UNITED PARTIES THE WASHINGTON SOCIAL SCENE SHOWED THAT POLITICS ALL CHANGE DON’T HAVE TO STAND IN THE DIANE VON FURSTENBERG UNVEILS A NEW STORE LOOK IN LAS VEGAS. WAY OF A GOOD CELEBRATION. PAGE 3 PAGE 11

TAKES DESIGN REINS Wang Gets to Work Remaking Balenciaga

By MILES SOCHA

PARIS — Alexander Wang, who started this week as Balenciaga’s new creative director, didn’t waste any time requesting a look at the French house’s rich fashion archive. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 Q WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY Q $3.00 “‘Immediately,’ he said, ‘I want to see the archives. WWD I want to understand the culture behind the brand,’” said Isabelle Guichot, chief executive officer of Balenciaga, which revealed Wang’s appointment on Monday, confi rming a report in WWD on Friday. “He could have slept there almost.” On Monday, Wang was busy shooting his pre- fall look books at a studio space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, so chosen because it could accommodate Nast y his mirror and plywood staircase set. When asked about Balenciaga, Wang demurred, saying only, “We’re still fi guring things out.” The focus was on his own collection, which was built around the idea of “blurriness and mélange,” an antidote to last season’s precise, linear look. As usual And he avoided color, working primarily in black, white and gray with a smattering of brown and “amaretto.” There were tailored jackets, vests and pants but the collection had a softer edge that was still quite sporty. Scarf dresses came in suede and sueded jersey, while other tops and dresses were inspired by athletes’ jer- seys. Sweatshirts were also a big motif, in tweeds, in- Nice tarsias and jacquard. That seductive combo When a guest remarked that one might fi nd a hint got Michael Kors of Balenciaga in the egg-shaped line of one printed silk sweatshirt, Wang only smiled. thinking for pre-fall. But his appreciation for, and curiosity about, At his showroom on Balenciaga’s heritage was among the qualities that Monday, the designer COLLECTIONS helped him win the post at one of Paris’ most storied and — in recent years — directional houses. couldn’t contain PRE-FALL2013 An ability to project the brand into a new stage his enthusiasm for of development, bring additional modernity, and Scarlett Johansson’s understand the “technical culture” and craftsman- ship of the house were among other criteria Guichot upcoming Broadway turn SEE PAGE 8 in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” “Scarlett takes me to Elizabeth Taylor, which takes me to Ava Gardner, and to Madonna,” he said. L.A. Ports Strike Drags On “It’s the idea of sugar and spice.” To wit: By MARCY MEDINA Kors’ ladylike lace skirt topped with a tough leather moto jacket. For more on Kors’ LOS ANGELES — As the strike at the nation’s busi- collection, see wwd.com/fashion-news. est ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach reached day six on Monday, the current and projected economic For more pre-fall, see page 4. impact weighed on those in the industry. With operations at 10 of the 14 cargo container ter- minals shut down, about a dozen container ships sat off- shore over the weekend, unable to unload or load cargo. Another 10 ships were scheduled to arrive Monday. Each ship carries about fi ve warehouses’ worth of goods. Based on last year’s estimates, about $1 billion a day in freight normally moves through the ports at this time of year. Last year, the two ports handled about 40 percent of the total value of all cargo con- tainer imports entering the U.S. Apart from the impact on national retail, the strike is considered potentially disastrous for the Southern California economy because the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are crucial to the re- gion’s trucking and transport industry, which em- ploys about 595,000 people. Economists have placed the impact at about $1 bil- lion a day in forfeited worker pay, missing revenue for truckers and other businesses, and the value of the cargo that has been diverted to other ports includ- ing Oakland, Calif.; Mexico, and the Panama Canal. Others believe the fi gure is infl ated and caution that the immediate impact on the retail industry could be manageable. “The immediate impact should be minor if it lasts only a week. Of course, it’s a negative to lose port- and transportation-related wages each day, but in terms of PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO SEE PAGE 6 2 WWD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 Dolce, Gabbana Lawyer Seeks Dismissal 2004 sale of the Dolce & Gabbana THE BRIEFING BOX By LUISA ZARGANI and D&G brands to the design- ers’ Luxembourg-based holding IN TODAY’S WWD MILAN — A lawyer acting for company, Gado Srl. The Italian Domenico Dolce and Stefano tax police reportedly consider Gabbana on Monday asked a judge Gado essentially a legal entity Zoe Colivas here to dismiss tax evasion charg- used to avoid higher corporate es against the designers and sev- taxes in Italy. eral of their business associates. A separate criminal probe into The designers’ lawyer, Massimo supposed tax irregularities at the Dinoia, asked judge Antonella Dolce & Gabbana Group was part Brambilla to overrule all the ju- of the case dismissed in April. dicial documents and procedures Those accusations address un- against the designers, who are paid taxes of 200 million euros, or charged with omitted and unfaith- $258.7 million. ful earnings declarations. Dinoia In a speech delivered calmly was speaking for the lawyers of the yet firmly, Dinoia said Gado was other defendants, as well. first seen as a “simulated screen,”

The request was made during but now the two designers were GRIMA CLYDE ROBERT PHOTO BY the first hearing of the trial in a being considered the “economic Alexander Wang, who started this week as Balenciaga’s Milan courthouse. None of the beneficiaries” of that firm. new creative director, didn’t waste any time requesting a defendants attended. The lawyer said the accusa- look at the French house’s rich fashion archive. PAGE 1 Prosecutors Laura Pedio and Stefano Gabbana tions are unclear, citing “ineffable Gaetano Ruta rejected all the ob- and Domenico Dolce fogginess of the charges. We are As the strike at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach jections made by Dinoia. IMAGES RAULE/GETTY JACOPO BY PHOTO entirely in the dark. All that has reached day six on Monday, the current and projected been netted has been declared.” Brambilla will hand down a economic impact weighed on those in the industry. PAGE 1 decision on Dec. 14 on Dinoia’s objections. Ruta replied that the accusations were “modified

Among the exceptions, Dinoia cited files that as per the guidelines underscored by the Supreme were deposited tardily and “a totally revolutionary Court” and that there was “no absolute overturning Dior Homme continued its retail expansion by opening a overturning of the charges,” referring to the lat- or new and additional facts.” new store in Miami’s Design District on Saturday. PAGE 3 est charges in the case. While the accusations first Following the hearing, lawyer Fabio Cagnola hinged on fraud, now they revolve around omission who, together with Giuseppe Bana, is defending the Fashion followers of the Duchess of Cambridge will have of tax declaration, the lawyer contended. The de- designers’ accountant Luciano Patelli, explained to watch her style adapt over the next seven months or so: signers were originally absolved of the claims by a that if the judge grants the defendants’ requests to the duchess is pregnant. PAGE 4 lower court in April 2011, but the Italian Supreme dismiss the case, it will return to the hands of the Court in November overturned that decision, saying prosecutors to see if they want to reformulate it. Events put on by each of the political parties highlighted that tax avoidance, or tax mitigation, on an earnings In April 2011, deeming there was no foundation the social calender in Washington this past week. PAGE 9 declaration is a criminal offense under the law. for a trial, judge Simone Luerti dismissed the charg- Following investigations that began in 2008, ini- es against Dolce and Gabbana and five other defen- Rupert Murdoch on Monday confirmed the death of the tiated by the Guardia di Finanza, an Italian police dants, including Dolce’s brother and board member, Daily, his nearly two-year-old iPad magazine. PAGE 9 force under the authority of the national minister of Alfonso Dolce, and managing director and board economy and finance, both designers were charged member Cristiana Ruella. Milan-based prosecutor ON WWD.COM with alleged tax evasion totaling 416 million euros, Laura Pedio appealed to the Supreme Court, which or $540 million at current exchange, related to the issued its ruling after about six months. MODEL CALL: From her enviable brows to a wise-beyond- her-years eloquence, it’s easy to see what puts Zoe Colivas in such high demand. For more, see WWD.com/eye. Retail, Real Estate Opportunities Seen at ICSC CORRECTION Emerald and yellow diamond rings from de Grisogono Canada. Since Topshop opened 14 months ago, sales were incorrectly captioned on page 10, Monday. By JEAN E. PALMIERI increased to $750 a square foot from $200, he re- vealed. Two additional Topshop units opened after TO E-MAIL REPORTERS AND EDITORS AT WWD, THE ADDRESS IS NEW YORK — With the U.S. economy still sputter- that, each one larger than Yorkdale, and sales volume [email protected], USING THE INDIVIDUAL’S NAME. ing, the global landscape in disarray and property is even higher, he said, without providing numbers. WWD IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT ©2012 FAIRCHILD FASHION MEDIA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. values and interest rates at historically low levels, “We’ve added tremendous volume to these buildings VOLUME 204, NO. 115. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012. WWD (ISSN 0149–5380) is published daily (except Saturdays, now is the time to invest in retail and real estate. and we’re bringing in a younger customer who is also Sundays and holidays, with one additional issue in May, June, October and December, and two additional issues in February, That was the message delivered at the opening cross-shopping,” he said. March, April, August, September and November) by Fairchild Fashion Media, which is a division of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided by Condé Nast: session of the International Council of Shopping Another advantage is that the Bay stores are S.I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, Chief Executive Officer; Robert A. Sauerberg Jr., President; John W. Center’s national conference and deal-making con- tweaked to appeal to the local market. For instance, Bellando, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer; Jill Bright, Chief Administrative Officer. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian vention here Monday morning. units in Toronto and Vancouver offer The Room, a Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 886549096-RT0001. Canada Post: return undeliverable Canadian addresses to Jonathan Gray, global head of real estate for The department Baker described as “Bergdorf ’s meets P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615 5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, Blackstone Group, said that while conventional wis- Barneys,” that offer high-end designer brands includ- OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008, call 800- dom may be urging caution, conventional wisdom is ing Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Christian Louboutin 289-0273, or visit www.subnow.com/wd. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. For New York Hand Delivery Service address changes or inquiries, please contact Mitchell’s NY at 1-800-662-2275, often wrong. He said retail rents are headed higher and Giorgio Armani. option 7. Subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless since the recession led to lower supply of shopping At Lord & Taylor, by offering customers elevated we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription term or up to one year after the magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatisfied with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on centers and building costs are low, so there’s a payoff service and presentation and a more edited assort- all unmailed issues. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all in the future for those willing to take the plunge. ment than its competitors, the business has seen a editorial, business, and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permissions requests, please call 212-630-5656 or fax the request to 212-630-5883. For all request for reprints Richard Baker, governor and chairman of 25 percent growth rate over the past three years, he of articles please contact The YGS Group at [email protected], or call 800-501-9571. Visit us online at Hudson’s Bay Co., and chief executive officer of Lord said. As a result, additional reinvestments are in the www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild Fashion Media magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub. & Taylor, agreed. He said over the next five years, offing here as well and will include the completion com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully 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 his company will spend $1 billion reinvesting in its of a significant renovation project at the chain’s Fifth P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE businesses to position them for growth. Avenue flagship. “We’re seeing tremendous growth so FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER Baker said that when his real estate company, NRDC we’re confident to reinvest,” he said. UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR Equity Partners, purchased Hudson’s Bay and Lord & In addition to enhancing the productivity of the CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A Taylor in 2008, he initially viewed it as a “real estate company’s existing real estate, Baker said the Internet SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE. deal.” But once the growth prospects became visible, is also posting strong sales. “It’s on fire,” he said. “We he realized it was “an operating company deal.” will have over $80 million a year in volume increases N E HBC, which went public on the Toronto Stock in the Internet over the next five years,” he said. W

