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Home , 140 West 57th Street, Bandeau, Behnaz Sarafpour, Diamond Trading Company, Emma Roberts, Fonzworth Bentley

WINSTON MINES GROWTH/10 GUCCI’S GIANNINI TALKS TEAM/22 WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’MONDAY Daily Newspaper • September 13, 2004 • $2.00 Accessories/Innerwear/Legwear

Calm Down — East met West at Tiffany on Sunday morning in a smart, chic collection by . And in the midst of the cross-cultural current inspired by the designer’s recent trip to , she gave ample play to the new calm percolating through , one likely to gain momentum as the season progresses. Here, Sarafpour’s sleek secured with an . For more on the season, see pages 12 to 18.

Hip-Hop’s Rising : As Firms Chase Deals, Is Rocawear in Play? By Lauren DeCarlo NEW YORK — The bling-bling world of hip- hop is clearly more than a flash in the pan, with more conglomerates than ever eager to get a piece of it. The latest brand J.Lo Plans Show for Sweetface, Sells $15,000 Of Fragrance at Macy’s Appearance. Page 2. said to be entertaining suitors is none other than one that helped pioneer the sector: Rocawear. Sources said Rocawear may be ready to consider offers for a sale of the company, which is said to generate more than $125 million in wholesale volume. See Rocawear, Page4 PHOTO BY GEORGE CHINSEE PHOTO BY 2 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM WWDMONDAY J.Lo Talks Scents, Shows at Macy’s Accessories/Innerwear/Legwear By Julie Naughton and Pete Born FASHION The spring collections kicked into high gear over the weekend with shows in Jennifer Lopez in from Behnaz Sarafpour, DKNY, Baby Phat and . NEW YORK — Jennifer Lopez has come a long the former 12 way since selling perfume as a teenager growing boardroom at up in The Bronx. Macy’s. The superstar, whose first experience with the GENERAL beauty business was as a 16-year-old fragrance Rocawear, the hip-hop brand said to generate more than $125 million in hawker in a store behind a tire outlet that, she said, 1 wholesale volume, may be set to consider offers for selling the company. sold “bootleggy” merchandise, showed Sunday that A reengineered sears.com Web site, for the first time selling apparel and she still has a magic touch with sales. Lopez head- home fashion products as well as hard goods, officially goes live today. lined a personal appearance at Macy’s Herald 6 Square flagship that racked up an estimated $15,000 The bidding for Levi Strauss & Co.’s Dockers label may be heating up as in sales in just 90 minutes, industry sources said. 6 several investment firms start to show interest in the casual brand. “Fragrance is everything to me — I judge peo- The Diavik Mine in Yellowknife, , is a world away from ple on how they smell, not how they look,” said Harry Winston’s salon, but it’s the core of the jeweler’s future. Lopez, clad in a pink-and-gray-striped turtleneck, 10 white and pink suede platform heels. Only 200 delirious fans were given access to EYE the highly controlled event on the 16th floor of Jade Jagger and Damon Dash turn Garrard SoHo salon into a lounge Macy’s. Each had purchased one of two “Look party…Talking with , star of ’s “.” Books,” color cosmetics palettes tied to Lopez’s 40 first two fragrances. The gift sets, built around Glow by JLo and Still Jennifer Lopez, include both the palettes and a bottle of fragrance. The Classified Advertisements ...... 38-39 Glow So Pretty set, which includes bronze-toned To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is cosmetics, retails for $59.50 and the Still Stunning [email protected], using the individual’s name. set, with icy pink makeup , is $69.50. Lopez said that she is “testing the waters” with these WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. COPYRIGHT ©2004

PHOTO BY KEITH SMITH PHOTO BY FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. sets for a possible color cosmetics launch, which VOLUME 188, NO. 56. WWD (ISSN # 0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one additional executives in the Lancaster division of Coty said beauty, apparel and her and jewelry licens- issue in January, May, June and November; two additional issues in February, April, September, October and December; and three additional issues in March and August, by Fairchild Publications, Inc., a subsidiary of Advance Publications, Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 7 is on the drawing board. She also launched body es. The actress and singer also is credited with sin- West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. Shared Services provided by Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.: S.I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; care ancillaries to Glow by JLo earlier this year. gle-handedly reviving the celebrity fragrance genre. Steven T. Florio, Vice Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, C.O.O.; John W. Bellando, Executive Vice-President and C.F.O.; Jill Bright, Sales of the color sets were fueled by a contest. After her first scent, Glow by JLo, generated some Executive Vice-President_Human Resources; John Buese, Executive Vice-President_ Chief Information Officer; David Orlin, Senior Certificates have been hidden in random sets sold $80 million at retail in its first year on counter, Vice-President_Strategic Sourcing; Robert Bennis, Senior Vice-President_Real Estate; David B. Chemidlin, Senior Vice- President_General Manager, Advance Magazine Group Shared Services Center. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at at department stores across the U.S. Twenty win- many others, including Beyoncé Knowles and additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40032712. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration ners will receive all-expenses-paid trips to either Celine Dion, rushed to cash in on the trend. No. 88654-9096-RM0001. Canada post return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: 4960-2 Walker Road, Windsor, ON N9A 6J3. Los Angeles or Miami, and will spend the day with Lopez also has taken a stronger hand in re- POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WOMEN’S WEAR Lopez, being made over by her personal hair and shaping her apparel business, which sources esti- DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008; Call 800-289-0273; or visit www.subnow.com/wd . Four weeks is makeup artists. They also will receive wardrobes mate is an $80 million business at retail. required for change of address. Please give both new and old address as printed on most recent label. First copy of new of JLo apparel, valued at $1,000, as well as $1,000 “I’ve moved to New York and I’m in the office all subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of . Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. For permissions and reprint requests, in cash. Winners will be announced in November, the time,” Lopez said, referring to the fact that she please call 212-221-9595 or fax requests to 212-221-9195. Visit us online: www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild and the makeover event is expected to take place has moved into the old office of former Sweetface magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub.com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully in early December. Fashion Co. LLC president and chief executive offi- screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. Lopez is about to launch a third scent, Miami cer Denise Seegal. She has just launched a lingerie WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS, DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO UNSOLICITED Glow, a flanker to her successful Glow by JLo. line and plans a ready-to-wear runway show for her MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND Next year, she also will start a fourth women’s fall 2005 apparel line in February. TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED scent, which will present an entirely new concept. “For us, it will be a rebirth — people will see TO DO SO BY WWD IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE With a personal that has become something what JLo is,” she said, adding, “It’s about estab- ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED OVERNIGHT-DELIVERY RETURN ENVELOPE, POSTAGE PREPAID. of a public mania, Lopez seems to have naturally lishing JLo as a lifestyle brand. The company is taken to the fragrance business. “I have a good JLo. I am Jennifer.” nose, people tell me,” she said with a laugh, not- Andy Hilfiger, co-founder and director of MONDAY: Olympus , New York, contin- ing that, while most fragrance firms rely on demo- Sweetface, where Lopez is a partner, said the apparel ues (through Wednesday). graphic studies, “I go with my gut.” line’s quality will be upped, and its assortment will be Bulgari Group reports first-half sales and earnings. And her instincts have proved to be on target. narrowed. “We won’t be overassorted — we will be The Jennifer Lopez empire is said to do upward of very focused,” said Hilfiger, noting that the effort TUESDAY: The Commerce Department releases the $300 million a year at retail, a figure which includes would be aimed at “making the whole brand — all 12 August retail sales report. categories — cohesive.” Although the brand is “at the high-end of con- WEDNESDAY: Ideabiella fabric fair, Cernobbio, temporary juniors’, it has an age- (through Friday). less sensibility,” he added. ROBERTA Charles Rosen, vice president THURSDAY: The Labor Department releases the of licensing and international at Consumer Price Index for August. Sweetface, noted that the JLo Prato Expo, Florence (through Saturday). SCARPA brand has just opened a 3,000- square-foot store that the singer FRIDAY: Surf Expo, Orlando, Fla. (through Sunday). Show-room Attila: helped design at Crocus City, an upscale mall in Moscow. The firm SATURDAY: Mipel show, Milan (through Sept. 21). 552, Seventh Avenue, 2nd Floor will open more Lopez flagships New York, NY 10018 globally going forward. SUNDAY: London Fashion Week (through Sept. 24). tel. 1.212.944.4700 How many fragrances does National Association annual meeting: U.S. fax 1.212.921.0123 Lopez plan? “It’s like being an Playing Ball in the World Market, Coopers-

artist — you do it until you drop COMING THIStown, WEEK N.Y. (through Sept. 21). dead and they drag you away,” she said, laughing. When asked the secret behind her glowing appearance, Lopez replied, “a good makeup artist.” Then she added, “If you’re at peace In Brief and you’re happy where you are, that’s where the glow comes from.” ● CHARLOTTE RUSSE SAGS: Citing disappointing back-to- school sales, teen retailer Charlotte Russe Holding Inc. cut its fourth-quarter earnings estimate by more than half Thursday, which sent shares of the company down 23.4 percent in Nasdaq trading. The company cited the shift of the Labor Day holiday to one week later than last year and a harder-than-expected repo- sitioning of its Rampage chain, which has had double-digit nega- tive same-store sales. As a result, the company provided guid- ance of a negative low-single-digit same-store sales for the fourth quarter, a big change from its previous estimate of posi- tive mid-single-digit comps. Earnings per share in the quarter are anticipated at 11 cents to 13 cents, down from a previous forecast range of 28 cents to 32 cents. Included in that estimate is a 14 cent-a-share negative impact from the problems at Rampage. The stock was subsequently downgraded by Wachovia Securities and ended Thursday’s session at $11.20, off $3.43.

4 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM Rocawear Hip-Hopping Toward Sale?

Continued from page one Damon Dash flanked by models Four partners own Rocawear, each with a 25 percent in Rocawear. stake. They are hip-hop icons Jay-Z and Damon Dash, the co-founders, and Russian investors Alex Bize and Norton Cher, who are said to be open to selling their interests. “When a brand becomes so profitable, people are definitely going to be acquiring,” Dash said in an inter- view. “I’m a businessman. The purpose of being in busi- ness is to build equity and probably sell. All I can really say is, as a businessman, I’m listening. I haven’t seen Alex and Norton for a while, so I don’t know what RUNE HELLESTAD/CORBIS PHOTO BY they’re looking to do.” One name that has surfaced as a potential buyer is , who helped kick off the hip-hop cloth- ing trend in the early Nineties and who reportedly was in talks this spring about acquiring the hip-hop brand Ecko Unlimited. Hilfiger told WWD that his company has had conversations with Rocawear, as it has with other firms, but a deal seems unlikely. Asked about Hilfiger, Dash said, “I would have to re- spect the privacy of who I’m speaking to. That would just be bad business.” There has been speculation that Jay-Z wants to move on from the company, but Dash denied it. “That’s an old rumor,” he said. A trend of streetwear acquisitions has emerged with- in the last 12 months as companies recognize the growth potential in the sector. Last year, California billionaire Ron Burkle invested $100 million in Sean “P. Diddy’’ Combs’ company, Sean John, which has embarked on a program of growth involving store openings for its own label, with the first opening on Fifth Avenue late last month and a plan to introduce women’s wear for fall 2005. It also has invested in Zac Posen’s company. Subsequently, Enyce was bought by in designer Heather Thomson Schindler, who most recent- TKO Apparel manufactures women’s and men’s pants for December and, in January, Kellwood Co. acquired Phat ly worked with Lopez on the JLo brand at Sweetface brands such as , and Izod. Dash and Phat Farm for $140 million in cash, plus Fashion Co. for the past two years. does not recall such a deal and said it never happened. significant incentives for and Kimora Rocawear is part of Dash’s conglomerate, The Roc, “I don’t even remember that,” he said. “I’m quite sure Lee Simmons based on the brands’ future growth. which is a $500 million firm encompassing brands in any business would be interested in Rocawear. If some- The deals provided these hot hip-hop brands with fashion and entertainment, including businesses such body was talking, that doesn’t mean a deal will happen.” the capital and infrastructure to further develop their as Roc-A-Fella records, Armadale Vodka and the C. Jassin said he did not know what would motivate consumer following while giving the more mainstream Ronson for Rocawear clothing line. Dash to sell. firms entry into the urbanwear scene. Industry analysts estimate Rocawear generates “But if he could put the business under a more stable Meanwhile, the activity throughout the sector contin- wholesale volume of at least $125 million a year. It has or more productive roof, it might prove to be interesting,” ues to heat up. Jennifer Lopez is becoming more in- women’s licenses with Signature Apparel Group, Jassin said. “He could capitalize and cash out part of his volved in her Sweetface Fashions venture following the Brandon Thomas Designs Inc., M. London, Gina Group equity and provide a platform to do additional licensing.” departure of its former president, Denise Seegal; is and Colors in Optics Ltd. Jassin said he believes it’s time for the brand to preparing for the relaunch of her Fetish line for fall, Jay-Z and Dash began Rocawear in 1999 as a co-ven- evolve to the changing needs of its customers. under license with $350 million Mark Ecko Enterprises, ture with the Comet Group, the clothing manufacturer “At this point, people who are wearing hip-hop cloth- and Missy Elliot has linked with Adidas to create a fash- founded in 1984 by Bize and Cher. ing have to think about working and changing their ion line for the activewear brand. “I’ve heard the company is for sale, that’s for sure,” to do different things,” he said. “Brands must Then there’s Beyoncé Knowles, who is developing said Andrew Jassin, managing director of the Jassin- migrate. Rocawear has a very good customer franchise. her House of Deréon: Couture. Kick. Soul. collection in O’Rourke Group, a New York consulting firm. “I don’t It’s a matter of cultivating it and moving it to the next a licensing deal with the $700 million Kids think the buyer would be a strict financial buyer. I think phase of its development.” Headquarters based here. Set to launch in fall 2005, The it would be more strategic than financial.” At the moment, Dash shows no signs of slowing down House of Deréon, a “hip haute” label, will appeal to the This isn’t the first time Rocawear has been the focus or relinquishing any part of his empire. junior set with sophisticated tastes. The line has been of speculation that it might be sold. TKO Apparel, the “I can multitask. I can do everything,’’ he said. “I just in development for more than a year and features three $200 million Miami-based private label manufacturer, have to work harder. My businesses are like my children. co-creative directors: Beyoncé, her mother, Tina, and was said in July to be negotiating a deal with Rocawear. I give them equal attention. Overall, I’m having a ball.” Honored by Hispanic Heritage Foundation By Joanna Ramey second I get back Saturday — down to young and fashion-conscious, but to all the wire.” Hispanics,” Rodriguez said. “It’s really WASHINGTON — Narciso Rodriguez, sit- Rodriguez was spare on details, but beautiful.” ting in the stuffy lobby of the Watergate called his collection “happy” and, fitting- Rodriguez brought his sister, Barbara Hotel on Friday, became dreamy-eyed as ly for his visit to Washington, “a state- Socarras, and actress Rachel Weisz, who mariachi musicians sauntered past in ment that’s anti all the negative going on presented the to the designer, whom

jingling silver-buckle-bejeweled pants. — in politics, the world, war. I wanted PHOTO BY JUDY G. ROLFE she called “my role model.” Rodriguez, The splash of traditional Mexican something light, something a little more speaking to a packed audience in the fashion seemed almost as out of place positive and colorful.” Eisenhower Theater, was so touched he there as did the designer spending a day Rodriguez, whose parents emigrated momentarily lost his voice, then recovered in the nation’s capital, when his spring from Cuba in the Fifties, said his to thank his family and others who helped collection is due to be shown in New women’s designs are endlessly inspired him “follow my dream.” Yo rk on Tuesday night. by , particularly by his fre- Weisz also plans to be in the front row “Hot-t-t-t,” said Rodriguez, exhaling quent visits to Brazil. of Rodriguez’s show in New York and will at the unexpected sight of the musi- “It’s all about the rhythm,” said then host a party for the designer, inaugu- cians, who were part of that night’s en- Rodriguez. “I’ve always looked at my rating the newly designed penthouse of tertainment at the Kennedy Center, family photographs in Cuba from my par- the Hotel on Rivington in . where he received the Vision Award for ents’ youth and all the , the way my For star power and applause, his own hot fashions during the annual grandmother embroidered and these Rodriguez was only rivaled by actor and Hispanic Heritage Foundation’s amazing linen flapper — clothes award recipient John Leguizamo, gala. they actually made themselves. I guess and , who presented an “I must say the timing is a little off, it’s in the blood.” award to Leguizamo during the ceremony, but you know this is a huge honor and As for being singled out for the her- Rodriguez taped for broadcast on NBC this Saturday. I’m really touched to be here and ac- itage foundation award, Rodriguez said receiving his Goldberg, in a three-quarter-length knowledged in this way,” Rodriguez said. he was overwhelmed. award in with furry fringe, clearly had not “We went into warp speed so that I could “It’s been incredible for me to have Washington on consulted Rodriguez on her attire, not- have this break. I’m finished. We still someone come along in our community Friday. ing, “I’ve worn my couch in order to do have to do fittings and that will start the to say I’m a role model not only to the this.” YOUR LEFT HAND LIVES FOR LOVE. YOUR RIGHT HAND LIVES FOR THE MOMENT. YOUR LEFT HAND WANTS TO BE HELD. YOUR RIGHT HAND WANTS TO BE HELD HIGH. WOMEN OF THE WORLD, RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND.

THE NEW DIAMOND RIGHT HAND . MODERN VINTAGE, FLORAL, ROMANTIC AND CONTEMPORARY STYLES AT ADIAMONDISFOREVER.COM

Top right: ©2003 Caressa. Bottom right: ©2003 Universal Pacific. left: ©2003 Beaudry. Bottom left: public domain. The Forevermark is used under license. 6 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM Sears Brings Fashion Mix to the Internet By David Moin believe the merchants have hair and eye color, body shape, addressed them. There are facial hair, height and weight NEW YORK — Sears, Roebuck & marked changes in the quality.” and dress up the models with the Co. has decided to compete for Sears officials declined to clothes they chose. Based on the fashion sales in cyberspace even project sales for the souped-up selection and the look of the vir- as it has struggled to sell appar- sears.com, but said that last year tual model, sears.com automati- el in its stores. the Internet site generated $300 cally makes recommendations A reengineered sears.com, million in sales. Landsend.com on matching items. for the first time selling tens of produced $511 million in sales in Sears.com. is the first site to thousands of apparel items and 2003. Sears’ total customer direct apply the technology to multiple home fashion products, as well sales, which includes catalogues, brands on a single Web site. My as continuing to sell appliances, reached $2 billion last year. Virtual Model, founded by hardware and other hard goods, Bass said sears.com and land- Louise Guay, has advanced its officially goes live today. send.com are tracking 40 per- software so that the images are Sears’ effort to strengthen cent increases in 2004. not so rudimentary and there’s itself in fashion comes after it Sears’ Web site had only more of a likeness to the user. reported an 82.8 percent plunge offered hard lines such as home “In the beginning, it was almost in profits and a 2.9 percent drop electronics and appliances, cartoon-like. Now it‘s lifelike,” in domestic same-store sales for grills, computers, some automo- said Ted McDougal, Sears’ direc- the second quarter that ended tive supplies, lawn and garden tor of business and financial June 28. The company, which and parts for appliances. communications. generated $41 billion in revenue Apparel was limited to a few On sears.com, there is also a last year, sold its profitable cred- links to licensed catalogues and zoom-in feature, to get a close-up it card and financial services the landsend.com site, and look at product details and tex- division in 2003. school under the brand tures and a rotation feature so Sears’ chief executive officer name French Toast. you can see how the clothes look Alan Lacy said in reporting sec- “Apparel has been the sec- from the front and the back. ond-quarter results that in appar- ond-most-requested category on “The fashion presentation is el “we continued to be affected by the Sears Web site” next to something we can really control the product assortment and inven- appliances, even though it was online,” Bass said. “We can tory issues. We lacked a sufficient barely available, Bass said. always make sure the products amount of fashion-oriented spring Lands’ End merchandise has are displayed well and we have product in what has been a strong been integrated into sears.com lots of tools to provide customer fashion-driven season.” He added for easier shopping and all cata- service online. It’s hard to do in that “most of these issues are logue links have been removed. the stores. Apparel advice is expected to be resolved as we Aside from sears.com, Lands’ End harder to get in the stores. move into the fall season.” can be shopped on landsend.com Nobody has the combination of The revamped Web site will and . Lands’ End’s pres- tools that we have online.” feature more than 14,000 nation- entation will be “essentially the Also, My Virtual Model has al brand and private label items entire assortment,” Bass said. been developed so you can deco- from Lee, Levi’s, Dockers and Before shoppers had to link over rate a room with curtains, bed- Russell, and the Sears-owned to the Lands’ End site to shop the ding, wall art, lamps and their Apostrophe and Covington brand online. shadow effects, and see the room brands, among other lines. There An average Sears store sells from different angles and how it will also be about 30,000 Lands’ 54,000 apparel items and 7,000 looks in different paint colors. End apparel and home items ini- items in home fashions, com- As far as infrastructure, there tially and another 50,000 by the pared with sears.com’s initial are two call centers in Round Red, end of the fourth quarter. Lands’ 50,000 plus items. Shipping costs Tex., and Des Moines, Iowa. A End was purchased by Sears for start at $5.95 and go up from warehouse located in Naperville, $1.9 billion in May of 2002. In there based on weight. Ill., near Sears’ headquarters in addition, more than 6,400 bed Sears has launched apparel online and soft home products are on sears.com Bass said months of quality Hoffman Estates, has been added and bath home fashion items, for the first time, as well. and style upgrading raised confi- to service sears.com. under the Sears and Lands’ End dence in the apparel assort- Store signage, preprints, tele- labels will be available. has been remade with casual are going to leapfrog everybody, ments, and the move online is vision ads and the Web site itself, Included in the offerings are men’s apparel, and and have the most advanced abetted by the advanced Web will all help hype the new two major apparel introductions: accessories. A Line, which gets apparel selling online,” Bill Bass, technologies adopted from sears.com. The transactional A Line, the updated fashion line distributed to 450 Sears stores Sears’ vice president and general Lands’ End. The Lands’ End Web site was originally launched of women’s apparel made exclu- this fall, will add footwear and manager of customer direct, said technology is best known for its in 1999 and became profitable in sively for Sears by Jones Apparel accessories in 2005. Structure in an interview. “A year ago, we “My Virtual Model” function, 2002, according to Sears. It’s con- Group, and Structure, the former gets distributed to about 100 couldn’t have done this because enabling consumers to create sidered the top- selling Web site Limited Brands men’s label pur- stores this fall. the product wasn’t ready. There models in their own image bear- for appliances, lawn and garden chased by Sears last year, which “From not selling apparel, we were merchandise issues, but we ing their characteristics, such as and fitness products. Investment Firms Emerge as Dockers Bidding Intensifies By Scott Malone “The process is moving ahead,’’ a Levi’s spokesman said. “We’re NEW YORK — The bidding for Levi Strauss & Co.’s going to continue the exploration Dockers label may be heating up as several private in- and would expect to have an an- firms begin to show interest in the casual nouncement in the weeks ahead.” clothing brand. The potential buyers include VF Levi’s reached an agreement this month with its pri- Corp., Li & Fung, Kellwood, Silas mary lenders to approve a sale of the $1 billion unit K.F. Chou, Jones Apparel Group and with the requirement that the proceeds reduce the San Liz Claiborne, said several bond in- Francisco-based parent company’s net debt by at least vestors with knowledge of Levi’s. 30 percent. The guideline would suggest a minimum The possible entry of Oak Hill selling price of more than $650 million, based on the and others into the bidding “leads firm’s $2.22 billion long-term debt load as of May 20. me to believe that the industry Perry Ellis International Inc., working with Oak Hill players probably aren’t willing to Capital Partners, and Haggar Corp., which was said to pay the price Levi’s is looking for,” be seeking an investor to back the company, pushed the a bond analyst said. A recent Dockers ad and a page from the Web site. bidding for Dockers into the $750 million to $900 million Levi’s executives have said they range, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday. have a minimum price in mind and would not sell the ported net income of $13.2 million on revenue of $484.2 “We do, from time to time, review potential acquisi- Dockers brand for less. They have not disclosed the tar- million, though it has been growing aggressively — first- tions and other strategic opportunities,’’ Perry Ellis said get number. half profits were up 85.8 percent on a 61.1 percent surge in a statement. “Any acquisition would only be under- An investment firm such as Oak Hill — founded by in revenue. As of July 31, its balance sheet showed taken if we believed it to be in the best interests of our billionaire Robert Bass and believed to manage about $233.3 million in long-term debt, according to a filing shareholders.” $10 billion in capital — would work with an apparel with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The statement did not name Dockers, or any other company because it would need the management expe- Haggar recorded $9.6 million in profits on $482.4 mil- company. Rosemary Trudeau, vice president of finance, rience and infrastructure, the financial sources said. lion in sales in its fiscal year ended Sept. 30. Through the said the Miami-based firm would not comment further. Many of the Dockers brand’s back-office functions, such nine months ended June 30, its net income more than Officials at Oak Hill could not be reached. Haggar ex- as sourcing and distribution, are handled by Levi’s. doubled on essentially flat sales. As of June 30, Haggar’s ecutives did not return phone calls. In its last fiscal year ended Jan. 31, Perry Ellis re- balance sheet showed $2 million in long-term debt. INTRODUCING BILL BURNS SPRING 2005 COLLECTION

