Hot Stuff NEW YORK — Narciso Rodriguez Has Just Cranked the Heat up to Sizzle

Christina 2ND-HALF FORECASTS/8-11, 13-15 AGUILERA ADS/12 Aguilera inin thethe newnew Versace ads. WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’MONDAY Daily Newspaper • July 7, 2003 Vol. 186, No. 4 $2.00 Accessories/Innerwear/Legwear Hot Stuff NEW YORK — Narciso Rodriguez has just cranked the heat up to sizzle. His resort collection is full of the lean, sexy silhouettes he’s known for, and he also threw in splashes of fire-engine red just to liven things up. Here, his skintight stretch top and pencil skirt. For more on Rodriguez, see page 6.

The Buzz on Tommy: No Rush for New CEO Nor for Acquisitions By Lisa Lockwood NEW YORK — Tommy is taking his own sweet time. Despite mounting pressure from Wall Street to name a new chief executive officer and make acquisitions, Tommy Hilfiger, honorary chairman of his eponymous firm, figures he still has plenty of time to replace Joel Horowitz, who plans to give up the ceo post when his contract expires in March. And Hilfiger doesn’t want to rush into any acquisitions that don’t feel right. See Tommy, Page16 PHOTO BY ROBERT MITRA ROBERT PHOTO BY 2 Sean John Flagship Postponed WWDMONDAY Accessories/Innerwear/Legwear By David Lipke 40th Street and the mid-40s, but has expanded its search to other NEW YORK — P. Diddy will have areas of the city, including SoHo. FASHION Narciso Rodriguez lives by the mantra “less is more,” and for resort he’s to wait a little longer than ex- “We want to open this first store pected for his first flagship. in New York, get the business 6 using fiery red and provocative cutouts to bring things to a boiling point. Last week, Sean John offi- model down, and then expand in cials divulged that negotiations other cities. But first, we have to GENERAL

WWD, MONDAY, JULYWWD, MONDAY, 7, 2003 for its first prospective retail establish a successful and sus- venture had hit a roadblock and tainable business model here,” Despite mounting pressure from Wall Street to name a new ceo and make a New York flagship would not said Soriano, who holds an 1 acquisitions, Tommy Hilfiger feels he still has plenty of time to take action. open this fall, as initially ex- M.B.A. degree from Harvard and Sean John officials said negotiations for its first prospective retail venture pected. Charles Soriano, direc- joined Sean John last year, fol- 2 had hit a roadblock and a New York flagship would not open this fall. tor of retail at Sean John, ex- lowing a stint as vice-president plained, “We have experienced of retail at Kate Spade. The apparel and textile industries, stuck in a pattern of constant employment some unfortunate setbacks with In other news, Todd Howard, a 2 erosion, lost a combined 5,400 jobs in June. our desired retail space and former president of men’s jeans, EYE: Talking with Olivia Williams, starring now in “The Heart of Me” and come have started another search for P. Diddy juniors’ jeans and boys’ and girls’ 20 Christmas in “Peter Pan”…and “X-Play” host Morgan Webb…plus a scoop. a new location. The opening has at Tommy Hilfiger, is close to been moved to spring ’04 provid- cial perspective, and are not in- being named chief operating offi- Classified Advertisements ...... 18-19 ing a suitable location is found terested in opening a money-los- cer and executive vice-president To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is by the end of the summer.” ing store like some other compa- of Sean John, according to DNR, [email protected], using the individual's name. Sean John recently made an nies have done. We aren’t going to WWD’s sister publication. He offer for a 3,800-square-foot space make a rash decision and we moved into his new offices on SUBSCRIPTION RATES U.S. and possessions, Retailer, daily one year, $99; Manufacturer, daily one year, $135. on Fifth Avenue and 41st Street, want to make sure we get the June 30, but an official announce- All others U.S., daily one year $195. Canada/Mexico, daily one year, $295. All other foreign (Air Speed), daily one year $595. but that deal fell through, “due to right location for the first store.” ment by the company has not Please allow 6-8 weeks for service to start. Individual subscription information/Single Copy Sales : (800) 289-0273; outside U.S. (818) 487-4526; new group subscription information 212-630-4196 issues with the lease and finan- The company is still interest- been made. According to sources, Postmaster: Send address changes to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008. cial factors,” said Soriano. “We ed in finding a 3,500- to 4,000- he will report directly to Sean “P. WWD (ISSN #0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one additional issue every month except July, and two additional issues in April and August, by Fairchild Publications, Inc. want to do this right from both a square-foot space on Fifth Diddy” Combs, as does executive a subsidiary of Advance Publications Inc., 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001-8191. branding perspective and a finan- Avenue, somewhere between vice president Jeffrey Tweedy. WWD is a registered trademark of Fairchild Publications Inc.© 2003 by Fairchild Publications Inc., a subsidiary of Advance Publications Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be expressly permitted in writing by the copyright owner. Editorial Reprints: (212) 221-9595 Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and other offices. Mailed under Publications Mail Sales Agreement No. 517054. Canada Post Returns to: P.O.Box 1632, Windsor, ON N9A 7C9 GST # 88654-9096-RM 0001 Canada Publications Agreement # 40032712 Printed in the U.S.A. Textile, Apparel Lose 5,400 Jobs in June All signed articles published in the paper represent solely the individual opinion of the writer and not those of WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY. By Kristi Ellis Compared with June 2002, “China is the major cause [for For Web site access, log on and subscribe to www.WWD.com. textile mills lost 22,200 jobs, domestic job losses], but demand WASHINGTON — The apparel while textile mill products lost growth is slowing and we do MONDAY: Paris Couture Week (through Thursday). and textile industries, stuck in a 8,400 jobs. Such dramatic losses have imports from other coun- pattern of constant employment over time have mobilized do- tries,” said Charles McMillion, TUESDAY: Hong Kong Fashion Week (through erosion, lost a combined 5,400 mestic textile groups, which chief economist at MBG Infor- Friday). jobs in June, bringing the total blame the losses primarily on mation Services. “However, Nautica Enterprises annual meeting, New York. employment to 773,200. imports from China. China is clearly undercutting Apparel jobs, on the decline The American Textile Manu- U.S. suppliers, leading the im- WEDNESDAY: Moda Barcelona (through Sunday). for three decades, fell a seasonal- facturers Institute last week report surge and driving down ly adjusted 2,000 in June against leased an in-house report — dis- prices to levels where U.S. pro- THURSDAY: Retailers report on same-store sales May to 314,500 workers, accord- puted by importers — claiming ducers can’t compete.” for June. ing to the U.S. Department of the twin industries stand to lose McMillion said U.S. apparel Labor’s employment report re- 630,000 jobs by 2006 if imports and textile makers have so FRIDAY: The U.S. Department of Labor releases the leased Thursday. Compared with from China are not restrained. much unused capacity they are Producer Price Index for June. June 2002, apparel employers Six textile trade and lobby increasingly forced to shut down The U.S. Department of Commerce reports on May slashed 47,000 jobs from payrolls groups are pressuring the Bush plants and lay off workers. imports. on a seasonally adjusted basis. administration to invoke a spe- “The outlook is desperate,” The textile mill category lost cial textile and apparel safe- McMillion said. “The textile and SATURDAY: The Brisbane Reed Gift Trade Fair, 2,400 seasonally adjusted jobs in guard against China. The groups apparel industries are major Brisbane, Queensland, Australia (through July 15). June against May to employ are working on a petition seek- suppliers to many other key in- COMING THIS WEEK 270,800 workers, while textile ing to reimpose several quotas dustries, including automobiles SUNDAY: Rome Couture Shows (through July 17). mill products lost 1,000 jobs to that were lifted on imports from and electronics, and when they employ 187,900 workers. The two China as part of a 10-year phase- weaken, there are ripple effects combined now employ 458,700 out of global quotas set to expire throughout the economy.” workers. on Dec. 31, 2004. Continued on page 7 In Brief

● DONE DEALS: Aris Industries Inc. said Thursday that it com- Stock Levels Key to Second Half pleted its sale of the XOXO, Lola and Fragile trademarks, along with certain related assets and goodwill, to Global Brand By Evan Clark to creatively merchandise their tial, according to Goldman Sachs. Holdings LLC, for $43 million in cash, a deal first announced in stores over the next six months. Of this group, national chains May. Shareholders approved the sale to the New York investment NEW YORK — When June sales The sector started off with a carried the heaviest burden with firm at a special meeting held on June 30. With the consumma- results come out Thursday, Wall mark against it, though, as many a collective 12.1 percentage point tion of the transaction, Global’s licensing of the XOXO label for Street — with crystal balls and retailers began the second quar- gap between inventory and sales. sportswear, dresses and intimate apparel to St. Louis-based calculators in hand — will try to ter with inventories that were June sales picked up a bit Kellwood Co. clears its final hurdle, as well. Aris, which will use divine if second-quarter bottom higher than either they or share- later in the month, but not the proceeds to pay down debt, retains the Baby Phat apparel, lines will be rosy or just red. holders would have preferred. enough to offset the earlier short- Members Only sportswear, La Pepita and Kosiuko trademarks. The answer will speak vol- Broadline retailers ended the fall, said Smith Barney broadline umes about prospects for the first quarter with 6.2 percent rise analyst Deborah Weinswig, in a ● COACH’S PHILADELPHIA STORY: Coach has signed a lease for second half of the year and to in total inventories, despite a sales preview. a 2,700-square-foot store at 1703 Walnut Street in downtown what degree retailers will have meager 0.6 percent rise in sales, “Retailers have been focused Philadelphia, according to Madison HGCD, a retail brokerage firm the cash, the space and the will a 5.6 percentage-point differen- on clearing seasonal merchan- that represented Coach in the deal. The store is expected to open in dise to make room for back-to- the fall, possibly November. Coach is taking over the former Net school,” she noted. “We are ex- women’s apparel store and will be located in one of the hipper retail pecting excess inventories to be sections of Philadelphia, near Kiehl’s, Arden B., Diesel, Waterworks, The Jewelry Industry’s Largest Job Fair predominately seasonal and dis- Tiffany and Burberry, and several restaurants and clubs. cretionary in nature, especially Fri, Jul 25, 2003 in apparel. July is traditionally a clearance month, especially 9am—3:00pm for apparel retailers, and we are Recruiting begins expecting to see aggressive pro- Correction •Jobs in retail, manufacturing, design, motional activity to continue.” at 10:30am wholesale, and more While too much inventory A story on the launch of Parfums Kenzo’s • How-to workshops and seminars can financially strain retailers, Jacob Javits Center its effects can also reverberate KenzoAir fragrance was accompanied by New York, NY •Career Counseling throughout the marketplace. the wrong photograph on page 8, June 27. FREE to Job Seekers VF Corp., which produces Lee, The KenzoAir bottle is pictured here. Wrangler and Riders, recently To register or for info: www.gia.edu or 800-421-7250 ext. 4100 Continued on page 14 accessoriecircuit intermezzocollections

Sunday–Tuesday, August 3, 4, 5, 2003 9am–6pm Daily, 9am–5pm Last Day The Show Piers 12th Avenue at 55th Street, NYC Photo & Business ID Strictly Enforced for Admission An ENK International Event Phone: 212.759.8055 Fax: 212.758.3403 Email: [email protected] ENK 4 Fashion Scoops STAR QUALITY: Supermodel of yore Helena Christensen will be the star of the Emanuel Ungaro couture show on Wednesday — and then some. The The Sleek Life couturier selected the green-eyed beauty for embodying the timeless allure of Ava Gardner. He also tapped Christensen to star in an upcoming couture ad campaign destined for the September issue of Italian Vogue, to be shot by Alex Cayley. And that’s not all — Christensen, a budding photographer, also has been asked to lens a

WWD, MONDAY, JULYWWD, MONDAY, 7, 2003 campaign for couture fabrics in the same issue. But the model has not yet booked a model for her shoot.

FRESH FACE: Country Road Australia has a new spokesmodel: Australian actress Sarah Wynter. The 29-year-old, now based in the U.S. and co-star of television’s “24” and films “Bride of The Wind” and “The Sixth Day,” is shooting in far north Queensland and Sydney for CRA’s spring advertising campaign, which is slated to break Oct. 1. The second in a series called “Young and Free,” the print and outdoor media campaign will cost more than $660,000 (or 1 million Australian dollars). Wynter hasn’t lived in Australia for 12 years and is relatively unknown there. But she seems to be making up for lost time. Although she can no doubt now afford whatever she likes, the actor has been spotted with her mother stocking up in Country Road boutiques. “It’s a sort of childhood dream to have a top-to-toe wardrobe of the brand,” said Wynter on a break. “When I was growing up I couldn’t afford to buy Country Road.”

Safilo Buys Outlook Eyewear, Adding Several Key Licenses MILAN — JLo and Liz eyewear tion eyewear in December have found a new home. 2002. The first collection of Liz Italian eyewear group Claiborne sunglasses pro- Giancarlo Di Risio, Karl Lagerfeld and Sidney Toledano backstage at the pre-spring Fendi show. Safilo has bought the Denver- duced by Safilo will hit the based Outlook Eyewear Co., U.S. market in August. MILAN — Fendi chose to play up the unveiling of its pre-spring collection by holding its first-ever the licensee for JLo and Liz Safilo said the brands ac- runway show for the season on Wednesday. Christian Dior president Sidney Toledano, who, as re- Claiborne eyewear, for an quired through the Outlook deal ported, has been tapped to oversee the strategy of the Rome-based fashion house, joined designer undisclosed sum. will be distributed exclusively in Karl Lagerfeld and the company’s chief executive, Giancarlo Di Risio, at the presentation. Outlook Eyewear was previ- the United States and Canada. “We wanted to show the clothes in the context of a show, on the girls, see how they fit — it’s all ously owned by Safilo’s Italian “Outlook is a completely much more stimulating and exciting,” Lagerfeld said backstage. rival, Luxottica. Through the autonomous company, with its Toledano said that pre-collections are becoming increasingly important because delivery times acquisition, Safilo added sev- own resources in product de- are frequently brought forward, and added that Fendi is pushing to deliver this line at the beginning eral names to its portfolio, in- velopment, marketing, sales of November. Toledano, who knows a thing or two about collaborating with designers, said that he cluding Liz Claiborne and its and distribution,” said Safilo likes “working with creative minds who combine discipline with creativity.” subbrands LizSport, Claiborne president Vittorio Tabacchi. “It’s all coming together,” said Di Risio. “We’ve restructured the company, and now we are push- and Liz Claiborne Readers; as “Its significant share of the ing the brand,” he explained, noting that pre-collections account for 50 percent of sales. well as JLo by Jennifer Lopez moderate market of sunglass- Lagerfeld, for his part, kept to a refined vision and focused on charming details for pre-spring. and B.U.M. Equipment. es in the U.S. and Canada was His leading looks included Empire-waist jackets worn over skinny pants, strapless jersey dresses or Safilo was already involved extremely enticing to Safilo suede skirts with patent-leather inserts, all in black or a palette of pretty pastels. He also paid close in the Liz Claiborne eyewear considering its continual ex- attention to details, using tiny logoed brass zippers and lots of bows, which turned up on jackets as business, having won the li- pansion in this important mar- well as on the edges of dainty, curved bags. cense for the brand’s prescrip- ket segment.”

