JOHN GALLIANO’S DAY IN COURT COAST The designer’s trial on charges of public insult takes place TO COAST today in Paris. PACK YOUR BAGS FOR THE TRIPS AHEAD. Page 2 ITS TIME FOR U.S. TRADE SHOWS. SECTION II LATEST DESIGNER DEAL H&M Goes Va-Va-Voom With Versace WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22, 2011 ■ WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY ■ $3.00 WWD By ALESSANDRA ILARI MILAN — Donatella Versace is going fast-fashion. The designer is the latest to link with H&M for a limited edition collection that launches Nov. 17 in 300 stores worldwide, as well as online. The line will include women’s, men’s and children’s wear as well as, for the fi rst time in a designer collaboration, some homeware. Light Is The collection will be based on heritage Versace designs, particularly the Miami print made famous by her late brother Gianni. “The moment is right to be rehashing iconic Versace pieces, I can feel it in the air,” mused Donatella Versace in an exclusive interview. “H&M represents an amazing connection to a broader cus- tomer base and to a younger audience that loves Right Versace but can’t afford to buy it. This is especially exciting and stimulating for me.” MILAN — Upbeat fashions The sexy, colorful, printed and down-to-the-last- have been the dominant stud Versace collection that she is preparing for H&M story in Milan: approachable is likely to generate the same mayhem as the retail- er’s past designer collaborations by the likes of Karl shapes, a vibrant array of Lagerfeld, Alber Elbaz, Stella McCartney, Roberto prints and cheerful, bright Cavalli and Jimmy Choo. Versace also developed a pre-spring collection for H&M available exclusively in colors. Giorgio Armani countries with H&M online sales from Jan. 19 capped off the Italian “Versace is one of the most important brands of season with a collection recent times and their collection for H&M will be glamorous and extraordinary — everything Versace of unconstructed stands for,” said Margareta van den Bosch, creative tailoring in lightweight adviser at H&M. “This is such a celebratory collabo- fabrics, and a ration and is perfect for the festive season.” soothing color SEE PAGE 8 palette. Here, his textured white IN WWD TODAY double-breasted suit worn with Max BCBG’s a glistening Azria REFINANCING L FINANCIAL PAGE 2 T-shirt. For Moody’s offers details more on the of BCBG Max Azria’s shows, see $230 million refi nancing and pages 4 and 5. upgrades the corporate credit rating. A Contentious Day FINANCIAL PAGE 2 Carrefour shareholders vote to approve the spin-off of hard discount chain Dia at a tumultuous annual meeting. Collections MILAN Men’s Revolution Calling Spring 2012 MEDIA PAGE 19 The role of magazine designer is seeing increased importance and power as technology changes publishing. PHOTO BY MAURICIO MIRANDA 2 WWD wednesday, june 22, 2011 WWD.COM Galliano Trial in Paris Set for Today Carrefour Shareholders PARIS — John Galliano, who is to stand trial here today on The first anti-racist law was voted by parliament in Green-Light Dia Spin-off charges of public insult, is likely to put forth medical testi- 1972 following heavy lobbying by the International League PARIS — French retailer Carrefour SA got the mony about his long-standing battle with substance abuse. against Racism and Anti-Semitism, and further laws were go-ahead from its shareholders Tuesday to According to sources, the designer is still undergoing re- subsequently added to protect people from libel and insults spin off if its hard discount chain Dia at the habilitation for excessive drinking and use of prescription based on gender, sexual orientation, physical disability and end of a stormy annual general meeting where medications, eager to make a full recovery. other criteria, he noted. minority shareholders and union representa- Ousted from Christian Dior and his signature fashion Ordinarily, a trial for public insults such as the one tives voiced their anger over the group’s disap- house in March in the wake of allegations he uttered racist Galliano faces would come to court one year after the facts, pointing performances. and anti-Semitic insults at Paris cafes, Galliano is expected to and if there is an appeal, it usually takes another year, said The resolution was approved by 77 percent appear at the Palais de Justice this afternoon. Dupeux. “This is taking place very rapidly of shareholders, clearing the way for Dia to be Open to the public — and sure to be a media John compared to the norm,” he noted. listed on the Madrid stock exchange on July 5. circus — the case is to be heard in front of a Galliano The court would usually defer its ruling Carrefour, the world’s second largest retail- panel of