Exchange last week, is the oldest retailer in the In his presentation, Gray said his company has in- DA world, established in 1670, and has virtually no vested $46 billion in retail and real estate since the TE competition in the Canadian department store mar- downturn and has had no trouble finding distressed LEADERSHIP ket, he said. However, the stores had posted flat to assets that it could improve and then sell. “We’ve declining sales for more than 20 years before the had the same strategy for 20-plus years,” he said. NRDC acquisition. They were poorly merchandised “Buy it, fix it and sell it.” Global credit issues have and highly promotional and “not very exciting,” he been “broad and deep,” and the economic growth said. But the new team revitalized the business by has been quite weak both in the U.S. and interna- adding new brands and revamping the floors, and tionally, he added, which created opportunity for a sales have risen 15 percent over the past three years. company like Blackstone. He said the 90-plus Bay stores had not been up- This includes $16 billion the company invested in dated since they were built and departments had shopping centers, which are facing “big headwinds” HUANG HUNG not been “right-sized.” For instance, the store in as department stores continue to disappear and EM ANUEL CHIRICO CHINA INTER ACTIVE Toronto’s Yorkdale Shopping Center had devoted centers anchored by other types of retailers are also PVH CORP. MEDIA GROUP 56,000 square feet to furniture, electronics and appli- struggling. But the proverbial silver lining is that ances, but the new team downsized those categories shopping center supply has contracted significant- to 25,000 square feet and lost no volume. The extra ly so the centers that remain are facing a brighter A P PA R E L & R E TA I L C E O S U M M I T space was devoted in part to women’s and men’s future. He said that in 2006, there was 200 million JAN 7-8, 2013 N EW YO RK CIT Y shoes and contemporary fashion and 14,000 square square feet of new shopping center growth, a num- feet were given over to Topshop and Topman. HBC ber that dropped to 8 million this year. “That’s a 96 wwd.com/apparel 212.630.4425 is the exclusive retailer of that popular product in percent decline in new space,” he said. WWD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 3 WWD.COM Dior Homme Opens in Miami

By DAVID LIPKE and MARC KARIMZADEH

DIOR HOMME CONTINUED its retail expansion over the weekend, opening a new store in Miami’s Design District on Saturday. The new unit is Dior Homme’s fifth freestand- ing store in the U.S., joining a freshly renovated flagship on New York’s 57th Street, a unit in New Yo r k ’ s SoHo that opened this past spring, a shop in Beverly Hills and a San Francisco store that bowed last December. Additionally, there are men’s shops within Accessories on display. larger women’s stores in the Ala Moana Center in Hawaii as well as in the Wynn Las Vegas, CityCenter and The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, all in Las Vegas. Next up is a freestand- ing Dior Homme unit in Waikiki, Hawaii, slated to DVF Unveils New Format open in early 2014. “The Miami Design District is fast becoming a At Forum Shops in Vegas premier luxury retail destination in the United States,” said Pamela Baxter, president and chief of accessory areas in most of executive officer of Christian Dior Inc. and presi- By RACHEL BROWN von Furstenberg’s existing dent and ceo of LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics WEBER stores. Accessories in the store North America. “With the evolving economic land- DIANE VON FURSTENBERG are handbags, shoes, belts scape in South America we’re seeing increased BRUCE unveiled a new store prototype and sunglasses, and they are BY A still from Bruce Weber’s tourism among a distinctly affluent social group short film for Dior Homme. at The Forum Shops at Caesars displayed on an illuminated

who, too, are looking to enjoy the best of Miami’s PHOTO Palace in Las Vegas on Saturday. tiered glass table at the store’s luxury experiences.” The space is the first entrance as well as in the ac- Since August, Cartier, Celine and Louis Vuitton side, with belts and ties stocked toward the rear. major store design update cessories lounge. have opened stores in Miami’s Design District. Prada Accessories, denim, footwear and the cash wrap for the New Yo r k - b a s e d “This is a store concept that is set to open a unit on Thursday and Hermès, Pucci, are compartmentalized on the left side. brand since the opening of its really shows the importance of Berluti and Agnona are readying stores in the area “We have not operated any wholesale distribu- store on Washington Street accessories and the direction as well, joining existing tenants like Maison Martin tion for Dior Homme in the Miami area for quite in Manhattan’s Meatpacking we would like to go in terms of Margiela, Christian Louboutin and Marni. some time now,” noted Baxter of the newfound District in 2007. Developed building our accessory and shoe Much of the retail real estate in the neigh- availability of the brand in the city. with Kramer Design Group, it business,” said Sutter, who elab- borhood is owned by Miami Design District A seating area at the back is adjacent to a comes as the brand is accel- orated, “Right now, it is relative- Associates, a partnership between Dacra, a Miami dressing room, facing a four-screen plasma dis- erating retail expansion and ly small in relation to the size of real estate development firm, and L Real Estate, play that will showcase an exclusive Bruce Weber- endeavoring to build a bigger our ready-to-wear business, but a Luxembourg-based equity fund, in which LVMH lensed short film titled “Can I Make the Music accessories business. it is a big focus for us.” Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton is a minority investor. Fly,” commissioned by Dior Homme as a perma- “The brand was ready to The Forum Shops store is The Dior Homme space was vacant prior to the nent installation in the store. release a new prototype,” von Furstenberg’s second in brand assuming the lease. The single-floor shop The film will be unveiled at an opening party said Paula Sutter, president of Las Vegas. The brand was part is fronted by a curtain of stainless steel blades Wednesday night during Art Basel, hosted by Weber, Diane von Furstenberg Studio of the initial 2008 retail lineup across the facade. Inside, the sleek design scheme Dior Homme artistic director Kris Van Assche, and LP. “We really felt like at this of The Shoppes at The Palazzo, includes polished concrete floors, stainless steel W magazine’s editor in chief Stefano Tonchi. point in the brand’s growth, we and Sutter said it would re- accents, white lacquer shelving units and mill- The film’s cast includes model Mason; violinists were looking for a fresh take on main at that shopping center. work details in white, black or gray lacquer. Charlie Siem, 26, and Claudius Agrippa, 10; and our store design, and we want- The brand declined to spec- Watches and sunglasses are merchandised Sergei Polunin, the Ukranian ballet dancer who ed a store design that reflected ify exact sales of the Las Vegas near the entrance. Ready-to-wear lines the right was formerly with the London Royal Ballet. Set in all the brand attributes.” locations. However, Sutter New York City, it fuses ballet and classical music Von Furstenberg said, “Las described the performance at through these talents with several vignettes. Vegas is such a lively place to the store in The Forum Shops

CADEN “Dior Homme asked me to make a film for their be and we are so excited to ex- as “really strong” in its initial new store in Miami — which is my hometown and pand our presence there. The three days. Industry sources also the hometown of a great ballet company and new store concept is such a estimate that the shopping RICHARD

BY orchestra — and, last but not least, the hometown strong reflection of the brand.” center produces $1,600 in of the Miami Heat,” said Weber. “I made this film The 2,000-square-foot store sales per square foot annually,

PHOTO with all of that in mind; as well as my love for clas- has a gallerylike black-and- meaning the von Furstenberg sical music and how sometimes the wildness of the white interior that provides store should expect to register fourth quarter of a basketball game is like the giant a stark contrast to the bold at least $3.2 million in yearly leap of a ballet dancer.” prints and colors used in the sales there. “We are superopti- Dior Homme gave Weber carte blanche. “He clothing. The store carries mistic. It happens to be a great is an incredibly talented photographer and film- the full range of Diane von city for Diane von Furstenberg. maker, and one of the most influential figures in Furstenberg ready-to-wear, Our brand is right for Vegas,” the world of fashion in the past 30 years,” said Van including dresses, sportswear, said Sutter. Assche. “He has a very personal aesthetic. It is al- eveningwear and DVF 1974. Von Furstenberg currently Inside the new Design District store. ways interesting to see an artist’s reinterpretation “You really see some of the has 58 freestanding stores and of my work as it makes them really unique.” things that are very much the 27 in-store shops worldwide. DNA of the brand,” said Sutter. This year, Sutter said the “We are a color authority, so brand, which von Furstenberg having the black and white as told WWD in August gener- a strong background was an ates $500 million in annual important move. That is done retail sales, opened 28 stores with black steel frames.” and shops-in-shop combined, Michael Kors Gifts $1 Million At the rear of the store is an double the number opened accessories lounge featuring in 2011. “Going forward, the the brand’s iconic lip pattern goal of the company is really that, at 500 square feet, occu- to build our retail portfolio,” To Create Scholarship at FIT pies roughly twice the space said Sutter.