MAGIC Adds Textiles With August Edition NEW YORK — MAGIC is get- industries to source garments ting into the fabric game. and textiles in one place.” The Las Vegas trade show According to MAGIC, initial is adding a new section dedi- participants in the event will in- cated to textiles for its next clude the Istanbul Textile and edition. Fabric@MAGIC will Apparel Exporters’ Association, make its first appearance at Unifi Inc., Caldelle, Carolina the show opening Aug. 25, in Cotton Works, Deveaux SA, the North Hall of the Las Polymas Switzerland and Vegas Convention Center, Popular Textile. next to the Sourcing Zone. Show management, which The fabric section is planned planned the new section to com- to cover approximately 10,000 plement the sourcing section, is square feet and include about promoting Fabric@MAGIC as a 100 exhibitors offering wo- show that will give its exhibitors vens, knits, leather, trim, em- exposure to a variety of chan- broidery and trend-forecast- nels ranging from designers ing services. through sourcing managers to “The time is right,” said private label buyers. Overall, Chris Cho of Popular Textile the MAGIC show attracts 80,000 Corp., a domestic mill and dye attendees from 80 countries and house that will exhibit at the represents 3,000 apparel and ac- show. “Buyers are sourcing cessory companies, as well as fabric before the design phase 5,000 brands. of the garment. It benefits both — Marilise Gavenas PHOTOS BY MAURICIO MIRANDA MAURICIO PHOTOS BY The hands-free fashion headset for your cell phone. earRING ® by m. haskell patent pending

HASKELL JEWELS LTD. 390 FIFTH AVENUE NYC 212.764.3332 6 WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 JULY WWD, MONDAY,

NEW YORK — Narciso Rodriguez lives by the mantra “less is more,” and he likes to let the sleek, body-hugging silhouettes he comes up with speak for themselves. He hasn’t changed that message for resort. This season, however, he’s also using fiery red and provocative cutouts to bring things to a boiling point. Rodriguez’s version of the little black dress, for example, has a strategically sliced shape that shows just the right amount of skin, while his sporty white suit is bisected with a band of vibrant red at the waist. ody Heat PHOTOS BY ROBERT MITRA ROBERT PHOTOS BY B 7 WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 2002, a deal he — Samantha Conti — Jennifer Weitzman diversification initiative, eviously, he was chairman he eviously, lla was one of several trans- Pr “Wal-Mart has been brought “Wal-Mart representing 1.4 The UFCW, The retailer has remained Also, Suffern, N.Y.-based The Also, Suffern, N.Y.-based an analyst with Dana Telsey, Also, on Tuesday, Levi's filed Also, on Tuesday, the take this seriously,” “We edoute, and held similar posi- enzo. rancisco charging Esprit had been responsible for leading a and helped reposition the image of the German brand. He was also chairman of Escada Beauté, the company’s fragrance and beauty division, prior to its sale in April to Wella helped to arrange. The sale to We actions in which Simonin, in helping to carry out a consoli- dation of Escada’s business activities, found himself with fewer responsibilities. of La and chief executive R tions at Givenchy Couture and K rested for trespassing during rested for trespassing The UFCW suc- these incidents. the extension cessfully argued injunction na- of the Arkansas improper. tionwide was down to size,” said the union spokeswoman. “This action get a home- shows they can’t make town, handpicked judge to store policies rule of law throughout the country.” million workers, has been aggressively pursuing representation rank and file. among Wal-Mart’s na- they staged Last November, com- tional protests against the pany’s wage and hour policies. steadfastly opposed to unions, saying it compensates fairly, provides stock opportunities for and has an open-door policy associates to report grievances. iors, said comps decreased 11.7 percent last month and total sales fell 7.8 percent to $24.1 million from $26.2 million. Dress Barn, a value-priced specialty store with 773 doors, said its comps decreased 7 percent and 3.4 percent overall to $71.2 million compared with $73.7 million. Bear Stearns, said in a research report that “savvy promotional tactics were likely successful in luring shoppers into the stores,” but said “significant markdown activity likely placed downward pressure on merchandise margins relative to last year.” a trademark-infringement law- suit in U.S. District Court in San F Holdings Ltd. with infringing on its pocket tab. A Levi’s spokeswoman noted this suit is one of more than 300 such actions the company currently has pending in the U.S. spokeswoman said of trademark infringement. al-Mart sought its first in- implied rating stands at “B2.” As reported, Simonin At Escada, Simonin initially While pleased with last Most U.S. retailers will report On the other hand, Deb In a separate development, “The court ruled the injunc- She said the action has been W No union member was ar- artners in exchange for a stake artners in exchange tive,” noting that the company’s or Decouvelaere, 38, will become retail strategy and organization new post. He was pre- a director, viously deputy purchasing director at Printemps. stepped down from his post on the Escada AG supervisory board on June 25, reducing its the days later, size to three. Two company reported that it had re- ceived a $50 million cash infu- sion from U.S.-based HMD P in the firm that could reach 29 percent. At the same time, Escada said that, in the six months ended April 30, it lost $8.4 million as sales declined 25.3 percent to $354.7 million. in May and 2 percent in June. month’s results, which were in line with its previous guidance, Bill Prange, chairman and chief said in a statement executive, that the firm “continues to be cautiously optimistic as we enter the month of July given the sustained promotional retail environment and challenging economic conditions.” He noted inventoryC&B’s mix is current. their June comps on Thursday. Shops, a 330-unit specialty retailer based in Philadelphia that sells regular and plus sized apparel and accessories to jun- man Robert Haas, one of the five man Robert descendants of Levi Strauss to called serve on the board today, House “a superb marketer with an extensive business background.” Moody’s Investors Service changed its outlook on Levi’s debt to “neg- a second-quarter performance was worse than the credit-ratings agency had expected. Levi’s sen- i current “no solicitation, no current “no policies by asking distribution” leave or face tres- offenders to a Wal-Mart passing charges, contended. spokeswoman tion was not the proper reme- the spokeswoman said. dy,” “They would no longer be violat- but they would ing a court order, still be trespassing.” fur- remanded to trial court for ther review. in junction against the UFCW 1999 when the union started visit- “blitz” actions including ing Arkansas stores in groups, entering employee-only areas, chanting at registers, filling and and abandoning carts, blocking aisles, the retailer’s spokeswoman said. An Arkansas Levi Strauss & Co. Seemingly endless Richard Simonin However Christopher & She fills a seat on the 14- In a statement, Levi’s chair- The July 3 ruling — the latest The action does not affect The store said Friday that the The store said Friday Simonin replaces Max The Harrods statement orkers union from entering al-Mart’s power to enforce its al-Mart’s power to enforce ully Friedman, an investor ully Friedman, ONDON — Early Comps Hurt by Wet June Early Comps Hurt by Wet NEW YORK — showers in June depressed retail results along with shoppers’ spirits, as The Dress Barn and Deb Shops both reported decreases in their same-store sales. Banks, the Minneapolis-based specialty retailer of regular and apparel plus-size women’s under the Christopher & Banks and C.J. Banks nameplates, managed to eke out a 2 percent increase in its June comparable-store sales, on top of a 13 percent increase in June of last Overall sales for the 482- year. unit chain rose 20.9 percent to $28.4 million from $23.5 million. comps were up 1 percent C&B’s Levi’s Adds to Board, Sees Moody’s Downgrade Debt — NEW YORK House, a founder has named Pat of Siebel Systems, to its board. member board that was vacated in April upon the retirement of T who’d served on the board of jeans- the San Francisco-based maker for about 18 years. Siebel is a San Mateo, Calif.-based sup- plier of business software. Judge Reverses Wal-Mart Union Ruling Union Wal-Mart Reverses Judge By Katherine Bowers BOSTON — judge has re- Supreme Court barring the versed a decision & Commercial United Food W Stores Sam’s Club or Wal-Mart nationwide in order to solicit store associates. be- step in protracted wrangling the tween the retailer and more UFCW for the loyalties of than a million U.S. store associates — overturns a 2001 injunc- faced tion arguing the retailer such immediate harm from re- union activities. In a 17-page port, the state Supreme Court inability to found Wal-Mart’s demonstrate “irreparable harm” as the basis for reversal. W Harrods Taps Simonin as CEO Taps Harrods L has been named chief executive officer of Harrods just over a week after his executive leaving post at Escada. Simonin will begin 50-year-old work on July 14, and report directly to Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed. Rigelman, who left in his post April afterjust two months on the job. added that Anne-Marie Verdin, 40, will join the company as marketing and communications she helped Previously, director. lead the development of Eric Satellite TV in France. economist with Thayer Lavielle ment,” said John not for another couple — Matthew W. Evans — Matthew W. t rther U.S. distribution plans bu uture product launch plans t In her new position, Lavielle “The U.S. recovery is not gain- “We felt the unemployment “We F Comenge’s collection ranges Fu ed Segal as possible additional BEAUTY BEAT elax.Now Spa in San Francisco avielle Moves to Lancôme ing momentum and it appears to With be a truly jobless recovery. a downward revision in the Gross Domestic Product in the there is no forward first quarter, momentum and the economy is showing this aimless direction.” Global Insight. of months, late in the third quar- pic- ter when the employment ture would start to show measur- able improve Mothersole, an NEW — YORK has been named assistant vice president of promotional marketing for the Lancôme Division USA, effective July 7. of L’Oréal She will report to Odile Roujol, deputy general manager and senior vice president of marketing for the division. will oversee all promotional marketing programs for Lancôme in the U.S. Her re- sponsibility consists of the de- of sign, creation and execution all special events in department and specialty stores, as well as the development of in-store collateral materials, including gift- with-purchase and purchase- with-purchase programs, for both retail events and new product launches. She joined the company in 1999 and has held a variety of roles. Most recently, she was assistant vice president USA’s of marketing for L’Oréal European Designer Fragrance division. rate would peak at 6.4 or 6.5 per- cen jumped from 6.1 percent in May to 6.4 percent in June, marking a nine-year high. beyond Nordstrom call for beyond Nordstrom call R to carry the collection in two locations, and Comenge is eyeing Sephora as well as Apothia at Fr points of sale. Next month, the collection will enter distribution in Spain at beauty retailers and spas. call for the rollout of new items at a rate of about one each month — and the introduction of a specially tailored spa line in the fall — until there are roughly 30 items in the total assortment. in price from $40 to $124 and inin price from $40 to $124 and cludes Intensive Night Cream, for $124, which is intended to women aged 40 and above due hormonal changes associated with age. A second night cream, $95, targets a somewhat younger There is also a day consumer. day cream, cream, $85; a men’s post-shave also $85, and a men’s treatment for $65. are said to include firmness, are said to include lines and plumped-up elasticity, faded wrinkles. L olla- empt to There’s a new-

bioengineered ingredi-

xtile, Apparel Job Erosion Continues Department stores shed 4,800 General merchandise stores In the overall economy, Meanwhile, apparel and ac- Amino acids and marine and Industry sources project the The assortment of eight items, is “The approach we’ve taken José Lladós-Comenge, an en- cores of cessories stores cut 4,100 seasonally adjusted jobs from payrolls in June to employ 1.3 million. Compared with June 2002, apparel and accessories store employment fell by 30,400. jobs in June to employ 1.7 million workers. Compared with June 2002, department stores cut 21,100 from payrolls. slashed 7,100 jobs in June to employ 2.8 million and shed another 3,400 against a year ago. 30,000 jobs were lost last month as the unemployment rate Continued from page 2 Te A Dr. Comenge BioTexture item. Comenge BioTexture A Dr. line could garner first-year retail sales approaching $5 million in the U.S. plant proteins are key among s tor of] beauty and appearance. It’s [also] a two-way communica- tor — cells in the epidermis connect with the neural system, transmitting information to the brain.” Comenge asserted that this process, which he described as “tactile perception,” declines with age. He added that the skin’s “sensorial functions” can influ- ence everything from a sense of well being to proper function of aging skin under sun exposure.

