Beauty and The

CHEERIO, SPRING 2013 COLLECTIONS LONDON LONDON GILES, MULBERRY, MEADHAM KIRCHHOFF AND MORE. PAGE 4 OPEN RANGE WRANGLER OPENS FIRST FREESTANDING STORE IN EUROPE. PAGE 8 EXCLUSIVE Iconix in the Hunt To Buy HMX Group By VICKI M. YOUNG NEW YORK — HMX Group is fielding interest from potential buyers — and Iconix Brand Group Inc. is among the strongest suitors. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 ■ $3.00 ■ WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY This isn’t the fi rst time Iconix has shown interest in the fi nancially troubled men’s wear company, according WWD to market sources. But its interest is said to have “in- tensifi ed” in recent weeks, with the fi rm now seeking partners it can work with to complete a deal. Iconix is a brand-management company and would need a partner or partners to manage the operations of HMX. Sources said that in any Iconix-led transaction, the company and its partners would share HMX’s equity, although Iconix would most likely own the trademarks. The new owners would continue to operate all of HMX’s current brands, which include Hart Schaffner Marx, Hickey Freeman, Bobby Jones and Coppley. A spokeswoman for Iconix declined comment Wednesday. Doug Williams, chief executive offi cer of HMX, said, “The company doesn’t speculate on market rumors. SKNL, management and its advisers are completely fo- cused on ensuring the future of HMX and its brands.” HMX’s history originated from the now-defunct Hartmarx Corp., which was acquired out of bank- ruptcy by Indian fi rm S. Kumars Nationwide Ltd. in August 2009 and renamed HMX. London-based Emerisque Brands holds a minority stake in HMX. While Williams and Joseph Abboud, president and chief creative offi cer of HMX, have been working to turn the group around, the men’s wear fi rm has had issues this year regarding its fi nancial structure. In August, the company closed on a new fi nancing facility with Salus Capital Partners. The new one replaced the facility HMX had with its former lending group, led by Wells Fargo and J.P. Morgan. Approval of the new facility was fi nalized in June Beauty but hit a roadblock due to a required cash infusion from SKNL that never arrived. The initial glitch And SEE PAGE 12 Hedi’s New YSL Look The Bus By MILES SOCHA If there’s any city where the PARIS — To catch a glimpse of Hedi Slimane’s latest and largest handiwork for Yves Saint Laurent to date, clothes seem as good on the there’s no need to wait for his runway show here on ® streets — and at times even Oct. 1 — but you’ll have to hop a plane to Shanghai. THEY ARE WEARING better — than those on the On Tuesday, YSL is slated to open a 3,200-square- foot Saint Laurent Paris boutique in the Reel runways, it’s London. The looks around town Department Store on Nanjing Road West. It’s the during the recent collections only reinforced that, fi rst unit in the world to refl ect a new fl oor-to-ceiling like the one worn here, mixing structure and black store concept developed by Slimane, who is applying a 360-degree makeover to the mythic fashion house. with a breezy girly shape in a pretty print. For more The second Slimane-designed unit, spanning 5,400 on the city’s street fashion, see page 10. square feet, is slated to open in Berlin in November — an enlarged and revamped store at 52 Kurfürstendamm. A 9,600-square-foot, two-level fl agship at 53 Avenue Montaigne here is slated for a February opening. The retail developments were disclosed in an exclusive interview with YSL president and chief executive offi cer Paul Deneve. He described an ambi- tious growth strategy designed to seize on the “new creative brand vision” of Slimane and catapult YSL, owned by retail-to-luxury conglomerate PPR, to match the scale of its French couture peers Chanel and Christian Dior. “That level of business is what we want to build. That’s the potential I would like to develop,” Deneve said, stressing that everyone from the Pinault family, PPR’s reference shareholder, to the rank and fi le at YSL are united behind that objective. “We’re pre- paring to revolutionize fashion again, as Mr. Saint Laurent did in the Sixties.” PHOTO BY KUBA DABROWSKI SEE PAGE 12 2 WWD WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 WWD.COM exclusive the Briefing Box Disney Shops Headed for Penney’s in Today’s WWd stores. The Penney’s deal is the latest one aimed By DaviD Moin at raising the profile of Disney products. The en- ’’ tertainment company has linked with Barneys new J.C. Penney will oPen Disney children’s bou- york for the retailer’s holiday campaign, “electric