Color Me Purple
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MAY MERCHANT VEGAS KENNETH FOR MEN KOLKER All the men’s shows DIES AT 89. in Las Vegas, and PAGE 8 brands to watch for. WWDTHURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 ■ WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY ■ $3.00 FIRM CUTS FORECAST Macy’s Stumbles in Qtr. And Retail Shares Fall points, to 831.91. The Dow Jones By DAVID MOIN Industrial Average fell 0.7 percent, or 113.35 points, to 15,337.66. NEW YORK — Macy’s sneezed The declines at Macy’s don’t Wednesday — and all of retail got bode well for the rest of the earn- the shivers. ings season since the fi rm was ex- After a long string of quarterly pected to be a bright spot in a gen- comp-sales gains, Macy’s Inc. took erally tough quarter. a stumble in the second quarter Also posting stock losses for due to consumers tightening up, the day were Aéropostale Inc., leading to weakness in juniors, down 3 percent to $12.76; PVH jewelry, shoes, cosmetics, fra- Corp., 2.5 percent to $128.58; grances and watches. Urban Outfi tters Inc., 2.4 percent Shares of the department store to $40.77, and The Bon-Ton Stores fell 4.5 percent to $46.33 after it Inc., 2.3 percent to $15.07. reported a 0.8 percent second- “Obviously, the performance last quarter sales decline and earn- quarter was not what we are used ings per share of 72 cents, signifi - to,” Terry J. Lundgren, chairman, cantly below the 79 cents analysts chief executive offi cer and president projected and the company’s fi rst of Macy’s, told WWD. “We are disap- miss since 2007. Macy’s also cut its pointed we couldn’t overcome some forecast for the year. of the broader consumer challenges. Macy’s decline helped push “What was selling is a lot of our the S&P 500 Retailing Industry exclusive products and unique Group down 1.5 percent, or 12.72 SEE PAGE 8 Tapping Into China’s WeChat that is rapidly becoming the next By LARA FARRAR must-use tool to communicate with tech-savvy Chinese consum- SHANGHAI — A few years ago, ers. It is called WeChat, and since digital-marketing strategists were Tencent Holdings, also a Chinese buzzing about how brands needed Internet behemoth, launched to tap into Weibo, China’s answer it in late 2011, the service has to Twitter, as a platform to com- amassed some 300 million users, municate with the country’s more 70 million of whom are located than 500 million Internet users. outside the mainland. But now there is an alterna- In its August report on social tive. While Sina Weibo, the most media use by brands globally, digi- popular Chinese microblog site tal innovation think tank L2 called operated by Internet giant Sina WeChat the “hottest platform on Corp., still remains an impor- the planet.” tant component of brands’ digi- WeChat (known as Weixin in tal marketing mix, a new social China) is similar to Whatsapp, a networking service has emerged SEE PAGE 6 Color Me Purple Ralph Lauren is shining a spotlight on his elevated Purple Label collection for spring with an expanded offering of luxe sportswear to complement the line’s signature tailored clothing. The beefed-up offering, which also includes furnishings, accessories and footwear, may one day lead to a stand-alone retail concept. For more on Lauren’s spring line, see pages 4 and 5. For more men’s, see Men’s Week. PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO 2 WWD THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013 WWD.COM Wet Seal Teams With ABC Family THE BRIEFING BOX Seal are perfect for this concept,” exciting about it is we turn our IN TODAY’S WWD By RACHEL BROWN said Koo, adding that the target goods seven times a year. Our consumers “like the story lines longest lead time is four months, LOS ANGELES — ABC Family and start appreciating the char- our shortest is a week. We can fans will soon be able to dress acters on the shows. I think that’s work with ABC Family on prod- like characters from their favor- one of the main reasons they uct that can be in the stores very, A look from Herschel ite shows with the Crush by ABC gravitate toward them. They re- very quickly,” he said. Supply Co. For more Family apparel and accessories late to the characters’ experienc- Scheduled to launch before brands to watch at the collection launching at Wet Seal es in their real lives and see how the holiday season, Wet Seal will Las Vegas trade shows, in late October. those translate in the shows.” showcase the Crush by ABC Family see WWD.com. Manufactured by Van Nuys, Koo explained that the first merchandise in its windows. Print Calif.