NEW YORK — Michael Kors is giving back to his talent that passes through its doors. alma mater. The designer made a $1 million gift “You have a lot of amazing kids who don’t have The exterior of the store to the Fashion Institute of Technology, which will the financial wherewithal,” he told WWD. “I felt at The Forum Shops. establish the Michael Kors Endowed Scholarship that it’s more than a scholarship. It’s also mentor- at the school. ship. I love the idea that we’re able to work with The new scholarship will go to a student them from A to Z.” each year who demonstrates exceptional talent The first student to receive the Michael Kors in fashion design, and will cover the recipient’s Endowed Scholarship will be named next summer entire bachelor’s degree costs, including tuition, in time to start in the fall. housing and books. It will also feature a mentor- “This wonderful endowment reflects Michael’s ship element with internship opportunities at characteristic thoughtfulness, sense of purpose Michael Kors. and spirit of generosity,” FIT president Dr. Joyce Kors, who studied at FIT in the late Brown said. “He is creating an incomparable op- Seventies but dropped out to start working, portunity for the talented students who come to credited the state school for providing him with the college — as he did — to fulfil their dreams. a comprehensive fashion design curriculum he We are deeply grateful.” called “unparalleled” and praised the top-notch — M.K.

ZDDLQGG 30  4 WWD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

Lela Rose: “Texture, jagged edges, prints and expanses of color” was the gist of RICCI’S LATEST ACT Lela Rose’s collection, WHEN NINA which was inspired by the Ricci launched Pre-Fall 2013 paintings of Clyfford Still. a capsule collec- These elements surfaced in Lela Rose Rena Lange Elie Tahari tion called Les rough-edged, graphic lace Envies for spring, overlays on sheaths and as it aimed to cre- driplike embroideries on ate must-have tops. There were also soft pieces that draw pants, quirky jackets and from the house’s tweedy cocktail dresses, Parisian codes, done mostly in a rich while priced at palette that also mirrored around 20 percent Still’s abstract art. below the runway collection. The Rena Lange: The Rena inaugural season Lange design team (new was picked up by creative director Annick retailers including Gorman starts in January) Barneys New York, utilized a mix of materials Neiman Marcus, including wool, cotton Net-a-porter and, crochet, jersey and sequins internationally, to create texture and Harrods, Harvey pattern for pre-fall. The Nichols and dress was a main shape — Mytheresa.com. be it a sophisticated On Monday, the sheath with organza A look Puig-owned brand cutouts or a pretty crochet from the brought the fall lace day style — while fall 2013 2013 lineup, which easy jackets were paired collection. is also designed

IANNACCONE with well-cut trousers and by Peter Copping, lightweight jeans. to New York to

THOMAS show to buyers and Elie Tahari: Leather was a

AND editors. (A Paris key component in Elie presentation of Tahari’s collection, from the same collection is being planned dur- his signature jackets, this ERICKSEN ing the January haute couture.) Priced at time with knit insets, to suggested retail from $435 for tops to $1,990 KYLE FOR MORE laser-cut dresses. He also for a gown, the lineup features many Ricci PRE-FALL played with embroidery, COVERAGE, SEE touches, like ultrafeminine lace details

CHINSEE, working it on bedazzled and pretty sorbet hues. A white lace A-line leggings and delicate, dress was shown under a pink cardigan, WWD.com/ transparent dresses, while GEORGE fashion-news. and a seafoam green cardi-and-T-shirt

BY prints were done in digital combo was teamed with a black lace skirt. painterly motifs and strong A flower scribble print added to the clothes’ geometric patterns. PHOTOS innocent charm.

states that Lee Tillett’s Kroma Bosworth. “I have always been The store plans to make “consists solely of a descriptive a fan of the Topshop brand, and the track available through FASHION SCOOPS term and lacks any inherent it has been an honor to work iTunes, and viewers will also distinctive meaning to the with Sir Phillip [Green] and the be able to download previous relevant consuming public team. I hope everyone enjoys movies starring Bosworth, “The NEW HEIR: Fashion followers which, at the time, had just and therefore, is conceptually watching it as much as we did Fabulous Baker Boys” and films of the Duchess of Cambridge will hired former Tahari executive weak.” A call and e-mail to making it.” directed by Polish. have to watch her style adapt creative director Kobi Halperin Kroma Makeup were not The short film, which The film is part of a full over the next seven months or as consulting creative director. returned by press time. shows the American actress campaign that will run across so. As the world now knows, There are no immediate plans — RACHEL BROWN performing on a stage in a all social media platforms, the duchess is pregnant. St. to replace Wilts, and Tahari theater, has been directed by digital advertising, topshop. James’ Palace confirmed the will continue to design the TOPSHOP TIDINGS: Kate Bosworth the Hollywood film director com, cinemas, billboards, giant speculation Monday when it collection with the in-house is the mystery songstress in Michael Polish — who also screens installed in Topshop revealed Kate was suffering team. — MARC KARIMZADEH Topshop’s first Christmas happens to be Bosworth’s fiancé flagships and interactive audio from hyperemesis gravidarum movie, which will be unveiled — and is inspired by Michelle windows globally. — otherwise known as acute C OR K?: When Chroma Makeup today. Bosworth sings a Pfeiffer’s famous scene in “The — SAMANTHA CONTI morning sickness — which Studio took issue recently with soulful adaptation of “Winter Fabulous Baker Boys.” requires supplementary the Kardashians’ makeup line Wonderland,” dressed in The makeup used in the NEXT MOVE: Renaud Dutreil quietly hydration and nutrition. Khroma Beauty by Kourtney, a sparkling, custom-made film will be available to order exited his role as chairman Clarence House said the Kim and Khloé’s name, it wasn’t Topshop evening dress that she immediately on topshop.com. of the North American arm of pregnancy is in its “very early the only cosmetics company designed together with the in- The dress and shoes will be sold LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis stages,” and that the duchess is to do so. Lee Tillett Inc., an house team. as special, made-to-order items Vuitton last summer after four expected to stay in hospital for Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based “This project brings together on topshop.com in conjunction years, but the former member several days. She will require business that sells a line called two important aspects of my with the opening of the Los of France’s parliament has no a period of rest thereafter. No Kroma Makeup, sent a cease- life: cinema and fashion,” said Angeles store in February. plans to return to politics. matter the sex of the child, and-desist letter on June 28 to Tonight, Dutreuil is staging it will succeed to the throne, Boldface Licensing + Branding, a party to unveil one of the as the British parliament holder of the license for the ventures he has been involved has agreed to pass a law for Kardashian makeup line, with — the Brazilian lifestyle equality. — JULIA NEEL claiming that Khroma Beauty brand Duplo-T — as well as infringed upon its trademark. the release of the Brazilian SHORT STINT: After roughly six Lee Tillett applied to register movie “Heleno.” months on the job, Elie Tahari the mark Kroma in 2010. “Duplo-T is a lifestyle brand creative director Ingo Wilts has Boldface replied to Lee born in 1931 and inspired by exited to return to Europe for Tillett’s letter on July 18 with the beauty of Brazilian football, personal reasons, according to its own letter denying the the magic of the Fifties and the company. “We are grateful infringement allegations, but the incredible spirit of the to the many contributions Ingo it didn’t stop there. Boldface Brazilian people,” Dutreuil said has made to the company and has struck back at Lee Tillett in an e-mail he sent out Monday wish him every success in the by filing a lawsuit Friday in afternoon. “It is a brand I have future,” Elie Tahari said. “He is a the United States District discovered two years ago and gentle soul and I loved working Court Central District of which I have immediately loved

with him.” California Western Division to POLISH and acquired to bring it back Tahari had tapped Wilts seek a declaratory judgment to life.” He is launching the in June. The Germany native that it’s use of the word brand with partners like Kely had been senior vice president Khroma doesn’t infringe on Kate Bosworth MICHAEL Nascimento, the photographer BY and creative director of Lee Tillett’s use of Kroma. for Topshop. and daughter of legendary