SHOWROOM 1411 31ST FLOOR NY, NY 10018 212.278.0800 WWW.WWD.COM Diego Dalla Palma in Makeover Mode MILAN — Italian cosmetics brand Diego Dalla group to handle the U.S. market. Palma is continuing to reinvent itself. The cosmet- Previously, Dougoud led Parfums Givenchy’s ics firm has launched an accessories kit and acti- U.K. and Ireland affiliate. He joined LVMH in vated a makeup studio in its flagship store here. 1994, after 10 years of working in European sales The makeup brush kit — which contains five and marketing for Procter & Gamble. mini brushes and a mirror in a zip-up white leather case — will be launched in December, and will re- tail for 45 euros, or $54.90 at current exchange Clarins Maps Expansion Plans rates, a price point the company hopes will help at- PARIS — Groupe tract new customers to the 26-year-old brand. Clarins is planning to “The kit has open two new stores been created to in the U.S. next year, BEAUTY BEAT be a must-have one on Columbus for both old Avenue in New York and new customers,” said Luciana Iannazzo, prod- and another in Short uct manager of Diego Dalla Palma. “It’s finished Hills, N.J., the firm in Diego Dalla Palma colors of black and white. said at a meeting for The brushes are made of light black wood with analysts Friday. natural white fibers. It’s a kit we originally The firm also will thought of as being seasonal but have plans to focus on fragrance keep it in the collection.” next year and is gear- Meanwhile, the cosmetics company also inau- ing up to introduce gurated the official opening of a makeup studio women’s scents for within its store in Milan’s old art district, Brera. the Clarins brand, Makeup lessons and makeup applications for Thierry Mugler and special occasions will be held in the two private Stella Cadente. On rooms that are located at the back of the store. Thursday, Clarins Christian Courtin Gift certificates for private and group makeup les- announced first-half sons will also be launched in December. Prices 2004 net earnings of 28.7 million euros, or $35.2 start from 60 euros, or $73.15, for individual les- million at current exchange. sons, and 150 euros, or $182.90, for a mini individ- Clarins president and chief executive officer ual course. Christian Courtin said at the meeting he preferred The cosmetics firm’s makeup studio is set to to remain “prudent” for the full year and con- generate an additional 15 percent of the company’s firmed the group’s forecast of 5 percent sales annual turnover, which is expected to hit 20.4 mil- growth at constant exchange and a flat operating lion euros, or $24.9 million, by year-end, according margin at 12.1 percent. The company’s stock closed to industry sources. That would represent a 20 per- down 2.75 percent at 53 euros, or $65.12, on the cent spike in sales compared with last year. Paris Bourse Friday. — Stephanie Epiro “We are a little disappointed by the first-half trend in net profit and the fact that management has not raised its 2004 guidance,” Antoine Belge, an analyst at HSBC, said in a research note Dougoud Named Guerlain GM Friday. “Furthermore, the group’s focus on its per- NEW YORK — Gilles Dougoud, general manager fume division in 2005 implies a certain level of for Parfums Givenchy’s U.S. business since risk in terms of earnings evolution. We believe February 2003, has been appointed general man- this to be the reason for which the share price is ager for Guerlain as well. Both Parfums Givenchy under pressure today.” and Guerlain recently merged into one business — Brid Costello The Ruehl of Expansion: A&F Plans Growth By Jean E. Palmieri customs and currency. “There’s a market here,” he said, noting a lot to work on. But we really that the cost of the rollout is PARAMUS, N.J. — Now that its have to do it. This is a way to “about the same as for Hollister.” newest concept is up and run- grow our business while main- Some analysts were at least ning, Abercrombie & Fitch is taining values.” partly disappointed with the turning its sights overseas. The most logical first step Ruehl concept. Brian Tunick Following a walk-through for will be to take the A&F name to and Robert Samuels, of J.P. analysts and the press at Ruehl, other countries. “That’s our Morgan, observed in a research the company’s latest retail mother brand, so that would be note that Ruehl did not provide brand, in the Garden State Plaza first,” Singer said. “That would enough differentiation from ex- mall here last week, Michael make the most sense. But isting A&F offerings, and could Jeffries, chief executive officer, there’s also no reason at all not siphon sales from that brand. called the new venture “a step- to take Hollister to Covent “Regarding concerns around ping stone to international.” Garden” in London. cannibalization, clearly we were He deferred to Robert Singer, Although is definitely hoping that Ruehl’s merchan- who joined the company as pres- in the plans, Singer said Canada dise and price points would at- ident and chief operating officer will be the company’s first tar- tract a much different customer in May, to fill in the blanks. get. “Culturally and in terms of than the core [A&F] stores,” Singer, who was chief financial business models, it’s very simi- wrote Tunick. officer at Gucci Group before lar” to the U.S., he said. The J.P. Morgan analysts joining A&F, said he believes Singer declined to reveal added that Ruehl’s prices were there’s a “great opportunity” to when A&F might move into lower than they had expected. expand A&F to other countries. other countries, saying he didn’t “Ruehl was not exactly what we “The Abercrombie & Fitch brand want to be held to a specific were picturing when the compa- is really well known,” he said, date. “The market is definitely ny announced it would be target- and its U.S. stores attract cus- there and we could do business ing a 22- to 30-year-old shopper,” tomers from all over the world. now,” he said. “But we have to they wrote. “While we believe “We’re convinced we can cre- secure good locations and be that Ruehl could ultimately grow ate real business overseas, but very opportunistic.” into a $1 billion brand, we have in a controlled way,” Singer And so, for the time being, it to wonder how much of this vol- said. There are no plans to li- has been Ruehl that has taken ume will come at the expense of cense the brand, he stressed. center stage. The Paramus store the core [A&F] business.” Instead, the company must was one of three units opened Jeff Klinefelter, of Piper build an infrastructure to sup- last week, with the other two in Jaffray, said Ruehl “raises the port international growth inter- Tampa, Fla., and Chicago. A bar yet again for mall-based re- nally. “This company knows how fourth is slated to open in the tailing…in terms of store layout to operate in this environment Twelve Oaks mall in Detroit be- and presentation.” But, given but has no experience outside fore the holiday season. The the similarity in price to A&F, this country,” he added. “We stores sell only casual sports- Klinefelter wondered, “at what have to learn how to do it.” wear, with an emphasis on jeans. point does Ruehl begin to canni- Among the issues that will Although still in the test balize the higher-end, more so- need to be addressed, said phase, Ruehl has the potential to phisticated A&F customer?” Singer, are differences in mer- grow into a 250- to 300-unit chain, — With contributions from chandise, labeling, distribution, Jeffries said. “There’s definitely David Lipke the nation’s new menswear market

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©2004 AMC, Inc. be the first 10 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 Harry Winston Minin

Diamonds are sourced out of giant pits.

By Marc Karimzadeh er materials and focused on top-quality , gold and platinum. Though that will continue, the company also is looking to grow its existing product mix under $50,000. YELLOWKNIFE, Canada — The Diavik Diamond Mine is literally a world away from To achieve these goals and easily compete with players such as Tiffany and the chic environs of Harry Winston’s grand Fifth Avenue salon. , O’Neill had no qualms about poaching some of the most talented executives Tucked away on a 7.7-square-mile island in the middle of the Lac de Gras in from his former stomping grounds. Many new hires come to Winston with extensive Canada’s Northwest Territories — and located about 137 miles south of the Arctic experience at Tiffany and LVMH. Circle — it’s the kind of place so isolated that it can only be reached by air in a small In the last four months, O’Neill has tapped James Seuss as president of retail and private jet. Featuring wintry temperatures year-round, the mine’s landscape is filled wholesale operations at Winston, Susan Korb as chief marketing officer, Peter Schneirla with rocky dunes and volcanic pits. And the giant processing plant, which sorts rough as vice chairman, Ray Simpson as chief operating officer and Charles Stanley as vice stones, can be deafeningly loud and dusty, requiring visitors to wear a , a safety president of market development. Each comes to Winston with an impressive range of vest, goggles and earplugs. expertise in both the jewelry and fashion worlds. Seuss was ceo for Stella McCartney, The look is a far cry from the posh, designer-clad clientele who usually cross and before that, the managing director for Tiffany in the U.K. Korb was president of Winston’s threshold — yet the muscle of Aber Diamond Corp., the diamond-mining Assouline and to that, spent 17 years at Tiffany rising to head of marketing and and marketing firm that owns a stake in the mine as well as a majority of Winston, communications. Simpson and Stanley, meanwhile, came to Winston from LV, will be the keystone to the jeweler’s future while Schneirla is a well-known gemologist image and expansion strategy. and jewelry expert who also had worked for Winston’s new team of executives is confi- Tiffany in the mid-Eighties. dent the union between the two ends of the Late last month, Aber presented the diamond jewelry business — rough mine new vision for Winston to its employees in and Manhattan salon — will allow the jewel- the grand salon of the jeweler’s Fifth er to claim the title of the world’s top pur- Avenue flagship, followed by a trip to veyor of jewelry featuring the rarest, high- Aber’s high tech Toronto offices and on to est-quality stones available in today’s com- the diamond mine, in which it holds a 40 petitive jewelry market. percent stake (the remaining portion of “I see Harry Winston as the most exclu- Diavik is owned by a subsidiary of Rio sive, most luxurious and most reliable fine Tinto plc of London). jewelry and company in the world, “When I look at the business, it went which is what it had always been,” said through turbulent times, but what struck me Thomas J. O’Neill, Harry Winston’s chief and impressed me was that it was still radi- executive officer and president of Aber, on antly shining in the marketplace,” explained a tour of the diamond mine late last month. O’Neill. “We thought we were going to find a “We are out to redeem that territory.” The new ad campaign, shot by Richard Avedon, features Mena Suvari, among others; Harry stodgy, sleepy environment, but we didn’t. We It’s a territory O’Neill is all too familiar Winston’s chief executive officer, Thomas J. O’Neill. found a highly motivated team, and I thought, with. He joined Winston from Burberry, where he was president worldwide, but the ‘This is what companies die for.’” lion’s share of his expertise was tethered to fine jewelry. Before joining Burberry in The central plan in Winston’s strategy will be its unique link to Aber, which bought a 2001, he was head of the watch and jewelry division of LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis majority of the jeweler in April, and to Diavik. Vuitton, where he also worked on the De Beers LV diamond jewelry venture. Prior to “When diamonds are mined, the largest profit margins are at the two ends of the that, he was ceo of International, president and ceo of LVMH’s fashion supply chain, on the mine and at retail,” said O’Neill. “What happens in between is and leather goods for the Americas and at Tiffany & Co., where he rose to executive an enormous element, but it is a succession of small processes. We are going to sell vice president of its international division in 13 years. our rough diamonds to a series of manufacturers [from diamond cutters to polishers] Under O’Neill, Winston is putting into place a growth strategy that includes open- — about 25 to 30 manufacturers — and we have agreements that, in return, they make ing up to 45 salons in eight years; buying back some of its most legendary jewels, and available a wide selection of polished stones. [At Winston,] we have very specific a bold advertising direction that will break this November with a new campaign shot needs in color, cut and clarity, and sometimes very unique shapes, and also rare blue by legendary photographer Richard Avedon. and pink diamonds. In exchange for selling our rough stones, it opens up their pol- The main focus will be on the upper end of the market, where prices can go into mil- ished inventory for us to purchase.” lions. Unlike many other high-end jewelers, Winston always shied away from from less- Jim Perrone, research analyst at -based investment firm MacDougall, WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 11 WWW.WWD.COM ng Its Way to the Top

An aerial view of the Diavik mine. Aber diamonds in the rough. PHOTOS COURTESY OF HARRY WINSTON, ABER DIAMOND AND CORP. DIAVIK DIAMOND MINES

MacDougall & MacTier, praised Aber’s acquisition of Winston. was sold seated at a desk with a consultant, the foyer will now feature two L-shaped “They are very astute,” he said. “If you have the diamond supply like Aber, you have cases to allow customers to make more impulse gift purchases. The overall effect some leverage and clout in the diamond world, which should allow them to grow Harry should be less intimidating and more inviting. Winston. In order to grow a jewelry business, you have to have a sure supply since right “This is not a new direction, but it is a reconcentration,” said O’Neill. “It will now, diamonds are in short supply and prices have been high since the millennium which house all treasures we don’t talk about.” took a lot of inventory out of the system. Some of the older mines are coming to the end of As for product, the company’s core focus will be what’s often referred to as “signifi- their lives and there’s no large mines coming into production. With one swoop, they got cant jewelry,” where price tags can often go into the millions. The company also is Harry Winston, six stores and a brand name that’s been around for decades.” looking to build its assortment of vintage jewels, as well as grow its watch distribution. But Aber isn’t alone in trying to build a larger jewelry brand. Among Winston’s com- “We are aggressively solidifying our position as the world’s finest high-end jewelry petitors are De Beers LV, Graff, Cartier and Tiffany. Each has in recent years adopted a merchant, and are doing so by bringing the world’s finest colored stones and diamond more aggressive strategy, opening more stores and tailoring their assortments with col- jewelry, both back from old clients and new pieces,” said Schneirla, who oversees ored precious and semiprecious stones and a wider range of price points to suit the product development for Winston. “We are also going to be concentrating on capital- growing segment of self-purchase customers. Graff, for instance, is expanding its izing on the colored-stone business in price points under $100,000. For us, that’s retail presence in the U.S. by adding stores in Chicago and the Wynn an area we have been involved in but want to flesh out.” Las Vegas, while aggressively building its exclusive distribution Winston’s current six retail outlets are in Manhattan, Beverly Hills, with Saks Fifth Avenue. De Beers LV, meanwhile, is hoping to Paris, , and Osaka, Japan. It plans to open in Taipei become a key player Stateside when it plans to open its first and Las Vegas this fall. O’Neill said future plans call for two to U.S. unit on Fifth Avenue and next year. three salon openings a year in key markets around the world, In contrast to Aber and Winston, De Beers LV has no di- to total 40 to 45 locations in eight years. rect connection to the Diamond Trading Company, the mar- “We have an opportunity to expand this brand into existing keting arm of De Beers. It is not a siteholder, and the retail markets where brand equity exists, such as Japan and jeweler doesn’t buy its diamonds directly from the DTC. It America, but also into new markets like Russia, Southeastern can, however, buy its diamonds through a siteholder. Asia, like China,” Seuss said. “Everybody loves to talk about Canada ranks third in the global rough-diamond China and Russia, but we would be irresponsible not to ex- production trade after and Russia and be- pand our presence in the U.S. and Japan and concen- fore South and Angola. The Diavik mine was trate on our core business. The U.S. and Japan repre- discovered in 1991 and was created in more than 10 sent 63 percent of diamond consumption. We have to years, commencing commercial production in August A diamond floral for look at South Florida, Texas, Chicago, Boston and all 2003, with plans for full production to be achieved by approximately $120,000, obvious choices for a high-end luxury brand. Then mid-2005. The company prides itself on helping the from the new Harry Winston Dubai [United Arab Emirates], Hong Kong and area’s population and preserving the natural envi- holiday collection of classic Shanghai. We also keep a close eye on .” ronment. For instance, the mine created 800 con- diamond jewelry. The new direction at Winston will be accom- struction jobs, and it was developed with a com- panied by a witty and somewhat provocative mitment to give at least 40 percent of the employ- advertising campaign shot by Avedon. ment to workers from Northwestern Territories. “The last campaign [featuring Carolyn The long-term goal is to operate the mine for 20 Murphy] moved Harry Winston from just a pur- years, with closure planned for 2025, when the veyor of large stones into more of a lifestyle company will return the area to its natural state brand,” explained Korb. “What we hope to do and possibly develop a fish habitat. with the next campaign is to really refine the atti- In 2003, the mine produced about 3.8 million carats. tude to express very clearly who we are in an ar- In 2004, it is projected to turn out 7 to 8 million carats. resting way. We weren’t going for a retro or avant- “[The diamond mine] has a strategic value and we garde look but a Winston look, which is intelligent, thought, ‘How do you exploit the strategic value?’” said glamourous, exclusive, fun, sexy and international.” Robert A. Gannicott, chairman and ceo of Aber. “One of the Korb added that clinching a deal with Avedon in addi- reasons the diamond retail industry is so fragmented is because tion to the Harry Winston name helped attract high-profile their growth is dependent on being able to get rough stones.” people. Styled by Lori Goldstein, it features candid black-and- That shouldn’t be a problem for Winston, now that Aber can flex its white portraits of Mena Suvari, Angelica Huston, Julie Delpy, muscle. Aber’s net earnings for the year ended Jan.31 totaled $27.7 mil- Malgosia and Cecilia Dean in sparkling jewels. lion. Diamond sales totaled $114.8 million. “We tried to pick people that weren’t just beautiful, but who convey a certain confi- “It’s one of the richest diamond pipes in the world,” said Perrone. “There are four dence in their own skin so the jewelry was almost part of their own beauty,” Korb said. diamond pipes now that will last about 20 years, and there are about 60 more that The ads showcase the range of jewelry from engagement rings to diamond hoop they haven’t even explored. They have strong margins on diamond mining, and strong to a $4 million vintage Harry Winston necklace. The ads feature tag lines margins in retail, which they hope to improve. They are growing on the diamond-min- such as “Watch watching the men watching you” or “Some people won’t ing side, which hasn’t even reached full production yet, and my guess is they will grow understand, are you one of them?” the reserves as well.” The campaign breaks in November magazines such as Vanity Fair, W, Departures, Town Aber’s earnings could possibly skyrocket now that the Diavik mine is in full opera- & Country and Architectural Digest. Korb declined to give details of the ad budget. (W, tion, and its financial strength will help Winston, which sources estimate to have Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest are owned by Advance Publications Inc., as is WWD.) sales of about $135 million, build a strong assortment to dazzle clients. Gannicott added that Aber’s future isn’t likely to hold another jewelry retail acqui- This November, the jeweler plans to launch a diamond jewelry collection of about sition, but probably a mining one. 20 styles, featuring scaled-down versions of important Winston pieces as more of a “The objective is to carefully nurture Harry Winston to a very large, high-end, daytime diamond jewelry category under $50,000. As part of the renewed focus, the high-jewelry business, while at the same time providing a modest democratization,” jeweler late last month started the restoration of the New York flagship. This is ex- he said. “I see no reason that in 10 years, this can’t be a powerful brand name. It’s an pected to bring it back to its original splendor, with slight tweaks here and there to ac- excellent platform to market jewelry. The objective is not to diversify with pearls and commodate the bridal jewelry and jewelry under $50,000. Whereas before the jewelry such, but the objective will always be diamonds.” 12 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

WhereAt DKNY, took beautiful advantage of vintage...Behnaz Sarafpourthe owned Tiffany’s for a morning...Zac A Posen

DKNY: “I saw a little scrambled egg thing go by. Behnaz Sarafpour DKNY I mean, people are so happy.” So noted the sage Ingrid Sischy at Pastis on Sunday morning. And it wasn’t just the egg or mimosa things that caused the glee. Rather, the crowd that packed the downtown eatery was utterly charmed by Donna Karan’s terrific DKNY new presentation, at which 24 divinely primped mannequins enjoyed brunch, lounged about on the bar and at tables, york even preened in the ladies’ room — and looking divine at every turn. “Let’s have fun,” says DKNY’s design overseer Jane Chung of the attitude. “DKNY should be optimistic.” And was it ever — a happy pastiche of color, texture and decoration, styled by Patricia Field with just enough discretion to keep the collection’s aura fresh at this moment of near-ubiquitous vintage-y eclecticism. The line offered a giddy trove of find-yourself goodies. Thus, even those inanimate, nearly identically coiffed babes projected distinct personalities: jaunty tomboy in a metallic-shot suit; conservative careerist in a scallop-edged jacket and denim , and any number of girly-girls in concoctions of flimsy dresses, peekaboo lingerie, shrugs, sleek and enough old cameos, pearls and pendants for 10 grandmas. “I’m so proud of them all,” Karan said of her DKNY team, promising that their work will have a dramatic counterpoint today, when she shows a Donna Karan collection she described as “industrial” in a minimalist palette of gray, white and silver. Of course, fashion is about more than cyclical swings from fluff to stark and back. DKNY’s blonde-bobbed diners were accessorized to the nines. And, if much of their jewelry was of the true vintage sort, their new Forties-centric — platformed, colorful and bejeweled — should keep fashion girls stepping lively through spring. Still, everyone knows that LVMH loves a , and Donna clearly wants in on the magic. Thus, when it came to flaunting her fab offerings that mesh function with flair, her mannequins were no dummies.

