The Inside: Top Par Pg. 16 A QUARTET OF DESIGNERS/8 JONES NET FALLS/12 WWD is Web Views WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’THURSDAY Daily Newspaper • October 27, 2005• $2.00 List Sportswear Juiced NEW YORK — Juicy Couture has designer ambitions. Tonight, founders Gela Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy will introduce Couture Couture, an evening collection featuring a range of looks, from gentle strapless lace dresses to silver suits full of rocker chic. Here, an embroidered and jeweled cotton and linen strapless dress. For more on the company’s latest venture, see page 10. Bolstering Profitability: Estée Lauder to Sell Stila In Cost-Cutting Initiative By Molly Prior NEW YORK — Estée Lauder Cos. Inc.’s first quarter was a tough one but the company is taking steps to increase profitability, including the sale of its color brand Stila. The firm is also working on a cost- saving initiative that could reap up to $45 million in fiscal 2006. It faced several hurdles during the quarter, such as the impact of department store consolidation, higher energy costs and storm-related store closures in the South, as well as lower sales relating to its fall promotions. As a result, net earnings from continuing operations for the first See Lauder, Page12 PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO PHOTO BY WWD.COM WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear FASHION ™ Denim vests and “Charlie’s Angels”-inspired jumpsuits are making a 6 comeback this season as Seventies nostalgia sets in. A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated GENERAL Estée Lauder’s first quarter was a tough one, but the firm is working on WORKING MOTHERS NEED WARDROBES THAT WORK 1 bolstering profits, including the sale of Stila and a cost-savings plan. Separates are Equal to the Challenge EYE: Fashion parties all over town, from Chanel to Rochas to Alberta 4 Ferretti at Bergdorf Goodman. Meredith had always been a career-oriented Certainly, these women are not all sitting around ACTIVE: Fast-growing retro sportswear label Original Penguin by person. But something changed when she had her in pajamas or sweat pants all day. So, how exactly 11 Munsingwear is stepping up the pace in opening its own stores. daughter, McKenna, now 2 years old. “I really do you dress for work, when a typical day might Third-quarter results at Jones Apparel Group were hurt by restructuring didn’t want to go back to all the stressful hours and find you doing a report at home in the morning, 12 charges, but it didn’t appear to have any major implications for fiscal 2005. commuting that I’d been doing,” giving a quick change to the says the 38-year-old marketing baby before handing her off to Classified Advertisements ..................................................................18-19 executive, who lives in the the sitter, and then attending a To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is Chicago suburbs. “Suddenly I lunch meeting or giving a [email protected], using the individual’s name. had this miraculous little person presentation in the afternoon? WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. COPYRIGHT ©2005 FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. in my life, and I realized that I “Separates are the way to VOLUME 190, NO. 91. WWD (ISSN # 0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one additional issue in June, July and November, two additional issues in April, May, August and December, and three additional wanted to slow down and enjoy go—especially knits,” advises issues in February, March, September and October by Fairchild Publications, Inc., a subsidiary of Advance Publications, Inc. this time with her.” Linda DeFranco, senior PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. Shared Services provided by Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.: S.I. Newhouse Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, President & C.E.O.; John W. Bellando, Executive Vice President and C.O.O.; Jill Bright, At the same time, she needed trend forecaster with Cotton Executive Vice President_Human Resources; John Buese, Executive Vice President_Chief Information Officer; David Orlin, Senior Vice to bring in an income. So Incorporated. “There have President_Strategic Sourcing; Robert Bennis, Senior Vice President_Real Estate; Maurie Perl, Senior Vice President_Chief Communications Officer. Shared Services provided by Advance Magazine Group: Steven T. Florio, Advance Magazine Group Vice Meredith, who’d been working been some beautiful innovations Chairman; David B. Chemidlin, Senior Vice President_General Manager, Shared Services Center. in cotton mercerized knits; Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40032712. for her firm for six years, Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 88654-9096-RM0001. Canada post return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: approached her employer about they can be worn with jeans on DPGM, 7496 Bath Road, Unit 2, Mississauga, ON L4T 1L2. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE working from home two days a the weekend, or with a pair of INQUIRIES: Please write to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008; Call 800-289-0273; week. The company agreed, trousers during the week.” or visit www.subnow.com/wd . Four weeks is required for change of address. Please give both new and old address as printed on most recent label. Subscriptions Rates: U.S. possessions, Retailer, daily one year: $109; Manufacturer, daily one rather than lose her, and Meredith The key is to create a look year $145. All other U.S., daily one year $205. Canada/Mexico, daily one year, $295. All other foreign (Air Speed), daily one found the balance she was that’s put together, but year $595. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, “Flexibility is the number-one business, and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. For looking for. thing that working moms are comfortable. “It’s all about the permissions and reprint requests, please call 212-221-9595 or fax requests to 212-221-9195. Visit us online: polished casual look,” advises www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub.com. Occasionally, “Being home those two days looking for.” we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would immediately helped drop my Thayer. “The polish comes interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information by mail and/or e-mail, please advise us at — Carol Evans, P. O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. stress level,” she says. “I am still from wearing a tailored jacket WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS, DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO UNSOLICITED Working Mother Media with your corduroy trousers, MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND available for a presentation if the TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART office needs me, but I’m not running out the door or wearing something like a novelty floral cardigan WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY WWD IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE every day. And I love that I can go downstairs and sweater or an asymmetrical sweater. It’s fashionable, ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED OVERNIGHT-DELIVERY RETURN ENVELOPE, POSTAGE PREPAID. take a ‘baby break’!” but not fussy.” These days, many women with young children “Casual doesn’t have to mean sloppy to be are actively seeking out flexible work options that comfortable,” affirms Sean Krebs, a spokesperson for allow them to be home more with their families— Gap. “There is a way to be casual and comfortable— In Brief pursuing consulting work, part-time work, thekey is to pay attention to fit and proportion.” or working from home. According to Cotton This season, Gap is featuring a number of pieces ● ROSEN TO HOUSE OF DEREON: Charles “Chip” Rosen has Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™, 16.9% of that allow a woman to transition easily from home joined House of Deréon as president and general manager. women respondents said they work from home, an to office, including refined cable-knit sweaters and Rosen will be responsible for operations, merchandising, de- increase of 4.2 points over last year. cardigans, which can be paired with the brand’s sign, sales, marketing, licensing and manufacturing of the collec- That’s something that Carol Evans, CEO and corduroy trousers, or dressy, stretch-woven cotton tion. He reports to the board of Beyond Productions, the global founder of Working Mother Media, hears a lot of pinstripe trousers. license holder for Beyoncé and Tina Knowles’ contemporary these days. “Flexibility is the number-one thing Another popular apparel option—particularly collection. For the past four years, Rosen was vice president of global licensing and marketing at Sweetface Fashion Co., the that working moms are looking for,” she relates. for women working from home with small master brand for JLo and Sweetface by Jennifer Lopez. Before So important is this issue children—are cotton fabrics Do you work from home? that, he was managing director of marketing communications at to women, that flexibility treated with stain-resistant Hill and Knowlton, the public relations firm. Earlier, he was at was the overall theme 2004 2005 Change coatings.