More Than Meets the Eye Than Meets More from docrinologist hailing treat- Barcelona, is launching a — ment collection with a twist only the line is designed to not of improve the appearance its aging skin but also enhance of “receptiveness,” or sense touch, Comenge claims. Comenge which is called Dr. will bow in as many BioTexture, this as 12 Nordstrom stores later month. to look at the interactions [between] the skin and the en- docrine, nervous and immunolog- ical systems,” said Comenge. “Skin is [an outward communica- Dr. Comenge BioTexture Comenge Dr. — NEW YORK the beauty indus- comer within try’s upscale, physician-market- ed skin care arena, a playing years field established in recent Murad, by names like Perricone, Bays Brown and Brandt. ents across the collection of facial treatment products. Antiaging claims include increased production of proteins, lipids, c gen and elastin within skin cells, purportedly achieved by protein whichcomplexes, att mimic hormones that stimulate benefits Resulting cell activity. 7 WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 2002, a deal he — Samantha Conti — Jennifer Weitzman diversification initiative, eviously, he was chairman he eviously, lla was one of several trans- Pr “Wal-Mart has been brought “Wal-Mart representing 1.4 The UFCW, The retailer has remained Also, Suffern, N.Y.-based The Also, Suffern, N.Y.-based an analyst with Dana Telsey, Also, on Tuesday, Levi's filed Also, on Tuesday, the take this seriously,” “We edoute, and held similar posi- enzo. rancisco charging Esprit had been responsible for leading a and helped reposition the image of the German brand. He was also chairman of Escada Beauté, the company’s fragrance and beauty division, prior to its sale in April to Wella helped to arrange. The sale to We actions in which Simonin, in helping to carry out a consoli- dation of Escada’s business activities, found himself with fewer responsibilities. of La and chief executive R tions at Givenchy Couture and K rested for trespassing during rested for trespassing The UFCW suc- these incidents. the extension cessfully argued injunction na- of the Arkansas improper. tionwide was down to size,” said the union spokeswoman. “This action get a home- shows they can’t make town, handpicked judge to store policies rule of law throughout the country.” million workers, has been aggressively pursuing representation rank and file. among Wal-Mart’s na- they staged Last November, com- tional protests against the pany’s wage and hour policies. steadfastly opposed to unions, saying it compensates fairly, provides stock opportunities for and has an open-door policy associates to report grievances. iors, said comps decreased 11.7 percent last month and total sales fell 7.8 percent to $24.1 million from $26.2 million. Dress Barn, a value-priced specialty store with 773 doors, said its comps decreased 7 percent and 3.4 percent overall to $71.2 million compared with $73.7 million. Bear Stearns, said in a research report that “savvy promotional tactics were likely successful in luring shoppers into the stores,” but said “significant markdown activity likely placed downward pressure on merchandise margins relative to last year.” a trademark-infringement law- suit in U.S. District Court in San F Holdings Ltd. with infringing on its pocket tab. A Levi’s spokeswoman noted this suit is one of more than 300 such actions the company currently has pending in the U.S. spokeswoman said of trademark infringement. al-Mart sought its first in- implied rating stands at “B2.” As reported, Simonin At Escada, Simonin initially While pleased with last Most U.S. retailers will report On the other hand, Deb In a separate development, “The court ruled the injunc- She said the action has been W No union member was ar- artners in exchange for a stake artners in exchange tive,” noting that the company’s or Decouvelaere, 38, will become retail strategy and organization new post. He was pre- a director, viously deputy purchasing director at Printemps. stepped down from his post on the Escada AG supervisory board on June 25, reducing its the days later, size to three. Two company reported that it had re- ceived a $50 million cash infu- sion from U.S.-based HMD P in the firm that could reach 29 percent. At the same time, Escada said that, in the six months ended April 30, it lost $8.4 million as sales declined 25.3 percent to $354.7 million. in May and 2 percent in June. month’s results, which were in line with its previous guidance, Bill Prange, chairman and chief said in a statement executive, that the firm “continues to be cautiously optimistic as we enter the month of July given the sustained promotional retail environment and challenging economic conditions.” He noted inventoryC&B’s mix is current. their June comps on Thursday. Shops, a 330-unit specialty retailer based in Philadelphia that sells regular and plus sized apparel and accessories to jun- man Robert Haas, one of the five man Robert descendants of Levi Strauss to called serve on the board today, House “a superb marketer with an extensive business background.” Moody’s Investors Service changed its outlook on Levi’s debt to “neg- a second-quarter performance was worse than the credit-ratings agency had expected. Levi’s sen- i current “no solicitation, no current “no policies by asking distribution” leave or face tres- offenders to a Wal-Mart passing charges, contended. spokeswoman tion was not the proper reme- the spokeswoman said. dy,” “They would no longer be violat- but they would ing a court order, still be trespassing.” fur- remanded to trial court for ther review. in junction against the UFCW 1999 when the union started visit- “blitz” actions including ing Arkansas stores in groups, entering employee-only areas, chanting at registers, filling and and abandoning carts, blocking aisles, the retailer’s spokeswoman said. An Arkansas Levi Strauss & Co. Seemingly endless Richard Simonin However Christopher & She fills a seat on the 14- In a statement, Levi’s chair- The July 3 ruling — the latest The action does not affect The store said Friday that the The store said Friday Simonin replaces Max The Harrods statement orkers union from entering al-Mart’s power to enforce its al-Mart’s power to enforce ully Friedman, an investor ully Friedman, ONDON — Early Comps Hurt by Wet June Early Comps Hurt by Wet NEW YORK — showers in June depressed retail results along with shoppers’ spirits, as The Dress Barn and Deb Shops both reported decreases in their same-store sales. Banks, the Minneapolis-based specialty retailer of regular and apparel plus-size women’s under the Christopher & Banks and C.J. Banks nameplates, managed to eke out a 2 percent increase in its June comparable-store sales, on top of a 13 percent increase in June of last Overall sales for the 482- year. unit chain rose 20.9 percent to $28.4 million from $23.5 million. comps were up 1 percent C&B’s Levi’s Adds to Board, Sees Moody’s Downgrade Debt — NEW YORK House, a founder has named Pat of Siebel Systems, to its board. member board that was vacated in April upon the retirement of T who’d served on the board of jeans- the San Francisco-based maker for about 18 years. Siebel is a San Mateo, Calif.-based sup- plier of business software. Judge Reverses Wal-Mart Union Ruling Union Wal-Mart Reverses Judge By Katherine Bowers BOSTON — judge has re- Supreme Court barring the versed a decision & Commercial United Food W Stores Sam’s Club or Wal-Mart nationwide in order to solicit store associates. be- step in protracted wrangling the tween the retailer and more UFCW for the loyalties of than a million U.S. store associates — overturns a 2001 injunc- faced tion arguing the retailer such immediate harm from re- union activities. In a 17-page port, the state Supreme Court inability to found Wal-Mart’s demonstrate “irreparable harm” as the basis for reversal. W Harrods Taps Simonin as CEO Taps Harrods L has been named chief executive officer of Harrods just over a week after his executive leaving post at Escada. Simonin will begin 50-year-old work on July 14, and report directly to Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed. Rigelman, who left in his post April afterjust two months on the job. added that Anne-Marie Verdin, 40, will join the company as marketing and communications she helped Previously, director. lead the development of Eric Satellite TV in France. economist with Thayer Lavielle ment,” said John not for another couple — Matthew W. Evans — Matthew W. t rther U.S. distribution plans bu uture product launch plans t In her new position, Lavielle “The U.S. recovery is not gain- “We felt the unemployment “We F Comenge’s collection ranges Fu ed Segal as possible additional BEAUTY BEAT elax.Now Spa in San Francisco avielle Moves to Lancôme ing momentum and it appears to With be a truly jobless recovery. a downward revision in the Gross Domestic Product in the there is no forward first quarter, momentum and the economy is showing this aimless direction.” Global Insight. of months, late in the third quar- pic- ter when the employment ture would start to show measur- able improve Mothersole, an NEW — YORK has been named assistant vice president of promotional marketing for the Lancôme Division USA, effective July 7. of L’Oréal She will report to Odile Roujol, deputy general manager and senior vice president of marketing for the division. will oversee all promotional marketing programs for Lancôme in the U.S. Her re- sponsibility consists of the de- of sign, creation and execution all special events in department and specialty stores, as well as the development of in-store collateral materials, including gift- with-purchase and purchase- with-purchase programs, for both retail events and new product launches. She joined the company in 1999 and has held a variety of roles. Most recently, she was assistant vice president USA’s of marketing for L’Oréal European Designer Fragrance division. rate would peak at 6.4 or 6.5 per- cen jumped from 6.1 percent in May to 6.4 percent in June, marking a nine-year high. beyond Nordstrom call for beyond Nordstrom call R to carry the collection in two locations, and Comenge is eyeing Sephora as well as Apothia at Fr points of sale. Next month, the collection will enter distribution in Spain at beauty retailers and spas. call for the rollout of new items at a rate of about one each month — and the introduction of a specially tailored spa line in the fall — until there are roughly 30 items in the total assortment. in price from $40 to $124 and inin price from $40 to $124 and cludes Intensive Night Cream, for $124, which is intended to women aged 40 and above due hormonal changes associated with age. A second night cream, $95, targets a somewhat younger There is also a day consumer. day cream, cream, $85; a men’s post-shave also $85, and a men’s treatment for $65. are said to include firmness, are said to include lines and plumped-up elasticity, faded wrinkles. L olla- empt to There’s a new-

bioengineered ingredi-

BIG SPENDER Who’s the biggest spender in lingerie advertising? Sara Lee Corp. Last year, $291 million of Sara Lee’s annual ad budget of $425 million was spent promoting its stable of intimates brands for women, men and children, which include Hanes WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 JULY WWD, MONDAY, and Hanes Her Way, Playtex, Bali, Barely There, Wonderbra and W by Wonderbra, which was photographed by Richard Avedon on Nadja Auer- mann for fall. Media spending shot up 29 percent over the past 9 months and it’s expected to rise 5 to 10 percent more by 2004. The newest campaign for the Barely There brand, which has been budgeted in excess of $5 million according to industry estimates, breaks Wednesday on prime time TV. Created by Shahid & Co. and shot by Richard Avedon on four top models, four different TV spots will focus on well-known figures: Shalom Harlow as Betsy Ross, Ivanna Milisevic as Susan B. Anthony, Daniella Van Graas as Joan of Arc and Rebecca Mader as Eve. Swimwear by Christina The ads are whimsical and enter- taining with scripts such as: “My name is Betsy Ross. I’m a seamstress. What I want in my underwear is not what I want in a flag. No showy seams. No fancy stitchwork. I don’t want people to salute my undies, I want them to Nadja Auermann models W by salute me. I want panties that Wonderbra. don’t ride up so I can sign the wasn’t invited to those events. I was Declaration of Independence home upholstering a chair. But if I and then go to the fireworks. I WW2 was there, I’d be Barely There.” SECOND NATURE Renta pink label sleepwear at There’s a growing movement What to Watch Carole Hochman Designs; daywear among innerwear manufactur- and sleepwear by Flash and Flora SWIMWEAR ers to help remedy a problem that Nikrooz Intimates at Flora Nikrooz has left major department stores Lingerie; French Jenny Johns and and chains in a funk: a new generation French Jenny Girl sleepwear at Richard of subbrands and secondary labels for Leeds International; Je T’Adore daywear at Lady CASUAL foundations, daywear, sleepwear and at-homewear Ester Corp.; Cinema Etoile at-homewear and at value prices that have taken market share from sleepwear and The Boudoir Collection at Movie Star established lines. These lines, generally priced at Inc., and moderate sleepwear by Pillow Talk by St. 20 to 50 percent less than primary brands, focus on Eve International. INTIMATES two classifications: young contemporary and Industry executives generally credit four brands updated basics. for pioneering the spinoff concept: the licensed Spinoff labels are nothing new. But over the past DKNY Underwear line at Wacoal America; daywear ACTIVEWEAR year, a number of these extended and sleepwear by Josie and the Cruz titles have entered the nearly $14 line of sleepwear and at-homewear at billion marketplace. Among the Natori Co., and Malizia by La Perla. newest names on the scene — Gianluca Flore, chief executive HOSIERY representing moderate, better and officer of La Perla USA, said Malizia upscale brands — are: was introduced in the mid-Nineties ● La Perla Black Label, a design- because the company wanted to er foundations, daywear and sleep- “reach a broader audience.” wear collection aimed at younger “Malizia is a line of lingerie geared consumers. to a bright, stylish woman with a ● Lisa’s Folly, an opening price playful attitude to seduction and point line of daywear and sleepwear style,” Flore said. “Malizia lingerie by Lola C. and sleepwear has grown immensely ● The Girls, a licensed line of yoga and has acquired its own personality.” looks at Charles Komar & Sons. Regarding the viability of second- ● Soul Sister Spa, a better line of ary labels, Donna Wolff, vice president spa-inspired separates, and Soul and divisional merchandise manager Baby babywear by Soul Sister #1 of intimate apparel and hosiery at Inc. Bloomingdale’s, said: “If the customer ● Live, Love, Lounge, a moderate can identify a secondary brand with line of at-homewear for J.C. Penney the primary brand, that’s a good thing. Co. and Fast Asleep sleepwear for It’s kind of like Marc by Marc Jacobs Sears Roebuck & Co., both by St. Eve ready-to-wear and handbags. But the International. bottom line is the quality of the pro- ● This fall, a new brand also will duct and is it in sync with brand be launched by Fernando Sanchez. recognition.” Neil Mossberg, president of Yala Wolff said the licensed yoga- Inc., owner of Fernando Sanchez, inspired line called The Girls at said, “We want to create a secondary Charles Komar & Sons has been a hit line that is aspirational for a new Lisa’s Folly sleepwear by Lola C. because of its success with hand- customer or perhaps the daughter of bags. “Consumers recognize the a customer who buys Fernando Sanchez but can’t name,” she said. afford the price point of $250 to $450. The new label, Retailers said the main reason for the push for which has not yet been named, will need to new labels with fashion flair is the glut of generic- maintain the integrity and quality of what Fernando looking merchandise. However, vendors complain it’s 125 HARTWELL STREET Sanchez is known for. We’re not chasing after a catch-22 situation in an uncertain economic climate FALL RIVER, MA. 02721 another Josie-type of business.” with retailers taking fewer risks, instead relying on This is just a snapshot of more new labels to be historical bestsellers. But sales of basic merchandise, (508) 674.3585 x1386 introduced in late 2003 and 2004, said retailers and which account for more than 75 percent of total www.radicispandex.com manufacturers. Other labels that have made their intimates programs, have been stagnant for the past mark since 2002 include the licensed Oscar de la year, according to industry executives. LISA’S FOLLY PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO; W BY WONDERBRA PHOTO BY RICHARD AVEDON PHOTO BY WONDERBRA JOHN AQUINO; W BY PHOTO BY FOLLY LISA’S 9 MIX IT UP European brands introduced coordinating “lifestyle pieces” such as WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 Among the biggest emerging trends in innerwear this year is the drawstring pants, camis, tanks and jackets in early 2003, said Victor cross-merchandising of categories by one major brand. Lee, president of NAP. The movement began in the early and mid-Nineties when status While the lifestyle concept is considered a creative way to gener- collections such as Calvin Klein Underwear were mer- ate multiple sales and broaden a brand’s exposure, PRIVATE LABEL chandised in huge shop environments. But collection retailers acknowledged a key challenge still remains: DILEMMA concepts housed in a dedicated area became obsolete how to merchandise lifestyle collections in innerwear Manufacturers of branded mainly because of the high overhead, limited space and departments without confusing customers. sleepwear are not pleased with a host of megabrands with look-alike styles. Mary Krug, vice president and dmm of intimate the alarming increase of pri- But now the idea is being resuscitated in the better and apparel and hosiery at Neiman Marcus, said the con- vate label programs swamping designer intimates arena on both sides of the Atlantic. cept is “showing up a lot in [intimates] collections, stores this year. Vendors began The general idea is mixing different categories and and the customer is definitely responding to it.” complaining in March when it lingerie labels in young contemporary areas, where Krug said key lifestyle collections at Neiman’s in- became widely known that younger consumers shop for a number of destination clude Hanro, Donna Karan Intimates and Zoe, a new Dillard’s Department Stores items. The idea also is taking shape in store displays resource from San Francisco. had upped its private label where customers can visualize a total look, but still be Ann Caetano, dmm of intimate apparel and hosiery budget 65 percent for sleep- able to shop for a product in a specific department. at Saks Fifth Avenue, said, “I think it’s a growing trend. wear compared with the prior Among the newcomers are French label Aubade, Oftentimes we create a look by keeping the products year. which introduced a capsule collection in March of pull- and styling on mannequins, but we keep the product In the 12 months ended Ap- on pants, hooded tops and related daywear items that separate on the selling floor. We look at a brand as a ril 30, total innerwear busi- can be mixed and matched in the same prints and color Aubade’s lifestyle looks. lifestyle but the customer still shops by category. ness at retail in the U.S. in all range as bras and panties, and NAP Inc., which features three status Caetano said her top-performing lifestyle brands include Donna channels of distribution was labels: the licensed Dockers brand of sleepwear and at-homewear Karan Body Spa, La Perla, Marvel by La Perla, Princesse Tam Tam, $13.9 billion, according to Mar- which added daywear items in May, French foundations maker Natori, Wacoal’s new line of daywear and sports bras and Hanro, shal Cohen, president of NPD- Princesse Tam Tam and Argentovivo, an Italian bra brand. Both which will be introducing a Style de Vie loungewear line this fall. Fashionworld, a consumer research firm. Private label sleepwear, which accounts for 27 percent of overall innerwear sales, was up 30 percent against a year ago, while inti- w mate apparel comprised 11 ho M percent, reflecting a 10 per- S P cent increase. on t 4 M The next six months do not i a P sh 3 4 look any brighter as private Fa y at label sleepwear is becoming a da 4 cash cow for big buying groups. un ay The reason: Unlike founda- S nd tions, which is a highly special- Mo ized business, sleepwear is a relatively simple apparel category to produce cheaply in volume programs. The exception is designer sleepwear for The Premiere Venue in New York which the quality of fabric, embellishments and styling, as well as fashion colors and August 3, 4, 5 2003 prints are at a premium. Pri- vate label sleepwear also off- The Only Trade Show exclusively dedicated to ers retailers a built-in margin and markdown, the luxury of Sleepwear Loungewear Foundations Daywear Hosiery Swimwear shipping early or late without more than 180 International Brands: a hassle, and it gives the edge on exclusive new product Alternative Plaisir Eprise de Lise Charmel Leigh Bantivoglio Pin-Up Stars launches. Ambra Eres Lilo Pluto Lingerie This is not good news for Ann Louise Roswald Eva Lisca Poisson d'Amour manufacturers who are not on Anna Moi Fantasie of England Lise Charmel Prima Donna a store’s matrix of core brands. Anne Lewin Fashino Lola C. & Co. Princesse tam.tam Josie Natori, chief execu- Answers Fashion Forms Loungewear Betty Rago tive officer of Natori Co., said, Antigel Feets of Fancy Love Tanjane Ravage “With stores increasing their Araks Féraud Paris Manuel Canovas Repose private label business, it is Argentovivo Footprints Swimwear Marie Meili Rigby & Peller ever more important for de- Arthur Freya Maripaz Rösch CreativeCulture signers and manufacturers to focus on the product and dif- Aubade Frou-Frou Designs Marmelade Rosy ferentiate the line. It starts Barbara Goddess Millesia Samantha Chang with the product and ends Bill Blass Godeva Naturana Sandra Maretti with the product.” Billet Doux Gossard Nefer Sans Complexe “It is something we are Body Guys Grenier Nina Beri Shock Absorber very concerned about,” said Body Up Guia Nina Ricci Simone Pérèle Michelle Clark, vice president Cacharel Swimwear Huit Nina Von C. 6ixty 8ight of merchandising at Movie Candide-Vous? Hutschreuther Collection NK Attitude Skimpies Star Inc. “We have to keep re- Chantelle ID Sarrieri NK Imode Spatz inventing ourselves, keep go- Chiarugi Intimo Privato NK Romance Stockingirl Stockings ing to Europe for fresh ideas Cor Lingerie Jane Woolrich Design No Romeo St. Tropez Leisure and new prints and embroi- Crabtree & Evelyn Janet Reger Nocturne Taubert deries that will keep the Crème Glacée Jenna de Rosnay Swimwear Nygard Tissage Lingerie branded [sleepwear] market Cristina Iaia Khurana O Lingerie / O Beach Tissage Soleil alive. I guess a lot of people D.J. Kiwi Swimwear Off Limits Valombreuse won’t survive.” Diane Von Furstenberg La Cosa On Gossamer Vannina Vesperini Judy Vella, owner and DKNY Underwear La Fiancée d'Arthur Oroblu Verde Veronica designer of Soul Sister, said, Domani La Sposa Oscalito Verdissima “Stores are in a survival Donna Karan Intimates Lady Marlene Osore Wacoal mode right now. If a vendor is doing a lot of business with Eberjey Le Mystère Panache Wolff major stores, it’s a problem. Eda Lingerie Le Mystère Renaissance Papinelle Ying Li But selling to a variety of spe- Emma-Jane Maternity Leaf Panties Parah Zoë San Francisco... cialty stores, catalogs and New Opening hours Web sites is key for a brand to remain strong.” Sunday/Monday: 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM - Tuesday: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM One department store executive who did not want to be identified summed up the private label issue this way: “We CONTACT at Altman Building & Metropolitan Pavilion have our margin and stock up 135 West 18th Street front. When we want to pro- LINGERIE AMERICAS Inc. mote it, we can do what we Tel # 203- 618 0092 between 6th & 7th Avenues want when we want. And we www.lingerie-americas.com can take a markdown at a cer- Fax # 203- 629 5248 tain time or speed up a deliv- [email protected] ery without waiting for a vendor to ship. We like that.” 10 Accessories/Jewelry Second-Half Forecast By Melanie Kletter and Marc Karimzadeh