Kenneth Cole Productions, Boldface’s legal complaint PHOTO soccer player Pele. — M.K. WWD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 5 WWD.COM Lam Launches Footwear Gucci Opens 5th Store in India Sunny Lam, contend that they at this time, at 1,345 square feet, and the DLF By RACHEL STRUGATZ wanted the footwear to look like By MAYU SAINI Emporio mall in New Delhi, which has one of different shoes were cut up and the larger outlets, at 3,875 square feet. NEW YORK — Derek Lam will then put back together. With a NEW DELHI — Gucci has opened its largest While many luxury brands have been look- expand his contemporary acces- color palette that mirrors the cor- store in India at The Oberoi hotel in Gurgaon. ing at India as a long-term investment, di Marco sories offering with a footwear col- responding ready-to-wear-collec- The 4,220-square-foot store on two floors is believes a globally successful company should lection for 10 Crosby Derek Lam. tion, the platform oxfords, pointy the brand’s fifth in India. Patrizio di Marco, play a supporting role in the market’s devel- Following the launch booties in varying heights, Gucci’s president and chief executive officer, opment. “This is why we decided to enter the of bags for spring, the de- peep-toe wedges and san- made his second visit to India in two years for Indian market directly in 2009. At a certain signer will introduce the dals come in combinations the opening. point, an important brand like Gucci, whose line’s first shoe collec- of black, navy and gray, “In India there is a certain learning curve lifeblood is its retail network, has to take this tion today for the pre- brown, tan and gold and that every brand needs to embark on,” he said. responsibility, in order to ensure that the brand fall season though a li- red, burgundy and dark “In the last couple of years we have seen a experience is delivered to the highest standard censing agreement with brown. Leather, suede steady growth in business in our stores, which and thereby nurture and strengthen the re- Schwartz and Benjamin and calf hair are are fully meeting our expectations and giving lationship with its customers and other local (the firm will also pro- often paired togeth- us reason for great confidence in the long-term stakeholders,” he said. duce footwear for Lam’s er, and other design potential that India offers us.” He explained that a dual focus was needed — main collection start- details include Part of the learning curve for the compa- to create a wider awareness of and appreciation ing with the spring sea- A 10 Crosby printed haircalf, ny has been the previous two associations in for the brand, while at the same time offering son). Last month, former Derek Lam wedge. colorblocked denim, India, with the Murjani Group and later with exclusive locations for the most sophisticated parent company Labelux artisanal stitching and a second joint venture. Now all five stores and evolved clientele. “If we look at our stores sold Derek Lam International notched circle buckles. are run directly by the company, unlike many in the country, you can appreciate how we are LLC back to its founders — Lam Lam introduced 10 Crosby global brands that are in India with franchise executing against this dual focus,” he said. and chief executive officer Jan- Derek Lam late last year for re- agreements or joint ventures. While many luxury brands are still trying to Hendrik Schlottmann — after sort deliveries, and will introduce The Indian luxury market has been growing figure out what Indian consumers like, di Marco acquiring a majority stake in the handbags — which will retail from fast and is expected to see continued expansion is very clear. “Indian luxury consumers share a company in 2008. $325 to $595 — for spring. — projected figures show a threefold increase passion for fine jewelry and high-end accesso- The 24-style 10 Crosby Derek Schlottmann said the core from 2010 to 2015 to reach $14.72 billion by ries with more mature markets. They also have a Lam footwear collection was con- business has always been ready- 2015, according to A.T. Kearney’s India Luxury deep gifting culture, together with strong brand ceptualized with the idea of lin- to-wear, but he would like to Review 2011 report. consciousness, and we are very aware of this ear and diagonal colorblocking see handbags and shoes eventu- Still, India represents a number of challenges unique cultural phenomenon,” he said. in mind — and heavily influenced ally comprise 50 percent of 10 for luxury, one of the foremost being a lack of His visit to India was followed up by an by French footwear designer Crosby’s business. Since buying choice retail locations. Di Marco remarked that event in Abu Dhabi, where Gucci sponsored the Maud Frizon’s prints and Charles back the company, the executive Gucci would continue to expand “selectively, Grand Prix in the final round of the 2012 Global Jourdan’s advertising campaigns said one of the next steps will be when the right opportunities present themselves.” Champions Tour. from the Seventies. Retail prices opening freestanding 10 Crosby Although most global brands are limited to will range from $295 to $395, with stores. (The contemporary line the major metropolitan cities of New Delhi, knee high boots going up to $575. currently shares a space with the Mumbai and Bangalore, di Marco said that “It’s downtown Derek Lam. main collection.) He projects that Gucci’s growth would be “also in second-tier It’s really inspired by the girls on sales of the diffusion line will cities as part of our long-term strategy for this Crosby Street,” Schlottmann said one day eclipse that of collection, important market.” Monday at the company’s show- but there is equal focus on both. Comparisons with China are inevitable. “In room here in SoHo. “They are two separate teams. particular the retail environment [in India] has “For 10 Crosby, accessories 10 Crosby is growing fast, and col- not seen the same rapid evolution as in China. completes the playful yet chic lection is growing nicely but not There have certainly been some notable devel- look of the collection. The start- as fast,” Schlottmann explained. opments in the last few years, but there is still ing point is always with perfect “The collection is the runway. some way to go before consumers are able to ex- classics, the foundation of great 10 [Crosby] is more fashion, but perience the same level of luxury shopping en- style. From there I twist things up more merchandise driven.” vironments as are available elsewhere,” he said. to create unexpected surprises in Footwear will follow the same Like many luxury brands in India, Gucci the collection,” Lam added. distribution as apparel, which has had its retail outlets in five-star hotels and Gucci’s newest The two, along with creative is carried at Shopbop, Bergdorf then in the luxury mall locations including The outpost in India. director of shoes and accessories Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. Oberoi, New Delhi, which is the smallest store

Saks’ Sadove Talks Luxury at CUNY AQUINO JOHN

Saks plans to expand such top-per- cent of Saks’ volume, Sadove said. BY By ROSEMARY FEITELBERG forming categories as footwear, acces- Having Terron Schaefer appear as a

sories, handbags and jewelry. Jewelry judge on NBC’s “Fashion Star” caused PHOTO NEW YORK — Given the various initia- accounts for 10 to 15 percent of the re- a lot of controversy in the company, but tives underfoot at Saks Inc., it was fit- tailer’s business, Sadove said. And only his involvement has proved to have been ting that chairman and chief executive three months into Louis Vuitton’s first a valuable one for the retailer, Sadove officer Stephen I. Sadove opted to stand freestanding shoe store at the retailer, said. He will once again be a judge in and occasionally walk across the stage at Saks currently ranks second in volume the show’s second season, which starts CUNY’s Graduate Center while talking for the company. in March. Noting that no fees were paid shop Friday morning. While the age of the average Saks to NBC, Sadove said Saks typically got As a leadoff speaker at “Initiatives in shopper is 52, the company’s e-commerce more than 100,000 hits on its Web site Art and Culture,” he didn’t dance around shoppers tend to be in their mid 40s and after each show ended at 11 p.m. as well the retail fallout from the recession, e- more item-driven with their purchases. as hundreds of thousands of dollars in commerce opportunities and international The company now ships to more than 100 sales. Now a minor celebrity in his own expansion plans. In “Saks Fifth Avenue: countries via its Web site. That, coupled right, Schaefer generated $250,000 in One-of-a-Kind Luxury in the 21st Century,” with the fact that in certain stores interna- sales last week during a personal appear- Sadove repeatedly demonstrated how prod- tional tourists generate 15 to 20 percent of ance in Saks’ Miami store. Stephen uct and service continue to be the bedrock the business, has made it unnecessary for Not about to glaze over the impact of the I. Sadove of Saks 87 years after it was founded. “We Saks to open a bevy of new stores overseas. shaky economy, Sadove said when the re- are a $3.5 billion retailer, which sounds Shoppers from emerging markets such as cession struck the luxury industry saw 20 to big but it’s really not in the world of retail. China, Brazil and Russia are contributing 25 percent of its entire business disappear she spoke of “A Lifetime in Design: Macy’s is a $30 billion retailer. Within luxu- to that growth, Sadove said. Bombarded as overnight. “Nobody felt wealthy and they Inspirations from the Ancient World.” ry, we are a big player but within totality of Sadove is with new opportunities for apps said they could shop in their closet. All of a Interspersing slides from ancient civi- retail, we are not,” he said. and other types of digital technology, he sudden the industry had $1 billion of excess lizations and her far-flung travels, she As part of its effort to deliver luxury must ask, “What is really going to change inventory that went to Gilt and other flash illustrated how both sectors influenced experiences and strengthen relationships the behavior of the luxury customer?” sites,” Sadove said. “Now the availability of her collections. McFadden, who intro- with shoppers, Saks flies in hundreds of As for what’s selling post-recession, [that degree of] inventory for flash sites has duced her collection in 1973 and won her its top customers twice a year during New Sadove pointed to unique, one-of-a-kind dried up. What has happened with Gilt and first Coty Award three years later, does Yo r k Fashion Week for the VIP treatment. items and exotic leathers. “They have others is they moved into other areas like not have any plans to part with her early The company’s personal shoppers often come back in what has been a V-effect. travel and dining.” designs. “I do have a vintage collection host those clients — many of whom they They went down a bit and have come back Estimating that the amount of cross- that has toured and been shown in five have become close friends with. Sadove over the last couple of years,” Sadove said. over shoppers patronizing luxury stores different museums, but I don’t plan to said the more entrepreneurial ones sell If Saks’ sales were broken into three and flash sale sites is less than 10 percent, sell it,” she said. a variety of products to their customers, categories — good, better and best (with Sadove said, “There is a role for these Visitors could find some of those cre- not just their area of expertise. In certain good being bridge level clothing) — each sites but I wouldn’t worry about them tak- ations in her Rizzoli-published book locations, anywhere from 10 to 20 percent would account for one-third of business, ing over the industry in the future.” “A Lifetime of Design, Collecting, and of a store’s volume is being generated by Sadove said. The company’s own private The designer Mary McFadden was Adventure,” which McFadden signed these individual associates, Sadove said. label accounts for between 5 and 7 per- very much focused on the past when copies of afterwards.