three judges. Both Galliano and his until four to six weeks after the hearing, er behind Wal-Mart Stores Inc., first put for- three accusers are expected to present testi- but with French courts closed over most of ward the spin-off in March as part of a contro- mony from several witnesses. July and August for the summer recess, it versial plan to sell some assets, after it rattled However, it is understood the explosive video is likely the ruling in Galliano’s case won’t markets last year by issuing a profit warning in which Galliano is heard to say in a slurred happen before September, Dupeux added. and restating one-off charges in Brazil result- voice, “I love Hitler,” will not be a subject of the In practice, jail sentences are rarely ing from an audit. trial, as the anonymous people who filmed the handed down, said Dupeux. Carrefour chief executive officer Lars episode never came forward with a complaint. “In theory, the law provides for a prison Olofsson had argued that the move would boost It is understood the trial could last four or five sentence but it’s extremely rare. Prison sen- the company’s valuation and allow it to focus hours, but a judgment is unlikely until the fall. tences are practically never handed down, on turning around its key market, France, fol- Only fragments of the allegations have been except in the case of repeat offenders, in lowing its warning last week that current oper- reported. Two of the three plaintiffs — Geraldine other words when you are dealing with some- ating income in its domestic market was down Bloch, Philippe Virgitti and Fathia Oumeddour one who is permanently reiterating insults. 35 percent in the first half. — gave interviews to the French media and re- Yo u get these crazy people on Internet sites, Olofsson was the target of protests from the counted some details of the altercations. for instance, who are constantly making anti- moment he started speaking, when a group The trial will address two separate incidents, Semitic remarks. In some cases, they end up of women’s rights protesters unfurled a ban- one on Feb. 24 of this year and one on Oct. 8, Lowen being sentenced to jail terms,” he explained. ner on stage to bring attention to the lack of 2010. Oumeddour came forward about the Oct. 8 “Although I am not very familiar with women in senior management positions at the incident following the February announcement Jackson his case, since I have only heard about it firm. Outside, several-hundred labor represen- that Bloch and Virgitti would be taking legal ac- by through the media, even if Galliano is con- tatives blasted horns but were barred from en- tion against the designer. The penalty in France victed, he will probably not receive a pris- tering by antiriot police. for insulting someone on the basis of their origin, photo on sentence, not even a suspended one,” Olofsson said he understood shareholders religious affiliation, race or ethnicity is imprison- Dupeux said. were disappointed by the poor results posted ment of six months and a fine of 22,500 euros, or $32,390 at cur- The lawyer said that pleading dependence on drugs and in France, which accounts for some 40 percent rent exchange, according to the French prosecutor. alcohol would likely not work in Galliano’s favor. of the group’s sales, but pledged to stick to the Jean-Yves Dupeux, of French law firm Lussan & Associés, “It’s unusual in a case of insults, but it’s not unusual in three-year “transformation plan” he imple- said that unlike U.S. law, under which free speech is protect- criminal cases. But it’s not a very good line of defense, since mented after joining Carrefour in January 2009. ed by the First Amendment, the French system curtails what jurisdictions consider that people dispose of free will and Fabrice Rémon, head of the French division can be said in the public sphere through a variety of laws that if they are addicts, they should just go into rehab, and of shareholder consultancy Deminor, likened including media libel laws and legislation against “inciting that if it has come to this, it’s a bit their own fault,” he said. the Dia spin-off to “selling the family jew- hatred, discrimination and violence.” The Galliano saga has been fraught with drama and dis- els.” Michel Enguelz, representing the Force Dupeux, who defended French Interior Minister Brice cord. Last month, the designer dismissed his longtime law- Ouvrière union at Carrefour, said staff had lost Hortefeux in a recent court case in which he was convicted yer amid allegations of irregularities in respect to his firm’s confidence in the company, pointing to a series of making “private insults of a racial nature,” said these administration of Galliano’s financial affairs.