for perfumes, Thursday when she took in a photo exhibit of personalities al carrier inured to challenging 7.4 percent for leather goods and from the one-week-off London games. PAGE 9 weather, hermès international saddlery, 15.8 percent for silk and has yet to be held back by the dark textiles, 19.3 percent for watches American Apparel made some news when it was clouds of economic uncertainty. and 22 percent for ready-to-wear reported that Russia was considering making its 2014 “We haven’t noticed any ero- and fashion accessories. Olympic uniforms in its factory in California. PAGE 9 sion of consumer demand,” chief Thomas noted that demand for executive officer Patrick Thomas leather goods continues to out- Opening Ceremony is planting its multihued, animal- told WWD Thursday as hermès strip the output of its workrooms, print flag in London this week with the opening of its first reported that sales in the second- and the increase “reflects only our European outpost, in Covent Garden.