More stores are opening in-store shops for accessories brands. Here, Saks’ Ferragamo boutique. WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 JULY WWD, MONDAY,

Custom bags are a growing trend. Here, a style from Luxury Accessories International, which is available to be customized. CUSTOM MOVEMENT There are many devoted fashionistas who feel they must have the “It” bag of the season, but lately there has been more interest in handbags that can’t be had so easily. Custom-made bags are growing in popularity, and for fall, a number of firms are stepping up their offerings in this arena. While made-to-order bags have long been a trend on the luxury side of the business, now more lesser-priced firms and small designers are getting in on the action. Among those who are offering custom bags this season is Luxury Accessories International, the New York-based leather goods firm that entered the custom-made business in January and now offers a variety of styles ranging in WW retail price from about $1,500 for a small clutch 2 to up to $6,000. “I think it’s definitely a growing trend, in What to Watch large part because there is a desire for unique- ness,” said Valerie Abrams, director of sales at LAI. “People want to make their bags special and different. If they design it in the color and style they want, they feel it’s their own bag. This has become the latest craze.” Abrams projects annual sales for its custom bags will hit $1 million, while total company sales are expected to reach $3 million. Designer firms also have stepped up their focus on custom THE INSIDE STORY designs for fall. In-store accessories boutiques are a growing trend in many stores these days. Marc Jacobs, for one, introduced a special-order alligator col- Until recently, most stores have chosen to display accessories as more of a mishmash, with brands of lection, and firms such as Hermès, Tod’s and Gucci are all carry- all sorts rubbing up against each other. Now, more retailers and more stores are embracing the idea of ing on the tradition. Judith Leiber is offering a special line of cus- presenting a full display for each brand, allowing them to offer a cohesive point of view. tom monogrammed bags in honor of its 40th anniversary this year. Saks Fifth Avenue recently re-did its first floor to include in-store boutiques for brands including Gucci, Even some stores have opened that are devoted to the custom Prada, Christian Dior, Burberry and Chanel, and the concept is a prototype for future store openings and bag movement. In Chicago, a boutique called 1154 Lill specializes renovations. Some of the boutiques are leased, including Christian Dior and Salvatore Ferragamo. in custom styles and has said it wants to venture into the East Bergdorf Goodman is in the midst of renovating its stores and will bring designer accessories up to Coast market this year. the second floor to house them in designer ready-to-wear shops, although Bergdorf executives have said the in-store shops are designed to be one-of-a-kind and not resemble the shops found in other stores. Marshall Field’s has just relocated the hosiery department at its State Street flagship to make room for in-store accessories shops, including one from Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche. Brands are also embracing the concept. Anne Klein is readying displays for its in-store accessories shops, which will make their debut at select stores this fall, and Echo Design Group is getting its ideas together for its first in-store shop, which will open at Marshall Field’s in Chicago in September. “Retail management is more focused on accessories and it makes sense to group them together,” said Stephen Roberts, co-president at Echo Design Group.

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The diamond ring you buy for yourself.™ 11 GLOVE ME DO WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 It’s been some time since gloves had a fashion moment, but the category is staging a comeback for fall. While gloves Smithsonian Brings Diamonds to D.C. are always a key category in the cold-weather arena, they have gotten spruced up with fashion touches that go far WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Smith- took over as chairman of the company beyond keeping fingers warm. sonian’s three-month summer exhi- his father started, Winston added that A surprising number of designers showed gloves at bition of seven privately owned, rare “there are lots of sharp elbows under their fall runway shows, including Prada, which dis- diamonds opened in Washington the basket. I thought it was better to played alligator-skin gloves, and Chanel, which showed late last month with a splashy din- let the stone speak for itself.” rabbit-fur mittens and leather gloves with hardware ner filled with diamond executives His absence was particularly not- embellishments. The increased interest in the category and plenty of cutting conversation. able since the exhibit is being held at accompanies the return in apparel this fall to ladylike The Israel-based Steinmetz Group the Harry Winston Gallery at the looks from the Forties and Fifties, which often featured of Companies contributed $250,000 Smithsonian, the permanent home of gloves. Reflecting fashion trends for fall, many of the to sponsor the event and Nir Livnat, the Hope Diamond. new glove styles are made of luxury fabrics, including Steinmetz’s president, explained its Winston may have chosen the high-end leathers, shearling and fur. timing. “We wanted to wait until after orange-colored stone, worn by Halle Stores of all stripes are stocking up on the category for we launched the Steinmetz pink dia- Berry when she won the best-actress coming months, including New York’s Henri Bendel, H&M mond in Monaco in June, and we Oscar in 2002, to hint at his own and Add Accessories. have to end the show Sept. 15 so the Nir Livnat, chief upcoming high-profile fall launch. “We are definitely adding more gloves,” said Bobby Arang, De Beers Millennium Star can be fea- executive officer of “I’ve designed a brooch from very owner of Add. “There are a lot of good styles out there now tured at the opening of the De Beers the Steinmetz unusual red pearls I acquired from a and it’s a hot category.” LV store in Tokyo in October,’’ he said. Group, with with remarkable woman I’ve come to know His company was chosen by De Daniel Steinmetz, in Japan, Susan Hendrickson,’’ Win- Gloves are a key trend for the second half of the year. Beers to cut the Millennium Star, chairman, and Ori ston said, referring to the the amateur Prada’s fall runway was filled with all manner. which at 203 carats is considered to Temkin, managing paleontologist who discovered a be the largest colorless diamond ever director of Ascot Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil in 1990 in discovered, and is a centerpiece of the Diamonds. South Dakota. “They are sublimely THE SECOND COMING Smithsonian show. De Beers began its unusual. Just as the red diamond is in The luxury sector continues to be foray into retailing in 2001 with the creation of De Beers LV, a class of its own as the rarest of dia- tough, but this second half, several jewel- a joint venture with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton to monds, so too is the red pearl.’’ ry and watch players are hoping to buck launch a line of co-branded jewelry at company-owned retail He declined to give much detail the trend with new, lower-priced collec- stores. The company is also planning to use the Millennium about this new collection, but said tions or line extensions. Star at its New York store opening, Livnat said, although as other pieces will likely be forthcoming. With prices at up to 50 percent below their reported that launch has been postponed until 2004. Among the most noteworthy as- top pieces, these secondary lines aren’t just a One executive who did not make the dinner at the pects of the show, which already has way to target today’s lighter pockets. They also National Museum of Natural History was Ronald Winston, long lines, is the speed with which it give firms the opportunity to jazz up their assort- chairman of Harry Winston Inc., who donated the orange- Actress Jenna was organized. Steinmetz signed the ments to attract a younger crowd and zero in on the colored Pumpkin Diamond to the show. Winston’s last- contract to fund the exhibition just Elfman was at the growing element of self-purchase in the jewelry business. minute decision to skip the dinner triggered speculation two months ago, and dinner invita- Among those launching less-expensive pieces are Boucheron, among the Steinmetz camp that Winston might resent the opening event. tions for the opening party were Baume & Mercier and Van Cleef & Arpels. They join the likes of La retail competition from De Beers LV. rushed out about 10 days before the event. That was also Nouvelle Bague, Damiani, Torrini, Pasquale Bruni and Stefan Hafner, Winston, when contacted by phone, said: “I am very shy when L.A.-based actress Jenna Elfman got the call inviting who have already expanded their assortments over the past two years. and I don’t like to make public appearances.” When asked her to wear the Steinmetz pink diamond at a press confer- Just in time for the all-important holiday season, Boucheron’s new specifically about the speculation among the Steinmetz ence prior to the dinner for 110 guests in the museum’s L’ Eau à la Bouche — which means mouth-watering — is based on 18- group, Winston said: “They are going to throw rocks of both rotunda. Elfman, who had to return the pink diamond to its karat chocolate gold rings, bracelets and necklaces, at retail prices kinds at us,” meaning more great diamonds coming onto the place in the show after the press conference, donned her own from $935 to $3,500. Boucheron’s high-end pieces typically start at market from De Beers and more industry gossip. diamond pendant to go with her borrowed Valentino dress. around $25,000. Noting that he left the De Beers system in 1980 when he — Susan Watters

Van Cleef & Arpels, meanwhile, will be launching Frivole, with SAMPERTON KYLE PHOTOS BY price points from $2,400 to $6,700. Frivole includes diamond and gold necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings in the form of a clover. Baume & Mercier is also jumping on the bandwagon and this fall is offering 18-karat yellow gold mini versions of its classic Hampton and Capeland watches, at prices from $4,900 to $6,900. “We found a void in the marketplace for 18-karat ladies’ bracelet watches that are diamond set in the $5,000 to $7,000 range,” said Edward Wright, president of Baume & Mercier North America. Stefan Hafner offers the Springtime collection, which, starting at $1,800, is more afford- able with many everyday looks. “Lifestyles are more casual and I think that more young women are design conscious and can afford these price points,” said Peggy Grosz, vice president at Bernard Grosz, Stefan Hafner’s exclusive North American distributor. “They want luxury things from innovative true designers, but maybe are not ready to spend in five digits.” Baume & Mercier, left, and Van Cleef & Arpels, top, are among those launching more accessibly priced collections this fall.

UNDER THE LICENSED SUN The seemingly endless spring rain may have temporarily damp- ened the spirits of sunglass makers, but the category promises to be red hot this fall. That’s because several designers and labels are either entering the field or aggressively re- launching their assortments for a slice of the $2.5 billion retail eyewear business. Earlier this year, Versace inked a 10-year licensing deal with Luxottica Group, which makes the sunglasses for Chanel, Salvatore Ferragamo and Bulgari. Meanwhile, Giorgio Armani Sunglasses from is working to redesign its signature Coach, top, and Giorgio Armani and younger Em- Giorgio Armani, left. porio collections with new partner Safilo Group. Also bowing this fall are new collections by Coach, in a license with Marchon Eyewear, Stella McCartney with Safilo and Blumarine with Colors In Optics. “I think fall will bounce back very strongly,” said Claudio Gottardi, president and chief executive officer of Safilo in the U.S. “There will be a lot of newness this fall, which will attract those customers who have not made 800.772.0418 their purchases in spring.” Photo: Igor Perchuk PRADA PHOTO BY GIOVANNI GIANNONI; FERRAGAMO BY DAVID TURNER 12 WESTON’S SHOO-IN: Galen Weston on Friday cleared an important hurdle in EUROPE WATCH his bid for Selfridges when Aguilera’s Versace Look Aletheia Partners said it was no longer planning a rival bid for the store. “In light of the continuing uncertainty regarding the general retail trading environment, Aletheia Partners, together with its consortium of equity investors, has decided not to proceed with a bid,” a statement from Aletheia said. As reported, Aletheia had given 4:30 pm on Friday as a deadline to announce its decision whether or not to proceed with a bid. A spokesperson for Weston said, “We are delighted that this has now removed the uncertainty WWD, MONDAY, JULYWWD, MONDAY, 7, 2003 surrounding Selfridges. Our offer remains open until the 10th of July. We look forward to receiving acceptances from shareholders.” Weston currently holds some 49,145,136 Selfridges shares, or about 31.8 percent of the existing issued share capital of the store. His bid will become unconditional when he holds 50 percent or more of Selfridges’ shares. — Samantha Conti

FREQUENT FLIER: Fast fashion is taking to the skies. Inditex’s best-selling brand, Zara, opened its first travel store last month in Barcelona’s El Prat airport. With roughly 4,600 square feet of selling space, the new location carries women’s, mainly the Zara Woman line and coordinated accessories; men’s wear, and a small selection of baby clothes. Could it be the start of something big? Not necessarily, according to a spokeswoman for the La Coruña-based parent company. “No more airport stores are planned, at least not short-term,” she said. Renovated in 1991 by local architect Ricardo Bofill, the Barcelona airport is made up of three terminals, with Zara located where domestic travelers depart. Traffic is estimated at about 16 million passengers a year. — Barbara Barker