ZDDLQGG 30  6 WWD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 Industry Starts to Feel Strike Impact Pratt Designs on View at ‘125 Icons’ {Continued from page one} ting on ships right now. A number of our wider impact in retail, most businesses retailers obviously have their holiday By ROSEMARY FEITELBERG have received most of their Christmas goods in stores and distribution centers, inventory and are not going to close but Christmas isn’t the only shopping NEW YORK — The new exhibition shop,” said Esmael Adibi, director for the season. The Super Bowl on Feb. 3 is a “125 Icons” celebrates the work of Pratt Anderson Center for Economic Research big-time TV event, and spring is big for alumni and faculty, and organizers at Chapman University. “If it lasts longer seasonal items like bathing suits, clothes, couldn’t resist throwing in a few extras. than two weeks, it could affect retailers patio furniture and barbecues. That stuff Staged at the school’s Manhattan lo- with lean inventory and production pro- should be moving in the next couple of cation at 144 West 14th Street, the show cesses that depend on parts or nonfinished weeks if not already.” covers the past 125 years dating back goods on the ships.” Kolb noted that during the 10-day Los to Pratt’s inception. Images of cartoon Industry groups the Retail Industry Angeles ports strike in 2002, it was esti- characters Betty Boop and Tom and Leaders Association and the National mated that it took retailers one week to Jerry, a 1955 Ford Thunderbird, Charles Retail Federation last week sent letters recover for every day of the strike. Lindbergh’s “Spirit of St. Louis” air- to President Obama asking him to inter- Although talks between the 800-mem- plane and the Chrysler Building are vene in the strike. On Monday the NRF ber International Longshore and among the Pratt-related designs on dis- renewed the call, releasing a statement Warehouse Union Local 63 Office Clerical play. Howard Richmond’s Life maga- from its president and chief executive of- Unit (OCU) and the Harbor Employers zine logo, a Vera Maxwell ultrasuede ficer, Matthew Shay. Association continued over the week- “The shutdown is already having a end, the two groups are still at odds. Los significant negative economic impact on Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on retailers trying to bring in merchandise Monday called for round-the-clock bar- for their final push for holiday sales and gaining with the help of a mediator. will soon have an impact on consumers. Villaraigosa wrote in a letter to John The work stoppage not only impacts re- Fageaux Jr., president of the OCU, and tailers, but is also affecting their product Stephen L. Berry, chief negotiator for the vendors — many of which are small busi- employers group. The strike is “costing nesses — and other industries like manu- our local economy billions of dollars.” facturers and agricultural exporters that The union had been working without “Ghost World” by Daniel Clowes. rely on the ports.…A protracted strike a contract since June 30, 2010. At issue is will ultimately result in higher prices at the OCU’s concern of losing jobs through dress, George Lois-designed Esquire the very time we can least afford it. This attrition without new hires to replace covers, a “Fantasia” video with Bill strike is now at the national emergency them, and fear that employers will out- Garrity’s sound engineering and Alfred stage impacting industries far and wide,” source new jobs to nonunion workers. Mosher Butts’ Scrabble board game Shay said. The current strike by the clerical are also on view. Frank Eliscu was in “We’re taking it day by day. Each workers has crippled the ports because his early 20s when he sculpted the day that ships linger with our goods on of support from the ILWU dockworkers, Heisman Trophy in 1935. them, it creates a backlog,” said Kelly who have 50,000 members on the U.S. From the fashion arena there are Kolb, vice president of government af- West Coast and in Hawaii and Canada. also images by Lillian Bassman and fairs at RILA, adding that they have not The dockworkers negotiate their con- snapshots of Norman Norell’s de- yet received a response from the White tracts separately, but the 10,000 members signs, as well as actual ensembles by House. “Each of our members is work- who work at the Los Angeles and Long Ted Muehling’s new shell earrings. Betsey Johnson and Jeffrey Banks. It ing through their advertised sales to see Beach ports have honored the clerical was a Pratt alum, Kermit Love, who what products being advertised are sit- unit’s picket lines. dressed Big Bird by figuring out the feather application for Jim Henson’s big-beaked friend. Viewers will also find Ted Muehling jewelry, Marc Rosen’s “K.L.” perfume bottle for Karl Lagerfeld and Robert Mapplethorpe’s album cover for Patti Smith. And Lucia DeRespinis had a hand in creat- ing Dunkin’ Donuts’ logo in 1980 even though she never reaped rewards from her suggestions. Michael Gross’ “Ghostbusters” movie poster was a favorite with the 6,000-plus people who voted for their favorite Pratt designs online to help whittle down the choices. During a pre- view of “125 Icons” on Wednesday, Todd Galitz, vice president for institutional advancement at Pratt, said, “When we were setting up the exhibition, it oc- curred to me that this is an interesting way to tell the history of art, design and architecture in America just with things A George Lois-designed Esquire cover. that Pratt created.” Holiday Shrinkage Seen Rising 4% lifted. Toys are third, while perfume By ARNOLD J. KARR and health and beauty gift packs ranks fourth, men’s toiletries tied for fifth and INCREASES IN RETAIL shrinkage this watches and jewelry were the ninth holiday season might exceed those for most popular classification. retail sales. “The Christmas season is an espe- A study conducted by the Centre cially attractive time for criminals,” said for Retail Research for Checkpoint Joshua Bamfield, director of the Centre Systems suggests that retail losses for Retail Research and author of the from all sources — dishonest employ- report. “Thieves take advantage of busy ees, customer theft and faulty supplier stores to steal high-value, high-demand COACH RENT THE RUNWAY BONOBOS and distribution losses — are expected goods. As a result, retailers face a big David Duplantis Jennifer Hyman Andy Dunn to amount to $8.9 billion during the threat from professional and semipro- period from mid-November through fessional thieves, many of whom steal Christmas, a 4 percent increase over goods with the intention of reselling their level from 2011. them. Organized retail crime is a major The breakdown of the losses, which concern for retailers, especially since theoretically add $98 to every U.S. fam- the average amount stolen per incident ily’s shopping bill, is $4.7 billion sacri- is much higher than ‘normal’ thefts.” wwd.com/jandigital2013 ficed to employee theft, $3.8 billion to Checkpoint Systems markets prod- TO ATTEND: [email protected], 212.630.5926 shoplifting and $400 million attributable ucts and programs to minimize retail TO SPONSOR: [email protected], 212.630.4425 to vendor and distribution losses. shrinkage. Women’s apparel and accessories Earlier this year, the National Retail rank among the products most coveted Federation reported that retail shrinkage SPONSORED BY: by internal and external thieves, rank- as a percentage of retail sales declined to ing only behind alcohol among the 1.4 percent, or $34.5 billion, last year from product categories most likely to be 1.49 percent, or $37.1 billion, in 2010.