Behnaz Sarafpour: It’s hard to avoid the obvious references that come to mind at a 10 a.m. fashion show at Tiffany. Yet, while thrilled by the rich history — not to mention the largesse — of the famed jeweler,

which offered up its lofty main ▲ Baby Phat floor as a venue, Behnaz Sarafpour was wise not to get lost in movie- sequined tank. Such even allowed for a petite and pretty pooch, in which case a stretch of sand land nostalgia. subtle nod to Holly Golightly. Sarafpour offered might double as a stylish litter box, just in case. Instead, she found inspiration in a summer homage in one of her own favorite items, the As it turned out, the pup was on its best behavior as trip to Japan, her first. The experience fueled trenchcoat, here a ringer for that worn by Audrey Posen started with an airy group of whites, yet another an East-meets-West collection motif that Hepburn in the movie, its replaced with an indication that tchotchked-up, head-spinning frivolity proved as chic and polished as it was obi sash. may be, if not endangered, no longer fashion’s single uncostume-y — save for ill-advised, if modified, And, speaking of cross-cultural, girls the world dominant force after this season. He opened with a Kabuki makeup. And it was all accented, of over would love Sarafpour’s runway-only shoes, but sexy slouch of a suit, moving on through a lineup that course, with Tiffany delights. Sarafpour took a the best of them all were printed slides with vibrantly swung from relaxed to hourglass to suit girls of various simple approach to the cultural divide, as lacquered lasts. “They’re like Manolo Blahnik persuasions — chic mariner, playful sport, all-out diva. imported celebratory prints and artsy shibori Candies,” Sarafpour said, “with geisha fronts.” The section enjoyed a beguiling calm, one only dyes (an elaborately handcrafted cousin to tie- enhanced by the occasional poufed or strip of dye) countered the austerity of black and white. Zac Posen: Zac Posen called his collection Trinity, glittering “bullion” embellishment. After the calm, the Throughout, she worked the motif deftly, never after the new jewelry collection of Cartier, one of his show exploded with dizzying optic stimuli. So what’s slamming her audience over the head with the mallet trio of sponsors. And it was a triptych in more ways wrong with a little chain-mail frock prepped up in of cross-culturalism. “I just wanted to do the most than one, divided into three distinct sections with argyle? Or riffs on the polo, like a zigzaggy affair beautiful collection possible,” she said before the show. results ranging from terrific to quizzical, to say the stretched into a skin-tight dress? Conversely, more “Where things come from doesn’t matter.” Thus, least. riotous fare played like bad-trip Missoni, while one Sarafpour played with the in -cinched Posen has a theatrical streak, one reflected in his editor noted a “crazy Versace” vibe. Finishing off, a trio dresses with full-ish , and obi-wrapped a number presentations and showing up this time in a runway of Elvira-goes-artsy punctuated an oddly of new-look minimal offerings, including a sleeveless covered inexplicably with sand. Then again, perhaps discordant black group. tuxedo dress with lilac sash. The twain met even less he got advance notice that his backer, , A can-do spirit pulses from everything this most obviously in a rustling geisha-print skirt and gold would arrive decked out with a very Paris accessory, a recent CFDA Perry Ellis Award winner does. He wants WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 13 WWW.WWD.COM Fashion Scoops , Patti Hansen and Theodora Richards.

Actiontried for the big leagues...and, at Cynthia Rowley, whimsyIs was the word.

Zac Posen inside, among them Queen Latifah, Venus Williams, Nicky Hilton, Mary J. Blige, , Lil’ Kim, Vivica A. Fox, Ivana Trump, J.C. Chavez and Star Jones. David Copperfield and David Blaine were in the front row, too, sitting next to each other. As for the PHOTO BY SAM BOLTON/PMC clothes, Kimora Lee Simmons KEITH RICHARDS, FASHION PLATE: With daughters like Alexandra and definitely delivered. She brought Theodora Richards, and Patti Hansen for a wife, a little fashion sense was us East, West, South and every bound to rub off on Keith Richards at some point. which way in a collection that guitarist turned up in the front row of the reliably wild Stephen Burrows was inspired by traveling but show on Saturday, drawing a round of applause from the audience and was nevertheless cohesive. usurping the seats of two Elle editors, Anne Slowey and Nicole Phelps, who There were terrific, then had to make do with one chair between them for the show. (Phelps chinoiserie-patterned sat on Slowey’s lap.) in contrasting prints, gladiator- Richards, who watched Alexandra model in the show, wore khaki pants esque gold paillette tanks, high- with the cuffs rolled up, an untucked floral print shirt and a pastel dip- glam la isla bonita dresses and dyed color block , looking very purposefully disheveled. He kept even . Lee also showed tugging at the sleeve of his shirt, styling it just so. After the show, when seersucker with black given a compliment on his style, Richards shrugged it off, pulling up his lapels, tops that shirt to show that he was actually holding up his pants with a bit of rope juxtaposed pretty pleated tied together, in a place of a real belt. prints with basket-weave knits “I stole this jacket from a friend in Paris a long time ago,” Richards said. and, of course, short shorts “It was a friend who started his life as an Antonio, but now is an Antonia. galore. She doesn’t need it anymore.” Lee’s accessories were Asked if he keeps in touch with said friend, Richards repled, “Yes, I deliciously dramatic, too. But love her dearly.” none were more so than the gold wraparound strap PARIS PLANS: New York may be in full swing, but some already have stilettos, which actually turned their sights to Paris — including new No.5 face Nicole made three models fall Kidman. Rumor is that Kidman, who isn’t obligated to wear Chanel but down on the catwalk. likes it nonetheless, will be in the front row at the house’s show next (Kudos to the fourth who month. To further mark the occasion, will throw a private stayed up despite her dinner party for the Oscar-winning actress. straps coming undone; it must have been the BABYGAP’S READING ROOM: There are as many celebrities at Gap stores “Walk like your life is these days as there are at fashion week. Following ’s depending on it!” sign appearance last week at Gap’s Manhattan flagship, its BabyGap division is ▲ Cynthia backstage.) Another poor beginning a series of celebrity book readings today. Ming-Na Wen of “ER” Rowley girl’s top kept slipping off. will kick off the tour in Chicago, reading from “I Love You When,” a You could just imagine children’s story centered around BabyGap’s official “spokesbear,” Brannan, Jackson shouting from the front row, “It and his relationship with his mother. (They evidently get on quite well.) To was an accident!” But, hey, slips follow will be Mira Sorvino reading in Los Angeles on Tuesday, happen. Hits happen, too, and you can in Miami on Wednesday, Naomi Judd in Nashville on Saturday and Marcia count this collection as Baby Phat’s best Gay Harden in New York on Sunday. to date. It’s a shame that Ryder didn’t venture in. For her finale, instead of the SOCIAL REGISTER: The registers at Sean “P. Diddy” Combs’ new store are more conventional parade, Simmons sent making bling the new ka-ching. Following the designer’s hourlong cocktail her models out in the brand’s signature mosh pit opening, customers came pouring into the store on Friday and , and tanks printed with bought $36,000 worth of merchandise. The big sellers included denim the designer’s own mug shot à la the “Free blazers, “Vote or Die” T-shirts, Jonathan Adler vases, books hand-picked by Winona” T. Lee’s, however, were digitally the designer and the Sean John Signature candle. enhanced so that she’s wearing pink, naturellement. FASHION’S PANACHE: Princess Michael of Kent was spotted in the front row of designer Atil Kutoglu’s show, in town to promote her new book. Her publicist Cynthia Rowley: Cynthia Rowley couldn’t told her it would be good for her image to be seen at the shows. Better bring the show to the beach, so she brought than at Da Silvano. the beach to the show. The “Swell” hostess added a runway made of sand to the NEWS IN BRIEF: 2xist wants to help you get into celebrities’ pants. The Elizabeth Street Sculpture Garden, then underwear company has teamed up with the National Prostate Cancer called in live drummers to set a festive mood, Coalition to host an auction of underwear signed by a roster of celebrities all of which made a perfect setting for her including , Nicky Hilton, Queen Latifah, Antonio Sabato Jr. and whimsical numbers. Rowley abandoned the , who, of course, is the face of another famous underwear tricky silhouettes of past collections, and brand. The “jocktion,” as 2xist calls it, begins today on Ubid.com, with went instead for simple, easy and bids running through the 25th. fun floral shorts with airy tops. Continuing the mood of a sun-drenched, exotic getaway, WHO? I LOVED IT!: In a sea of bright pink, Hayden Panettiere, the 15-year-old she sent out gauzy , dresses and shirts star of ’s last movie, “Raising Helen,” sat front row at the Lilly in earth tones such as brown, ecru and Pulitzer show on Sunday morning in light blue. She was supposed to wear sunflower yellow — the color palette Lilly, but the clothes “got lost in the mail,” Panettiere said. What brought her complementing the soft, organic quality of to the show? “They sent an invitation,” she explained. “I think her clothes desperately to make it in fashion’s big leagues and the collection. are so beautiful.” After a little more banter, Panettiere admitted she’d gives every indication that his work ethic matches his Stripes in bright hues added a playful twist actually never heard of Lilly Pulitzer before. But, by the end of the show, she ambition. So Posen must be forgiven if his zeal to to some dresses and tops, and she sassed was a fan. “I can’t believe how thin the models are,” she squealed. sparkle can produce an overwrought doozy or 10, things up with some electric pink and green because it also produces some very appealing clothes, metallic numbers. Sweet heart or floral A GIRL’S BEST FRIEND: Kimora Lee Simmons may have temporarily forgotten as it did for spring, beneath which lies a wellspring of embroideries played up the girliness for on Saturday night that she had a new fragrance deal with Coty, but then ideas writhing toward maturation. which the designer is known. Still, Rowley the president and creative director of Baby Phat quickly reverted to her couldn’t resist sending out some vampy black, over-the-top self and indicated the one thing she was sure she wanted Baby Phat: “What is going on?” Winona Ryder, shimmery tops and dresses that had no place was a lot of bling on the bottle. After talking about the numerous aspects wearing a dark cotton bucket , asked her friend on the sand — whether on the runway or the of her “lifestyle” brand — such as the diamond-studded cell phone she outside Skylight Studios on Saturday night. Then she beach. That lapse aside, most of the collection plans to launch in November — Simmons said of her eventual fragrance simply walked on. But since the event in question was consisted of appealing, wearable looks with bottle: “I’m trying to put diamonds in that thing!”

the Baby Phat show, plenty of other celebrities were just the right amount of Rowley quirkiness. PHOTOS GIANNONI AND THOMAS IANNACCONE GEORGE CHINSEE, GIOVANNI JOHN AQUINO, BY 14 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 Something Wild Miguel Adrover went to do “battle” with his spring looks, while Jeremy Scott flashed gang signs…Stephen Burrows charmed with jerseyed girls…As Four’s troupe trotted out tailored fare…and Luella Bartley took a bite out of the apple.

Miguel Adrover referred Miguel Adrover: Jeremy Scott ▲ Miguel Adrover to his spring show as his “last battle” for retail relevance and basic survival. To that end, he assembled a battalion-sized lineup of almost 100 looks for his presentation in Sarah D. Roosevelt Park on the . Some observers saw it merely as an intriguing, characteristically idiosyncratic, display of often-beautiful clothes. Others applauded, and still others were annoyed by what they saw as a deeper political message, something to do with the nasty roots of the American Empire. Such is Adrover’s polarizing effect. But not even those who take issue with his deep thoughts would deny that the designer is talented. This year’s epic journey took flight through the Old West, with motifs of cowboys and North and South American Indians. Along the way, Adrover gave a nod to the origins of fashion — and more grandly, of man — with a primitive moment la- beled “De-evolution.” And he still managed to show a smattering of the meticulously tai- lored his propo- nents often cite, as well as more fanciful, painstakingly crafted garments — the best part of his charged take on clothing. Note, for instance, the ging- ham prairie dress with an intricately smocked that echoed both Victorian and Masai necklines, or the ivory morning embroidered with images of cowboys tak- ing aim at Indians on horse- back. Salability aside, lay- ered as they are with messages new about the role of clothing in terms of new class, culture and colonialism, such pieces are difficult to discount. While the collection’s political york agenda was nuanced, the designer’s other big message was anything but. Taking his bow hand-in-hand with stu- dio manager Oscar Correcher and de- Stephen Burrows sign director Peter Hidalgo, Adrover wore a T-shirt printed with the question, solid white T-shirt top and skirt in blocks of black, funny people are so easily shocked; it’s a fact of life. My “Anyone seen a backer?” Unfortunately, gray and blue. thought was, ‘What if King Arthur’s court had the phone number printed on the back The collection wasn’t all about dresses, however. basketball hoops?’” was obscured by his lengthy ponytail. There were also bright bottoms with It’s not as if Scott’s a stranger to controversy — But then, Adrover never does it the contrasting tops and pretty, pocket-front satin remember last spring’s sexy ? This time, though, easy way, does he? tied around the waist. The whole show was he said that he was going to send out fashion that was lots of fun. wearable, as well as introduce his men’s line. And, if Stephen Burrows: Stephen Burrows you strip away the provocative schtick, that’s exactly had a great spring show. The energy Jeremy Scott: A ’s tale or an urban tale? That what he did. There was some terrific outerwear, he generated during his early years was the question on Saturday night when Jeremy including an anorak and razor-sharp trench in a steel was back on the runway with Scott got up to his old shenanigans, splitting his gray and blue chain print, and the cut-out T-shirt sizzling, color-blocked audience into two camps. One of them left the dresses were definitely sexy. He refashioned the idea dresses and cotton numbers in show thinking that it had seen a King Arthur- of basic sweats into a long, slit-sleeved paired bright prints. It was all quite sexy and inspired affair replete with chainmail, crests and with a mesh mini, or cropped drawstring pants worn charming. And even with the more fluid a warrior-like fierceness. The other shocked half with an armor-print halter top. Scott even did pretty, shapes, Burrows always stayed believed that it had just witnessed Scott’s take on albeit in his own way, with a strapless, tiered dress suggestively close to the body. If you’re gang culture, since the designer painted that had a floral-looking print which was actually not a print person, he offered up plenty teardrops, Aztec motifs and daggers on the little skulls. It may not have been what some of solid, bright little dresses, some models. All of these symbols, of course, currently expected from a showman like Scott, but it was street, edged in contrasting colors. But his most irresistible have gang associations. it was wearable and a nice counterpoint to the looks were those long jerseys, such as the front-slit After the show, the designer laid the issue to prettiness seen elsewhere. What the heck, vive halter in white and a sleeveless number with a rest. “Absolutely — gang culture,” he said. “It’s l’avant garde. WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 15 WWW.WWD.COM

lineup of chinos and polos with Luella Lilly Pulitzer clunky, yet seductive, spectator heels in various shades. To add her trademark sense of humor to the situation, Bartley chose the apple as the motif for her collection, which she showed in a multitude of forms, such as in the jacquard texture of a blazer, printed in green on crispy cotton - downs and tote bags and used still more subtly in the black-and- white print of flippy silk dresses. This might have been a tribute to ’s new baby daughter or possibly a paean to Bartley’s adopted fashion capital. Whether it was or not, it’s the sort of interesting, wearable thing that her fans like. Although it’s Bartley’s bags that tend to receive the lion’s share of retail attention, she showed that her clothes are worthy of love, too.

Lilly Pulitzer: Wonders never cease — Lilly Pulitzer’s gone sexy. Her Sunday morning show gave her faithful followers — eagerly lining the front row in their watermelon pink and apple-green uniforms — a jolt of beach-babe sex appeal and even some saucy Seventies glam. Let’s have a little perspective, though. These are not glistening Miami hard-bodies in skimpy so much as perfectly tanned Cote d’Azur sophisticates. Pulitzer’s version of a Seventies sun goddess sauntered out wearing liquid in vibrant colors or daring maillots that plunged and clung here and there. More than a few slinky floor-length dresses took on -hugging proportions in jersey. The designer still worked in her signature colors, but in a new As Four: Moving forward from fall’s all-black showing flap. Tailored pieces in twill and leather were and fresh way. Thin pink and that harkened back to their earlier days, As Four’s Avi, similarly light, even when trimmed with a orange ran down an Ange, Kai and Gabi trotted out a light, clean collection. shimmying fringe or strung with strands of silk- abbreviated caftan and across a With much of the team’s signature color and covered balls, which were a recurring motif on flowing ball skirt, which, when embellishment stripped away, the collection was boiled dresses and swimsuits. And, following the finale of silk paired with an orange bikini top, down to its purest form. And, though there were floral charmeuse dresses that, in a perfect world, would hit As Four ▲ looked very chic. Next to this prints, most of the collection was rendered in monotone the red carpet, the crowd treated the kooky quartet infusion of newness, her pales. But, as the big, bad wolf once said, “It’s all the to a standing ovation. traditional floral and animal-print better to see you with, my pretty.” sun dresses and shorts seemed a little The team continued to push the idea of sculptural Luella: A London It Girl herself, Luella Bartley makes dated, if still cute — but will probably shapes that shift with the body by creatively cutting clothes for the smartly cheeky sort of lass who likes an be what her loyal customers buy in fabrics such as sea island cotton and buttery silk off-kilter brand of sexiness and is always up for a quantity. Perhaps, though, she will charmeuse into dresses and tops that cling, flutter and laugh. So, for spring, she mixed a mostly clean, also pick up a few new fans.

The Gap line developed by the Alife group (Arcabascio, Rob Cristofaro truck.truck. and Arnaud Delecolle). The unisex collection includes the orig- inal 501s, in red, yellow, green, orange and, of course, blue, re- Denim Destinations tailing for $165, and Rigid jeans, for $185, inspired by the 501s of the World War II era when the back pocket pattern was Who would have thought a multibillion-dollar jeanswear giant painted on rather than stitched because of fabric rationing. would collaborate with a small Lower East Side shop? Further uptown, there was no missing the 18-wheeler Apparently, Levi’s and Alife did, since the unlikely pair part- parked directly across from the tents. It was Gap’s sixth stop nered up to pay homage to the iconic 501 jeans. Levi’s and the on its U.S. tour to promote its latest ad campaign starring boys from Alife (a creative collective and retailer) unveiled Sarah Jessica Parker and , and the sign on the the all-white 1,400-square-foot gallery and concept shop at 178 side of the truck asked the campaign’s tag line, “How do you on Friday. The store features wide illuminated wear it?” Editors numbering 250 were invited to hop on steps leading up to a neon-lit sales floor, and the walls are board and customize a pair of jeans or a skirt and do a quick lined with framed Levi’s ads and images from the company’s photo op to star in their very own Gap ad. “We knew the archives. Tony Arcabascio, a founder of Alife, said, “We want- ladies would come for the jeans, but it’s hilarious how ed people to feel as if they were walking up to a monument, so Levi’s they’re all glamming it up for the camera,” said Kyle Andrew, they would stop on each step and look at the evolution of the meets vice president of brand communications. The style-makers’ brand from the early Sixties through the mid-Eighties.” top choices were the ultralow- jeans with black or gold Alife. But the key pieces are those from the limited-edition jeans tuxedo stripes. PHOTOS BY TALAYA CENTENO, GIOVANNI GIANNONI, THOMAS IANNACCONE, ROBERT MITRA AND DAVID TURNER AND DAVID MITRA GIANNONI, THOMAS IANNACCONE, ROBERT GIOVANNI PHOTOS CENTENO, TALAYA BY 16 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 ALook on theLig Matthew Williamson, fashion’s eternal optimist, opted for Neapolitan cheer…Zang Toi dramatized his signature silhouettes… Zaldy danced with boho (and Goth) spirit…and Alexandre Herchcovitch stormed the New York runway with artsy charm.

Matthew Williamson: Matthew Williamson is fashion’s Thakoon eternal optimist, constantly turning out one brilliantly colored collection after another. Understandably, he has much to be cheery about — his clothes have been flying out of the store he opened last spring in London. So it may be with this commercial success in mind that Williamson showed one of his most approachable collections to date. For spring, he toned down his usual neon palette in favor of the rosy hues of a beach sunset. A pretty ivory smocked dress and were printed with butterfly tattoos, the sort a Forties sailor might have sported on his forearm. Neapolitan striped knits in strawberry, vanilla and chocolate made appealing combinations with well-constructed khaki cotton twill pants and shorts. The few brighter hues that the designer used really popped. Electric blue and tangerine looked fresh in ruffled chiffon and a handkerchief- hemmed dress that was boho-goddess-meets-Tinkerbell.