CLOSING COST: Groupe Clarins said last week the total cost to shut down its money-losing Thierry Mugler fashion house would be disclosed on Sept. 11, in tandem with first-half earnings. Out of a total of 210 Mugler fashion staff members in France, 102 employees are being assisted under a redundancy program. Some 56 employees were transferred to Balmain, which is taking over the Mugler factor in Angers, France, plus four stores, as reported. Balmain has said it will elaborate on its expansion plans when it names a new artistic director for couture and ready-to-wear later this month. The takeover of the Mugler locations brings to 10 the number of Balmain shops worldwide. Meanwhile, Clarins plans to concentrate on Mugler fragrances. — Miles Socha

By Marcy Medina SLOW GROWTH SUMMER: Year-on-year retail sales in Britain rose 0.1 percent in June — the first monthly increase since January — while shopper numbers in London LOS ANGELES — Once again, the house of Versace is betting on the and the southeast of England climbed 0.3 percent, according to SPSL, a European power of its ad campaigns to reinvent another pop star in need of an retail traffic analyst. “The upturn last month was born out of both a busy school half- image pick-me-up: Christina Aguilera. term break, and a good start to the summer sales,” Tim Denison, a director at SPSL, She of the clownish makeup and dyed dreadlocks strips down for said in a statement. “Retailers seem to have been quick to detect the consumer’s Versace’s fall print campaign, which premieres in Interview magazine’s return to form, and have nurtured the revival by moving to sale a little early.” That August music issue and in the September issue of other magazines. said, June 2002 was an unusually poor month for retail sales, because of an extra- The eight Steven Meisel photographs, four of which are shown here long Golden Jubilee holiday weekend and the soccer World Cup. — S.C. in a WWD exclusive, reveal a new, unadorned side of the 22-year-old singer, who’s been called everything from a bubblegum pop princess DOWN TIME: Swiss watch exports continued to slow in May, according to a Morgan to a trash-talking diva to a semi-porn tartlet. Those labels have also Stanley report. Exports were down in volume terms 36 percent, which compares been applied to past Versace models Madonna and Courtney Love, with a decline of 22 percent in April. The year-to-date decline is 12.6 percent. whose popularity spiked when their ads broke. Both Aguilera and her Exports were down in value terms 12 percent in May, compared with 4 percent in new pal Donatella Versace are hoping that she follows suit. April, with the year-to-date decline 6.5 percent. The figures imply a major “We always think of Christina full of makeup and long hairdos. increase in average price points for watch exports and suggest the high-end watch Nobody has discovered her natural beauty yet,” said Versace by tele- industry is outperforming the rest. — Emilie Marsh phone from her house in Milan just before leaving for Paris and her couture show today. “I think these pictures will show her real personality.” PRIVATE CIRCLE: Steilmann Group, one of the Germany’s largest apparel For her part, Aguilera, who took a four-day break from her summer tour to celebrate the July 4 holiday at home producers, said 2002 sales fell 9.3 percent to $585.6 million, but the profit with her family in Los Angeles, said, “Obviously a lot of famous women wear her clothes and I feel honored that out picture improved. Dollar figures have been converted from the euro at current of everyone she selected me.” exchange. Profits were not disclosed. Since Britta Steilmann took over the reins Aguilera believes Versace chose her “because I take chances and I’m not afraid. With this campaign, I’m defin- of the family company in 2001, Steilmann eliminated 1,200 jobs in Germany ing a new side of myself.” (Just in case fashionistas don’t recognize the new Christina, her name will be prominent- and overseas, bringing its workforce down to 11,600, but lifting the bottom line. ly printed beneath the Versace logo at the bottom of the photographs.) Exports grew to 45.7 percent from 43.5 percent. Marks & Spencer remains She admits the choice may come as a shock to many. “It may be a surprise to see my face with Versace since Steilmann’s largest customer, and the company is looking to expand its private I’ve only been dabbling in fashion shows. It’s probably also surprising for some critics who haven’t been so open to label activities, especially in Europe. — Melissa Drier my style, you know? It’s just funny. That just means they’ll have nothing to say once they see me in the campaign.” Versace courted the singer in Milan last spring when the designer included a remix of her hit “Beautiful” in her FLAG WAVER: When Feraud opens its Paris flagship on Rue Saint Honore later this runway show, and afterwards invited Aguilera to stay at her house, where she threw a party in her honor and played month, it will have more room to show off a host of new product categories. The “Dirty” on repeat all night. “It was really funny and flattering,” Aguilera remembered. “She was really sweet.” French fashion house, majority owned by Escada, just signed a licensing Of course, Versace has a knack for cultivating friends in the music business, including J.Lo, P. Diddy and Sting. “Versace agreement with Florence-based Koblot for women’s and men’s leather goods. The has always been very rock ’n’ roll. I follow everything closely and Christina really took my attention. Her music has evolved debut collection, spanning bags, luggage, small leather goods and belts, will bow from a commercial song (her first hit, “Genie in a Bottle”) to a sophisticated sound. I’m in love with ‘Beautiful.’“ at the store. Coming next spring are costume jewelry and watches, produced “Of course, you cannot compare anyone to Madonna, but I believe Christina is the Madonna for the new millen- under license by International Jewellery Design Co. And Feraud managing director nium,” she continued. Francois-Xavier de Monts said an eyewear deal is in the works, too. — M.S. Aguilera, who was, by turns, street-talking tough and delicately well-spoken in the interview, became positively girlish at the mention of the Material Mom. “It’s such an honor to be in the company of Madonna,” she gushed. EYE SPY: British designer John Richmond is branching out into eyewear through a “And to be the youngest Versace celebrity face ever!” licensing deal with IT Holding unit Allison. The pact is for five years, renewable As megastars must do when they put themselves in Versace’s hands, Aguilera for another five years and covers the production and distribution of prescription left her diva-dom at the door when she entered Milk studios in New York on April eyewear and sunglasses. The items are expected to generate sales of about $86.6 1 for the two-day shoot. “It was a first for me in that it wasn’t about my vision, million, or 75 million euros, in the first five years. The first collection, featuring it was about playing model. I was there for Donatella,” she said. about 30 styles in 100 variations, are slated for introduction at the Silmo trade The stripped-down aesthetic of the shoot, styled by Brana Wolf, came about fair in Paris in October. Richmond, backed by Italian entrepreneur Saverio naturally. “Pat McGrath had just put lotion on my face and Guido Palau had only Moschillo, said the deal will help him express his “interpretation of luxury rock ’n’ blown out my hair. Steven Polaroided me before they could do anything else. roll all over the world.” — Amanda Kaiser When he got the picture back he said, ‘Let’s shoot like this.’” The lack of makeup took some getting used to, but Aguilera and the clothes CLOUDY WEATHER: Hit by a drop in tourism, the war in Iraq, SARS and the strong were a natural fit. “I like to accentuate my curves and my little booty, and every- euro, sales at France’s Group Printemps, part of the Pinault-Printemps-Redoute retail thing I put on seemed like it was tailored to me.” and luxury conglomerate, were “almost stable” for the first six months of the year, Said Versace, “She can wear anything because of the strength of her per- according to president Laurence Danon. While sales sputtered at the group’s flagship sonality, which is what I like about her. On the set, she knew exactly what she Boulevard Haussmann store in Paris, its 16 additional Printemps stores across wanted to wear.” France picked up the slack, added Danon. She attributed this to fewer tourists at Among the pared down, clean looks that define Versace’s fall line, Aguilera Haussmann and that French shoppers were staying closer to home. Overall sales in “loved the red corset but my favorite shot is the one of me lying down in the plain the first quarter rose about 2 percent, while they dropped about 2 percent in the black dress. It’s so completely natural and it was one of the first photos that second three-month period. Besides the Printemps department stores, the group inspired the rest of the shoot.” also counts PPR’s sports retailing branch of 19 Made in Sport shops and the Versace said she was surprised at the level of concentration Aguilera brought Citadium sports megastore in Paris. Sales in the sports division increased 10 to the set. “We played a bunch of music including hers, but she was concen- percent in the first half, buoying the group’s overall results. Meanwhile, Danon trating so hard she didn’t seem to hear it.” said sales for the first week of the summer sales season had been robust: up 12 Aguilera added, “I stepped into the whole thing open to her ideas and we clicked percent at Printemps’ Haussmann store, and up 14 percent for its other 16 personally and professionally. In no way, shape or form would I have told anyone what stores. Danon did not provide figures in currency terms. — Robert Murphy to do. I was like, ‘You really just want straight, blown-out blonde hair? That’s it?’” 13 Legwear Second-Half Forecast By Marc Karimzadeh WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003

BRIGHT SPOT added: “It’s fashion specific as far as the colors, but From Biba to Courrèges and Cardin, swinging the consumer will get a color or two and then go Sixties fashions are back in full force this fall. into the basic colors.” This means Lucite heels and miniskirts, and designers like Marc Jacobs accessorized their run- PEEK-A-BOOT way looks with colorful tights, from bright oranges With miniskirts making a comeback and boots to purple and turquoise. continuing to dominate footwear silhouettes for Even Britney Spears, never one to shy away from fall, Hue’s new Boot-tique collection, which fashion extremes, added some pop to her wardrobe ships to stores next month, could well last week by accessorizing a micromini with Roy become a legwear must-have in the sec- Lichtenstein-inspired leggings at an MTV party. ond half. The legwear category, long struggling with The division of Kayser-Roth is launch- women shunning tights in favor of open-toe ing Boot-tique as part of its philosophy shoes and bare looks, has been waiting for to offer consumers solutions to such endorsement. Makers will be watching to footwear trends. In the past, the com- see whether pop tights will make it from run- pany offered such items as the foot way to reality. tube to be worn with summer slides “It started with the runway shows, then the or sandals. fashion editors picked it up, and for fall, it’s Traditionally, boot socks are heavy about the short skirt or HotPants, the boot and in gauge and usually not too suitable the legging,” said Maria Basquil, national sales for boots that are snug in fit. manager at Wolford America. “The more conser- Boot-tique comprises boot-liners, vative stores are a little worried about the color over-the-knee socks, leg warmers and on the leg, but the fashion stores are going after boot cuffs made of tightly woven, 90- it aggressively.” denier opaques and therefore Basquil added that she expects opaque tights lighter in weight. to benefit from fashion trends this fall, and In typical Hue manner, the Wolford is projecting a 150 percent increase in collection is full of whimsical opaques sales this season. elements to lure consumers For fall, Henri Bendel, which sells select leg- into legwear departments: wear in its Agent Provocateur boutique but does- the over-the-knee socks, for n’t have a hosiery department, has picked up instance, are available in a Hue is launching Boot-tique this fall. Fogal of Switzerland’s colored opaques, fishnets flat knit, a three-tone stripe, and leg warmers. a polka dot or a two-tone WWmer,” said Molly Mott, vice presi- “We felt that colored opaques were very much of color block with a floral 2 dent of sales at Kayser-Roth. “This the season, since it was such a strong runway appliqué. This was des- was about what you wear with boots trend,” said Scott Tepper, accessories buyer at igned to peek out from under What to Watch and miniskirt in the winter. And Henri Bendel. “Our customers look for that from the boot. color, which is an important trend for us. We wanted to offer colored tights to give The leg warmers, meanwhile, fall, is a major factor in Boot-tique.” customers an option for a finished look if they feature plain, ribbed or furry styles, The collection retails from $5 for a mid- are wearing a miniskirt.” and come in color tones such as black, calf boot liner to $12 for a striped leg warmer. Donna Waxman, Fogal’s agent in the U.S. and Canada, green, red and brown. Some even double up The line’s over-the-knee socks will retail for $9. as wrist cuffs. Mott declined to give sales projections, but said the Britney Spears embraced the Pop Art trend with “Boot-tique was the next step from our sum- collection will ship to between 1,500 and 1,800 depart- these Roy Lichtenstein-inspired leggings. mer options and what you wear with shoes in sum- ment doors, as well as some select specialty stores. SPEARS PHOTO BY WIREIMAGE CAULFIELD/ MICHAEL 14 Financial Forecast Inventories Leave Stores On Edge Continued from page 2 er-than-expected inventories in merchandise manager, last month ahead of the retail pack. If it ment determination coupled warned its second-quarter profits January after the holidays,” he told attendees at a Credit Suisse was “nervous” about invento- with technical advances. In the