ZDDLQGG 30  WWD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 7 WWD.COM

TEXTILES don’t tell you about when they say it’s 11 cents a kilowatt hour.” He said the Environmental Protection Agency estimates the health care cost of The Long Reach of Sustainability coal energy usage is $245 billion a year. “Every nation that has decarbonized nature is the infrastructure of our com- beginning of the Industrial Revolution — its society has experienced instantaneous By ARTHUR FRIEDMAN munities and that if we want to meet our “getting rid of something that all reason- wealth and prosperity,” Kennedy said. obligations to future generations, to civi- able people agreed was morally repre- Examples include Iceland, which in NEW YORK — Oeko-Tex stretched its lization, to our nation, which is to create hensible,” but for which there was much 15 years after it decided in 1970 to decar- mission of sustainability to wide limits communities for our children to provide concern about the economic impact it bonize its energy policy went from being at a luncheon and seminar at Studio 450 them with the same opportunities for dig- would have. “Instead, entrepreneurs 100 percent dependent on imported coal here to celebrate its 20th anniversary. nity and enrichment and prosperity and rushed in and created the greatest eco- and oil to being energy independent and Tom Chappell, founder of Tom’s of good health…we’ve got to start by protect- nomic expansion in world history.” is now a major exporter of geothermal Maine and creator of Rambler’s Way wool ing our environmental infrastructure.” Similar is the “addiction to Middle East energy and is developing wind farms. apparel, said product development should Kennedy, who is chief prosecuting attor- oil,” he said, which costs the country $750 “Sweden in 1997 decarbonized, closed always take into account corporate respon- ney for the Hudson Riverkeeper and presi- billion in subsidies and health care costs its two nuclear power plants, slapped a sibility. Chappell said, “Figuring out how dent of the Waterkeeper Alliance, said the annually, and creates alliances with coun- $150 a ton tax on carbon, and energy usage to make products that are good for tries that “don’t share our values.” dropped 9 percent and its economy has the consumer, good for the environ- Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “The biggest subsidized indus- almost doubled since then,” he said. “You ment, good for our community and try is coal and I spent a good part had tens of thousands of entrepreneurs good for us is a wonderful thing of the last 30 years suing the coal rush into that space and create new forms because it puts all the right ideals industry,” he said. of energy from wind, solar, geothermal, gar- into the marketplace.” A case study into the inherent bage waste and sawmill waste. Sweden’s He told the recent gathering of problems of coal energy is the state GDP rose inversely to its use of carbon.” industry executives and members of West Virginia, he said, citing it as The U.S. is investing in clean energy, of Oeko-Tex, the Zurich-based in- the “poorest state with the poorest he noted, and is third in the world in solar ternational association that certi- health,” with environmental laws power and first in wind power generation. fies a textile product has been test- that have been stripped away like “Solar is the cheapest form of energy ed and does not contain harmful the 500 mountain tops throughout the in the world,” he said. “The problem is we substances, that when launching state for the sake of coal production. don’t have an energy grid in this country to Tom’s of Maine natural toothpaste, “Coal will tell you they are cheap take advantage of solar and wind, that can the Food & Drug Administration and clean, but if you internalized carry electrons over long spaces.” required animal testing before their costs it would be the most Kennedy is also a partner in it was allowed into the market, catastrophically expensive way of VantagePoint Capital Partners, which “which we would not do…so we boiling a pot of water that has ever through its subsidiary, BrightSource Energy, became the only toothpaste on the been devised,” Kennedy said. “The which is building a 2.7 gigawatt solar ther- market not to have testing on animals, but organization has had much support from National Academy of Sciences said that mal plant in the Mojave Desert. Being con- with human trials. Then the industry fol- the apparel industry, citing companies such every freshwater fish in America has dan- structed by Bechtel, it will be the biggest lowed and the FDA changed its rules.” as Ralph Lauren and Kenneth Cole. The gerously high levels of mercury in its flesh power plant in the world and deliver power Tom’s of Maine, which began on Hudson Riverkeeper, which began in 1966 coming from coal power plants. According to PG&E and Southern California Edison. those principles and a $5,000 loan, to reclaim the Hudson River from pollut- to the Center for Disease Control, there “Once you build our plant, it’s free en- wound up being in 40,000 stores and ers, has spawned the Waterkeeper Alliance are 240,000 children born in the country ergy forever,” he added. “You never have to was sold to Colgate-Palmolive with a that now includes more than 200 “river- every year that have been exposed to dan- worry about the cost of war to protect oil $130 million valuation. keepers” across North America and the gerous levels of mercury in their mother’s interests or the costs of health care, oil ex- Chappell, who sold the company in 2006, world, Kennedy noted, from Prince William wombs and that’s the cost of coal that they ploration or cleaning up pollutants.” was hiking in Wales and was disappointed Sound off the coast of Alaska to Biscayne with various materials and fabrics to wear Bay in Miami, and including China, India, as an underlayer for warmth and comfort. Russia, Australia and Central America. So he decided to create a fine-gauge, light- He has brought 400 lawsuits against weight wool for such occasions. Hudson River polluters, resulting in re- Over Sixty Years Serving the Design Community Rambler’s Wool was born, but not wards of more than $5 billion to remedi- without many who said an 18 micron ate the Hudson. [Est. 1949] wool couldn’t be done. “But because I Kennedy said despite government was Tom’s of Maine, they said, ‘OK, we’ll regulations that followed the Clean Water try.’’’ The collection of sportswear and Act of 1972 and the Clean Air Act of 1990, sweaters is made sustainably in the U.S. pollution of the environment remains a of wool from Rambouillet sheep. critical social, health and economic issue. “We are in 300 stores and growing “One of the big mantras during the re- very rapidly,” he added. “We are commit- cent election cycle we heard from the big ted to making it in the U.S., and I’m on polluters — who sponsored, incidentally, my fifth garment-making house this year. all the presidential debates — clean coal Yo u know who it is? It’s us.” and from their indentured servants on Kevin Burke, president and chief ex- Capitol Hill, is this idea that we have is- ecutive officer of the American Apparel sues between economic prosperity and & Footwear Association, said in a survey environmental protection, and that is a of its members, CSR came in second only false choice,” he said. “In 100 percent of to profits as the most important aspect of the situations, good environmental policy running a business. is identical to good economic policy, if we “We have a target on our back,” Burke want to measure our economy on how it said. “We can’t operate in an environ- produces jobs and the dignity of jobs, and ment that will cause people not to want how it preserves the value of the assets of to buy our products.” our community. If, on the other hand, we He noted that AAFA has just signed a want to do what the polluters are asking memorandum of understanding with the us to do, which is to treat the planet as if Sustainable Apparel Coalition to broad- it were a business in liquidation, convert en its commitment to the issue. our natural resources to cash as quickly as “Sustainability today is more than being possible and have a few years of pollution- green.” Burke added. “It’s a comprehen- based prosperity, we can generate an in- sive approach in addressing internal and stantaneous cash flow and the illusion of external business decisions that create a prosperous economy.…Environmental product. We have to be good corporate citi- injury is deficit spending, it’s the way of zens. If we can’t make it in a responsible loading the costs of economic prosperity manner, then we deserve what we get.” on the backs of our children.” Pushing the edge in a contentious The big question is energy, Kennedy keynote speech was Robert F. Kennedy said, and how to make it economically Left: Maggie Barela, Sales Agent; Make-up by Kristy Goslin; CANVAS boutique & gallery; Photo by Tadashi Tawarayama. Tadashi by Photo gallery; & boutique CANVAS Goslin; Kristy by Make-up Agent; Sales Barela, Maggie Left: Jr., environmental attorney and activist, and environmentally viable. Right and top: Jacqueline Forbes, ‘Jac’ Arlington Forbes, Owners; Jac and Arlington shirts by CANVAS . MALIBU. who lauded “free-market capitalism” and Kennedy said the best thing for the en- skewered “corporate cronyism” in regard vironment is true free-market capitalism, Over three million yards of shirting weight cotton wovens stocked to environmental and energy policy. which, he claimed, the U.S. doesn’t have. “What I really want to talk to you about “We have corporate crony capitalism in the New York area—making designers dreams come true! is how this country is in transition to a and monopoly capitalism that has all new energy future,” said Kennedy, se- kinds of inefficiencies and market fail- PHILIPS-BOYNE CORPORATION nior attorney for the Natural Resource ures,” Kennedy said. “Pollution is a mar- 135 Rome Street Defense Council, a leading environmental ket failure of a company not paying the Farmingdale, NY 11735 action organization in the U.S. “One of the true cost of bringing a product to market. things that I learned from working with It’s also a failure of democracy to make P (631) 755-1230 F (631) 755-1259 fisherman is that we’re not protecting people accountable for what they do.” the environment for the sake of the fish An example of this, he said, was the [email protected] and the birds, but we’re protecting it for abolishment of slavery, first in England, our own sake because we recognize that then in the U.S., which resulted in the

ZDDLQGG 30  8 WWD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 WWD.COM Wang Era Set to Begin at Balenciaga

{Continued from page one} is already finished and the fall A driven yet fun-loving ex- weighed in finding a successor men’s collection is also nearing Alexander Wang ecutive who joined Balenciaga to Nicolas Ghesquière, who ex- completion. “It’s an important in 2007, Guichot has piloted the ited Balenciaga Friday after a transition for the brand.” company through a rapid growth 15-year tenure. Wang said, “I am deeply hon- phase during which it accrued “We wanted someone with ored to embark on this new role critical mass in retail, which global thinking, a citizen of the for a brand and house that I now accounts for more than half world, and someone who could have such great admiration and of its revenues. understand the digital world respect for.” The brand still has wide and the direction of fashion The 28-year-old walks into a swaths of geography in Europe and retail tomorrow,” Guichot house defined by Ghesquière, to cover, with no directly op- said in an exclusive interview. from the collection’s architec- erated stores yet in Germany, “It will be a new vision; a new ture — couture-caliber runway Switzerland and Spain. understanding of the brand. pieces, and capsules for silk, Guichot has also cited men’s The heritage of Balenciaga pants, archival styles and other wear, footwear, jewelry and is so big. Just a part of it has categories — to a futuristic and eyewear among categories ripe been exploited, but obviously otherworldly retail concept. for expansion. not all of it.” Guichot said it was “too Parent of Gucci, Bottega The Spanish-born coutu- soon” to talk about whether Veneta and Puma, PPR does rier Cristóbal Balenciaga, who there might be any changes in not break out figures for its founded his house in 1919 and either regard. “[Wang] will bring other luxury brands, which in- designed until his retirement in his own language and vocabu- clude Balenciaga alongside 1968, was known for such inno- lary,” she said. Stella McCartney, Boucheron,

vations as the cocoon coat, the She stressed that the brand’s Alexander McQueen and Sergio balloon skirt and the asymmet- luxury positioning and exclu- Rossi, among others. ric flamenco evening gown. sive aura, which dates back to In the third quarter, the divi- Wang is expected to immedi- the founder’s penchant for mys- sion posted sales growth of 45.6 ately begin work on Balenciaga’s tery, would not change. percent, with all brands and fall 2013 women’s collection, al- Nor will the company’s pace regions contributing to the per-

though Guichot said the format of expansion, which is to add formance. In comparable terms, in which it might be unveiled between 10 and 15 units a year, sales were up 15.5 percent. during Paris Fashion Week, Guichot noted. Guichot said Balenciaga con- scheduled for Feb. 26 to March 3, Balenciaga will end the year tinues at its double-digit pace has yet to be decided. with about 65 directly operated and — armed with an energetic Under Ghesquière, stores, corners and shop-in- new creative director — “the po- Balenciaga became known shops, with boutiques in Rome ·· tential is there. for its exhilarating, exclusive and Ala Moana, Hawaii, among “We want Alexander to help and brisk fashion shows, often the recent additions. us sustain the momentum, but staged at its compact show- Important openings for 2013 also it will bring a new vision, rooms on the Rue Cassette. include a unit on Mercer Street a new understanding of the “I don’t want to put [Wang] in New York City, considered brand,” she said. under unnecessary pressure, so critical since Balenciaga’s flag- François-Henri Pinault, IANNACCONE we will have to figure how we ship on West 22nd Street was chairman and chief execu-

want to present. We will figure destroyed by the storm surge HOMAS tive officer of PPR, described Y out together the pace of next brought by Hurricane Sandy. Balenciaga as an “extraordinary year,” Guichot said, noting that Guichot noted a temporary loca- BY fashion house” with “inexhaust-