Zang Toi: Season after season, the loveable Zang Toi proudly does his own thing. He’s got a formula for success, as demonstrated by a strong performance at retail, so he rarely strays from his signature silhouettes. And why should he? His customers love him, and he has a loyal, highly social following, which includes Ivana Trump, who was front and center at the presentation. He always gives his ladies what they want, well-made, tailored looks with a dramatic and glamorous bent, and, for spring, he once again delivered exactly that. Toi opened his show with a small capsule collection called Toi House, which Benjamin Cho featured cute, playful, black sequined soccer and a little hot pink baby-doll dress more suited for a campy bedroom scenario than a stroll down . His signature collection included some beautiful pieces, such as the lineup of black or white fringed dresses and cropped pants, a beautiful, summery, white linen halter gown lined with Chantilly lace and a group of gauzy, fine linen shirts featuring intricate embroideries and little fringes. Toi also showed plenty of sophisticated suits with slim jackets and high-waisted pants. Sometimes, however, the drama got the better of him, as with the big, poufy on several evening looks. new Christopher Deane: With all the buzz about designers new Christopher Crawford and Angela Deane, the pressure was on to deliver the goods. And, while there were certainly plenty of pretty looks, the collection lacked a york consistent point of view. The blousy silk dresses with contrasting waist , for example, were clean and even sexy on occasion, and the design duo showed spunk with a black satin skirt paired with layered white and pale pink tops, while a handful of simple, gauzy shirts, Matthew Williamson skirts and jersey with braided straps had potential. But Crawford and Deane seemed intent on shows in Rio and in Paris, has a sense of whimsy that hope that this collection is just the playing it safe this time. They clearly have the ability to always has appealed to editors in the know. Even the result of growing pains, and that create a lineup with greater polish and verve, however, sight of his runway, with its spiraling garden path Cho will eventually earn back his and with more experience, will probably do just that. packed with fresh roses and calla lilies and charming New Guard status. rose nosegays on the seats made his audience smile. Zaldy: If ever there was an appropriate candidate for He followed up this good impression with fun clothes Thakoon: En route to Miguel “Behind the Music,” it’s Zaldy. While he isn’t well with artsy elements, the kind only brave girls would Adrover, a crowd of editors and known for his ready-to-wear, which debuted in 2001, he dare to wear. A stone cotton with puffy shorts retailers stopped off at Drive-In has quietly built an impressive music clientele — was straight-up Chloë Sevigny. Brightly colored chiffon Studios to take in the collection Christina Aguilera, and Melissa Auf der patchwork trapeze dresses and crinolined baby-doll of former Harper’s Bazaar staffer Thakoon Maur. Zaldy also has been working with Gwen Stefani tops sure looked cute, but it’ll be the striped skirts, Panichgul. Ten models dressed in his light-as- on her L.A.M.B. collection for three seasons, and he jackets and stovepipe pants that will fly off the shelves a-feather clothes sat in a charming tableaux just teamed up with gym dandy David Barton and wife at downtown’s cool emporium, Opening Ceremony. vivant. Rendered in a washed palette of moss Suzanne Bartsch on their line, Look Better Naked. green, dove gray and pearly peach and pink, But all those extracurricular activities didn’t seem Benjamin Cho: Benjamin Cho’s show promised so much. Panichgul’s collection stayed with the trend of to sap any inspiration from his spring effort, his first For seasons, he has been hinting at a creative talent that transforming ladylike silhouettes into runway presentation since fall 2003. True, his brief 17- mixes smart clothes with an artistic edge. And fall’s covetable looks for today’s girl. But the look lineup could be split into two distinct collections, sophisticated, thought-provoking lineup also implied a designer managed to avoid the pitfall of an one with a boho spirit, the other, strict Goth, but he did breakthrough in the offing. Similarly, the designer’s overwrought vintage redux by stripping shapes both well. His gypsy girl danced through in fluid silk spring setting alone — a sunbathed rooftop with a late down to the barest essentials and then spicing up gowns, wrapped, twisted and braided, only to be bound summer breeze — set the stage for something good. lightly with subtle details and interesting fabrics. up in an all-black mood — great, skinny, structured But good, or even interesting, never came. Instead, Is it possible to make a T-shirt and skirt feel shorts or a beautiful long, cotton batiste dress. Only the most of his ideas were a rehash of last season’s, but less fresh? Certainly, if said T is cut in a gorgeous, cutout details on a few tailored looks seemed, well, smart and not as well executed. Cho took the paneled whisper-weight cotton with lightly belled sleeves weird and out of context, even next to the supersized satin dresses, which looked so elegant for fall, and and a slim strip of lace trimming the neckline, white men’s shirts worn as sweeping . simply chopped them into minis and changed the and most certainly, if quilting turns peach hardware details. Even less impressive were the taffeta into a techy skirt. Elsewhere, removable Alexandre Herchcovitch: Welcome to New York, spiderwebbed suspender effects and burnout trims. jeweled collars by Erickson Beamon ▲ Alexandre. Hope you like it, because you’re exactly And, as punch lines go, his finale, a bearskin coat that and unfinished frayed edges added Christopher what this town needs. Herchcovitch, a Brazilian who trailed into an actual bearskin rug, wasn’t so funny. Let’s unexpected charm. Deane WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 17 WWW.WWD.COM

Lately, Rubenstein has been plowing through the galleys of a new book by Terry Iacuzzo, which, she says “is going Fashion Scoops to be hot, hot, hot” when it lands in bookstores this January. The title? “Small Mediums at Large: The True THE SIMPLE LIFE: As if he didn’t have enough on his Tales of a Family of Psychics” — surely a candidate for plate with his Perry Ellis negotiations, designer Patrick the bestseller list. For some editors, the wait just affords Robinson and his wife, Vogue fashion director Virginia more time for precisely what their colleagues come to Smith, squeezed in a real estate deal, having bought a the shows to avoid — actual busywork. Cosmo’s Kate barn on eight acres of property in Duchess County last White — who said she does all her potboiler reading at ght Side week. “It’s going to be our home away from home,” midnight — said she would be carrying copy with her to Robinson said. “Virginia and I have wanted to buy this edit between shows. Likewise, In Style’s industrious Zaldy for seven years — it’s the first thing I ever owned.” Charla Lawhon and Esquire’s equally diligent David Granger brought copy to work on during front-row downtime. LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON: Talk about the apple not falling far from the tree. Evan Yurman, David and Sybil Yurman’s THE ROOKIES: Unfazed by the swarm of photographers son and certainly a young man about town, designed all shooting her before the Esteban Cortazar show, Fergie of the jewelry for Saturday’s As Four runway show. For the Black Eyed Peas reveled in her first fashion week. Zang Toi ▲ those who care to remember, the team of designers Wearing a strapless lace Dolce & Gabbana dress, she collaborated with daddy David last year for its show. said, “I’m a girl living out her dream. I’ve never had so Evan was involved in the selection then, and he grew so many expensive dresses in a hotel room. There’s fond of styling the models with the jewelry backstage Valentino, , and Dolce & Gabbana. I’m that he decided to come back for more this year. usually with the guys roughing it on tour. I’m enjoying While young Yurman’s main focus is in men’s jewelry, being a girl this week.” his work already has caught the attention of at least one Another newcomer to the tents, Vivica Fox, said she female admirer. As noted, has just ordered a was “happy for once to have the time to enjoy it.” poison ring made from a 40-carat moonstone and a 60- The “Kill Bill” (Volumes 1 and 2) star has no regrets carat onyx grasped by two tiger claws from the designer. about setting the record straight about 50 Cent. “I still have love for him and wish him well,” she said. “That THE ABC’S OF APC: It’s been a week of firsts for APC was just me reminding people who I am.” founder Jean Touitou. For starters, Touitou set foot in the Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin was also new to U.S. for the first time in three years, admittedly having the scene, wearing what she called her “gold- had a case of jitters since 9/11, but upon his arrival, he earrings.” They were, in fact, diamonds, and sizable realized what he’d been missing. ones at that. The 22-year-old said she visited an Athens “I’m planning on spending a lot more time back in jeweler during a trip there a year ago, and promised him New York,” said Touitou, who is looking for American she’d splurge if she finished first at the Summer Games. partners to expand the APC retail concept beyond its After winning five including two golds last 17-year-old store in SoHo. month, she made good on the deal. The designer also was in town working on his spring “They were two engagement rings that he made into ad campaign, which, in another first, will feature a big earrings for me,” Coughlin said. “I’m really bad like that. model, namely Frankie Rayder. “It’s no wonder why some I’m always treating myself. I’ll think, ‘It’s my birthday — people are considered at the top,” Touitou said, fresh I have to buy something for myself.’” from the shoot. And finally, Touitou said APC is adding its first LHUILLIER’S BOND GIRL: Actress Famke Janssen, of “X- children’s wear collection for spring, his most Men” and “GoldenEye” fame, squeezed in some fashion challenging first yet. time Friday with a front-row appearance at Monique “It’s more difficult to design a dress for an eight-year- Lhuillier, the only show she’s going to during fashion old girl than a sexy ,” he said. “You feel more week. Janssen, who sat next to Nia Vardalos from “My responsible. You don’t want children to be a fashion Big Fat Greek Wedding,” described Lhuillier’s style as bonsai. They don’t deserve that — they haven’t done “beautiful, simple, elegant and feminine.” The actress anything to anyone — not yet.” should know — she wore one of the designer’s dresses to a premiere for the “Nip/Tuck” TV show and, if RAPPING UP DESIGN: After Fusha Designs’ show Friday Lhuillier plays her cards right, there could be some more night, Ja Rule said he still plans to launch a women’s red-carpet opportunities for the Los Angeles-based sportswear collection next year. “We haven’t gotten it all designer. Janssen stars alongside Robert De Niro and together, but we’ve tested a few pieces like sweat pieces.” Dakota Fanning in “Hide and Seek,” coming out next Wyclef Jean, Fusha designer Claudinette Fushard’s year, and has a couple of other works in development. husband, started the show by strumming on his electric “I’m going to direct something before I take some time guitar. But Ja Rule wasn’t about to play favorites. “I off,” she said, hinting only that “it’s a project with two loved the music, but the fashion was great too.” other actresses.”

HANG TIME: What exactly do editors do during those long THAT’S NOT THE NEW YORK SPIRIT: Someone over at waits before the shows? The literary ones catch up on Olympus Fashion Week has some doubts about New Alexandre their reading. Allure’s Linda Wells was planning to get York and how brightly it shines in the fashion ether year Herchcovitch through Orhan Pamuk’s well-received “Snow” this week. round. “Please pardon our appearance. We are working ’s Lesley Jane Seymour, who spent six weeks to make the fashion capital of the world trudging through Bill Clinton’s memoirs over the summer, once again!” proclaimed a small orange sign on the chose “Reading Lolita in Tehran” in paperback form. fence around Bryant Park. Seventh Avenue might have “It’s light,” said Seymour, referring, of course, to the been a little quiet during the Republican Convention, book’s easy portability, not its heavy tone. Access to but New York designers would no doubt take exception advance galleys is one of the privileges of editing a to the implication that the city that never sleeps dozed magazine, as Seventeen’s Atoosa Rubenstein can attest. off and let its first-city-of-fashion status slip away.

Gen Art: Celebrating its 10th year on the runways on Friday night, the Gen Art show packed The Manhattan Center to present Fresh Faces in Fashion. This year’s lineup included six women’s wear designers, two men’s wear and four Young Ideas accessories collections. And there was some promising young talent to be recognized. First up, in just her second season, Parsons grad Hye-jin Hwang showed 11 Alice Gam in looks with a vintage bent and a quiet confidence in her Gam in Gale Ritter Gale collection. A navy tropical wool vest, a button-front skirt and a sweet butterfly jacquard blouse signaled the Seventies, while a high-neck jersey top with a silk chiffon skirt featuring wool insets suggested the Victorian era. But whatever period they evoked, the pieces were assured and beautifully constructed. Alice Ritter seems to have a lot of ideas about what fashion should be. She was on the right track with her beautiful tiered silver satin dress with a yellow cotton bust and a pretty brown T-shirt and skirt with pleated insets. But she slipped with awkwardly poufed and gathered tops and pants. Meanwhile, Sarah Spratt and Christian Stroble put everything that was bad about the Eighties into their Eventide collection, while Olivia Wildz of This Dress Is Your House was unable to decide whether she wanted to rehash last season’s naughty secretary or wander the Middle East deserts. Katie Zorn, on the other hand, did well with her more tailored pieces, but missed with her gowns. Sarah Blumenthal, the younger sister of Alice Roi, created a lineup of sweetly styled dresses in brash, boldly colored prints for her Sarah collection. These frocks had attitude to spare, but the line needs more development to render it truly viable. PHOTOS BY JOHN AQUINO, TALAYA CENTENO, GEORGE CHINSEE, THOMAS IANNACCONE, ROBERT MITRA, DAVID TURNER DAVID MITRA, GEORGE CHINSEE, THOMAS IANNACCONE, ROBERT CENTENO, TALAYA JOHN AQUINO, PHOTOS BY 18 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 Different Drummers Custo Dalmau marched to his own beat for Custo Barcelona…Tess Giberson showed Summer-of-Love looks…and Richard Chai went ladylike and minimal.

Custo Barcelona: Since designer Custo Dalmau Custo always shows dozens of combinations of his Barcelona signature prints, colors and textures, the Custo Barcelona collection can be a little overwhelming on the runway. It’s all just so darn much. But Dalmau, who’s Spanish, is clearly doing something right. His collection does well internationally. He has 22 stores new worldwide and plans to open five more in the U.S. by the end of the year, to add the current three in New York, Chicago and Santa Fe. york The collection Dalmau showed on Friday was titled, “Summer as a Journey,” and it had a get-up-and-go feeling perfect for a quick jaunt. There were lots of spring coats, easy T-shirts and pretty printed skirts and shorts, many accessorized with matching or . The best pieces were the delightful cotton pique trenches in white, lime, aqua and pink, many with Victorian-style raised shoulders or a contrast yoke in back. or cotton with a retro feel looked sweet, too, with tiny ruffles on the pockets or shoulders.

Richard Chai: To fashion insiders, Richard Chai is far from

being a new name. They knew him first as a ▲ Custo designer at Marc Jacobs and then as one of the creative forces who passed through the revolving Barcelona doors at Tse. Still, Chai’s Saturday show was his first effort under his own name. The designer offered up a line of clothes for the the sophisticated, yet individual girl that so many seem to want to dress this season. Although Chai’s tailored, ladylike silhouettes — pencil skirts, skinny pants, belted jackets and ultralight knit — aren’t exactly unfamiliar, the designer worked them in a minimal and not-quite-sweet way that made his collection distinctive. For starters, he picked up a thread from the Space Age story that he started to tell with his last collection at Tse for fall 2003. How does Atil Kutoglu lady go techno? In some cases, it’s done by Tess Charles cutting an old-standby, such as the , Giberson Alexander in layers of organza for an ethereal effect. And yet in others, the newness comes in the form of slight tweaks on traditional shapes, such as the sharpened shoulder and half-sleeve on a crisp white cotton jacket belted with raw- edged . The mostly pale, restrained palette and lack of embellishment also contributed to the cause. It’s certainly tough to find a unique voice in increasingly crowded arena, but Chai is well on his way.

Atil Kutoglu: Atil Kutoglu’s collection was much improved this season. The line is more focused now, and the designer also distanced himself from the Turkish motifs he emphasized in earlier collections, which limited their appeal. Fabric and material choices set the tone. There was a terrific striped cotton sheeting, for example, that was cut into a cute pair of shorts, evoking the spirit of chic American sportswear. Crushed silk gave a touch of antiquity to the Grecian-inspired, lace-detailed beige column and the material also worked well in the black high-waisted number with split kimono sleeves. While Kutoglu’s inventive use of leather in dresses, coats and tops was a significant part of the collection, it wasn’t the most impressive. Instead, it was his breezy, effortless looks that had the most impact, such as the swingy, gold-and-blue brocade vest worn over a cotton and the brocade blazer paired with an easy, cropped .

Tess Giberson: In a world that’s currently dominated by the eclectic-lady look, designer Tess Giberson’s sweetly ethereal collection was like a light, cool downtown sorbet. In spite of the designer’s artsy-craftsy reputation and the generally bohemian silhouettes, she avoided the associations that Richard Chai usually accompany those terms. Instead, the mostly white and PHOTOS TURNER AND DAVID MITRA THOMAS IANNACCONE, ROBERT BY pale gray collection, accessorized by Ninh Wysocan’s similar giddy enthusiasm, and it was clear that he had a hard time choosing looks for beautiful jewelry, felt fresh. In fact, the long and loose dresses what the show notes called “a mad dash around the world.” Alexander’s background — some detailed with trapunto seaming or lines of rickrack — cool, slouchy pants; tops, is in made-to-order — he has been the in-house couture designer at Bergdorf and skirts would be a perfect wardrobe for the city-dweller whose tastes coincide with Goodman for two years and, before that, was creative director at the aesthetics of the Summer of Love. And, as retailers know, there’s no shortage of them. Couture. But, while Alexander clearly has talent and taste, he has not yet grasped the notion of creating a cohesive collection. That said, there were beautiful pieces here, Charles Alexander: When Charles Alexander showed his spring collection, it was easy such as neatly tailored silk print blouses; high-waisted printed linen skirts; drop- to picture Alicia Silverstone’s character in “Clueless,” Cher, assembling umpteen waisted silk and linen ball skirts, and a striking embossed, black . Now possible outfits for the first day of school. That’s because the designer displayed a he has to refine those lovely elements into a cohesive whole. The people who make news on the runway get their news here.

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22 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

Accessories Report

Gucci’s Giannini Builds Her Team By Alessandra Ilari ▲ A trio of Horsebit rings in white Frida Giannini MILAN — Frida Giannini’s initial panic as Gucci’s new accessories gold diamonds and yellow topaz, director didn’t last very long — an adrenaline rush that sparked her amethyst and blue topaz. creativity and organizational skills quickly replaced it. “I feel like the standard-bearer of a new fashion model because a creative director for acces- sories is something innovative. It’s so energiz- ing,” Giannini said in an exclusive interview with WWD, the first she’s given since she was named to her post in March. Thankful for the opportunity that came her way, Giannini is aware of the weight she’s carry- ing as the post- leader at Gucci’s largest and most lucrative product category. Dressed in a formal pinstriped blazer, tempered by a white tank top and jeans and, surprise, no wicked stilet- tos but brown riding , Giannini exudes a cool, calm and collected aura. Once she digested the promotion, the 31-year-old de- signer wasted no time and dove right into the prod- uct categories she inherited — fine jewelry, , eyewear and gifts — besides the ones she already handled: footwear, bags, luggage, hats and home. Now totally under Giannini’s wing are vast and versatile collections that each season include 350 styles of bags; 100 luggage units; 600 pieces of small leather goods; 400 pairs of women’s shoes, and 200 designs for men. “The toughest part was familiariz- ing myself with the new sectors and GIANNINI PHOTO BY CRISTINA NUNEZ, PRODUCT SHOTS MAURICIO BY MIRANDA figuring out their strong and weak points. I was fine with bags and The suede and embroidered footwear because, thanks to Tom, es- version of the Jackie O. pecially after he became creative di- rector for Gucci Group, including Yves Saint Laurent, I was quite au- tonomous,” said Giannini, who joined Gucci in July 2002. Giannini so far is proving up to the challenge, introducing every- thing from the Flora cruise collection to a diamond horse-bit ring and an $8,800 logoed barbecue set. Wholesale unit sales for accessories within the 2005 cruise col- lection grew more than 20 percent compared with Flora silk last year. beribboned Gucci’s 2003 sales were 1.52 billion euros, or $1.87 wedges. billion at current exchange. Broken down into categories, 49 percent of sales comfortable saying Bulgari is a competitor. came from leather goods, 12 per- Like it was for Ford, the past-present axis is still at the base cent from shoes, 14 percent ready- of Giannini’s design motto. “Gucci’s accessories must create an emotional impact that to-wear, 11 percent watches, 7 per- reflects the brand’s identity,” she said. “I think Gucci has to be innovative cent jewelry and the remaining 4 but also stay true to its tradition, durability and Italian craftsmanship, percent included gift items, home, which, especially in leather goods, is an added value.” eyewear and fragrance. And in Giannini’s view, desirable is to Gucci’s accessories what sexy is The Flora theme, which spreads to the brand’s clothes. “Gucci’s accessories have to remain an object of out to embroidered bags, berib- desire, they have to create a buzz, even a waiting list,” Giannini noted. boned wedges, wallets and a new Citing an invigorating atmosphere within the company and top- watch, was inspired by an iconic silk level support, Giannini’s first step was to strengthen the creative designed in 1966 for Grace structure by recruiting a handful of young, international designers. Kelly. Rodolfo Gucci commissioned Giannini has selected a point person for each design team, subdi- the 37-tone print of seasonal flowers vided by category, who reports to her, as she did to Ford. from Italian artist Vittorio Accornero. “The idea is to give more unity to the different categories be- “I wanted to treat an iconic Gucci cause toward the end, Ford was so overwhelmed with work that theme in a fun and ironic way. It’s meant The barbecue set. some divisions lacked attention,” she said. “I have the opportu- to be an immediately visible alternative nity to follow each aspect more clinically.” to the Gucci logo fabric,” Giannini said. For unity’s sake, Giannini also reunited all the teams in one The newest Flora item is , a watch in a special big studio inside Gucci’s Florentine headquarters. “I’m trying to edition of only 2,000 pieces. The round, diamond-sprinkled create a single pole where the various designers can interact face is centered on a printed silk , conceived to re- and check out each other’s sketches, ideas and work. Before semble a scarf wrapped around the wrist. Starting in mid- that, everyone was kind of scattered around Europe,” she noted. December, the watch will be available in selected Gucci flag- The team spirit starts at the top with her liaisons with ship stores in Milan, Paris, London, New York and Tokyo. Alessandra Facchinetti and John Ray, respectively the creative Other highlights for spring-summer include a revised Jackie directors for women’s and men’s wear. And while the fashion O. bag in embroidered and sequined suede in hazelnut brown, industry raised its collection eyebrows over Gucci’s new “team” saffron and turquoise; an oversize suede shoulder bag with half approach to design, Giannini is unfazed. the horse-bit details on the side, and a pair of 3.7-inch patent “The difference back then was that Tom would step in as an leather pumps with a round toe in orchid white and petrol blue. arbiter, a selector. Now that the collections grow together, shar- Fine jewelry is a category Giannini enthuses about. It’s also ing the same mood, input, fabrics, color charts, it’s not neces- one she claims is filled with “haute joaillerie” potential. “I love sary,” Giannini noted. the opportunity of working from the design to choosing the stone The Roman designer stressed that she and Facchinetti are sim- and studying old techniques,” Giannini mused. ply reinforcing a work base created two years ago when she joined For spring, she extrapolated the horse-bit theme and transferred Gucci. “This new work system doesn’t require an editor because our it to a colorful jewelry collection. There are bit-shaped mesh relationship is more direct and less filtered. And the runway direc- bracelets and dangling earrings, plus a slew of cocktail rings featur- tions come from Alessandra Facchinetti and John Ray,” Giannini said, ing chunky semiprecious stones either held down by strips of gold adding that she’s suffering no inferiority complex from her less spot- that form small bits or slipped through two bit-shaped protrusions. light-friendly role. They are all available in white or yellow gold, with or without dia- “It’s all about being sensible. There’s still so much to be done. I love The Bandeau watch from monds, and in a rainbow of stones: turquoise, malachite, coral, yellow Gucci, which is why Alessandra and I talk constantly and wish one another topaz and amethyst. With retail prices of $2,000 to $25,000, Giannini feels the Flora collection. goodnight most of the time,’ Giannini smiled. WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 23 WWW.WWD.COM