WWD, MONDAY, JULYWWD, MONDAY, 7, 2003 could fall by as much as 25 per- noted, which caused them to First Boston conference that the ries last month, other compa- first quarter of fiscal 1994, off of cent from a year ago amid inven- order less merchandise than firm was “a lot nervous” about in- nies were likely scared stiff. a base that included fewer tory concerns up and down the Levi’s had anticipated. ventory levels at the beginning of Considering the discounter’s stores, the industry’s inventory- supply chain. Originally, the firm So far, much blame for the May, specifically in seasonal mer- traffic, driven in part by food of- to-sales ratio weighed in at planned earnings at flat to down poor retail sales and mounting chandise such as summer apparel. ferings, and its ultra-low prices, 0.1664, with $28.3 billion in in- 5 percent, excluding the effects of inventory has fallen to the While inventory has yet to be Wal-Mart is better positioned to ventory and $170.19 billion in year-ago restructuring initiatives. weather. Cooler-than-usual tem- worked down to the retail move excess inventories than sales, according to Buchanan. Chief financial officer Robert peratures this spring left con- giant’s preferred level, Wal-Mart many of its competitors. Despite the recent inventory Shearer, on a conference call, said sumers uninterested in warm- seeks to grow inventories at While the national chain re- increases, Northeast Securities VF’s inventory by the end of June weather offerings gracing the about half the rate of sales, and tailers have not commented on analyst Eric Beder expects in- could be up by as much as 20 per- shelves of many stores. Harris said “a lot of progress” the status of their inventories ventory levels to trend down cent, although some of that in- Excess inventory, though, is has been made. since reporting first-quarter re- through the rest of the year. crease was planned. “The issue usually a confluence of factors. In here is the tough retailing envi- addition to a disinterested con- ronment and the inventory reduc- sumer, stacks of goods crowding tions taken by our customers,” he the retailers’ back rooms can be We’ve put a full-court press on trying to make adjustments on said. About 50 percent of VF’s the result of poor planning, less “ business is based on replenish- than fashionable merchandise or price where we need to to get inventory levels down and certainly ment orders, which have declined an inefficient supply chain. partially due to the inventory re- Whatever the cause, too much put the breaks on replenishment where we can. It’s one of those ductions under way at retail. inventory strikes terror in the Likewise, Levi Strauss & Co. hearts of stores and their suppli- things where you work on out-of-stocks in the morning and recently acknowledged it had ers. Eventually, the goods need to begun selling some excess in- be sold at steep markdowns, overstocks in the afternoon. ventory — including its Red Tab which can make for significant ” — Don Harris, Wal-Mart Stores products — to Sam’s Club, but losses on sales that come too late. said the move had nothing to do This, in turn, raises Wall Street’s “We’ve put a full-court press sults, and declined to do so for “One of the real triumphs in re- with the upcoming launch of the blood pressure and can acceler- on trying to make adjustments this article, stock levels going tailing is that inventory manage- Levi Strauss Signature mass ate a fall in a stock’s price. on price where we need to to get into the second quarter indicated ment has gotten very, very so- market brand at Wal-Mart Stores Retailers can also reduce their inventory levels down and cer- that they had some work to do. phisticated,” he noted. Inc.’s 2,000-plus U.S. stores. product buys, but too severe a tainly put the breaks on replen- According to Goldman Sachs, The SARS crisis, with the ac- The firm started selling to cutback on new merchandise can ishment where we can,” said J.C. Penney’s department stores companying rise in videoconfer- Sam’s because it had more in- leave stores flat and depleted of Harris. “It’s one of those things and catalog had a 6.9 percent rise ence sourcing efforts, might ventory than anticipated coming fashion newness. The term “vi- where you work on out-of-stocks in inventories on a 7.1 percent make the supply chain even off of the holiday season, ac- cious circle” comes to mind. in the morning and overstocks drop in sales in the first quarter, more efficient and reduce the cording to a spokesman. “Many Don Harris, Wal-Mart’s execu- in the afternoon.” while Kohl’s Corp.’s inventories amount of inventory needed, he of our retail customers had larg- tive vice president and general Wal-Mart, though, is often rose 26.2 percent on a 13.2 percent said, since it caused firms to re- rise in sales and Sears, Roebuck alize more fully the potential of & Co.’s stocks were up 8.7 percent electronic communication, as on a 2.3 percent fall in sales. they had started to do after the “Managements have reacted Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. to the spring inventory bubble Beder also noted stock levels by cutting receipts of goods and would fall simply because retail- maintaining high promotional ers would rather chase sales now levels — although perhaps no than be faced with steeper mark- higher than a year ago,” wrote downs at the quarter’s end: “They Goldman Sachs analyst George just don’t want to get stuck with it.” Strachan in a research report While inventory levels are apt earlier this month. Despite the to fluctuate, waiting too long to sales improvement in May, he mark down and clear goods noted, the mountain of invento- could hamper second-quarter ry has not melted away. When profits. While May’s comparable- they arrive on Thursday, reports store sales offered mild hope that on June sales will afford ob- sales were returning, if the con- servers a clearer view of the sumer doesn’t pick up enough to second quarter, which ends at allow retailers to move their ex- the conclusion of August. cess inventories at some kind of A.G. Edwards & Sons analyst profit, June and then July comps Robert Buchanan said excess in- could bring with them second- FACTORING BY DESIGN ventory has been a problem quarter profit warnings. throughout the industry, including Of course, retailers could broadline and specialty players. hold onto the merchandise, Federated Department avoid a second-quarter hit and Stores Inc., he said, hit the pro- hope to eventually move the motional button early while oth- merchandise at closer to full ers, such as May Department price, but this cuts back on a Stores Co. and Kohl’s Corp., store’s newness quotient. have been slower to attack the “Af ter a year of down inven- excess goods on hand. tories there was an effort to “Retailers in hindsight made build inventory and this spring a huge mistake by being too op- perhaps wasn’t the season to timistic on their inventory com- start building inventories with mitments,” said Buchanan. the inclement weather,” said The inventory backups so far UBS specialty retail analyst A DIVISION OF IDBBANK have been in women’s, he said, Richard Jaffe. where retailers made their While sales driven by slight Call Saul Langer, largest purchasing bets. markdowns are good, the heavier SVP and Division Head Buchanan tracks the indus- the markdowns, the more costly or Michael Bell, VP try’s inventory-to-sales ratio. those sales are to the bottom line. at 212-273-2960 That ratio in the first quarter of Retailers have been able to fiscal 2004 rose to 0.1352 for re- move the goods, but less prof- IDBFactors tailing overall, representing in- itably than anybody hoped, said Empire State Building ventories worth $89.89 billion Jaffe. 350 Fifth Avenue, NY 10118 on sales of $655.08 billion. This Consultant Emanuel Wein- compared with a ratio of 0.1332 traub said excess inventory is a in the fourth quarter with inven- result of a lot of things, both tories of $87.9 billion on sales of large and small, gone wrong. $659.92 billion. In addition to undue optimism IDBBank is a registered service mark of Israel Discount Bank of New York. While retail inventories have and poor forecasting, Weintraub Total assets exceed $7 billion. MEMBER FDIC risen recently, they’ve also fall- said retailers can accumulate en significantly over the last extra inventory by losing touch decade with the help of manage- Continued on opposite page 15 W,MNA,JL 7, 2003 WWD, MONDAY, JULY

Weekly Stock Index 52-Week Sales Amt Stock Glut Makes Merchants Nervous High Low P/E (00’s) Last Change Broadline Retailers Continued from opposite page ted a lot of inventory in the this is a level of sophistication 5.28 3.37 Bon-Ton Stores 6.9 552 5.14 0.24 with the consumer, having too wrong places. retailers generally haven’t long a product development Retailers are “perpetually” reached, it has the potential to 28.14 12.32 Dillard Dept. 11.3 46198 13.67 0.70 cycle or bad systems. out of stock on promotional more specifically target cus- 41.00 23.51 Federated 12.1 76169 36.39 -0.16 “When enough different items, she said, pointing out that tomers’ needs in stores and free 2.91 0.94 Gottschalk's - 738 2.14 0.06 things compound, you have a some items advertised for up resources for other projects. 25.55 14.07 J.C. Penney 14.3 148810 16.31 -0.74 headache,” he said. “Some of Father’s Day weren’t on the “Every dollar that retailers 33.33 17.81 May Dept. Stores 13.3 65163 22.07 -0.73 that inventory is because you’re shelf by the time that many spend on inventory that isn’t 14.17 6.66 Saks 21.9 28835 9.65 -0.07 putting into the store what the shoppers made it into the stores. necessary is a dollar that can be 53.26 18.25 Sears 7.2 129152 33.08 -0.25 consumer doesn’t want and “The big call to action for re- spent on refurbishing stores, those are the goods that don’t tailers today is being aggressive opening new stores or increas- 39.49 24.90 Target 20.9 135950 37.39 -0.16 move and eventually lead to in liquidating things that are not ing the effectiveness of their 3.73 1.48 Value City - 980 2.31 0.00 heavy markdowns.” selling, but being aggressive on technology,” said Selden. 58.03 43.72 Wal-Mart 30.0 379359 54.96 0.57 North American managing staying in stock on the things The excess inventory in the partner for Accenture’s retail that are going to keep the cus- marketplace has failed to pro- Softline Retailers industry group Angela Selden tomer coming into the store,” duce a major boost for the off- 30.07 17.05 Ann Taylor 16.8 28623 28.86 -0.39 said the retailers have commit- she said. price industry, though, which Retailers need to take a paring gets some of its product through 1.81 0.55 Bluefly - 2262 1.10 -0.05 knife and not a blunt axe to their closeouts from other retailers. 21.73 15.40 Burlington Coat 11.2 3017 17.75 0.24 Biggest Percentage Changes inventories, said Selden. They Monroe Milstein, chief execu- 8.40 2.70 Charming Shoppes 14.6 18714 5.10 0.32 For Week Ending July 3 also can’t stop bringing in new tive at off-pricer Burlington Coat 24.49 13.02 Chico's FAS 25.5 65650 20.93 -0.14 Gainers Close Change goods altogether or their offers Factory Warehouse Corp., which 16.60 11.06 Dress Barn 14.6 6947 12.61 0.12 Mossimo 4.27 17.60 will go stale and traffic will wane. gets about half of its sportswear 14.44 8.20 Foot Locker 11.9 77748 12.99 -0.51 Guess 6.65 13.29 Woes over inventory felt by and dresses and 35 percent of retailers can often be traced coats from closeouts, noted, 19.10 8.35 Gap 25.6 180301 18.60 -0.15 Tropical Sportswear 7.32 9.25 Unifi 6.45 8.95 back to supply chains, she said. “When you’ve had a few bad years, 73.75 44.00 Kohl's 26.6 166519 51.85 1.43 “The more nimble the supply there’s less [merchandise] around 21.58 10.88 Limited Brands 16.7 130944 15.52 0.19 Charming Shoppes 5.10 6.69 Losers Close Change chain, the more responsive you because manufacturers get more can be to changes in demand.” conservative in their cutting.” 37.35 23.75 Neiman Marcus Group 14.1 4447 36.55 0.30 Bluefly 1.10 -4.35 There’s a huge opportunity, Good times, he said, create 23.00 15.00 Nordstrom 18.8 30577 19.50 -0.09 J.C. Penney 16.31 -4.34 25.96 10.81 Pacific Sunwear 23.2 51162 25.07 0.47 she noted, to better manage in- better deals for off-pricers since Foot Locker 12.99 -3.78 ventories, particularly through manufacturers become opti- 47.77 31.85 Ross Stores 16.4 51835 42.61 -0.22 Delta Woodside 2.80 -3.45 gearing supply chains toward mistic and anticipate reorders 8.40 6.02 Syms - 627 6.70 0.15 TJX 18.10 -3.36 items and not categories. While that might not come. 36.28 20.59 Talbots 15.1 11811 29.73 0.78 21.46 15.30 TJX 18.1 133337 18.10 -0.63

Vendors 53.13 41.55 Alberto Culver 20.2 13967 52.07 1.47 TIME IS MONEY. 63.72 43.49 Avon 27.8 43945 62.92 0.33 21.19 13.65 Cherokee 13.2 1261 20.91 0.12 53.53 17.19 Coach 34.1 35651 50.91 0.12 53.60 27.46 Columbia Sportswear 19.4 9468 52.96 2.10 WE GIVE YOU MORE OF BOTH. 35.99 25.20 Estee Lauder 36.3 35776 33.95 0.01 24.61 14.99 Fossil 19.0 11866 24.04 0.29 8.25 4.49 G-III 23.8 11 7.49 0.20 Much more nimble, independent and streamlined than 98.71 82.53 Gucci 35.5 7907 98.35 0.34 7.25 3.30 Guess - 1813 6.65 0.78 banks, we’re the financial backbone of sophisticated, 38.25 25.61 Jones Apparel 11.8 61697 30.50 0.86 successful businesses all over the globe. Our clients 33.19 19.70 Kellwood 40.7 10099 32.22 0.87 benefit from customized financial solutions and the 27.96 16.00 Kenneth Cole 14.3 5182 19.44 0.31 36.40 23.55 Liz Claiborne 15.3 32577 34.99 -0.53 breadth of services that we provide. We are known for 9.75 3.40 Mossimo 5.4 5728 4.27 0.64 our expertise in: 24.10 14.60 Movado 12.8 907 21.66 0.21 14.78 8.06 Nautica 21.5 12973 13.19 -0.05 Factoring: 42.80 19.50 Oxford 15.0 5197 42.31 0.56 • Full-Service Factoring and Accounts Receivable 15.49 10.80 Phillips-Van Heusen 16.1 5464 14.27 0.28 Management Services 27.93 16.49 Polo Ralph Lauren 14.0 15341 26.00 0.38 18.25 8.63 Quicksilver 17.8 27690 17.44 1.06 • Web-Based “Factronics” System for fast credit approvals 5.10 1.85 Revlon - 2471 3.21 0.18 • Advance, Collection & Maturity Factoring 21.15 13.14 Russell Corp. 12.9 8494 19.40 0.18 • Trade Finance Services (Letter of Credit) 6.45 2.70 Tarrant Apparel - 357 2.84 0.01 14.88 5.61 Tommy Hilfiger 6.6 37531 9.24 0.26 Asset-Based Lending: 24.24 4.14 Tropical Sportswear - 8356 7.32 0.62 43.07 31.50 VF Corp. 9.9 32339 34.04 -0.02 • Loan/Revolving Credit Lines secured by receivables, 14.10 8.80 Warnaco - 42764 13.43 -0.03 inventory, or other acceptable collateral • Debtor-In-Possession Financing Textiles • Bridge Real Estate Loans 3.20 1.21 Cone Mills 5.5 465 1.55 -0.02 6.15 1.75 Delta Woodside 11.0 56 2.80 -0.10 Find out how the Rosenthal & Rosenthal equation will 0.10 0.02 Galey & Lord - 405 0.02 0.00 enable your company not just to thrive, but to conquer. 10.00 2.25 Guilford Mills - 56 8.50 -0.10 9.94 4.25 Unifi 213.7 15826 6.45 0.53 STRATEGIES. SOLUTIONS. SERVICE. WWDStock Market Index for Week Ending July 3 Contact: Composite: 108.72 Broadline Stores: 109.32 Softline Stores: 104.67 Michael Stanley 212-356-1497 Executive Vice President, Factoring Sheldon Kaye 212-356-1481 Executive Vice President, Asset-Based Lending

1.41 1.74 0.77 Vendors: 108.85 Textiles: 116.79 Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Inc. Index base of 100 is 1370 Broadway, New York, NY 10018 • www.rosenthalinc.com keyed to closing prices of Dec. 31, 2002. 0.86 5.65 16 Tom my H i l f ige r WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 JULY WWD, MONDAY,