the pre-fall women’s collection tion on Wooster Street in SoHo is PHOTO ible potential. “Wang will use his creativ- ity and his own research to reinterpret and immortal- Isabelle Guichot We wanted someone with global ize the distinctive, modern and extremely innovative style imposed by Cristóbal thinking, a citizen of the world, and Balenciaga,” he added. Meanwhile, Wang’s company someone who could understand the also continues its global march. Over the weekend, he ex- digital world and the direction of panded online selling — in partnership with Italy’s Yoox fashion and retail tomorrow. Group, coincidentally a joint venture partner with PPR — to Europe. The move adds 23 — ISABELLE GUICHOT, BALENCIAGA countries including France, the U.K., Italy, Germany, Spain, Benelux, Scandinavia and slated to open in mid-December. Award for Womenswear in 2009, Eastern European markets. She allowed that Wang’s and he scooped up prizes for ac- The offering includes Wang’s “transversal” approach to de- cessories in 2010 and 2011. second collection of objects, sign — with a keen interest in Wang quickly expanded his which ranges from a domino set not only ready-to-wear, but ac- product universe to include to inflatable pool toys, all in black. cessories as well — was another men’s wear, leather goods, a sec- “We will now be shipping to feather in his cap. “He had that ond line called T by Alexander more than 50 countries world- global vision very early in his Wang, and home objects such as wide,” said Rodrigo Bazan, development,” she said, char- ashtrays and coasters. president of Alexander Wang. acterizing his approach as “cre- He operates a flagship in New Previously, the e-commerce site, ative realism.” Yo r k ’ s SoHo, and earlier this launched in May, shipped main- Wang’s privately held fashion year opened a 5,000-square-foot·· ly to the U.S. and Asia. house will remain a separate unit in Beijing. The firm will end Wang sells his collections to entity from Balenciaga and its 2012 with a retail network of 12 more than 200 stores in Europe parent, luxury-and-sport con- freestanding stores and shops- across all categories, he noted. glomerate PPR. in-shop in seven countries, with The U.S. is still Wang’s largest One of New York’s buzziest a concentration in Asia. single market, but Europe and young talents, Wang established Guichot acknowledged Asia make up about 60 percent his label in 2005 and has rapidly Wang’s considerable responsi- of its total distribution. built a global following for his bilities with his signature label. In the first half of 2013, edgy T-shirts, studded handbags But she lauded the designer as Wang plans to update his Web and sleek-and-modern designer being a “team player” and said site and online store in terms clothes for women and men. creative logistics would be or- of design, photography, content Born to Taiwanese-American ganized so that he can work on and usability. parents and raised in San Balenciaga in New York and “And as we put energies to- Francisco, Wang studied fashion Paris, as he shuttles between ward worldwide e-commerce, it at Parsons School of Design at the two fashion capitals. will convert into our largest re- age 18. The Council of Fashion “Designers are now nomadic tail sales channel,” Bazan noted. Designers of America recog- people; He will be one of those — WITH CONTRIBUTIONS nized him with the Swarovski nomads,” she said. FROM JESSICA IREDALE

ZDDLQGG 30  MEMO PAD

FAILED EXPERIMENT: On Monday morning, Rupert Murdoch confirmed the death of The Daily, his $30 million, much-touted, nearly two- year-old iPad magazine. The news was buried in an announcement outlining the split of News Corp. into two publicly traded companies, one dedicated to publishing and another, named the Fox Group, to entertainment. WWD STYLE Robert Thomson was appointed to lead the new publishing arm, and Gerard Baker to succeed him as editor in chief of Dow Jones and managing editor of The Wall Street Journal. In the new configuration, there’s no room for The Daily, whose 100 or so staffers now face the possibility of layoffs. The company assured them that “technology and other assets, including some staff, will be folded into the [New York] Post.” That is true for some high- profile employees — editor in chief Jesse Angelo was kicked up to the publisher’s chair at the Post, a position once held by Murdoch’s son, Lachlan. Richard Johnson, the editor of The Daily’s gossip page, Flash, and once Murdoch’s main man at the Post’s Page Six, told Deadline Hollywood he will return to the daily tabloid, though he didn’t specify in what capacity. He did not return requests for comment. Among the rest of the staff, including news editors, a source said there’s concern no one’s been guaranteed a position within News Corp. The Daily’s death had been predicted since its grandiose launch in February 2011. Critics wondered who’d pay for a brand- new magazine that would work Capital as a news digest, a USA Today for iPad owners. The Daily wasn’t just another new venture. Murdoch saw it as “transformative,” part of a bold Drama plan to upend the news business and lead other media companies in WASHINGTON — Violinist the new world of tablet publishing. He spent lavishly on it — annual Hahn-Bin, never shy of a little costs were between $30 million and histrionics, fiddled at the 25th $60 million, according to various estimates — and dedicated serious anniversary of the Sackler editorial resources. In July, Angelo dismissed Museum on Thursday night as reports that The Daily was the city’s dueling power sets on thin ice by saying it had 100,000 subscribers. Angelo’s averted a near social calendar measure of success was shy of catastrophe over the weekend. the 500,000 subscribers Murdoch had publicly said were necessary For more, see page 11. for The Daily to break even. In early August, The Daily experienced its first round of cuts, excising 50 jobs, the entirety of its sports and opinion departments. Then came Monday’s news — its last issue will run Dec. 15. “Our experience was that we couldn’t find a large enough audience quickly enough to convince us the business model was sustainable in the long term,” Murdoch said. — ERIK MAZA

CARINE SELLS OUT: Carine Roitfeld’s CR Fashion Book has enjoyed a solid reception on newsstands and has sold out of its initial print run of 50,000 copies — at $15 a pop, according to its publisher, Fashion Media Group LLC. Another 15,000 copies have been ordered to replenish stands and will be available before Christmas, said Stephen Gan, president of Fashion Media Group and Roitfeld’s business partner in the semiannual title. The second issue of CR Fashion Book will boost its print run to 65,000 and will launch during New York Fashion Week in February, with distribution on stands internationally by Feb. 21. — DAVID LIPKE 10 WWD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012

FOR MORE PHOTOS, SEE School of Social Work. In fact, of her maiden name and a grand chapeau, an enormous when Silver was offered a lofty her married one), Silver’s feather sprouting out of it. “If WWD.com/eye. top-floor office overlooking the watercolor and acrylic paintings that’s not a fashion statement, I park, she opted for a small nook have landed her a spot at Art don’t know what is.” Party United in the basement comparable in Basel Miami Beach, where Silver’s process is organic size to most standard cubicles. her exhibition “People Treed” and, for lack of a better word, “Well, that’s where all the opens today in the Red Dot Tent. rudimentary. She demonstrates students are, their lounge is Silver has a wicked sense of the initial step with a pen and down here,” Silver explains. “I humor, one that’s conveyed in paper. “I put my pencil down wanted to be near the kids.” her creations. on a point and then I don’t look Silver’s modesty can be “Oh, look at her. I love her,” at all, I look away,” she says, bewildering. She doesn’t she says, flipping through squiggling away blindly across Work indulge in designer garb (“I photographs of her pieces the page, creating a series of work in the world of intense (nearly all have already been loops and coils. “Then I fill in. poverty. Someone paying shipped to Miami from her I look at it and I see what I’ve $15,000 for a pocketbook is studio in Connecticut). got. Like, right off the bat here, of just absurd to me, but to each “She’s got the fun hair and I have a great face here and a Art his own.”) The subway is her the big boobs,” she says, pointing funny little nose there. I can go-to mode of transportation. to a voluptuous figure in a piece put some teeth here,” she says, She outfitted her office with titled “Birds of a Feather.” sketching in the empty space. discarded furniture found at “Oh, and him,” she excitedly “It just develops. I just sit down “the boneyard,” the school’s points to another character in and it flows.” term for the alley on the side of the tableau, this one donning At NYU, Silver plays tour eye the building. guide like a proud mother; she “All the furniture people don’t gets animated when discussing AND want winds up there. It’s like the L curriculum and is clearly well Connie Silver giveaway spot.…Can you believe versed on the subject. She pops no one wanted this stuff? I think MORE into offices, greeting staffers

ON A CRISP MORNING, gift to a school of social work it works well with the art,” she LEXIE with an unfeigned familiarity Connie Silver lingers in the in the U.S. to date, according says, surveying her digs. BY and almost familial affection. lobby of New York University’s to the university. Hence the Ye s , the art. Hung on the It’s apparent that Silver’s

Silver School of Social Work, portrait’s placement and the walls of her quarters are the PHOTOS involvement with the school is scanning a painting of herself school’s name. Yet in a town fruits of her most recent labor — not simply monetary and that with husband Martin hung with no shortage of conspicuous vibrant paintings that feature a she genuinely considers the over the mantle of the room’s philanthropy, the Silvers jumble of contorted, cartoonish, place home. imposing fireplace. maintain a relatively low albeit smiling, faces. Usually True to form, all of the “That’s when I was a profile. Martin Silver made the faces form linear, treelike proceeds of Silver’s Art Basel redhead,” the 72-year-old recalls, his fortune as a founder of structures. The pursuit grew sales will go directly to bolster running her fingers through her the company that would later out of her tradition of painting the Silver School’s financial aid now-ashen pixie cut. become plasma collection firm watercolors for holiday cards programs. “Every dime of every The couple, together 55 DCI Biologicals. His wife has for friends and family. Five single thing that I sell,” Silver years and counting, donated quietly taught at the school years later, working under says. “That’s the whole reason $50 million to the institution for more than 20 years, since the professional pseudonym Silver’s work in her office at I’m doing this. Isn’t that how it in 2007 — the largest private it was still going simply as the McSilver (an amalgamation New York University. should be?” — TAYLOR HARRIS

“Bugsy,” which is set in the Forties. (His first was for 1980’s Jessica Chastain

“All That Jazz.”) Wolsky says in “The Heiress.” MARCUS that receiving such an award is JOAN

Period Piece always a surprise; the only film BY AT 81, AFTER winning two big hoop skirts.” He was very he regrets not being nominated