“If it’s chic and elegant, then it’s not fashion and it can last a bit longer,” said Myrto Fereou, shopping Who’s Next for the Cyprus ac- Buyers See a Sparkling Spring cessories store Fereos Limited. “Oversize jewelry has the merit of seeming new, but it can be worn well into the future and seen as By Robert Murphy a good investment.” At Bijorcha, buyers looked at the jewelry in the Eclat PARIS — Sparkling crystals, big and rings and baroque flourishes were de Mode section, saying that the trends looked business friend- the main fashion messages at the Premiere Classe and Bijorcha accessories fairs at ly. They said top looks were feathers and sequins on necklaces, the Porte de Versailles exhibit halls here. ribbon closures on bracelets and necklaces, chandelier-style Retailers shopping the events, which ended their four-day run Sept. 6, reported earrings and abundant use of Swarovski crystals. good business moving into fall and said they would increase budgets for On the other end of the spectrum, oversize sil- next year by about 20 percent. ver jewelry with a Medieval amour had a small For , buyers said the trend for playful designs in bright colors group of fans. such as pink and blue would bolster business. The hottest moving bags Arlene Nee, owner of Azara in Westmeath, came embroidered with words, printed in stripes or embroidered with Ireland, said business had been picking up in sequins and flowers. There was a marked trend for canvas oversize her store over the last six months. She said she shopping bag styles, buyers said. planned to increase her budget 20 percent. Meanwhile, light frothy silk scarves “Crystals and bronze looks are very beautiful with sequin embroidery were a hit. and should sell great,” Nee said. “I also like the “I’ve been coming to Paris for some playfulness of pieces integrating feathers or fur 30 years for accessories for the ele- into necklaces, earrings and bracelets.” gance and choice,” said Pam Pappas London-based jeweler Rodrigo Otazu said Stanoch, who is preparing to open a baroque items such as a necklace with an enam- shop in Minneapolis called C’est Chic. eled Jesus decoration had attracted attention. “This season, oversize jewelry is really “Business has been strong so far,” he said. very trendy, as are all things that shine. “Colors and crystals are the big hits with buyers. In other words, baroque is strong. Even Blue is strong because it goes with jeans.” in scarves there’s a jewelry effect. Natasha Ichmouratova, shopping for the yet- Accessories are becoming like jewelry.” to-be-named jewelry store in Moscow planning While neo-punk designs were the to open later this year, said “baroque modern” rage a couple of seasons back, they was her catchword. were almost absent this season in bags. “It needs to look different and yet be wear- Instead, styles were sweeter. Colors able,” she said. “I like drop-crystal earrings and ranged from yellow and green to rose oversize necklaces with colorful crystals. and blue. Women like shiny things that get them noticed.” “The finished looks are doing well,” Kate Hermansen, who runs the De Luxe jew- said Sanna Kantola, designer of the elry and accessories shop in Finland, also said Lumi brand, exhibiting at Who’s Next. her budget would climb 20 percent. “We’ve been selling a lot of [metal] “Sales have been strong in recent months,” frame bags and big canvas beach bags.” Clockwise from top right: A bag from Lumi, Buddha to Buddha’s oversize she said, adding that antique-looking bronze Kantola said this season’s model silver bracelets and a necklace from Bibi. necklaces were among her top sellers. She also lined with seersucker and printed with said very feminine looks, such as pearls, and the illustrated imaginary contents of a travel bag — including a novel entitled “Sex extravagant necklaces with quartz, crystal or jade were strong. on the Beach” — had been a hit. Premiere Classe said 13,100 people visited its show, while Bijorcha said 18,810 Buyers liked ideas that gave classic looks a modern twist. buyers attended, an 8.3 percent increase over a year ago. PHOTOS DOMINIQUE BY MAITRE

712 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10019 1 800 537 7463 24 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

Accessories

NEW YORK — The night before the votes are cast for the next U.S. president, the accessories world will honor its own leaders and stars. On Nov. 1, the Accessories Council is holding its eighth ACE Awards at Cipriani here. ACE, or Accessories Council Excellence, awards will be given to those in the business who have helped build consumer recognition for everything from handbags to shoes, jewelry, hats and scarves. In recent years, honorees have included Sarah Jessica Parker, and musical trio Destiny’s Child alongside established accessories heavyweights such as Coach’s Reed Krakoff, Judith Leiber and Kenneth Jay Lane. This year’s sponsors are Avon, In Style, QVC, Ghurka, Lord & Taylor, Porsche Design, Safilo and WWD. Here, a roundup of the nominees, as well as the special Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement and Retailer of the Year awards. — Marc Karimzadeh and Emily Holt

ACCESSORY DESIGNER/COLLECTION OF THE YEAR

Salvatore Ferragamo

Gordon Thompson III for Cole Haan. Preview

Tom Ford for Gucci.

Isaac Mizrahi for Target.

Michael Kors ACE Awards MITRA ROBERT PHOTOS BY AND FERRAGAMO KORS COLE HAAN, TARGET,

helen welsh

141 West 36th Street, Suite 19A New York, New York 10018 An American point of view handcrafted in Italy T 646.674.0071 F 646.473.0528 E [email protected] www.thehelenwelshgroup.com WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 25 WWW.WWD.COM

HALL OF FAME AWARD: HERMES A scarf depicting By Miles Socha pencil crayons. PARIS — Don’t have an Hermès accessory named after you yet? To be sure, it’s a rarified honor anointing the glamorous, including , the late actress and princess, and Jane Birkin, the cult singer and actress. But lesser-known souls have also been enshrined in some of the most coveted and expensive leather goods in the world: Constance, a squarish bag with an H buckle named after the Figaro Madame journalist who designed it, and the Lakis, a ver- sion of the Kelly named after the man — yes, a man — who placed a special order a few years back that called for handy external zippers and pockets. Indeed, the history of Hermès accessories is one of teamwork, as scores of design talents from within and outside the company have contributed to its enduring success — and notorious waiting lists. The latest to offer his imprint is couturier Jean Paul Gaultier. While offi- cially in charge of women’s ready-to-wear, he couldn’t resist tinkering with the house’s star classics: shrinking the Kelly to a chic clutch and warping the Birkin into panoramic proportions — squatter, but longer, and toted by none other than supermodel on the catwalk. Even the reclusive, mysterious Martin Margiela, whom Gaultier suc- ceeded, left a legacy of new Hermès classics, including the much- copied double-length watch strap, a twice-around-the-waist belt Grace Kelly and a handbag dubbed the MM, still available for custom order. Grace Kelly Of course, members of the founding family have always with her acted as the ultimate tastemakers, unifying the look of a Hermès bag brand founded in 1837 as a harness maker. Chairman Jean- inin 1961.1961. Louis Dumas does the honors now, unifying 14 categories of products spanning items from fragrance to tableware. Insiders say his door is always open to ideas. “It’s more a community of creative people that can propose different things to Jean-Louis,” said Stephane The watch with a Wargnier, Hermès’ corporate communications director. double-length strap “The divisions are not so clear.” by Martin Margiela. An obsession with quality — it takes as long as 25 hours to make a Birkin, for example — and a reputation for simplicity also unites the company’s stable of products. “Functionality has always been important,” Wargnier said. To wit: It was Birkin who suggested to Dumas 20 years ago that his large travel bag with a belt-strap closure would make a great, chic and useful style for women if it was downsized. Simplicity is another virtue chez Hermès. The architect Le Corbusier, famous for his battle against unnecessary ornamenta- tion, praised the rather stark and humble bags Hermès turned out in the Twenties and Thirties. They, like many Hermès acces- sories, sprang from the world of saddles, with the prominent hand stitching that is now a signature. Bags and luggage remain the backbone of the business, accounting for 38 percent of its $1.5 billion (1.23 billion euros) in sales last year. This sleeping Scarves, pulling in 11 percent of revenues last year, are arguably the run- mask was ner-up as house emblem. designed by Who could miss them, wrapped babushka-style around the head of Jacqueline Onassis, or cradling the broken arm of Grace Kelly? Since launching the silk twill Barret squares in 1937, Hermès has turned out almost 1,000 designs, perhaps the most endur- for Hermès. ing being the Brides de gala, depicting one of the most elaborate harnesses imaginable. Often, the squares portray, in colorful fashion, the annual theme of Hermès — the Year of the Mediterranean in 2003, the quirky Year of the Hand in 2002. But they also express the lighthearted and playful nature of Dumas himself. For Christmas, one shows the Paris flagship on chic Faubourg Saint-Honoré trapped in a souvenir snow globe. The Eva scarf, introduced in 1976 and relaunched in 2002, has a design that resembles human hair — blonde or blue — encircled with a crown of flowers. It’s waterproof, of course. Function reins at Hermès. The horses have also stampeded into the jewelry department. The buckles found on harnesses inspired the Hermès bauble, a bracelet in leather and silver created in 1927. Even the nails used to drive in horseshoes have been in- spirational fodder to jewelry Platform designer Pierre Hardy who, shoes by in true Hermès all-hands- Pierre on-deck style, moonlights in Hardy. the department. Jean Paul Gaultier resized

the Birkin for fall 2004. STUDIO DES FLEURS AND N. WELSH H. STELZENBERGER, S. EXPILLY, G. BERTOUX, PHOTOS BY

Real Customers. Real Jewelry.

Available in 24KT gold over sterling and tarnish free sterling silver. Empire State Building, Suite 6712, 401•941•7700, www.danecraft.com 26 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

Accessories ACE Awards Preview

▲ Montgomery Enchanted Garden Carlos Falchi LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: CARLOS FALCHI bag in napa leather By Emily Holt with python appliqués. NEW YORK — There are some styles from the late Seventies and early Eighties that women are loath to see come back, like fringe vests and shoulder pads. The return of Carlos Falchi, however, was much heralded when the Brazilian designer relaunched his handbag brand three years ago, and now he’s being honored with the Accessories Council’s Lifetime Achievement Award. As a budget-minded artist living in Greenwich Village here during the late Sixties, Falchi made his own clothes from patchwork leather that he bleached and dyed in his bathtub. Musicians like Tina Turner and Miles Davis soon became Falchi’s customers, and he eventually was bringing his clothing to meetings with buyers at Henri Bendel. But when he arrived at the Fifth Avenue shopping mecca, it was the bag in which Falchi car- ried his pants and vests, more than the clothes themselves, that the Bendel buyer wanted. It wasn’t long before Falchi, now in his mid-50s, perfected his imperfect-looking slouchy messenger bags and oversized clutches in exotic and rich-colored skins. The bags’ details were the result of a collective effort, he said. “When I would go to the stores, the ladies taught me how to make everything, because they would ask for things,’’ Falchi said. “My first bag didn’t have a closure; the straps, they were wrong.” At one point during the late Eighties, Falchi’s business was so successful that he employed 300 people in New York. It turned out to be too much of a good thing: The company had to shut down in the late Nineties. “The business grew too much, and it ran away from me,” Falchi said. Calf-hair tote with Although he studied accounting, Falchi thinks his skill is best original Falchi applied to the creative end of the business. “Everything you flower-burst can do to kill a business, we did it,’’ he said. “And still we sur- vived. I think the strength of the design kept it happening.” collage of Falchi continued to design during the few years his python and business was closed, and he also had two young daugh- leather. ters to put through college, so he decided to resusci- tate the brand after filing for bankruptcy in 1997. Now an intimate group of 22 around the Manhattan workshop and piece bags together by hand. His designs look as they did back then, with their carefree Seventies aesthetic, yet they’re also very tuned in to today’s accessories market. “We were pioneering then, but today it fits,” Falchi said, adding that his bags always worked for women whose lives require that their wardrobes travel seamlessly from the office to cocktails. But Falchi’s work is still not done. He would like to keep his focus small and on the quality and craftsman- ship of his bags. That doesn’t mean that he’s wholly opposed to expanding his business, as long as it’s done right this time. “I would love to be associated with a large entity,’’ he said. “I feel we have so much here. It would be terrific to take one part of that and be able not to commercialize it but to deliver on time. That, I think, is my biggest wish. But in the meantime I’m MITRA ROBERT HANDBAG PHOTOS BY not going to sit around and wait.” Signature satchel in chocolate and whiskey nubuck python.

A Division of Orion Fashions 20 West 36th Street New York, NY 10018 212.563.5420 Fax 212.594.8473 www.koolkonnections.com WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 27 WWW.WWD.COM

RETAILER OF THE YEAR: BLOOMINGDALE’S By Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK — It doesn’t take much to notice that Bloomingdale’s accessories execu- tives seem to have strong rapport. The main floor accessories areas of the 29 stores are overseen by Francine Klein, general merchandise manager; Joyce Packman, operating vice president and divi- sional merchandise manager of fashion accessories, and Stephanie Zernik, vice pres- ident and dmm of handbags. They appear to be a good fit — finishing each other’s sentences, offering praise and laughing at each other’s expense. It’s likely the depart- ment store’s strength in accessories, which is being honored with the Accessories Council Retailer of the Year Award, is a result of the relationship among the three and the team of buyers each oversees. “One of the things we strive for most is to really maximize the trends,” said Klein, when asked for the store’s accessories philosophy. “From season to season it evolves and changes, and our challenge…is a consistency of presentation and excitement — to what is hot and happening each season — of what is the newest trend.” A typical Bloomingdale’s main floor accessories environment features a well-edit- ed mix of bridge and luxury resources. The assortment is regularly updated and hones in on the newest trends, from a pair of multicolored chandelier earrings to a vintage-style brooch and a must-have tweed bag. been going for better businesses and better brands throughout the store, and cer- “I think the accessories business at Bloomingdale’s has always been a fashion- tainly in their accessories. The merchandise looks right, and the way they display it driven, trend-driven business for Bloomingdale’s,” Klein said. “Through the last few really captures the excitement in the accessories business.” years, we have been able to continue to challenge ourselves to improve that on a con- Bloomingdale’s strategy includes regular trunk shows. The retailer schedules sistent basis and to be there first with a lot of the new things.” them monthly in all stores. In the last three years, the team has strategically worked to update and upgrade the Klein, Packman and Zernick are particularly proud of the chain’s newest addition, accessories assortment. the Bloomingdale’s on Broadway in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood. That store fea- Typically, Bloomingdale’s accessories departments feature a cul-de-sac bridging tures a tightly edited accessories assortment that is more upscale and contemporary the custom and fine jewelry tiers, with collections ranging from Michal Negrin and than the other stores’. “We think SoHo shows the evolution of where Bloomingdale’s Chan Luu to DoDo, Emporio Armani and M & J Savitt. In handbags, it has a strong is,” Klein said. designer presence, with upscale collections such as Fendi, Marc Jacobs, Moschino But what do they think gives Bloomingdale’s its special flavor that keeps acces- and Burberry, as well as bridge and better-priced resources such as Cole Haan and sories junkies coming back for more each season? Coach. “It’s the continuing newness,” Klein said. “In the last two years, it’s been a major strategy of ours to continue to upgrade our “The breadth of the assortment,” Packman interjected. assortment and offer a differentiated assortment,” Klein said. “It’s the way we assort…the mix of the vendors we buy as well as the mix within Dorothy Roberts, chairman and chief executive office of Echo Design Group, each line,” Zernik said. agreed. “We think we have the best team of buyers and planners,” Klein said. “The buying “They have been at the forefront of ‘trading up,’ ” she said. “They have definitely team is really what makes Bloomingdale’s different.”

Bloomingdale’s SoHo unit has a more tightly edited assortment than the other stores in the chain. OrnamADVERTISEMENT of Style

Company: Lata K Designs Designer: Lata K Contact: Lata K Designs, [email protected], www.latakdesigns.com, phone: 917-405-5202 fax: 212-247-4715 IT Factor: Debuted as a Rising Star 2004 in this summer’s JCK - Las Vegas Show. Design Influences: Rocker chic meets vintage in this versatile piece. Encrusted in fancy sapphires and enhanced with tourmalines and cultured pearls, Pink Envy can be worn as a dramatic pendant and brooch or separated into a complete suite of jewelry which includes a ring, a pendant and a pair of earrings.

Company: Gumuchian Fils Designer: Gumuchian Contact: Myriam Gumuchian, [email protected], phone: 212-593-9888 Where to Buy: Available at authorized fine jewelers throughout the U.S.A. Call 800-223-0774 for more information. In Manhattan see Gumuchian Fils at DeNatale Jewelers, 212-317-2955, 400 Madison Ave. at , Suite 406 and also 170 Broadway, Suite 206. Design Influences: Nouveau Vintage deco look, as seen in our stylish "Fan" Brooch. Our enduring and classic designs, infused with fresh ideas that capture the fashions of today are created by women for women. It Factor: A must to finish your look this fall. Wear it in your hair, on your lapel, at your waist or wherever you just want to add a touch of glam.

Company: Crevoshay Designer: Paula Crevoshay Contact: Martin Bell, 505-898-2888, www.crevoshay.com, [email protected] Design Influences: “Fashion fades, style remains,”said Coco Chanel. She might have been speaking of the original jewelry creations of award-winning designer Paula Crevoshay. Crevoshay’s meticulously handcrafted jewels evoke the symbolic human archetypes of past cultures in a modern way that makes them timeless in their beauty and appeal. IT Factor: Crevoshay is renowned for her color combinations that range from sublime elegance to lush richness. She shows respect for each gemstone, making jewels that set each in their best light. She attracts the attention of those who are seeking the best of the best, one-of-a-kind works of art.

The Center of the Designer Universe for Retailers, entsADVERTISEMENT

Company: Stephen Dweck Jewelry Designer: Stephen Dweck Contact: Jennifer Redfield at 877-DWECKNY, www.stephendweck.com Where to Buy: , Neiman Marcus Design Influences: Stephen Dweck’s Diamond Collection is influenced by the beauty co-existing in nature. His highly sophisticated and glamorous designs incorporate rare and interesting minerals from around the world, featuring cognac quartz and diamonds handset in his signature metal, bronze.

Company: Rotenier LTD Designer: Robin Rotenier Contact: Annie Leri, Phone: 212-768-1117, www.rotenier.com Where to Buy: Bergdorf Goodman, select Neiman Marcus stores, Mitchells, Richards and other fine stores Design Influences: Weekly childhood visits to the Paris markets and museums led to Robin’s roots in the classics…sources of design that are timeless. “I turn to the past and find detail in architecture, for example, that makes its way into my design.” IT Factor: Each piece is finished by hand and has its own individual character as seen in Robin's special cut bracelets, gold chains and intensely colored briolettes. The matte incorporated into some Rotenier works will enhance over time, acquiring a natural patina. Robin Rotenier is one of those artists whose exquisite designs are as comfortable with jeans and a sexy tee as with uptown evening attire.

Company: Coomi Designer: Coomi Bhasin Contact: Coomi Bhasin, 866-867-7272 Where to Buy: Works Gallery, New York City; The Asia Society, New York City; Reinhold Jewelers, San Juan, Puerto Rico Last Seen On: Sophie Dahl and the company of models on the runway at the Matthew Williamson show, Fashion Week, New York City, February 2004 It Factor: “ is how I like to think of my designs,”says Coomi. “The inspiration for my work comes from ancient textile design and architecture. I use technical design principles – the nuts and bolts understanding of structure and engineering – to create works of art that complement each and every wearer.” The Coomi Jewels designs are uniquely feminine, intricate and ornate, yet delicate. Touted by JCK Luxury International as one of the “stand outs” in jewelry design, and the award winner of the Diamond Promotion Service Right Hand Ring Competition, both in 2004, Coomi is one of the few designers today to use rose cut diamonds.

Editors and Creators ... www.jewelersresource.com 30 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

Accessories ACE Awards Preview

ACCESSORY RISING STAR AWARD, GIVEN TO A DISTINCTIVE DESIGNER WITHIN THE FASHION ACCESSORIES COMMUNITY

Eugenia Kim

Alexis Bittar

Constança Basto

Mary Norton for Moo Roo. WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 31 WWW.WWD.COM

“IT” ACCESSORY OF THE YEAR

Ugg Australia classic boots.

Delman ballet flats. Von Dutch Originals trucker hat. PHOTOS BY ROBERT MITRA ROBERT PHOTOS BY

MARYLOU LUTHER AWARD FOR FASHION JOURNALISM ● Marylou Luther

FASHION INFLUENCER AWARD ● Kimora Lee Simmons

“The flat-out best”

is proud that the Accessories Council has nominated our ballet flats for the 2004 ACE “IT Accessory of the Year” award. 32 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

Lyon Report Lyon Fair Looks Toward Asian Markets

Madonna’s Jolidon’s Leonisa’s sheer baby cappuccino princess blue printed pink tiered corselette corselette, bandeau and bikini. layeredlayered and . briefs, and sheer bed jacket.jacket.