-based Jerry Leigh, the group of characters chosen for and digital media campaigns initial Crush by ABC Family representation in Crush by ABC will get the word out about the collection with 35 stockkeep- Family encapsulates different merchandise as well, with social ing units priced from $9.99 to aesthetics. Pieces influenced media networks and text promo- $34.90 follows the wardrobe by Callie Foster, played by Maia tions being particularly important. choices of the characters Callie Mitchell, have a boho flair and On television, ABC Family will run Foster, Bay Kennish and Lacey reflect her casual, easy style. 15-second spots to promote Crush Porter on the programs “The They feature earthy·· colors and by ABC Family. It’s possible char- Fosters,” “Switched at Birth” and classic silhouettes. Pieces influ- acters from ABC Family shows will “Twisted,” respectively. Other enced by Bay Kennish, played wear the merchandise on those ABC Family characters could by Vanessa Marano, are meant shows and participate in Crush by get the apparel and accessories to bring to life her eclectic tastes ABC Family events. treatment later on, and Crush by and independent spirit. They ABC Family is partnering with ABC Family is already scheduled have edgy silhouettes and dark, Wet Seal at a time when the re- Macy’s Inc. took a stumble in the second quarter due to for at least six deliveries through romantic prints and graphics, tailer, which has 464 Wet Seal consumers tightening up, leading to weakness in juniors, August 2014. There will be three and include moto jackets meant stores and 61 Arden B. units, is jewelry, shoes, cosmetics, fragrances and watches. Page 1 collections per delivery with 15 to be worn with brocade print showing positive signs. Wet Seal’s to 30 sku’s in each collection. dresses and maxiskirts. Pieces net sales in the second quarter WeChat, a new social networking service, is rapidly becoming “We have done a lot of research influenced by the popular fash- ended Aug. 3 rose 1.5 percent to the next must-use tool to communicate with tech-savvy on this. We had focus groups Chinese consumers. Page 1 and receipt surveys. We have a panel that we use for Wet Seal One of the channels that inspires Kohl’s Corp. has been struggling for the last few years and that gives us information about its second-quarter results due today will be key in signalling our product, our marketing and whether a turnaround is under way. Page 6 what trends are happening every them [ Wet Seal shoppers] and that single month. One of the chan- The Jones Group bidders are lining up — but the process nels that inspires them [Wet Seal they watch is ABC Family. It is is still focused on selling the entire apparel and footwear shoppers] and that they watch is ABC Family. It is relevant to who businesses separately or the whole company outright. Page 7 they are and what is interesting relevant to who they are and what Condé Nast to them,” said John D. Goodman, on Wednesday named Pilar Guzmán, the editor chief executive officer of The Wet is interesting to them. of Martha Stewart Living, the new editor in chief of Condé Seal Inc. Goodman also has a Nast Traveler, succeeding Klara Glowczewska. Page 7 pretty good focus group at home, — JOHN D. GOODMAN, THE WET SEAL INC. where he has 15-, 13- and 12-year- The U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday it has old daughters who are ABC settled a discrimination claim against Forever 21 Inc. Page 8 Family viewers. “I do see what’s ionista Lacey Porter, played by $137 million. Wet Seal’s same- happening out there,” he noted. Kylie Bunbury, contain embel- store sales were up 3.9 percent, Kenneth Kolker, former top merchant at May Department ABC Family is cable television’s lishment to spice up a feminine and Arden B.’s climbed 2 per- Stores Co., died Tuesday after a short illness. Page 8 number-one network in prime look. Key items are graphic tops cent. E-commerce sales were flat time for women aged 18 to 34 years to pair with sleek pencil skirts. for the period. Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc. shares fell 1 percent after old, and the number-two cable TV Koo emphasized that Crush Talking about Wet Seal cus- jumping 12.5 percent Tuesday on news that its activist investor, network for females 12 to 34 years by ABC Family merchandise will tomers, Goodman said, “We are BeaconLight Capital, is agitating for change. Page MW1 old. “Twisted,” “The Fosters” and try to incorporate trends that really starting·· to get her loyalty “Switched at Birth” are among the Wet Seal shoppers want to in- back. We know she goes to mul- Pop-up markets have emerged to promote brands that cater network’s top-rated shows.