Oscars, a TDF/Irene Sharaff eager to work on “The Heiress,” for is Sam Mendes’ 2002 “The PHOTO Lifetime Achievement Award because he had never designed Road to Perdition.” for Costume Design, and many for that era before. He prefers “The Heiress” is on a limited other accolades, costume doing costume dramas, in fact, to run, ending Feb. 10, at the Walter designer Albert Wolsky says he’s outfitting films set in the present, Kerr Theatre. Wolsky says he only now becoming comfortable he says, because, on the former, enjoyed working with Chastain, with the notion of turning down the actors don’t say to him, “I who trained at Juilliard, work. That’s partly, he says, wouldn’t wear that.” His classic and plays the title character, because his current project, a response to that remark: “I Catherine Sloper. “She has no production of “The Heiress” wouldn’t, either — it’s a costume.” vanity, and her mind is very on Broadway, starring Jessica How did he research focused, and she always looks for Chastain, David Strathairn, Dan “The Heiress?” “There things she can use,” he explains, Stevens and Judith Ivey, was so were an amazing amount noting that he added a top to the much fun to do. of photographs,” Wolsky cherry red dress she wears early The play, written by Ruth says. “There was so much in the play because “that was and Augustus Goetz, is based photographic research.” something that she needed as on Henry James’ 1880 novella, He admits, however, “I love an actor.” One major difference “Washington Square.” research; I could research between Chastain the person Research, Wolsky notes, is forever and not design.” and Catherine the character, of integral to the process of doing Fabric, he notes, is also a course, is that the actress is lovely a costume drama. “You always passion for him, and it’s key to looking and Catherine is meant have to do research, even if you getting any historical moment to be very plain. Wolsky says she know the period,” he says. “It right, particularly that of, say, had told him that her friends kept was set in 1850, which is a tricky the Thirties or Forties. He won asking, “‘How can you play this? period, just before all those his second Oscar for 1991’s Yo u ’ r e so beautiful.’” The character of Catherine’s overbearing father, Dr. Austin A Albert Wolsky LL Sloper, played by Strathairn, eventually able to find them The 70-plus films Wolsky “was a black figure for me passage on another craft. has costumed include “The ARDE S from the beginning,” Wolsky Wolsky attended City College, Turning Point” (1977), “Grease” says. He wanted Stevens, who went into the U.S. Army, then (1978), “Manhattan” (1979), ONATO D plays Catherine’s suitor Morris worked for his father for five “Sophie’s Choice” (1982) and

BY Townsend, to be “a bit of a years at the travel agency he “Revolutionary Road” (2008). dandy” in the first scenes, then had founded in Queens. Albert He says of being a seasoned PHOTO later, “to look as if he really fell left it to work for a costume designer, “If they’re kind, they into harder times.” shop owned by Helene Ponz, call me a veteran; other people Wolsky was born in Paris, and in 1963 started his career as call me old.” where his father owned a travel a theater costume designer by Working on “The Heiress,” he agency that catered to the working as an assistant to Ann says, “solidified my thinking.” affluent. “When the war came, Roth on “A Case of Libel.” His He explains what has it meant a lot of running,” he first credit as a solo costume changed by saying, “I loved recalls. The Wolskys — Albert, designer on Broadway was on being in a costume house, his parents, Boris and Luba, and “Generation” in 1965; he says he watching talented people sew his younger brother, Gilbert — was “very brash” when he was and cut and do all those things. actually got on a boat that was working on it. When he started It made me feel that, [if I work], turned back, and the family working on Broadway, he recalls, it has to be something I care was put in an internment camp “[It] supposedly was dying, but about. If it isn’t, I’m not doing it.” for a time, but his father was they were doing 75 shows a year.” — LORNA KOSKI

ZD  DLQGG 30  WWD TUESDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2012 11 WWD.COM

Ronald, Beth eye and Melanne Party United Dozoretz with Secretary of State Hillary IT’S BEEN A difficult dozen years Rodham for Washington socialites, who Clinton. started planning their comeback last spring, no matter who won the White House: Republican hostesses Ann Nitze and Jane Pillsbury would help

Dame Jillian Sackler toss the “The Party POWELL TONY BY PHOTOS of the Year” to celebrate the Sackler Museum’s 25th anniversary. Sackler’s late husband had donated 1,000 works of Asian art to start it, and now Sackler wanted the museum to be as recognized Watching Hil

as its Smithsonian upstairs neighbor, SAMPERTON KYLE PHOTO BY the Freer. On the Democratic side, Beth Nancy Pelosi and Dame Jillian Sackler FOR HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON Peter Westmacott and his wife, Lady Susan; Dozoretz, director of the State stalwarts wondering what lies ahead, White House Social Secretary Jeremy Department’s Art in Embassies The talks didn’t start off well when the the celebrations in Washington this Bernard; Manhattan gallery owners Sean program, began planning her two curators turned up at different weekend made one thing perfectly Kelly, Arnold “Arne” Glimcher (founder organization’s 50th-birthday fete locations. Finally, over martinis at the clear — at 65, the outgoing Secretary of of the Pace Gallery) and Jeanne from the moment she took over the Georgetown Ritz, they came up with State has the charisma, social stamina Greenberg Rohatyn; Bank of America’s organization in 2010. Regardless of a plan: They would work together and knockout star power to run for Anne Finucane, and Debra Black, whose who won the election, she wanted to and in that way, Cai Guo-Qiang could president in 2016. billionaire husband Leon was the celebrate her longtime friend Secretary still explode his tree on the Mall. With all the events going on this anonymous buyer who, in May, broke of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Sackler would exhibit Art in weekend, it was easy to miss the one the record for a work of art on paper, Like everyone else in this fissured Embassies art designed by Asian and that mattered most. Not the top-secret paying $119.9 million at Sotheby’s for city, the two sides weren’t speaking Asian-American artists before it was White House dinner Barack and Michelle Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” to each other much. At least not until shipped off for installation in U.S. Obama hosted Friday night to thank their But it was at the party that evening last month, when Chinese artist Cai embassies overseas. wealthiest donors. Not the ceremonial that the Obama White House crowd Guo-Qiang — unaware of the political “We bureaucrats are often working Kennedy Center Honors Gala. The showed up — and where Clinton partisanship inherent in both events in parallel, completely blindfolded,” best party in town was Clinton’s State made her late-night encore. and slated to explode a tree on the said Raby, describing a condition Department Art in Embassies double- “There are a lot of things to take grounds of the Mall — called Julian that’s so rampant in Washington it header, planned two years ago by satisfaction in,” said Jay Carney, White Raby, director of the Freer and Sackler has everyone worried the country her friend, top fund-raiser and Art in House press secretary, wandering Galleries, to ask, “How can I be in two is heading off a fiscal cliff. “The Embassies director Beth Dozoretz. into the crowd alongside 700 places at once?” “We’ve got a train success of these two parties shows the “What’s really important is that not artists, donors, gallery curators and wreck on our hands,” Raby recalled importance of meeting face-to-face and one dollar of government money was Washington socialites. telling Virginia Shore, chief curator of just chatting.” spent on the 50th celebration. Every Late-night arrivals by Ann and Lloyd the Art in Embassies program, when On Thursday night in the Sackler dollar was donated by sponsors, and Hand and Elizabeth Bagley raised the he realized she had commandeered Museum, 57 feet underground, Nitze we’re going over the top,” said Dozoretz, question: Had they just come from his star attraction. The 54-year-old and Pillsbury lined up enough royals who has been working on the party dinner with the Obamas? Chinese artist, who began working in to outrank a straight flush with Farah since 2010 when she got the job widely The trio shook their heads. “That’s a gunpowder to help tell his experiences Diba Pahlavi, the former Empress of considered one of the best political $1.5 million invitation,’’ said Bagley, who growing up in China during the Iran; Princess Michael of Kent; Prince and appointments in town. The program made that A-list in the Clinton White Cultural Revolution, was one of five Princess Johannes von Auersperg; Baroness commissions American and foreign House. Also in the crowd was Clinton artists to be honored at the Art in Aziza Allard; and Ethiopia’s deposed artists to design art for U.S. consulates pal Gene Sperling, Obama’s assistant for Embassies tribute luncheon hosted by Imperial Highness Ermias Sahle Selassie and in 200 venues in 189 countries. economic policy. “I’m looking for my Clinton (see story, this page). Princess Saba. But the guest who got The celebration started with a wife. Has anyone seen my wife?” asked The seeds for Raby’s train wreck Washington locals like former Reagan luncheon for 225 guests in the State Sperling, just as out on the street, three were actually sown long before. In Chief of Protocol Selwa “Lucky” Roosevelt Department diplomatic rooms and unmarked black SUVs silently pulled April at the British Embassy, Sackler lining up to say hello was Democrat ended with a late-night art happening curb side. Out popped Hillary Clinton revealed her plans to toss “The Party Daisy Soros. She was so popular that at the Smithsonian Kogod Courtyard flanked by her top aide, White House of the Year” during the last weekend museum patrons Jane and Calvin Cafritz behind the National Portrait Gallery. Chief of Protocol Capricia Marshall. in November to a room full of mostly took turns sitting next to her. For art lovers, the State Department Although no one would confirm or Republicans, who at that point were So perhaps it’s time for D.C. luncheon brought artists Jeff Koons, Cai deny, it appeared, as Dozoretz came thinking which of their ilk would denizens to revive those halcyon days Guo-Qiang, Shahzia Sikander, Kiki Smith and out to greet her guests, that Clinton be in the White House at that point. when more work was accomplished on Carrie Mae Weems together with their had slipped out of the president’s Dozoretz, a major Clinton and Obama the social circuit than on Capitol Hill? fans, including British Ambassador dinner to party-hop. — S.W. fund-raiser, was in the crowd at the “We haven’t done a good enough embassy and quietly mentioned that job with that yet, but we’re working on she was also planning a major party it,” said Sackler, with a nervous laugh, for that weekend. And as the divisive after the explosion. Behind her, Cai presidential election campaign dragged Guo-Qiang’s tree emerged from a dense on, the two groups never discussed the cloud of black smoke. conflict or the possibility of working — And despite the weekend of or partying — together. postelection bonhomie, the fate of With only a month to set things social Washington looks a lot like right, Raby called Shore and suggested Guo-Qiang’s thrice-detonated tree For more career opportunities log on to WWDCareers.com. they meet for a drink at the Ritz. “It — charred and blackened but still seemed so bloody obvious,” he said. standing. — SUSAN WATTERS

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