By Karyn Monget Bill Ghitis, president of Invista’s global apparel unit of Koch Industries, said, “My people have talked with them, and they are going to talk with them LYON, — The prospect of going global, along with China’s un- again. If Monsieur Quettier wants to do this, I would certainly be interested.” tapped potential, underscored the importance of the 20th edition of the Ghitis said he was “extremely encouraged” that Invista’s new owner, Lyon, Mode City trade fair for spring-summer 2005-06. Koch, “love and understand innovation and are supporting us financial- On the surface, the action appeared to be generated by the ly.” Koch has given the go-ahead to build a $140 million-dollar Lycra launch of several major fashion names in lingerie such as Leonard plant in Foshon, Quangdong province, China, operational in de Paris, Laura Biagiotti Bodywear, Puma Bodywear, Pleasure mid-2006, which will make a total of 10 worldwide. The planned ex- State and two licensees by The for the European pansion, using state-of-the-art technology, will increase spandex ca- market, JLo Lingerie by Jennifer Lopez and Choice Calvin Klein. pacity initially by 12 kilitons with potential for doubling to a 24-kiliton But the traditional format of French lingerie paled in comparison expansion in the next year,” Ghitis said. with an agenda of expansion and entrepreneurship into the inter- “This expansion is a strong indication of our continued commit- national market. ment to our core business and our flagship brand. We intend to en- An air of newfound enthusiasm permeated the three-day show force our leadership position in Asia and support the growth of our that closed Sept. 6 at the 660,000-square-foot Eurexpo Center out- local partners just as we do in other developed and developing coun- side Lyon. Exhibitors, distributors, suppliers, show officials and tries,” said Ghitis, noting that Invista’s 2004 brand investment in Asia even the mayor of Lyon, Gerard Collombe, talked about a new is more than twice that of previous years, targeting areas beyond strategy of becoming more competitive on a worldwide platform Beijing and Shanghai. with American enterprise, as well as the impact of China in Assessing the focus on China, John Elmuccio, president of manufacturing and sourcing, particularly the elimination of Global Apparel Sourcing LLC, a 30-year consultant for manufactur- apparel and textile quotas on Jan. 1. ing and sourcing concerns in Asia, said: “A lot of major American Collombe and show manager Jehan Quettier told an audi- companies are opening offices in Hong Kong and there’s much ence of several hundred intimate apparel and textile execu- more Asian representation than there’s ever been before. If tives that plans were being developed to “find the best ways” European manufacturers want to be competitive, they should start to explore an alliance with China. Collombe said next showing in China ASAP. Everybody goes there anyway, so why not year’s Sept. 3-5 edition in Lyon would be helped by a refur- show there? It’s a captive audience.” bished direct route from the heart of the city to the fair’s Despite the 90-degree temperatures in the trade center, which headquarters that is intended to eliminate traffic jams and included the winter 2005-06 Interfiliere textile and fiber forum, shorten a 30- to 40-minute commute. the pace of the show in exhibitor stands and aisles was brisk, The French-Chinese connection was apparent on two and at times pedestrians walked shoulder-to-shoulder gawking fronts: Still in the working stages, Eurovet, the huge Paris- at models in scanty boudoir fare. based trade show producer of the Lyon fair and the Salon Though economies in key countries such as France and Internationale de la Lingerie in Paris, plans to produce a “spec- Germany are sluggish, the number of lingerie and swimwear ex- tacular” showcase for lingerie, textiles and fibers in China, hibitors was ahead 3 percent compared with 2003, topping a record Quettier said. He would not address whether Eurovet envi- 1,000, while the number of textile and fiber firms were close to year- sions staging a trade fair in Shanghai or Beijing, nor would Cosabella’s ago figures of 390. Attendance from international visitors was up 6.1 he discuss if a partnership is being discussed with German- sheer percent, totaling 11,040. However, the French turnout was down 8.5 per- operated trade show giant Igedo Co., which cofounded the confetti dot cent to 8,738 compared with a year ago. Dessous China lingerie show in Shanghai in 1996 with the nuisette. Asia posted the biggest increase in visitors, with Japan registering a China National Textile Council. “Working with the 23.8 percent boost, while China had a 21 percent gain. Attendance from Germans is a possibility, but the reality of it is doubtful,” Quettier said. American retailers slid 8.3 percent compared with last year, reflecting He also wouldn’t elaborate on whether an alliance was anticipated sparser representation of U.S. retailers with the exception of with former DuPont-owned Invista Inc., which was a major sponsor of Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. China Dessous until 2001. Regarding Invista’s role as a potential sponsor, Sizing up the show from a retailer’s perspective, Sunny Diego, WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 33 WWW.WWD.COM

director of women’s accessories and lingerie fashion merchandis- Leonisa’s Floral Leonisa’s Floral ing at Saks Fifth Avenue, said the venues — such as formal runway PopPop Art appliquéd fashion shows and segments highlighting directional trend forums trompe leopardleopard for lingerie, swimwear and textiles with mannequins and trend l'oeill'oeil brabra print boards, as well as window merchandising techniques — “provided and bikini. many fresh ideas.” by “It’s my first time at the Lyon show, and it’s great. There’s so Deatex. much opportunity and I see there’s a lot of innovative work that can be done,” said Diego, noting that the abundance of luxury designer brands and new fashion brands clicked with the direction Saks is taking in 2005. Saks’ chief executive officer, Fred Wilson, told WWD earlier this year that he plans to house lingerie on a ready-to-wear floor as part of the restructuring of the Saks flagship during the next few years. Among the top ideas were: ● G-string — whether it’s sleek postage-stamp size or elaborately embellished. ● Nuisette — playful, sheer baby dolls, slips and with Empire treatments. ● Ultralow-rise . ● Juliette gown — pristine white Shakespeare-inspired cotton sleep gowns. ● Harem pant — sheer and romantic looking. ● Coquette — “Beach Blanket Bingo”-inspired multiruffled briefs. Manufacturers said they were also pleased with the show’s content and format. Helen McCluskey, group president and ceo of the Intimate Apparel Division at Warnaco, said she was “very happy with the throngs of people” on hand to see the launch of JLo Lingerie by Jennifer Lopez for the European market. “It’s been surprising. Some of the buyers have been from Sweden, Asia, the Middle East and even Greece. It’s certainly interesting because it shows [Jennifer Lopez], as well as the line, have a very broad appeal,” McCluskey said. Thomas Axmacher, president of Warnaco’s Calvin Klein Underwear and Accessories subsidiary in the U.K., said reaction was strong to the European launch of Choice Calvin Klein, a lifestyle line aimed at teens. He said because of the success of Choice in the U.S., a Calvin Klein Underwear shop in London would be reopened as a Choice boutique Sept. 8, and new conces- sions for the Choice line opened this month in Selfridges and Topshop, the hip British equivalent of H&M. The JLo Lingerie line DSC’s Bruno also is being ensconced in Topshop, he said. Regarding European reaction to national department store sheer pink Banani’s brand , Tom Ward, president and ceo of Maidenform appliqué graphic appliqué graphic Inc., said a universal approach of fit and styling was well received. watermelon cartoon “Whether it’s Hong Kong, Argentina or Europe, we are experi- day bra and print top encing the same success with the same formula we are doing in the boy briefs. and bikini. U.S.,” Ward said, noting that Maidenform is sold in 62 countries. Among the top ideas are a new tagless program, a marketing cam- paign with an oversized green M logo for full support and an over- sized pink W logo for One Fabulous Fit bearing the One Fabulous Fit name, as well as a first-ever One Fabulous Fit pants program for Europe. He added that American retailers at the fair were discussing implementing One Fabulous Fit in-store shops. Maurice Triquet, Maidenform’s vice president of international sales and marketing, said expansion of the Maidenform brand has “doubled this year” in Sweden, Russia and the Benelux countries. ”Business in Belgium and Holland is growing in the significant double digits and we’ve begun entering regional department stores in Germany,” Triquet said. He noted that Maidenform’s current ad campaign in the U.S. featuring dreamy lifestyle scenes with tag lines in English such as “Dreams Do Come True” have been a “big hit” worldwide. A number of exhibitors said the bulk of paper writing was done by a diverse background of specialty stores in places from , Scandinavia, Poland and Ukraine to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon and Tunisia. “It’s been a good show. I had a lot of accounts from Lebanon and Tunisia, but three of my major German accounts didn’t show up,” said Steve Chernoff, ceo of Rago, a New York-based shapewear spe- cialist. “I think the Germans didn’t come because of a combination Pleasure of a bad economy and fear of terrorism.” State’s Richard Gimbel, president of Va Bien, a shapewear maker based black lace in San Juan, Puerto Rico, said, “I’ve been showing at the Lyon fair for nine years. We’ve had good traffic and I’m happy. I’ve picked up quite and ribbon a few new accounts from Sweden, Iceland, Greece and Tunisia.” trimmed trimmed Regarding textile innovation, Tobie Garfinkle, senior vice presi- pink satin dent of merchandising for the licensed Liz Claiborne Intimates line bra and of bras, said, “I really loved the unique fabrications and concepts as boy briefs. well as the new direction in laces. There appears to be a new light- ness, a new daintiness in lace. Overall, I’ve seen trends that are much more delicate and lightweight than before.” Claudia Larsen, vice president of merchandising for the licensed Lauren Ralph Lauren sleepwear, at-homewear and daywear at Carole Hochman Designs Inc., agreed, saying: “I like to concentrate on the fabrics, embroideries and trims at the Lyon show. I’ve found the mix of patterns, laces and embroideries very refreshing. We [manufacturers] tend to put a beautiful lace on a solid fabric. In Lyon, they manage to take it one creative step forward.” Meanwhile, Invista’s stand was filled to capacity with executives reviewing the presentation of several new product introductions: the launch of Tactel Estrela and Tactel Hyperbright, two yarns that give a star-like luster to warp knit satin constructions with a luxuri- ous, smooth hand, and a yarn that relays a jewel-like hue via ultra- fine filaments, respectively. These two yarns are ideal for both lingerie and related items as well as eveningwear. But the big breakthrough idea is available pri- marily for swimwear — Lycra 275B. The new application provides protection against chlorine radicals that makes swimwear lose its fit and elasticity and helps keep the fit and shape five to 10 times longer than those that contain unprotected elastane, said Ninabeth

PHOTOS BY DAVID FLORES FOR INVISTA FLORES DAVID PHOTOS BY Sowell, business manager for Invista’s North America swimwear. 34 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM Innerwear Report Blush Offers Baby Dolls and Beds

BERLIN — Claudia Kleinert is Berlin’s baby-doll queen. With her lingerie store and loungewear collection, both called Blush, the 36-year-old designer is finding success in her effort to get peers into something more flirtatious than T-shirts when they turn in for the night. Kleinert’s tiny den of a shop, which she opened three years ago on Alte Schönhauser Strasse in the city’s trendy Mitte dis- trict, gained fame not just for her nicely naughty sleepwear col- lection, but for a breathtakingly hideous Seventies bed — in olive green plush — that took up half the boutique’s floor space. Recently, she moved into more spacious quarters a few blocks away, on Rosa-Luxemberg-Strasse. And though the bed did not follow, a new one has taken its place: a huge circular model, featuring white leatherette and mirrors. The 600- square-foot store’s kitschy, retro mood is further enhanced with walls papered in a striped, black lace motif; sheer black curtains on the windows; round purple throw rugs; a white Sixties TV; little furry pillows; a rattan throne chair, and throw pillows sporting risqué prints scattered on the bed. For Kleinert, memorably awful beds have almost become a sideline. “I’ve bought lots of bedroom sets in Berlin,” she said. The olive bed was quickly snapped up by an afficionado, and Kleinert usually has one or two “finds” for sale in stor- age. But sleepwear, homewear, beachwear, intimate apparel and all the trappings — including Clou Underwear Shampoo, Woods of Windsor perfumed drawer liners, Blush chocolate- bar bubble bath and a reprint of the Twenties manual “How to Make Love” — are her real stock-in-trade. A native of Germany, Kleinert got her fashion start in 1994 with an internship with Adrienne Vittadini in New York. From there she moved on to Puma, where she developed a kids line, then to men’s streetwear label Homeboy, where she helped de- velop a girls’ collection. When she moved to Berlin and had two children about a year apart, it was time to bid farewell to the industry’s 16- hour work days. She decided to set up shop on her own. “Fabric, ruffles and lace have always been my thing, and I wanted to see how a store for baby-dolls and other playful sleepwear would work,” she said. “There was nothing [for sleepwear] in Mitte, and I’d always had a vision of a store that Blush specializes in looked like a bedroom.” softly tailored velour.

From the outset, Kleinert has designed and produced Blush night- wear and loungewear, and sold underwear and intimate apparel from brands including Malizia, Fifi Chachnil, Princess Tam Tam, Blumarine, Huit, Sabrina Nadal and Oscalito. Typical Blush looks include short, ruffled in polyester and nylon satin styled like wrap dresses, priced from $215 to $240; short hooded terry robes that can double as dresses, $240, and two-piece terry “home suits,” sold as separates for $85 (tops) and $95 (pants). Still, Kleinert maintains that great customer service is as essen- tial as great merchandise “We have 750 names on our customer list, and we take special care of them,” she said. “They receive post- cards when something new comes into the store, and our business lives on special orders and requests.” Kleinert also is building her wholesale business. She started sell- ing to like-minded stores a year ago, relying on word-of-mouth for sales rather than participating in trade fairs. Her retail accounts in- clude Slips in Munich and Tekinoktay in Copenhagen for the collec- tion produced primarily in Berlin, with bits outsourced to Greece. And speaking of production, Blush’s sexy offerings seem to have an interesting effect on Kleinert’s staff. “We’ve had four pregnant sales- girls in three years, and a lot of our customers are pregnant, too,” Kleinert said. “I’m delighted for them, of course, though it’s not so good for business, as the customers generally don’t come back for two years. “But somehow it all works,” she said. — Melissa Drier

KELLWOOD TAPS WALDMAN: Kellwood Co. appointed Don INTIMATE NOTES Waldman president of Kellwood’s L.A. Intimates Group. The post had been vacant for four years. Waldman, 59, will report to Jim Mogan, president and chief executive officer of Kellwood’s Intimate Apparel Division. In his new role, Waldman will be responsible for the strategy, growth and development of the division, with a brand portfolio that includes the licensed Izod sleepwear and XOXO Intimates, Sag Harbor sleepwear and loungewear and lingerie bearing the Dentelle and L.A. Intimates labels. He will relocate to Los Angeles. Before joining Kellwood in 2003, Waldman was chief operating officer of Tarrant Apparel Group from 2000 to 2003. He served in several senior executive positions with Lucky Brand Dungarees from 1995 to 1999 and Title Jeans Wear Inc. from 1991 to 1995.

INTIMA DOES FIT: The Intima America Group will stage the next Intimate Apparel Salon at the new conference center of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. The fall edition will be changing its traditional three-day format to two days. A spokeswoman for the Messe Frankfurt-owned trade show, in its 14th year, said a more compact event will “provide exhibitors the benefit of focused time. Two full days will allow buyers to see the latest products, network and write orders with new and established companies.” WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 35 WWW.WWD.COM

MAN’S WORLD: Cacharel, the FCUK’s Disappearing Logo Paris fashion house, has hired Belgian-based men’s wear By Samantha Conti EUROPE WATCH designers Herve Yvrenogeau and Thierry Rondenet — the LONDON — French Connection’s FCUK logo duo behind the Own label — to create a new men’s line to be called Cacharel “Le.” that raised eyebrows and ire on both sides of The first “mini” collection will debut for summer 2005, with a full collection slated the Atlantic and boosted the company’s profits for fall-winter 2005. Cacharel said its artistic directors, Suzanne Clements and and sales has vanished. The new fall-winter ad Inacio Ribeiro, would supervise the men’s effort. —Robert Murphy campaign, which breaks in the U.S. on Sept. 20, is all about innuendo. SHOP TALK: Italian designers continue their international expansion drive. Last week, The ads, which feature sun-drenched mod- Versus opened its first boutique in Sofia, Bulgaria — a 2,160-square-foot store with els rambling across a dusty American desert — four windows on Kaloydan Street. Versace also is planning a series of Versus openings with and without their Harley-Davidson bikes in China this fall with boutiques in cities such as Shenzhen, Wenzhou, Guangzhou, — have strap lines that read: “Something be- Chongqing, Chengdu and Xi’an. Meanwhile, christened a 1,300- ginning with F.” and “”Don’t make us say it.” square-foot Emporio outlet at the Zurich airport which is modeled after recently “We thought we’d come at the campaign opened Emporio stores in Stockholm, Munich and Florence. — Luisa Zargani from a completely different angle. Why do we have to be obvious? Why can’t we be brave and HARRODS HEADS SOUTH: “This is not a parmesan and balsamic vinegar event,” said let the campaign speak for itself?” said Anne-Marie Verdin, marketing and communications director at Harrods, which has Stephen Marks, chairman and chief executive just kicked off a major in-store Made in Italy event that runs until Oct. 30. “We’re of French Connection, during a recent inter- really trying to get into the depth of Italian culture, and appeal to our broad customer view at his offices in South Kensington. A fall French Connection ad. base.” Harrods’ halls feature hard-to-find Neapolitan coffee, mozzarella-making “We also feel very strongly that advertising demonstrations and old soundtracks of David Bowie and singing their in the fashion world has become a bit same-y, Although the inspiration for the new ads is own songs in Italian — a ploy to sell records in Italy — a lineup of film screenings and we wanted FCUK to stand out from the a bikers’ trip on Route 66 in California, the including “The Leopard,” and an exhibition of Fabrizio Ferri photos of a pregnant crowd. This is a major shift for us, and we feel photos were shot in the Almeira region of Monica Bellucci. On Oct. 8, Donatella Versace is scheduled to roar into the like it will put us ahead of the pack. We think Spain. The models, most of whom are clad in Knightsbridge store for the U.K. launch of her latest fragrance, Crystal Noir. The it’s revolutionary: Who else would advertise denim and halter tops, include Rosie store also will be organizing events ranging from pizza-tossing lessons to displays of without using their name?” Marks added. Huntington-Whiteley, Nina Oord, Nicholas vintage dresses by Missoni, Marni and Moschino. “We’re not trying to be leading- While French Connection would not reveal Rippey, Chris Brown and Jeremiah Thorne. edge here,” said Verdin. “A lot of this is embellishing what we already have in the how much the new campaign cost, last year, In the U.S., the ads will appear on televi- store.” — Samantha Conti the company spent 3.7 percent of its annual sion, buses and on selected college campuses. sales on ads and promotions worldwide. Sales Meanwhile, in other news, French KUDOS FOR LOPEZ: Spanish designer Rafael Lopez has scooped a 40,000 pound, or in 2003 were $492.9 million. Connection will open its first continental $72,000 at current exchange, after winning a design competition set by the The campaign was shot by Blaise European showroom in Milan today in a bid to British department store group John Lewis. Lopez is the recipient of the first John Reutersward and created by Trevor Beattie of boost growth there. The 4,000-square-foot Lewis Partnership Fashion Development Award, launched to celebrate the TBWA, who was behind the original FCUK space on via Nino Bixio, near Porta Venezia, partnership’s 75th anniversary, and the reopening of its newly refurbished 107 campaign. That campaign was controversial will showcase the French Connection and million pound, or $191.3 million, Peter Jones store in Sloane Square. The prize from day one, eliciting a slew of complaints Nicole Farhi collections. Nicole Farhi is money will go toward Lopez’s spring 2005 runway show, which will take place from the public and several probes by the owned by French Connection. during London Fashion Week. The designer will receive additional funds for the British Advertising Standards Authority. Also, French Connection currently has three production of his collection. “Rafael Lopez is at a very exciting stage of his career as reported, in 2003 Federated Stores with- shops in continental Europe, but the plan is to and this is where the award will be able to help his business grow to the next drew the FCUK logo in its stores. The issue grow the brand. Marks said he’d eventually like level,” said Amanda Scott, director of women’s wear buying at John Lewis, in a has since been resolved between Federated to see 10 stores in each major European coun- statement. — Ellen Burney and French Connection. try and two to four stores in smaller markets.

A Classic View of Glamour for Spring 2005

140 West , Penthouse • New York, NY 10019 T: +1-212-586-8145 • F: +1-212-586-8145 www.hollykristen.com • [email protected]

Press/R.s.v.p. Call 212-672-0509 36 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM Cartier Classics Back in Spotlight Un-Conventional Style NEW YORK — Wearing a silk PARIS — In 1913, Marie Bonaparte — knee-length Escada skirt, The 128.48-carat one of Sigmund Freud’s ardent disci- The 128.48-carat matching leather racer jack- ples and ’s great-niece — daz- Star of the South. et and Kors by zled le tout Paris in a lavish lavaliere , Fox News Channels’ with two dangling diamond-studded Martha MacCallum doesn’t pinecones designed by Louis Cartier. exactly look like a conven- Those jewels will shine anew — and tional anchorwoman. perhaps find a new owner — as Cartier But as she covers the exhibits them for sale alongside 50 presidential election — and rare vintage creations at the Biennale as the network’s only female des Antiquiaires antiques show here anchor to have covered both from Wednesday to Sept. 28. the Democratic and “The pieces are truly exceptional,” Republican conventions live Fox anchor says Pierre Rainero, director of strat- from the floor — she now Martha egy and patrimony at Cartier. “Once knows what it takes to pre- MacCallum in the pieces were brought back to Paris, pare for such major events. hair and we consulted our archives and re- “Luckily, we do have a makeup. stored them to the original state. stylist at Fox, Gwen Marie Bonaparte’s lavaliere had been Marder,” MacCallum made into earrings. We’ve restored it explains. Marder pre- so it can be worn both ways.” pares a fall and Cartier is bringing a group of its Arts spring trunk show biggest clients to Paris for the display for MacCallum, from and it also will premier some 50 contemporary creations. which she selects The sale of restored vintage jewelry is among Cartier’s lesser-publicized activities. looks for the entire But it has been beefed it up over the last few years as Rainero and his team trot & season. In addition to around the globe in search of relics from Cartier’s past. her Escada ensemble, “We’ve been particularly busy,” says Rainero, noting there are about 1,200 pieces in People Maccallum’s other con- Cartier’s collection, although many aren’t for sale. “Most of the pieces to be shown at the vention looks included a Biennale have been found in the last year.” fitted black Dolce & Gabbana Obviously the loot has been particularly rich. Alongside Bonaparte’s bling will be a masterful pants suit with white Coach platinum and diamond Indian-style necklace created in 1931 for the Polish diva Ganna Walska, pumps, and a Diane von which was later acquired by Doris Duke, and a rare necklace with diamonds and 118 Burmese ru- Furstenberg . bies that belonged to the Maharajah Digvijaysinhji of Nawanagar. “At Fox, it’s a bit more of a “Rubies of this quality are incredibly rare,” says Rainero. “To see more than a hundred this quality buttoned-up atmosphere,” together is mind-boggling.” MacCallum admits, saying it’s Perhaps the most extraordinary collectable is the Star of the South diamond. Weighing in at part of a professional look. 128.48 carats, it is one of the world’s mythical stones, discovered in Brazil in 1853. But she’s willing to broaden “It’s more than the sheer beauty of the pieces that is interesting,” says Rainero. “You hold them her style when it comes to in your hands and you can feel history running through your veins.” events like the RNC. “I want- — Robert Murphy ed stuff that has color,” she says. “I love black, but for a convention you’re looking for something that pops a little when you’re down there [on the convention floor.] A bit MacCallum in more of a patriotic flair.” MacCallum in While Escada and Dolce Escada on the & Gabbana may be two of her convention floor. favorite designers, on the weekend, you’re bound to find this mother of three looking a bit more casual, dressed in jeans and boots. And the one article of clothing MacCallum can’t live without is her Angel jeans. “No matter where I go, I bring them with me,” she says. For fashion role models, MacCallum cites veteran news per- sonality Jane Pauley, and MacCallum’s mother. “Growing up, I al- ways thought that Jane Pauley looked effortlessly put together and professional,” she says. “And my mom has great style, great taste. She’s a beautiful woman. When I was a kid, she had this great von Furstenberg wrap dress. Now that they’re back in style, I wore one to the Democratic convention in Boston.” MacCallum will cover the election in it’s entirety through Nov. 2nd. She’s already sat down for an interview with the First Lady, and plans are under way for the network’s anchor to nail down Heinz Kerry as well. And what does the news anchor think of the senses of style of our current First Lady, and, perhaps, our next one? The “Indian” “Laura Bush wears what she wants. She’s a bit more conservative necklace that and put together,” MacCallum says. “Teresa [Heinz Kerry] is who she belonged to Marie is, too. Her hair might flop in her face, and she doesn’t really care. Ganna Walska Bonaparte’s They dress as they are and it’s a great reflection of their personality.” and Doris Duke. lavaliere.lavaliere. — David Yassky MACCALLUM PHOTOS BY JOHN AQUINO PHOTOS BY MACCALLUM