Continued from page one nities of which we’ve never taken advantage. Growing closed. But Hilfiger feels these stores were necessary for his “Wall Street is always anxious. They want us to spend the women’s is an enormous opportunity. We’ve really image. “You always need an image vehicle to enhance the all our money on an acquisition, whether it’s right or succeeded with women’s, but not to the extent we can if global viewpoint of the brand. You do it through flagship wrong,” said Hilfiger in an exclusive interview with we really put horsepower behind it. We view ourselves stores, models and advertising,” he said. WWD. “They want us to put a ceo in place yesterday. We as a global brand. There’s growth in Europe. It’s very He said part of the company’s men’s wear problem was have to do what is right for the brand and the corporation. substantial, and more than any other division,” he said. agreeing to do too many products that department stores “We’re looking at all different opportunities [for ac- Europe contributed a total of $275.8 million to 2003 rev- requested. “They were asking us to do things, and were quisitions]. There’s nothing at the forefront,” he said. enues, above expectations and 44.2 percent above the asking other companies, too. We got caught in ‘same-itis.’ Hilfiger, whose core men’s wear brand has been bat- previous year, excluding currency fluctuations. If a store said it needed more plaid shirts, we said, “OK,’ tling market erosion and whose products have been One area he’d like to cultivate is casual career, and but that’s not what the customer wanted. The store would greatly over-exposed in department stores, admits the he’d like to make a play for the Lauren by Ralph Lauren go to Nautica and Polo, too, and ask for the same things. company needs fixing, but believes there are still plenty area in department stores — real estate that Jones New During the last few years, you couldn’t tell the difference of opportunities to grow. York, CK Calvin Klein and, of course, Polo’s Lauren line between Tommy, Polo and Nautica,” said Hilfiger. Among them are launching a new women’s casual ca- are all going after as well. In women’s wear, Hilfiger’s sister, Ginny, remains the reer line, H Hilfiger, for department store distribution “We’re only in casual. We’ve never been in the muse. “She designs what she wants to wear and what and adding more dressy categories to the women’s offer- dressier career business,” said Hilfiger. “Casual career the customer wants to buy. That’s one of the reasons it’s ings. In addition, Hilfiger sees plenty of international is the thought at the moment with department stores — been so successful,” he said. growth left for the company, especially in women’s ap- as a result of the Lauren/Jones situation.” Presently, one- Hilfiger said his separate H line in men’s wear has parel. He said he’s beginning to see a “turn in men’s al- third of Hilfiger’s total business is in women’s apparel done very well because it’s more sophisticated, more ready with the new product,” and the company is rede- (with men’s, children’s, retail and licensing comprising grown up and geared to Hilfiger’s specialty stores. “It veloping much of Tommy Jeans. the rest) and 65 percent of the women’s business is in has sold extremely well,” he said. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the product,” he said. jeans and jeans-related casualwear, Hilfiger pointed out. Turning back to acquisitions, Hilfiger said his invest- For the last fiscal year, Hilfiger sustained a massive “The question marks surrounding Lauren and Jones ment bankers have presented him with a lot of different $513.6 million loss, or $5.68 a diluted share, compared will spell opportunity with a Big O,” said Hilfiger. companies. “It’s like looking for a house. You can look with income of $134.5 million, or $1.49, the previous “Department stores will clear out space. Now, it’s a new and look and look, and when you walk into a house, you year. The loss was due mostly to a $430 million charge love how it feels and you know it’s right,” he said. One reflecting the cumulative effect of a change in account- thing is certain: Hilfiger doesn’t want an acquisition ing principle. Revenues inched up 0.6 percent to $1.89 that goes head-to-head with his company. billion from $1.88 billion a year earlier. “I will not compete against my own brand. There is According to the company’s annual report, released something out there, or there will be something that will last month, Hilfiger’s women’s wear, up 4.9 percent to be right. We have such a global presence and such a $564.7 million in revenues, was the largest segment of strong infrastructure in Europe. To buy something just the company’s wholesale business in the last fiscal year, for the U.S. market wouldn’t be the right fit. I’m not in a outpacing men’s wear for the first time, which saw its race to do this. I don’t have a deadline. Our cash is not revenues decline 10.8 percent to $555.1 million, as re- going away. There’s more coming in. I want to make ported. Hilfiger, as noted, has about $420 million in sure it’s the right thing for our shareholders and our cash, and in May hired J.P. Morgan Chase to assist it in corporation without neglecting Tommy Hilfiger because acquiring additional brands. Tommy Hilfiger is an alive, breathing, strong brand that With rumors swirling daily about what company can continue to have opportunities. Tommy Hilfiger Corp. will acquire — or whether “Will it have the kind of growth we had in the Nineties, Hilfiger itself will be acquired — the designer wants to when we were seeing gains of 25 to 30 percent, and 37 to set the record straight: 40 percent? No, never. If Tommy Hilfiger could get single- ● He’s not making a bid for Nautica Enterprises; digit growth…It’s a very stable company,” he added. ● Buying Sweetface Fashions is a possibility, One of Tommy Hilfiger’s fall Collection ads, created by Lloyd & Co. “I’m not saying we wouldn’t want that again [double- ● He doesn’t want to sell his company to Jones Apparel digit increases]. We’d only get that kind of growth with Group, VF Corp. — or any other firm for that matter. an acquisition. To make the wrong kind of acquisition “I have too much energy,” said Hilfiger. “At the same The question marks would be devastating to the company,” added Hilfiger. time, I love my brand and couldn’t imagine someone “ Hilfiger admires Paul Charron’s strategy at Liz taking over. I could love another brand also if it fits with surrounding Lauren and Jones will Claiborne, and thinks Juicy Couture “is a great little the multibrand and multi-channel strategy. It would not company,” and Claiborne’s acquisition of it was a smart be competitive, but would bring added value and an en- spell opportunity with a Big O. move. “I look at his [Charron’s] philosophy and hancement [to my business].” ” Claiborne’s become a strong umbrella brand organiza- As reported, Hilfiger’s employment contract says the — Tommy Hilfiger tion.” He said Jones’s strategy is to be more moderate. firm and its subsidiaries “cannot enter into any line of He admitted that he had “early conversations” with business” that the designer feels would be detrimental to ballgame, and everyone will scramble,” he said. Jones early this year. “Obviously we’re not interested in the company’s trademarks. “One thing’s for sure,” said “It opens up a wide opportunity. We’re quite estab- selling,” he said. “We’ll look at opportunities on a con- Hilfiger, “we’re going to make a very good choice. I don’t lished in casual. We’ve never done suits. It’s a big opportu- tinual basis, but I don’t want to sell.” want to be hasty. I don’t want to do it because we have cash nity,” said the designer. “Jones has its way of doing things, Asked why he thinks Nautica is exploring selling its in our pockets. It has to be right for the shareholders and Calvin will have his way, and we’ll have ours. It’ll be more company, Hilfiger said Nautica has different needs than the growth of Tommy Hilfiger. If we don’t make an acquisi- fun,” he said. Hilfiger said he won’t license the line, but his company. “Nautica is a brand. We’re a designer brand. tion, so be it. I’m not going to feel forced to do it. We have will produce it in-house. “We’re extremely capable in our We have different types of situations. Nautica doesn’t have healthy substantial businesses within Tommy Hilfiger.” manufacturing and production system,” he said. a women’s business, we have a women’s business which is Last year, Hilfiger finished at the pinnacle of the Hilfiger said the company currently manufactures exceeding our men’s business. We have a children’s busi- 2001 compensation sweepstakes among apparel execu- and markets the H Hilfiger women’s line for its own spe- ness and a licensing business. Our strength is we’re multi- tives with $24.9 million in salary and bonuses, a 7 per- cialty stores, and is considering rolling it out to depart- faceted and in men’s, women’s and children’s, and we’re cent decline from the prior year. ment stores. “We have a dressy collection for our own very powerful in our European business,” he said. So, first things first: Why doesn’t he want to make a specialty stores and it’s been very successful,” he said. As for the search for a new ceo, which is being han- run for Nautica? He noted that the company has been working on the H dled by Herbert Mines Associates, Hilfiger said, “We’ve “We already have a place in that segment. It wouldn’t women’s line for more than 18 months. “We’re talking met a lot of different people. We’re casting a wide net. give us the diversification I would need,” said Hilfiger. about when it should hit department stores. The project We’re looking inside and outside the industry, and it’s And as far as Sweetface, he said, “Because it’s JLo is very much alive. It’s a matter of pulling the trigger the way to go. Replacing a partner who’s been with me [whose co-founder and director is his brother Andy], and deciding when to offer it,” he said. for almost 20 years is not going to be easy. I’m not in we’re familiar with how that business is run. We would- The line is overseen by Hilfiger’s sister, Ginny. It is such a hurry, knowing that Joel is going to stay.” n’t have to do the same type of due diligence. They’re run by Gary Sheinbaum, president of TH Retail, in col- The designer said he’s also made some changes in doing so well on their own. They have so much growth, laboration with Christa Michalaros, who is president of his advertising strategy. Maintaining his relationship and they’re taking advantage of it. It is on the list of pos- misses’ sportswear, junior jeans and TH Woman. with Deutsch Inc., Hilfiger has also hired Doug Lloyd of sibilities; however, nothing looks imminent.” Last fall, Hilfiger announced it would close 37 of its 44 Lloyd & Co., the New York ad agency, for the women’s and So what would whet his appetite? U.S. specialty stores. Today the company has seven full- men’s Collection ads, and A/R Media, a New York-based “New opportunities are being presented to me every price stores in California, Florida, New Jersey and New ad agency, for Tommy Jeans. Deutsch continues to do all day. In reality, we are focusing on the strength of our house Yo rk. Internationally, there are 293 freestanding stores in production and trafficking worldwide. “We want to move and still are looking for the right ceo candidate. I would such cities as London, Montreal, Moscow, Dusseldorf, onto a new level and feeding in some fashion creativity like to make sure that before Joel’s contract is up, I have Saint-Tropez, Istanbul, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Athens, Tel doesn’t hurt,” he said. that person in place, with a certain amount of time work- Aviv, Israel, and Fukuoka, Japan. The company also has With all this weighing on his mind, Hilfiger hopes to di- ing with Joel under his belt —even though Joel said he’d 107 outlet stores. vide his time between Nantucket and New York this summer. stay on as long as we want him to,” explained Hilfiger. He Some industry observers believe one of Hilfiger’s prob- “I’ve been working hard in the design room with the noted he probably wouldn’t make an acquisition without lems is that the company has ignored its inner-city ethnic product and in the board room with the team to strategize the new ceo in place. customers and failed to connect with them, especially when for the future. I am very energized and am looking for- Meanwhile, the designer still sees growth potential it opened a lavish 19,000-square-foot flagship on New Bond ward to the future,” said Hilfiger. “It’s a great team for the Hilfiger brand, especially in the women’s area. Street in London and a 20,000-square-foot showcase store around me, and I listen. We have so much opportunity and “Believe it or not, there are a lot of growth opportu- on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. Both of those stores have it’s great to be in a position to look at all these situations.” 17 :Don’tRushMeWWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003