Freddie Fox tiques in at least 520 stores next fall, advancing the Holiday,” which features a short film starring and Tamzin plan to transform its selling floors from an open sea of Disney characters. in addition, Disney worked with Merchant racks to being totally merchandised by shops-in-shop. a group of British fashion designers to create outfits at the Disney products are widely distributed to other re- for Minnie Mouse, which were exhibited this week Mulberry tailers such as Macy’s, wal-Mart and Kohl’s. However, in london to raise funds for the British Fashion show. those are licensed products whereas the products to Council/Bazaar Fashion arts Foundation charity. be sold at Penney’s will be designed and sourced by Penney’s is also expected to continue selling li- Disney Consumer Products exclusively for Penney’s, censed Disney products in other departments such as well as Disney stores and theme parks. as tweens, boys and girls. “Joe Fresh was a big deal. Disney is as big of a The Disney deal bolsters Penney’s efforts to re- deal,” liz Sweney, J.C. Penney Co. inc.’s chief mer- vamp its children’s department for back-to-school chant, said in an exclusive interview Tuesday. next year and could serve as a magnet to attract other The Disney deal gives Penney’s an edge on the com- brands, just like the Joe Fresh announcement in July. Jenkins im t petition by providing exclusive and potentially higher- Children’s wear at Penney’s will include shops for quality Disney branded Carter’s, Giggle (selling by products and some products under its own Photo unique interactive ele- label and other suppli- ments, including a video The merchandise and the ers) and Disney. Cynthia HMX Group is fielding interest from potential buyers — and wall in the back of the Rowley and Tori Spelling Iconix Brand Group is among the strongest suitors. PAGE 1 shops, which Penney’s experience will be unique to have exclusive collections is calling a mini-theater. and will be merchandised Yves Saint Laurent is slated to open a 3,200-square-foot The wall could be pro- J.C. Penney, Disney Stores to stand out, but without Saint Laurent Paris boutique Tuesday in the Reel Department grammed with Disney their own shops. Store on Nanjing Road West in Shanghai. PAGE 1 trailers, cartoons or Today at a mock-up shorts. The shops could and Disney theme parks. inside a store in Dallas, J.C. Penney will open Disney children’s boutiques inside at also at times be popu- Penney’s will unveil to least 520 stores next fall. PAGE 2 lated by associates in cos- It’s a very different situation retail analysts shops-in- tumes of Disney charac- shop for Disney, Haggar, IBM’s Birth of a Trend project is mining social media to ters to hype new products from dealing with licenses. Dockers, Carter’s and find the next big thing. PAGE 5 and films. Giggle, in addition to Zhang Na of Fake Natoo represents what is good and fresh The Disney shops — Liz Sweney, j.c. penney co. inc. those previously shown will range in size from in July for Joe Fresh, about young Chinese designers. PAGE 5 750 to 1,100 square feet levi’s, the jcp private and, according to Sweney, will command prominent brand, liz Claiborne, izod, arizona and i Jeans by Chaiken, the San Francisco-based sportswear brand, is space. Costumes, plush toys, figurines, footwear, Buffalo. By the end of 2013, Penney’s expects to putting the pieces together to become a factor again in sleepwear, underwear, backpacks, lunch totes and have 40 unique shops-in-shop on its selling floors. the fast-growing contemporary market. PAGE 5 apparel for boys, girls and babies will be in the as- Cosabella amore, Cosmopolitan, Maidenform, vanity sortment, which will be composed of 60 percent Fair and arizona Kids are among the labels also be A preview of Paris Fashion Week, with designers to softlines and 40 percent hard goods. The products, putting up shops. Ultimately, Penney’s expects to watch and things to do while in the City of Light. PAGE 6 also to be sold on jcp.com, will feature Disney char- have 100 shops-in-shop, some with multiple brands. acters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Goofy, Penney’s has long sold Disney licensed products, Pomellato is trying its hand at silver and will toast its and characters from Disney movies like “Snow but when Ron Johnson became Penney’s chief execu- premiere silver collection, Pomellato 67, on Thursday with white,” “Cinderella” and “Toy Story.” tive officer about a year ago, “we started talking about an event during Milan Fashion Week.

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