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Reservations at 212.887.9400 1.800.FLATOTEL www.flatotel.com WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 37 WWW.WWD.COM Financial Weekly Stock Index 52-WEEK VOLUME AMT HIGH LOW P/E (00’S) LAST CHANGE WWDCOMPOSITE STOCK INDEX VS. S&P 500 RETAILERS 39.46 23.07Abercrombie Abercrombie & &Fitch Fitch 13.7 57663 32.17 1.11 33.98 16.37Aeropostale Aeropostale 24.9 49546 30.95 0.13 37.32 14.44American American Eagle Eagle 25.6 59378 37.07 1.01 31.43 20.47Ann Ann Taylor Taylor 13.2 76514 25.18 0.50 24.33 15.09Bebe Bebe 23.0 17521 20.25 0.74 S&P 500 5.97 1.20Bluefly Bluefly - 1686 1.99 -0.15 17.95 6.99Bon-Ton Bon-Ton 11.8 932 13.27 -0.08 22.50 17.42Burlington Burlington Coat Coat 12.4 1791 20.50 0.54 23.63 11.31Cache Cache 16.2 5460 14.09 0.00 22.94 18.65Cato Cato 12.8 3819 20.55 -0.50 22.24 9.18Charlotte Charlotte Russe Russe 13.5 73671 11.12 -3.61 9.19 5.09Charming Charming Shoppes Shoppes 12.1 16384 7.20 0.13 47.60 29.50Chico’s Chico's FAS FAS 24.2 183153 36.09 -2.54 WWD COMPOSITE STOCK INDEX 32.85 16.77Children’s Children's Place Place 21.3 16939 23.65 0.52 44.14 29.47CVS CVS 17.4 58341 40.35 -0.30 27.01 17.91Deb Deb Shops Shops 22.3 323 24.95 0.20 24.98 13.80Dillard’s Dillard's 26.2 29923 19.94 0.09 23.19 16.91Dollar Dollar General General 20.5 53263 20.09 0.11 18.72 12.88Dress Dress Barn Barn 50.6 2460 16.82 -0.07 94.13 50.63eBay eBay 88.8 380295 90.07 0.69 44.13 25.09Family Family Dollar Dollar 17.3 50622 27.40 0.90 6/4 6/18 7/2 7/16 7/30 8/13 8/27 9/10 55.06 41.00Federated Federated 11.5 98732 44.97 -0.31 27.59 15.92Foot Foot Locker Locker 14.4 27407 23.16 0.21 25.72 16.99Gap Gap 15.4 191530 20.02 -0.06 14.80 7.35Goody’s Goody's 15.0 8135 8.30 0.12 6.48 2.80Gottschalks Gottschalks 14.6 246 4.82 0.00 19.58 8.39Guess Guess 32.3 5057 16.40 0.25 WWDSTOCK INDEX SLIPS 5.25 1.03Harold’s Harold's Stores Stores - 50 2.53 0.08 32.30 13.85Hot Hot Topic Topic 17.2 71443 17.81 1.56 NEW YORK — The WWD Composite Stock Index slipped during the holiday shortened week to close at 1,085.20, 41.50 20.13J.C. J.C. Penney Penney 20.6 135582 37.99 -1.04 down 0.2 percent from 1,087.17 a week ago, as several retailers with sites in Florida warned about the negative 85.45 22.41Kmart - 93294 82.77 0.69 60.10 39.59Kohl’s Kohl's 26.7 104153 50.58 0.12 impact of Hurricane Frances. 21.65 14.82Limited Limited Brands Brands 13.8 75923 21.01 0.22 Among the broader indices, the S&P 500 ended the week up 0.9 percent to 1,123.92 from 1,113.67 last week. 36.48 23.70May May Dept. Dept. Stores Stores 11.6 60687 25.41 -0.52 Federated Department Stores said on Tuesday that Frances reduced sales by $20 million, and may lower 32.34 16.18Mothers Mothers Work Work 7.8 1215 16.74 -0.95 59.70 40.69Neiman Neiman Marcus Marcus 13.2 12639 55.80 1.15 September same-store sales by 1.5 percent. The company, which closed 57 stores in Florida over the Labor Day 46.30 24.52Nordstrom Nordstrom 16.5 49867 39.67 0.72 weekend, said third-quarter earnings per share would be 3-to-4 cents lower than previous guidance. 25.78 17.25Pacific Pacific Sunwear Sunwear 16.7 63150 21.34 0.71 Federated shares closed the week down 0.7 percent to $44.97 from $45.28 last week, while shares of Wal-Mart 46.56 31.71Regis Regis 17.4 6118 41.72 -0.07 ended the week up 0.4 percent to $53.45 from $53.25. Wal-Mart said on Tuesday that stores in the path of 9.70 3.05Retail Retail Ventures Ventures 20.9 6638 7.60 0.76 32.86 20.95Ross Ross Stores Stores 17.0 50050 23.66 0.22 Frances likely had reduced sales, but that purchases of hurricane-related supplies would offset the decline. 17.92 11.21Saks Saks 19.6 57475 12.27 -0.04 Specialty chain Chico’s FAS, which closed 60 stores because of the storm, said on Wednesday that comps in the first 10 56.06 31.21Sears Sears 3.8 101185 40.63 0.79 days of September were down 2 percent and that the hurricane will cause aggregate September comps to be reduced by 18.00 12.14ShopKo ShopKo 13.5 5436 18.00 0.31 42.01 25.31Stage Stage Stores Stores 10.9 4863 33.07 -1.22 1.5-to-2.5 percent. Shares of the company dropped 6.6 percent in the week to close at $36.09 from $38.63 a week ago. 18.96 5.09Stein Stein Mart Mart 30.2 8742 15.90 -0.05 Shares of Charlotte Russe Holding Inc. lost 24.5 percent to close the week at $11.12 from $14.73 last Friday. The compa- 12.15 6.25Syms Syms - 377 10.70 -0.20 ny said on Thursday that earnings per share in the current quarter were anticipated at 11-to-13 cents, down from a previous fore- 39.82 26.00Tal Talbotsbots 14.6 17373 29.04 0.48 cast of 28 cents to 32 cents. It cited weak back-to-school sales and a harder-than-expected repositioning of its Rampage chain. 47.40 36.19Tar Targetget 21.2 122357 45.82 -0.11 26.82 18.71TJX TJX Cos. 15.3 66814 21.88 -0.15 — Meredith Derby 33.64 11.08Urban Urban Outfitters Outfitters 34.8 67716 33.60 2.00 38.07 30.18Wa Walgreen'slgreens 29.2 82210 37.69 -0.07 61.31 50.50Wal-Mart Wal-Mart 23.7 367364 53.45 0.20 12.50 0.69Wet Wet Seal Seal - 213803 1.42 0.31 10.15 1.95Wilsons Wilsons Leather Leather - 28923 6.60 0.36 31.30 22.05Zale Zale 13.2 16031 27.15 0.27 VENDORS 52.30 37.43Alberto Alberto Culver Culver 31.0 7898 48.12 -0.90 46.65 30.67A Avonvon 14.1 137629 42.14 -3.28 27.41 20.01Benetton Benetton 29.7 128 23.15 1.08 25.70 18.68Cherokee Cherokee 13.7 632 24.00 0.25 47.45 26.63Coach Coach 30.9 70045 44.86 1.33 59.39 49.22Columbia Columbia Sprtswr Sprtswr 17.4 6135 55.46 -0.58 34.60 22.48Del Del Labs Labs 17.2 403 33.85 0.28 23.94 15.90Elizabeth Elizabeth Arden Arden - 2559 20.96 0.17 49.34 33.00Estée Est?e Lauder Lauder 26.9 33733 44.48 -0.22 29.49 15.87Fossil Fossil 17.9 10405 28.27 -0.37 11.90 6.01G-III G-III 6.9 99 6.25 0.00 ROBERT E. KERSON 39.97 31.01IFF IFF 17.2 12541 38.62 -0.23 33.36 8.96Inter Inter Parfums Parfums 13.5 6315 11.62 -0.29 is pleased to announce 40.00 29.30Jones Jones Apparel Apparel 14.2 55493 34.78 -1.17 45.10 32.26Kellwood Kellwood 12.5 10301 36.98 0.28 37.39 26.11Kenneth Kenneth Cole Cole 17.4 5394 30.02 1.51 the formation of 39.79 32.09Liz Liz Claiborne Claiborne 14.4 31794 38.92 -0.56 6.90 2.67Mossimo Mossimo 17.8 791 4.16 0.99 17.97 10.08Movado Movado 17.2 3174 16.99 2.28 78.56 55.07Nike Nike 20.9 48466 75.65 -1.16 2.65 1.03Novel Novel Denim Denim - 91 1.25 -0.08 47.50 28.91Oxford Oxford 17.3 4097 42.20 0.08 29.95 20.41Perry Perry Ellis Ellis 12.0 2033 23.30 0.19 KERSON PARTNERS LTD 20.99 14.10Phillips-Van Phillips-Van Heusen Heusen - 6108 20.77 0.28 Executive Search 38.57 25.94Polo Polo Ralph Ralph Lauren Lauren 20.7 20780 37.91 -0.54 26.00 14.70Quiksilver Quiksilver 19.0 45166 25.90 3.36 42.95 31.25Reebok Reebok 13.2 19415 34.55 -0.36 3.93 2.03Revlon Revlon - 30065 2.65 -0.10 19.23 15.43Russell Russell 13.3 5132 18.00 0.04 4.76 0.85Tarr Tarrantant - 2261 1.00 -0.11 and the opening of their new office 18.25 11.68To Tommymmy Hilfiger Hilfiger 11.5 18782 14.02 0.34 5.90 0.90Tr Tropicalopical Sprtswr Sprtswr - 1056 1.27 0.08 51.02 38.19VF VF Corp. Corp. 12.7 12824 49.89 -0.05 21.98 12.94Wa Warnacornaco - 6912 20.90 0.32 Kerson Partners LTD 200 Railroad Avenue WWDStock Market Index Weekly % Changes Greenwich, CT 06830 (ending Sept. 10) P 203 863-2121 Largest Gainers Close Change F 203 863-2110 Mossimo 4.16 31.23 [email protected] Composite: Retailers: Vendors: Wet Seal 1.42 27.93 1085.20 1054.28 1256.88 Movado 16.99 15.50 www.kersonpartners.com Quiksilver 25.90 14.91 Retail Ventures 7.60 11.11

-1.97 -0.63 -11.60 Largest Losers Close Change Charlotte Russe 11.12 -24.51 Tarrant 1.00 -9.91 Avon 42.14 -7.22 Bluefly 1.99 -7.01 Index base of 1000 is keyed to Chico’s FAS 36.09 -6.58 closing prices of Dec. 31, 2002. 38 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004

Business Venture Leading women’s apparel manu- facturer seeks highly motivated Mfr of Ladies’ Hats individuals interested in start up or pre-existing opportunities. You design the ladies’ hats and fabrics, wewill mfr for you in NYC! Lrg prod’n @ Individuals must possess strong reasonable cost. Tel/Fax 212-695-3532. sales and merchandising experi- ence. We provide financing, back office, shipping and production support. Fax particulars in confidence to: Mr. Jay 212-869-3639

Leading Midtown Co. in Jrs’., Ladies’, Mens’, and Kids’, seeks exp’d. Salesperson Must have strong following. Competitive salary & benefits. Fax resume: 201-573-4616 Salesperson - Costume jewelry/ acces. NY importer/mfr. seeks exp’d. self- Make Beautiful T-Shirts With Us starter w/proven following of volume We make customized blanks to order. spclty., catalog & other retailers. Base Extraordinary t-shirt fabrics available. + comm. Mr. B T. 212-594-4455 F.212- Terrific screen prints & embroideries. 594-4466 email: [email protected] Competitive overseas prices. No Minimums & great quality. Call 917-330-4924 PATTERN/SAMPLES Reliable. High quality. Low cost. Fast work. Small/ Lrg production 212-629-4808 PATTERNS, SAMPLES, PRODUCTIONS Velour + Fleece All lines,Any styles. Fine Fast Service. Rib + Jersey Lycra Call Sherry 212-719-0622. Fabrics 718-389-8902 PATTERNS, SAMPLES, PRODUCTIONS Full servcie shop to the trade. Fine fast work. 212-869-2699. PTTNS/SMPLS/PROD Cash For Retail Stock & Closeouts. High qlty, reasonable price. Any de- No Lot Too Big or Too Small. sign & fabric. Fast work. 212-714-2186 Call CLOTHES-OUT: (937) 898-2975

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For Space in Garment Center ACCOUNTANT Helmsley-Spear, Inc. Immediate oppty available. 212-880-0414 Responsibilities include G/L closings, preparing financial Showrooms & Lofts statements, budgeting, fore- BWAY 7TH AVE SIDE STREETS casting, and financial analysis. Great ’New’ Office Space Avail ADAMS & CO. 212-679-5500 Accessory Exchange is a leading resource of licensed, branded and private label accessories in Excellent communication the junior and ladies market. Our recent growth has created the following opportunities. and computer skills a must. 3-5 years exp reqd; CPA and apparel industry exp preferred. Please fax or email resume with salary 1333 Broadway Division Head history to: (212) 632-4322 Private furnished office available ASSOCIATE -High Profile Junior Brand- email: [email protected] in active office. 8 x 10 office. Seeking professional to take the lead in this newly created division. Candidate must have EOE M/F Call 646-674-1044 DESIGNERS strong sales background with Mid-tier and some experience in department store accounts. Office Space Share No maternity experience We are seeking a self motivated individual with the leadership skills to manage both the prod- ADVERTISING required. Seeking detail 2 Desk Space with DSL access, uct development and sales process. Inventory management and sales planning experience a Account Executive Good for Consultant & CPA oriented highly organized plus. 36 St & Broadway individual with a classic Fast paced, mid-sized New York adver- Call: 917-721-9062 tising agency seeks smart, hard-working, modern clean design sensi- passionate individual needed to start OFFICE SPACE SHARE bility with a passion to join immediately. Ideal candidate will have ahighend women’s specialty Sales Assistant 3 years prior business experience. Pro- 2 furnished private office located on duction background a must. Intimate 36th Street between 7th & 8th Avenue. brand. Responsibilities in- -XOXO- apparel/retail experience a plus. Call 212-563-5380 clude creating presentation Seeking energetic sales assistant for XOXO handbag division. This position will have direct Please fax resume & salary requirements boards, sketching, preparing sales responsibility, in addition to supporting our sales team. Individual must be highly organ- to: (212) 767-1122 tech packs, and fabric and ized, detail oriented, hard working and self-motivated. Strong computer skills a must. Great A/P MANAGER - N.J. trim research. Excellent com- growth potential with expanding division. New Jersey Co seeks strong A/P with munication and follow up apparel background. Excellent Salary skills, and ability to handle Fax Resume: 201-842-6777 multiple tasks is required. APPAREL STAFFING, LTD Some Travel is required. Designer Junior Exp. Req. Merchandise Planner Designer Assoc. 1Yr + Sweater Exp. We are seeking a self-starting individual with experience in building and analyzing retail finan- Designer Assoc. Newborn & Inf. Girl & Boys Dominican Factory Please fax resumes to: cial plans. The successful candidate will be capable of interpreting weekly retail sales and in- Designer Intimate Apparel 646-607-6448 Quality Factory in Dominican Repub- Other Listings @www.apparelstaffing.com or ventory data, and guiding company decisions based on their work. You should have knowl- fax resumes to: 212-302-1161 lic Free Zone has available production edge of major department stores’ decision support systems, including Retail Link and Partners open. Specialty in Swimwear and Buyer to $65K+ Lingerie. Call 809-707-7190 or Fax On-Line. Strong computer and communication skills, along with effective customer relations JR. sportswear collection better exp. 20+ stores 809-526-7735 Ask For Mr. Paulino or ADMIN ASST 20-30K are required. You must be proficient with Excel, Access and Visual Basic.. Jennifer *Just Mgmt* 800-544-5878 email: [email protected] [email protected] Garment importer seeks self-motivated individual to manage showroom and CAD ARTIST document processing. Must be able to We offer a fantastic working environment along with a competitive salary and benefits pack- multi-task in a small office environ- age. Movie Star Inc. is looking for CAD ment. Proficiency in MS Office a must. artist/textile designer w/ strong fashion E-mail: [email protected] background. Work closely w/ our E-mail a cover letter and resume, along with your salary history to patricia.o’[email protected]. merch & design staff, integrating con- BIZ FOR SALE cepts & ideas to create & develop NY Fashion Accessory multiline Rep ADMIN IMMED Please identify the position you are seeking in your cover letter. prints, color-ways, presentation boards, Co with Showrm. For Sale with onsite PHOTOSHOP etc. Working knowledge of NedGraphics/ training. Est’d. Grt oppty for Salespro $32,000 Join our team!! Fashion Studio software a plus. Niche Biz. Turn Key. [email protected] [email protected] Please fax resume to: 212-684-3295 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 39

Sales CLERICAL / IMPORT DEPT. DESIGNER Import Coordinator Production Assistant TECH DESIGNER Men’s Loungewear/Underwear/to 100k+ Import Co. seeks Battelle is a world leader in science Seeking experienced candidate to aid Fast growing Accessory Co. seeks Assis- for a Kellwood Div This well estab.& very successful co. ULTRA-SHARP individual to assist with and technology research. Our Systems our warehouse facility in midtown tant w/some experience in Production/ Kellwood Div. seeks ind w/ stong seeks sales pro for their branded, licensed processing overseas sample productions. Analysis and Engineering (SA&E) NYC area. Duties include : follow up Logistics related field. Must be detail specing ability for dresses and suits. "hot" Urban lines. Req: strong exp selling Must be highly organized and detail Product Line provides on-site/nearby deliveries with overseas vendors, pro- oriented, highly organized & motivated. Candidate must have min 3 years expe- men’s lounge/underwear to dept/specialty oriented with good communication skills engineering and science support vide routing instructions, daily email Excel a must. Fax resume: 212-268-5489 rience. Strong knowledge of garment stores,prefer (Urban brand a+). and experienced with word processing, to government clients throughout correspondence. Experience with ma- construction, experience in production E-mail resume: [email protected] Excel, and E-mail. We will train qualified the . SA&E is seeking jor US retailers a plus. Knowledge of Production Assistant fitting and experience to create Tech (Fax)212-725-7116 (Tel)212-481-1941 person. Company paid benefits. Potential aClothing Designer in Quantico, Microsoft Outlook e-mail a must. Fax Packs for complete garments mfr’d in VAforfulltime regular shift work. resume and salary requirements to Young men’s/boy’s & girls swimwear Sales $$$Open for growth. Please Fax your resume importer requires Production Assis- Asia is required. Must have strong com- (including salary) to: 212-244-1674 Compensation will be based on 212-685-6627. munications skills and be computer lit- Boys branded to 20 regional dept. stores. qualifications and experience. A full tant. Must be highly organized, Allen *Just Mgmt* 800-544-5878 Import Traffic Coord. $35-$40K exp. in efficient, and familiar with overseas erate w/ knowledge in Web PDB and Cutter to $28K.. Min 3-6 months exp. benefits package will be provided. Excel. [email protected] in cutting. Will be trained on short tracking shipments from vendors to imports. warehouse. Deal w/ custom brokers. Please fax resume to: 212-695-1050 Fax resume and salary to 212-719-3121 knife & electric knife. Samples. Call The selected candidate will work at EOE 973-564-9236 Jaral Fasion Agcy Marine Corps Systems Command, Delivery order. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy Salesperson Wanted !!! Well est’d. Importer of ladies’ Sportswear, Quantico, VA. Primary job responsibili- IMP’T SOURCING PROD MGRS (2) Production Coordinator ties will include: Growing accessory company is looking TECHNICAL DESIGNER/ Dresses, Tops, Urban Wear, and related Data Entry KIDSWEAR HI$ separates seeks Salesperson with strong Est’d cos seek exp’d sourcer / produc- for an experienced production person. Growing Accessory Co. is seeking detail • Excellent understanding of the Must be detailed oriented and able to CAD ARTIST connection to Chain, Dept., and Specialty oriented, highly organized Data Entry Gerber or Lectra- Technology CAD/ tion mgr for P/L and branded sptsw’r. Est’d. Men’s/Juniors’Apparel Co. seeks Stores. Please Fax or E-mail resume to: Travel to Orient. handle multiple tasks. Handbag/ back- personnel to work in Production Dept. CAM system. pack experience is preferred. exp’d. Technical Designer/Cad Artist. 212-382-1732 / [email protected] Must be computer literate. Please Fax • Solid foundation and understanding A.D. FORMAN ASSOC. Please email resumes Must be proficient on Illustrator. resume to: 212-268-5489 of pattern grading and modifications. 450 7TH AVE (AGCY) 268-6123 to: [email protected] Please Fax or E-mail resume to Jennifer: SALES PRO - Fabrics 212-221-8717 / [email protected] Leading Chinese Mills w/ NY office • Apparel manufacturing and construc- LICENSING IMMED DESIGN ASSISTANT tion techniques. seeks exp’d Sales Professional. Must Junior panty and daywear company LICNESING COORD Production Coord. / have major contacts & proven record. • Excellent written and oral skills. BIG FIRM TECHNICAL DESIGNER seeks talented Design Assistant. Must Purchasing Intimate apparel mfr. seeks highly Independent Sales Reps welcome. be a self starter, detail oriented and Additional duties may be assigned and $60,000’S Please fax resume to: (212) 869-1787 or [email protected] Midtown fashion accessories importer energetic and organized person w/good have strong knowledge of garment domestic travel is anticipated. seeks a hardworking, detail oriented, follow up skills. Must have strong Email: [email protected] construction & spec. CAD experience MERCHANDISER IMMED team player to be involved w/ various knowledge of fit, spec’s, and garment is a plus. Please fax resume to: Candidate resumes must demonstrate COSMETICS phases of the production / importing construction for adults and children’s SALES TRAINEE (212) 679-4260 the following minimum requirements in PACKAGING process. Fast paced office. Apparel areas. Ability to communicate w/ Sweater company seeks energetic sales- order to be forwarded for consideration: Designer $100-$125K. Current exp. in updated $70,000++ background very helpful. Comp skills overseas office and customer. This person willing to learn. Must be enthu- missy tops. Must hang w/ DCC, At Last, Style • Minimum of Associates Degree in [email protected] req. Mandarin fluency helpful. Please position req. 3-5 years experience. siastic and detail oriented. Please fax &Co, etc. Exp in dealing w/ travelling to India Clothing Design send resume to: [email protected] Please fax resume to: 212-481-7498 response to 212-768-2102 Att: Kim. Merchandiser Attn: Miriam &Europe. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fasion Agcy • At least 5 years of experience of PRODUCTION IMMED clothing design particularly pattern/ SVP MERCHANDISING SWEATERS DESIGNER 4-6X CAD/CAM capabilities. FOR MASS MARKET GREAT FIRM Trainer/Quality Control The Isfel Company seeks a creative, Hands on creative fashion Mdser. $100,000++ QC Inspector to train new sewers to make • Training on a Gerber or Lectra work men’s military/Air Force uniforms. Will and experienced individual. Able to station for CAD/CAM. Develop, implement & manage all [email protected] reinterpret current trends for the product lines for each mass market do QC inspecting/records. Must be an toddler and 4-6x girls mass • Applicant must be a U.S. citizen, with acct. Must have 10 yrs exp; retail/prod. exp’d. trainer and speak English fluently. Seeking a self-motivated Sales Manager. the eligibility to obtain and maintain Production Mgr./Outerwear Ref. req’d. B’klyn location. Great bene & merchant/private label market. Great dev/and buying exp in women’s / jr Established outerwear mfr seeks candi- Exp. with developing & implementing opportunity for the right individual. required government security clearan- sptswr; sleepwear/ for dept., spec., and sal. EOE Fax resume to: 718-853-8805 sales strategies, great communication ces as a condition of employment. date with min 5 years experience work- Please fax resume 212-465-1085 or mid-tier. Proven history for dev. and ing in production. Knowledge of fabric, (written & verbal) & computer skills to maintaining overseas vendor relation- garment construction and costing for lead nationwide sales team from Miami Designer $65-85K. Current exp. in womens Additional selection criteria will ships 3-5 additional yrs in Import man- corporate offices. Must have initiative, underwear/ . Must hang w/ Berlin, include: coats. Overseas and domestic travel ufacturing side as a DM and sales for required. Good salary & benefits for the willing to travel & enjoy fast paced Delta, Ariela, Innersecrets, etc. • Desired experience working on mili- Branded Co. Salary and bonus incen- environment. Apparel industry exp. Design exp on PC. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy right candidate. Please email resume to: tary clothing and equipment pro- tive structure commensurate with exp [email protected] &bilingual preferred. Please send your grams. resume & salary requirements to: 7-16 and ability. Call Laurie 212-947-3399 or DESIGNER • Applicant must be capable of operat- email: [email protected] Receptionist Fax: (305) 253- 1286 or The Isfel Company seeks a creative, ing stitching equipment and develop KARLYN FASHION RECRUITERS Email: [email protected] experienced, and highly motivated A Childrenswear Company seeks prototype garments and associated organized /self starter. Great oppty for designer. 7-16 trendy tops for the mass patterns. merchant/private label market. Great Overseas Factory Agent right person. Light paperwork. Very reputable overseas factory seeking Fax Resume To (212)465-1085 opportunity for the right individual. For consideration, please visit individual to increase their customer SALES REP Please fax resume 212-465-1085 www.battelle.org/jobs.Search for the base in the U.S. This factory has a very Retail Planner $$ open. Min 2 yrs exp as With New York Showroom Designer $80 to $100K. Current exp. in opening by title Clothing Designer and large capacity for cut & sew, silk screening planner required. Either retail or whole- contemporary missy full fashion sweaters. apply online today! Battelle has and heat sealing. Mainly produces back sale co background OK. For midtown appa- Updated, Contemporary Sptswr. Must hang w/habitual Joie, Marc by Marc competitive salaries and comprehen- packs, handbags & small leather goods. rel co. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy Wovens - Knits Jacobs, Sleeping on snow, BCBG, Language, sive benefits,and we are an Must have experience in the accessory Vince etc. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy. Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action industry either sales, merchandising or RETAIL SALES Seeks Sales Rep for New Line. Employer M/F/D/V. production. Salary plus commission of- Designer $90-$100K. Current exp. in jr. BATTELLE fered. Please send resume and require- ANALYST Email: [email protected] Custo Barcelona seeks Store Managers full-fashion sweaters. Trendy. Must hang ments to: [email protected] Apparel company seeks individual w/Unique, Airport, One Step Up, with knowledge of apparel business & Sales Associates for upcoming new Coolwear, Weavers, etc. Photoshop/ Illus- DESIGNER SR/Handbags/to 75k+ Patternmaker $80-$90K. Current exp. and high volume accounts. Excellent Account Executive boutiques opening in: Las Vegas, trator. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy CONTEMPORARY/DEPT. STORE On womens tops & bottoms, wovens & communication and computer skills. Fantastic oppty. at mjr Accessory co. MAXX NEW YORK HANDBAGS is Los Angeles, , & Boca Raton. knits. Strong exp. On Gerber. Call 973- Walmart/RetailLink exp. a must. seeking experienced, energetic Sales Designer $90-$110K. Current exp. in JR. to design Contemp. ladies line of Hand- 564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agency. Please fax resume to: 212-239-2766 Store Managers must have at least cut & sewn updated fashion basics, bags /access. for Dept. store mkt. Must Associate with Department Stores / primarily active tops. MAC Illustrator/ have solid handbag design expr., trend Specialty Stores background, plus 2 years retail management exp. Phjotoshop. Import co, Broadway at 39th knowl.,strong\ Illust/Photoshop and su- PATTERNMAKER Sales Assistant knowledge of Private Label and spe- Leading fur and outerwear company, cial program projects. Candidate must Sales Associates must be highly St.Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy pervisory skills. E-mail resume: Button & Trim Co. offers a great opportu- motivated with strong selling skills [email protected] based in NYC, is looking for an experi- nity for exp’d. individual with excellent be familiar with product and able to im- Designer $90 to $135K. Current exp. in (Fax) 212-725-7116 (Tel) 212-481-1941 enced, fast-paced patternmaker/grader organization & communication (written/ mediately manage and maintain ac- and excellent customer service. women’s moderate to better wool coats re- with ability to fit customers. Please fax E-mail) skills. Competitive salary/benefits. counts on all levels. quired. Mid-town Co. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral your resume and salary requirements: Please Fax resume to: 212-631-0075 Pls. Fax res. 212-679-0311 Please e-mail resumes to: Fashion Agcy. Designer to $90K. Current exp. in better to (212) 695-4569 bridge contemporary cut & sewn tops. Fashion [email protected] Designer Assoc $65-$75K. Current exp. in pri- vision similar to Theory. Strong knowledge of Patternmaker to $60K. Current exp. on Sales Assistant Contemporary or fax : 212-219-3566 attn: M. Ortega. vate label woven women’s casual or career cut & sewn fabrics devel. Import co. Call 973- Gerber or Lectra required. Large co in Established children’s wear mfr seeks Est’d. & growing NYC Designer/Mfr. seeks NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. sporstwear. Adapt better to bridge line to mod- 564-9236 Jaral Agcy Philidalphia area. Call 973-564-9236 amotivated and detail-oriented person an aggressive & exp’d. Sales Executive erate private label line. Strong knowledge of Jaral Fashion Agy for sales assistant position. Responsi- for Dept./Specialty store Accts. Salary woven fabrics. Preferable to hang w/ Liz commensurate w/experience & contacts. EDI Programmner to $65K. 2 yrs min, exp in bilities include: order entry, running Claiborne, Jones, Kellwood, Ann Taylor, sales reports, corresponding w/ buyer’s E-mail: [email protected] Talbots, etc. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agcy mapping required. Write command language PATTERNMAKER scripts. AS/ 400. Correct EDI non compliance. Women’s Sportswear Co. seeks pattern- assistants, following up on deliveries Judith Ripka Companies Designer Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fasion Agcy maker with solid knowledge of Gerber and organizing showroom samples. In- Seeking the Best in Class!!! PDS computer patternmaking system. dividual must be proficient in Excel Great Opportunity! Unique opportunity to join a team of Sales ASST DESIGNER Min 5 yrs. exp. Full time/part time. and Word and be comfortable working Fast growing accessory co. (sandals, Pros at a flagship Madison Ave., Short Hills, on a computer. Please email resumes to: Missy dress co. seeks energetic, organized, Fax Resume to 212-768-8873 , legwear, novelties) seeks high- NJ, East Hills, LI, locations. 3+ years of exp assistant with knowledge of GERARD [email protected] or fax 212-967-9328. ly motivated salesperson. Must have 3 luxury sales exp. req’d. with polished running backroom. Knows trim yrs exp. in the accessory market and presentation/exceptional communication sourcing. Fax: 516-487-4556 PRODUCT DEVELOP. Sales Assistant solid relationships with buyers/chains. skills and proven track record. Strong YOSCA ASSOCIATE Major apparel company seeks sales Travel a must. Salary + comm. client following a must. Excellent benefits Wanted for mens/boys swim-wear and assistant with 1-2 years experience. Please fax resume to: 212-967-3912 package & high income earning potential DESIGNER/ wovens importer for execution of product Individual with work closely with available. Cosmetic or fashion exp. is a SALES MANAGER packages communication skills with Account Executive on managing retail +++++ Please send resumes: ASST DESIGNER Well known fashion jewelry designer overseas factories essential. 3 years exp. accounts. Must have good follow up Attn: Theresa @ Fax: (212) 244-4560 Novelty Better Sweater Co. seeking a seeks exp’d person to call on high end required. Fax resume to 212-695-1050 and computer skills. LINGERIE creative, energetic, organized, self- retailers & private label development. Fax resume 212-239-2766 Est’d Madison Ave. Lingerie Co. seeks starter with good illustration, beading People skills a must, enthusiastic team Account Executives in Daywear/Panties and embroidery skills. Must be detail- player who likes to work hard. MANAGER Product Developer,Sr Sales Asst / Admin Asst &Sleepwear. Only exp’d. candidates need A high-end Boutique is looking for a oriented and able to multi-task. Team Boulder, CO apply. Fax resume to: 212-889-8411 player a must.Strong flat sketch ability. PRODUCTION ASST Well established large volume jewelry MANAGER. The candidate must have Join an exciting company w/ atleast 1 year of managerial experience e-mail: [email protected] Exp’d, org’d people person to asst w/ passion for the outdoors! manufacturer seeks sales asst / admin sourcing, samples & fashion jewelry asst to support sales exec as well as Lulu Guinness in fashion. Please Fax resume Attn: prod’n. Pls fax res w/ sal: 212-768-8836. Pearl Izumi, a high performance handle smaller accounts on your own. Retail Operations : 212-428-6758 apparel manufacturer is seeking a Sr. Individual will be responsible for fol- SALES ASSOCIATE DESIGNER British designer/bridge handbag co. Costume jewelry and gift company Product Developer. Responsible for all lowing up on all shipments, creating Graphic Artist aspects of taking a product from 2D cost/spec sheets and daily office admin- seeks experienced Sales Associate with seeks trendy designer with one/two a following in Department and Specialty PAUL&SHARK years exp. in industry. Beading, manipula- Apparel company seeking artist for design to a "commercialized" 3D, produc- istration. Individual must be very tion ready garment. BA, plus 5+ years’ detail oriented, organized and able to Stores. Excellent benefits, salary Immediate part time Sales position for tion, sketching abilities required. generic dept to design trendy & fresh commensurate with experience. art for junior, missy & plus. Must be product development experience. multi task. Must be proficient in Excel a qualified sales person. Fax resume: 212-354-5105 Please fax: (212) 302-4690 NO CALLS Please fax 212-452-9861 Attn: Sal Cretella proficient on the Mac in Illustrator & *Proficiency w/ PC MS Office and formatting and formulas. Fax resume Photoshop. Licensed character exp. a plus. Adobe Illustrator. Mastery of design with salary expectations to: Designer Fax resume to Joe 212-944-1181 and development process from incep- 212-725-1423 Costume jewelry and gift company tion through production. PAUL&SHARK seeks trendy jewelry designer with *Strong leadership, verbal and written Major Jr Sptswr Mfr one/two years exp in industry. Bead- communication skills OPENING IN ing, manipulation, sketching abilities GRAPHIC ARTIST SENIOR LEVEL Seeking strong New York Salesperson required. Fax resume to 212-354-5105 Bath Giftable leader with offices in Union, *Complete understanding of the Production/Import Manager w/ Major Store exp. Fax: 310-808-0033 SO. FLORIDA 12/03 New Jersey (car a must) seeks graphic product creation process and ability to E-mail: [email protected] Has openings for a Sales Manager and artist. All levels of experience will be train others. Complete Sales Staff, Salary + Com- considered. Must have strong MAC ability, mission, Great Benefits Package. DESIGNER - Handbags be proficient with Illustrator and good Excellent Salary and benefits. Est’d. & growing company seeks exp’d. Please fax resume to 212-452-9861 Popular priced large Handbag Importer drawing skills. Please send resume to: Fax or email resume: Production Administrator to monitor all National Sales Director Attn: Sal Cretella seeks creative and motivated Designer. Fax: (908) 206-0221 [email protected] execution phases of over seas contract Growing NYC Jewelry manufacturer Must be a team player, well organized and FAX (303)466-4237 flows. Must have strong organizational, seeks a dynamic Sales Director with 10 willing to travel overseas. Exp. is must! Visit us at: www.PEARLIZUMI.com communication, and computer skills with yrs+ exp. in bridge jewelry business. RETAIL Prestige Fashion House Please fax resume to (212) 629-3123 Graphic Artist ability to manage a team of coordinators Ideal candidate must have established Store Mgr/Madison Ave-NYC.....$65K+ PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT and work in a fast paced environment. department store and private label Store Mgr/Chicago ...... $60K+ Rapidly growing, major sportswear co. relationships. Excellent benefits and seeks artist w/trend-setting junior exp. COORDINATOR Qualified candidates E-mail resumes to: Asst Store Mgr/Boston ...... $40K+ [email protected] performance package offered. Must be Mac proficient in illustrator & Major apparel company seeks individual Sales Assoc/Jewelry exp...... $35K+ Designer with minimum two years experience. [email protected] Major apparel company seeks talented, photoshop. License character experience A +. Fax: 212-481-4086 [email protected] Fax resume to Cyndi at 212-944-1181 Responsibilities include approving lab Sales creative Designer with experience dips, fabric and accessories. Individual girls 4-16. Fashion Denim background SPECH TECHS IMMED Handbags/Better Mkt./to 100k+ will review design worksheets and SEVERAL SPOTS For mjr Accessory co’s. new & unique and experience in developing Key items coordinate information between design Retail Sales Assoc. in both Denim and Knits separates. TOP FIRMS Better Handbag line. Sell to Boutiques Hirshleifer’s seeks sales associates department and production depart- $100,000 /small stores. Work w/ national Reps. Must be proficient with Illustrator. ment. Must have good organizational, with extensive experience in designer Fax resume 212-239-9709 [email protected] Req: must have exp working w/reps & RTW and accessories for their new Dolce communication and computer skills. selling better bags. Fabric construction knowledge a plus. & Gabbana and Jil Sander boutiques. E-mail resume: [email protected] Fax resume to: 516-627-3579 Fax resume (212)239-2766 (Fax) 212-725-7116 (Tel) 212-481-1941 Designer $$ open. Current excp. in Spec Tech $50-$70K+ newborn/ infant required. Knits & wovens. GRAPHIC ARTIST Kids knits/wovens Chinese illustrator A+ Store Manager Must hang w/ Little Me, Ralph Lauren, etc. Weare seeking an experienced, PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Jennifer *Just Mgmt* 800-544-5878 Mdtwn Lg. Co. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy creative individual with strong girls Accessory co (NYC) seeking very de- [email protected] (infant through 7-16) background. tailed logistics person to process and SALES - Handbags Max Studio.com is seeking a Shop Individual will work closely with our track orders from start to finish, work Established importer of popular priced Manager for their Bloomingdale’s 59th design staff, translating concepts and with overseas vendors, follow-up w/ Tech Designer Womens woven tops $80K handbags seeking experienced Street in-store shop. The Shop Manager DESIGNERS IMMED ideas to create and develope prints. shipping to customers. Computer exp. Tech Disgner JR. tops, bottoms $80K salesperson. Must be highly motivat- is responsible for facilitating sales SWEATERS Working knowledge of Illustrator and amust. Must have three years exp. in Tech disgner Full-fashion sweaters $ 75K ed, strong organizational and detail growth and executing merchandising/ $40,000’S Photoshop necessary. this field. Tech disgner Kids Wear $BOE skills, active accounts available. visual standards. Please fax your [email protected] Please fax resume to (212)239-2766 Please fax resume to 212-967-3912 Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agency Please fax resume to (212) 629-3123 resumes to 212-219-9465. 40 WWD, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2004 WWW.WWD.COM Tot ally Jaded Garrard’s lounge-like SoHo salon is something of a second home for Jade Jagger —at least when it comes to partying. Here this week to preview Garrard’s new line, inspired by her six- week journey to India, Jagger teamed up with friend Damon Dash and invited 40 or so of their best friends to an intimate dinner. Over the course of the evening, the jewelry salon was transformed into a Matthew Williamson louche lounge, with Jade Jagger in replete with smoking Ralph Lauren and a Englishmen, dancing Marc Jacobs jacket. supermodels, hip-hop impresarios and even a magician, David Blaine. “What are we going to do about the music?” Jagger huffed before a compilation CD launched over the speakers. Guests included Tatum O’Neal, Benicio Del Toro, Paris Hilton, Fonzworth Bentley, Matthew Williamson, Lisa Airan, Sebastian Pons and Karolina Kurkova. “I’m not doing any shows, and it’s bliss,” offered Dahl, who was joined at the dinner by boyfriend Dan Baker. “We are moving house and I have been in and out of furniture shops all week.” For the dinner’s after party at N.A., the new nightclub in the old Nell’s, Jagger changed into a slinky Rocawear top embroidered with her name across the back. “Jade’s a great friend,” gushed Dash, who heads Rocawear. “She always looks after me when I’m in London.” Earlier in the evening, the Cartier mansion also morphed into a luxe lounge when Zac Posen’s posse packed into the Fifth Avenue store for his post-show bash, which also celebrated the launch of the Cartier Trinity line. There to toast him were his pals, Bee Shaffer and Stella Schnabel. , who’s championed Posen from the get-go, couldn’t remember how many of his shows she’s attended, but attributed her ween Queen brain freeze to her third pink cocktail. As for the collection, her favorite looks were the wearable whites that incorporated Teflon. “I think it’s innovative and handy,” she said, before adding, “God, Emma Roberts in I need more appetizers.” Abercrombie & Fitch. T

LOS ANGELES — Emma Roberts is busy tossing clothes out of the makeshift dressing room in the Nickelodeon wardrobe department. First comes a pair of tie- dyed Da-Nang cargoes. Then a C&C T-shirt. Then a pair of pink fuzzy earrings. She’s eye® just finished taping the sixth episode of her , “Unfabulous,” which premiered on Sunday, but she’s in a conundrum about what to wear off the set. At least the 13- year-old actress already knows what she doesn’t like. “Won’t you just try the Von Dutch tank top?” her mother, Kelly Cunningham, pleads. “But it doesn’t go with this skirt!” insists the fledgling star. She finally settles on a ruffled and jeans by Abercrombie & Fitch, though she frets that, since she’s worn the top to a premiere already, she’ll end up on the fashion victim pages of the tabloids, which she reads religiously, along with all the fashion magazines. Roberts seems poised to become the Sarah Jessica Parker of the tween world, a comparison which makes her burst into a wide grin, not unlike the one that belongs to her aunt, . (Her father, , who is now married to Eliza Roberts, is estranged from Julia. Cunningham is his ex-girlfriend). Even for a wisp of a girl, she has presence; director cast her in “Blow” in 2001 as ’s young daughter, and her latest movie, “Grand Champion,” about a girl who raises a prize-winning cow, opens this week, with cameos by Benecio Del Bruce Willis and Aunt Julia. While she says that acting is in her blood, she also dreams of a TTorooro,, right, design career, which brings her back to the wardrobe closet — a teenage girl’s dream, full of with a friend. candy-colored Birkenstocks, screen-printed T-shirts, barrettes, belts and bracelets. Though Addie Singer, Roberts’ character in “Grand Champion,” is a clotheshorse, she still suffers indignities at the hands of the seventh grade popular clique. “Because they are the popular girls, they get to wear cute, preppy stuff, but Addie is way cuter,” she says. Like any seasoned actor, Roberts draws on her own experience in her work; she did, after all, finish seventh grade last year. KaroKarolinalina Kurkova Though she still has tutors and homework to worry about, and she’s only allowed to wear makeup to premieres, Roberts’ life does have a touch of the fabulous. Her favorite place to eat is the Chateau Marmont, and her shop of choice is the Malibu boutique Planet Blue, also a favorite of Kate Hudson’s. She’s partial to the high-tech Arclight movie theater, where seats are reserved in advance and a concierge introduces each movie. But in spite of her starlet tendencies, this teenager still has to pick her wardrobe up off of the bedroom floor. “My mom always says, ‘If you don’t clean up your clothes, I’m going to throw them away!’” —Marcy Medina

EMMA’S OTHER TWEEN FAVORITES DESIGNERS: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Petro Zillia. MUSIC: Michelle Branch, Usher, JoJo. COLOR: Pink. FASHION ROLE MODELS: Sarah Jessica Parker, JEWELRY: Dangly earrings from Claire’s and Kate Bosworth. Claire Danes in Planet Blue. FAVORITE ACTRESS: . Claire Danes in Zac Posen with SHOES: Uggs. FOODS: Pasta, chicken, rice. Sophie Dahl the designer. ROBERTS BY TYLER DANES BOYE; AND POSEN BY KEITH SMITH BY GARRARD WIREIMAGE;