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Excellent opportunity. ideas. in new should proficient have be Individual and creative be designs. body artwork and product, include infant boy’s of Responsibilities development Designer-Boys, toddler. for and Associate looking is an company apparel Major Pvt Ladies all Label ordproc,allocations&shipping. handle to opty Excellent 3) ArtistsGirlsorBoys4)AssocDsgnrBoy-Gir Call (212)643-8090orfax:643-8127(agc APPAREL STAFFING,LTD. 1) CADArtistPrints2)TechnicalsKnits Customer Service to35K ASSOCIATE DESIGNER ASSOCIATE DESIGNER EDI, inventory,department/specialty Designer-Newbrn/Infant exponly Tech DsgnAsst-Designerlabelmfr....To $40K Production-Dress Mfr-Costingexp...$60K Dsgnr-Contemp Sptswr-Denimexp u yai raiainofr ihycmeiieslr;acmrhniebenefits comprehensive a salary; competitive highly a a and offers organized offs knowl- organization detail-oriented, strike have package, andpotentialforpersonalgrowthadvancement. be dyes, dynamic must Must yarn and Our dips, certified required. lap Color spectrophotometer sense. on a color experience, comment with industry good to years’ team player.Goodsenseofurgencyaplus. work with ability + along to The 4 required, edge print. least colors and at solid with dye and professionals yarn ambitious with a seeking preferably as currently candidate serve ideal are The We to sales. in is of and action margins function dynamic team of gross Primary of plans a improve system accounts. appropriate and Develop Suggest profits a key stores. maximize will haveaproventrackrecordinstrategicplanningandteamleadership. production. Manage with promote, SKU’s. and chain work to sales monitor or Must order to merchandising, and ideas. department traveling between analysis fresh at liaison Some needs account planning stocks. that conduct industry retail model will an the who to in people know-how and experience leadership. in experience have record team leadership, track your and and Apply proven development a is brand Establishing have This will coordination, conditions. including: market candidate competitive agency ideal and evaluating ad/PR Excel, Word,&PowerPointamust. market International, The and activities. planning, changing opportunity. promo meet Monitoring strategic growth and Isaco Isaco to ad exceptional positioning. between strategy overseeing an of liaison and adjusting product be Planning and and recommending events. lines, research develop focus and product and will materials all results.You promo Development and through ideas. profit Ellis image all fresh Perry and corporate directing and needs vision sales consistent include that achieve a Responsibilities industry to maintaining the industry. functions an apparel marketing to wholesale maintain all know-how the Strong shows, and and in trade experience. experience creativity communications have your related Good Must experience, apparel required. your is of Apply eye years sales, maintain competitive with plus and and volume effectively 5 grow colors negotiate plans, Will have business fabrics, presentation skills.Computerskills(ExcelandWord). strategies. and Must build finish. of sourcing to production through margins. able knowledge Develop concept design/sales/ be gross staff. from to between Need product profitable of liaison factories. the analytical, development and build a customers, to and strong as coaching manage presentation, will serve and you leadership excellent role, Provide challenging An this experience. In sales. business label of private wholesale planning volume ROI. high- strategic and Have turns, years communication, organizationskills,computerskills(Excel,WordandPowerPoint)arerequired. plus. performance, in a plus through is 5 sell Experience sleepwear have analyzing and will plans, underwear seasonal hosiery, Candidate in developing of of categories positions knowledge apparel following selling the in for Experienced opportunity the has sleepwear and hosiery, the Miami,Floridalocation: underwear, in nies Corporation International Isaco a n ndsg ealsheets. detail design in and ear Allocation/Shipping Careers inApparelThru or faxresumeto(212)302-1161 Joy*Just Mgmt*800-544-5878 Fax resumeto212-239-2766 Fax resumeto212-239-2766 CHARGEBACK APPAREL JOBS Coordinator Fax to973-484-8682 ANALYST Fax: 212-302-3666 Jo y @justmgt.com Senior Marketing,PublicRelations,CommunicationsManager Director ofPlanning,ForecastingandReplenishment Isaco InternationalisanEqualOpportunityEmployer. Senior Merchandiser/ProductDevelopment ...... $BOE $Open $38K y ) Send resumeto:[email protected] l da.Ms epoiin nIllustrator in w/fresh proficient & Photoshop.FaxresumetoLindaat: sense be color Must good art- ideas. have develop & trends, spot work team Candidate to motivated able starter, field. player self be retail should years in 3-4 Designer w/minimum experience 6X/7, - fast-paced infants for creative, seeks Co. highly Outerwear Children’s Major opportunity. Faxresume&salaryhistory drawing isrequired.Excellentgrowth in Photoshop/Illustrator&freehand rience isrequired.Strongproficiency print &patternsense.Min.2yrsexpe- and silhouettes.Mustpossessgreatcolor, ment abilitytoidentifyemergingtrends strong backgroundinproductdevelop- handbag designer.Candidatemusthave seeks experienced,talented,creative, International L.A.basedhandbagCo. have Must Illustra- & tor. Fax:973-812-0581. Photoshop co. char- with licensed along girls acc. acters or boys w/ trendy exp. prior N.Y. For strict in held confidence. Pleasefaxresumeto: will replies PT All considered. or import be FT helpful. Strong most experience background. structured career dressing heavy with Designer David Nislookingforfullyexperienced computer. garments, Excel Nassau specing exp. Call 973-564-9236JaralFashionAgcy Near min $40K. yr pre-production, Co. to 1 LI. Tech Suffolk Spec Western Assist Designer benefits. & salary great Please Faxresumeto: offer a We experience plus. Photoshop design Print & required. Illustrator are MAC Computer in design. of skills aspects highly to all individual in a assist oriented seeks detail & Co. motivated Sportswear Missy Designer Assistantto40K DESIGN ASSISTANT B/G, moderatetobetter,knits&wovens Designer neededfortoddler & boys E-mail: [email protected] Senior AccountExecutive Attention HRat(323)583-0620or Jennifer*Just Mgmt*800-544-5878 , n ftelaigmnwa aho n eincompa- design and fashion menswear leading the of one DESIGNER DESIGNER DESIGNER Designer Merchandiser Fax Patti973-812-1731 [email protected] Handbags DESIGNER 212-997-7996 (212) 947-0134 urban line. Colorist 212-398-1327 gnsadfres atre,paigfabric placing factories, req’d orders, Call973-564-9236JaralAgenc east co. far o and bridge Follow-up agents calendar, to maintain better Tracking, w/ yrs 2 exp. Min current $40-50K. Asst Production Import re- art in should experienced lated tonewborn,infant,toddlergirls. Individual and creative be Quark. Must and Illus- experience. trator, Photoshop, with licensing experience have a non seeking and is company Graphic Artistwithcharacterlicensing apparel Major or P+L Wal-Mart presently. stores handling these to respons. $80mildiv.Call973-564-9236Ag Co. in selling estab’d Lrge is This Target. Cur- exp. or JCPenney ++. $150K to rent Mgr Head/Account Div Interna- basis. oriented tional travelisrequired. task stra- and a multiple tegic both on managing simultaneously capable and projects be organizing must communication of candidate The and skills. excellent possess documentation and levels management in- multiple of must with candidate professionally and the teract The basis of chain. understanding global supply technical a a on have multipl types sourcing in minimum garment experience a yrs 7 have of must candidate The qualifi- above the love possess cations needapply.E-mailresumeto: who and those shop Only to detail must. a and specs fittin and organized of knowledge Complete be oriented. must Can- didate Designer. innovative seeks and Co. creative Sportswear & Dress Missy/Jr. seeks DirectorofMarketingforluxury license. Director ofMarketing Sourcing Strategy Please faxresumeto:(212)575-7447 or E-mail:kventura@s Seeking someonewhoisgood with Graphic Artist-Girls Silver andGiftwaremanufacturer sweetclothin Must havegarmentexperience. Computer experienceamust. Fax resumeto212-239-2766 DESIGNER Director of Fax Patti973-812-1731 Fax Patti973-812-1731 Fax resumeto:(617)568-1528 numbers. NJtravel. Inventory Control Financial Planner g @aol.com y ratech.com y y g e f . WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 19 s r 212-947-3043 [email protected] to join our team. Italian Mfr. of 011-390-331-218370 011-390-331-217112 communication skills. Please reply directly to: Wonderful opportunity! MAGLIFICIO LIVIA SRL E-mail: Fax resume to: 213-622-8859 READY FASHION Fax resume to: 212-997-7996 Tel. Fax: Outerwear experience a must! SALES POSITION distribution throughout the U.S. professional fashion sales w/ exp. Seeking experienced agents with 450 7th Ave. (AGCY) 268-6123 Kids Branded Spts 0-7, 0-6x; dept stores Major Textile Mill seeks energetic, ill have jewelry industry exp. and Seeks highly motivated salesperson A.D. FORMAN ASSOC. detail oriented, w/ excellent people & w/existing & new customers. Must be Textile Sales Rep Wanted ewelry lines. The successful candidate Sales Opportunity Responsibilities include developing & Via Mameli 278, 21044 Cavaria (VA) Italy chain store and catalogue contacts for maintaining strong sales relationships Senior Sales Executive Major Childrens Outerwear Company Sales $ Open Current exp. in girls 7-16. Sales $ Open Current Fang, Rappers, Must hang w/ Energie, era, LA Movers, Great Escape, Next 973-564-9236 Agcy My Michele etc. Call Sales $$ open.branded sweaters Current to expstores specialty in or or selling mid-tier Fashion Agcy Call 973-564-9236. Jaral dept. stores. Midtown co. Sales $better Open. Currentcatalogs casual or exp.specialty stores. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy dept in sportswear. stores womens or Selling JCPenney or to Established Importer of discountapparel, men’ withSalesperson/Reps. B’way showroom, Territories available. seeks Fax resume to: Integria,entrepreneurial is executiveand looking to manage sales develop j for for threew new a pearl highly 4) N/I/Tods - lower tier mass To $60K 5) Kids Sleepwear to mass 6) Girls (2) P/L Spts To $120K 7) Sls/Mrchr - Little Boys 0-7 8) Sls/Mrchr - 0-6x and 7 9) Mens Sweaters - mass 10) Layette - Branded track recordand developing recruiting, new motivating,ing brands, & sales manag- ble. Email: [email protected] force. Profit sharing availa- SLS KIDSWEAR MID TIER HI$ 1) Girls Knits 2/14 Sizes 2) Kids Licensed Accessories 3) Men’s and Ladies’ Knitwea Sales SALES EOE M/F Fax resume to 212-239-2766 Successful women’s knitwear firm SALES EXECUTIVE Please fax resume to 212-760-9705 Please fax resume to: (212) 921-5042 seeks executive with proven record. SALES EXECUTIVE Seeking for anfor a exp’d men’s SalesCandidate & Executive women’s must accessorymotivated, be line. and highly possessmunication excellent organized, skills com- andyears have at of leasttacts 4-5 experience. with major accounts. Must Travelingquired. re- Negotiable have salary. Pleaseresumes to [email protected] con- email Sales $extreme High sport Open. orwomens Current activewear. exp. Mens orw/ or in kidsBilibong, Quicksilver, etc. Very hot Co. Northface, OK.Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agcy Columbia, Must hang Burton, Key Account Sales Work existing &mens’/boys’ expand jeanswear privatemajor label business accts.looking with Co. to is rapidlyteam. add growing the & person- right Great exp indiv oppty w/thismust. to for type our just ofSales Assistant the business right a To handlenat’l & & regional communicate& good communication skills. accts. w/ Detail major oriented ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Majorexperienced Sales apparelbrand Person of for athleticsharp license awareness company apparel. ofalso the have Must market. experience have tier with seeks handling Must all accounts.benefits. Excellent salary and / l y ... [email protected] SALES MANAGER 212-391-9641 (212) 830-8223. for our team Licensed by Madison Maidens, Inc. Licensed by Madison Maidens, Please fax resume and salary history to: Please fax resume and salary history SALES Jones New York Intimates header: Acct Exec - Sleepwear: Your Name to: ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE in confidence to: 775-248-1992 For immediate consideration, email resume w/subject y E-mail: [email protected] DIRECTOR OF SALES Established Sleepwear companyMid-tier, seeks department Account stores,accounts. Executive better for specialtyability stores, to Must off-price analyzecommunication have performance reports. and someWord, Email). Must computer knowledge Minimum have 2industry. Excellent salary, benefits. excellent yrs of skills sales experience retail (Excel in the math, apparel spreadsheets, Large China junior denim mfr seeks est 33rd. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agc ith regional reps and specialty stores. "MAGIC JEANS" ate Label, specialty, chain, & mass Send resume to: Fax 212-827-0011 or Exciting opportunity availableResponsibilities include in managing ourcollections sales within East of major men’s Coast and departmentin Showroom. stores women’s the and specialtystore Northeast; stores seminars; and developing managing5+ junior years new salesperson. exp, andrequired. business, BA/BS, excellent min conductingstores preferred. in- Established analytical/communication skills relationships with major department sales person who has active accounts w off-price/discount stores. Salary+comm of management experienceindustry, in the apparel extensivemajor stores, experience andw strong with relationships INTIMATE APPAREL SALES - N.Y.C. -seeks Establ motivated & growing sales Mfr v pro. Strong Pri- Sales $100-120K ++.sportswear Current selling exp. to Wal-MartFederated in or Target boys or or MayW Co. or Mid-tier stores. Growing NYC branded women’s appare company, specializing inladies’ better sportswear, priced ismotivated self-starter seeking a highly Responsible forand driving developing strategic sales salesachieve plans growth results. to Must have 10+ years contacts a plus.histor Fax resume w/ salary Travel to shows a must. Please Fax resume to: f f s p an . y excel- garment munication 212-840-6714 813-792-1051 (212) 632-4322 EOE M/F DESIGNER Designer Fax resume: 212-691-5994 Woven Product * WOVEN DESIGNER Fax resume to 212-239-2766 Fax resume to: 212-730-0913 * ASST KNIT DESIGNER Senior Technical communication (written & verbal) * ASST TECH DESIGNER accessory background with Account rganizational skills. Min. 50% trav- * LAB DIP/COLOR ASST * LAB DIP/COLOR [email protected] DIRECTOR OF SALES ovens. Well known Designer Co. 7th /min. 5 years exp. Must be strong in ear Co. Fast paced, needs highly ve at 37th st. Call 973-564-9236 Agc n Development Manager Account Executive - Northeast Wesalary offercompany-paid and medical a benefits comprehensive package. competitive resume to: Please fax Exciting opportunitiesble availa- in ourEARL JEAN Companies: MEN’S JEANS and Account Executive TECHNICAL DESIGNER lent &o el required.salary Please send requirements1286 / email: [email protected] resume to and fax: 305-253- Qualified candidatesE-mail their should resumes to: Fax or Seeking an experienced intimaterel appa- sales proness. to service Qualified anddetailed grow & candidate results-oriented busi- with must be Established designerhighly jewelry motivated co individualand seeks to execute sales develo plan,tion expand distribu- andmerchandise oversee planning salesquired. Jewelry background a must. staff. experience re- Strong Fast-growing designer jewelry co.experienced seek Salespeople toexciting launch new productluxury RTW brand. line for national A Management insignature & specialty majorMust stores be preferred. able department, todevelop aggressively & introduce, maintain in-storefor awareness existing accountbe list. Positions based will and Dallas. Moderate travel is required. in New York City, Atlanta Tech Designer to $70K.tech Current exp. in packagesw toA Far East. Mostly Plugg Jeans isw seeking a Techspec Designer dev., fittings, grading, and skills. MS Excel/WordPlease Fax resume to Kim: PDM exp. a must. Established Ladiesw Moderate Sports- pieceSomeone goods.Development/Sourcing 5 who processthe importance of the time factor. yrs understands and experience. the MajorTechnical apparel Designerexperience. Mustflat 3-5 years with company have sketching, knowledgeconstruction. grading o and Mustand seeks be garment have detailGood salary and benefits. good oriented communication skills. motivated individualDesign toMust on work have good follow-up, with communica- Producttion, and Development. Detail-oriented. great Strong organizational knowledge skills. o construction. Excellent com and follow up w/overseas. Good mgmt. / f R y y for a childrenswear llis 212-382-2549 y g New Jersey [email protected] Production Patternmaker 212-302-4028 attn: Nicole experience. For more info, call Fax resume to: 212-730-2531 RECEPTIONIST SALES ASST/KIDS/$40K-50K Fax resume: Ph ear Co. seeks motivated, highly- sst respon. Fast paced envir. Mature mer. from inception to completion. ehicle required. 5+ years experience Production/Purchasing Quality Control Inspector Please fax resume and cover letter to: SEAMSTRESS/TAILO V Fast pacedarticulate, busy showroomperson w/ computer exp & order entry. seeks self-motivated, an energetic Req: prev expco wrk &A handling accounts. Some Exec. Fashion DesignFashion District Co.tailor seeking for based seamstress 35yrs months. in Hrs 9-5,212-564-7741 ask for Erica. NYC minimum sales, follow-upA w/ factories Central Manhattanseeks based sharppurchasing, watch individualinventory control company production & tocomputer logistics. Must savvy oversee Microsoft be planning, programs i.e. andGreat Word work & familiar Excel. Possible part-time. Email resume to: atmosphere and with benefits! Q/C Mgr. $50-60K.in Current compliance min. & factory exp.Co. oversight 5 Exp. of yrs Large inor Q/C JCPenney requirements or ofindivs. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Agenc Target Wal-Mart a must. Manage 5 Energetic,control detail inspectorcompany. for oriented Tasks establishedtion coat include coat quality inin-process inspec- localsampling control, warehouse inspections.technical Ability / specifications, and to factories, inspect, measure read and and statistical write reports required. Fast-paced, Ladiesw Moderate Sports- in coat manufacturingmust preferable, have and 2+Salary commensurate with experience. years in quality control. attitude. Email [email protected] Fax 212-725-7116, Tel: 212-481-1941 Computerized. Relo to Harrisburg,Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agc PA. skilled patternmaker. 10ence years experi- in patternmaking,must grading, be and complete an knowledge excellent ofstruction, draper. garment emphasis Needs con- onExperienced in Lectra Modaris. lined jackets. Production Plannerexp. $50-65K. in Current order fabric, monitor rate o For leading children’s sleepwear co. Ex- y eye for sense & nationally. experience. and fashion &an -5 yrs &inter be flexible & have -task. Willingness to mfr. seeks Merchan- [email protected] AS 212-564-5201. amin.of3 Fax: 212-302-3666 Fax to: 212-271-4117 ACCESSORIES Please fax resume attn: Fax resume to 212-239-2766 PRODUCTION/ pply information to sleepwear. Production Admin al-Mart experience is a plus. ritten & verbal communication bility to understand trend ADMINISTRATIVE Richard Leeds Int’l Production Assistant Production Assistant or email to: [email protected] Excellent computer skills. W MajorProduction Assistant apparelexperience. with two Responsibilitiestracking all years company programs include to from delivery, conception updating salesbasis, seeks on a weekly and document tracking. w Leading Childrenswear importer seeks productionoriented asst. & articulate.include Responsibilities Must dailyproduction e-mail be tracking,approvals, communication, & fabric detail- highly fit & organized comments. & trim Must possess be excellent Opening forinidiv bright w/strong PC fast skillsOutlook). & Experience (Excel, w/Orient, Word, organized or Traffic Productionplus. in Costing,etc. with good detailed follow-up skills. purchase related order industry a input, Growing PvtMin Label 3-5Full overseas prdn followup. Ladies Yrs Division. Exp, Pre-Prdn, Costing, Operations Mgr $90-100K.exp. 5 years in min ministration all of aspectsCFO. apparel of Accting co. operations, degreeCall 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agc Report Ad- helpful to not nec. Submit resumes: Leading sleepwear MERCHANDISER A skills. Individual mustMicrosoft be proficient Word in &excellent Excel. compensation Wepackage offer including and an immediate a consideration, benefit 401Kresume including salary requirements. please plan. send For &a Must have fashion savvy cellent communicationteam player. skills Must and a diser with the ability to multi travel - domestically mathematicalground skills. & understanding Production of back- costing. color & detail. Good business 20 WWD, MONDAY, JULY 7, 2003 JULY WWD, MONDAY,

Olivia Williams in “The Heart of Me.” Olivia’s Hour NEW YORK — Olivia Williams is one starred in London’s Royal National of those classy English dames, a Theatre Company’s production of thirtysomething actress with that Shakespeare’s “Love’s Labor’s Lost” vaguely Euro accent that makes with Joseph Fiennes, and last month American moviegoers swoon. her period drama, “The Heart of Me,” Throughout her career, she’s opened in New York and Los Angeles. hopscotched her way from Come Christmas, she’ll dote on theater to television to film, three precocious flyaways as playing Hollywood Mrs. Darling in the film, blockbusters like “The “Peter Pan.” Sixth Sense,” American “The Heart of Me” is indies like “Rushmore” a World War II-era and British indies. She story, a cross between even got to snog Joey “A Streetcar Named during a bit part as Desire” and “Hilary & Emily’s bridesmaid on Jackie.” Its dark, an episode of measured plot whizzes “Friends.” back and forth between But this pretty pre- and postwar Londoner’s career path, scenarios. Williams plays as crooked as the old “the socially ambitious, streets of her home town, uptight, neither sensuous has meant that Williams’ low nor sexual, and in need of a profile has remained intact. Olivia Williams good shag” sister to Helena She’s an actor’s actor, enjoying “the Bonham Carter’s bohemian work” far more than a star’s lifestyle. seductress, Dinah, she says. “I get a Morgan Webb on “I pass unnoticed through a little tired of always playing the one the “X-Play” set. crowd,” she said one afternoon at the who suffers in silence. I have made Mercer Hotel. “I can go about my life that my specialty.” and people don’t seem to mind who Of course, in her own life Williams I’m going out with or what I’m buying seems hardly one to cause her own when I go out shopping.” suffering, as she imagines most And she’s reluctant to take on movie stars do. “I generally don’t go stardom at the cost of her freedom. “It’s to events that I have no reason to be not that I’ve gone to the front of the at,” she says. “I haven’t dated people Webb Mistress queue, and I’m at the cashier and strategically. And I haven’t the withdrawing the million-dollar prize. I’m willpower to do the amount of NEW YORK — When smart, She wore dark colors to mute her impact just in a different queue,” she explains. maintenance that I learned it’s sexy girls talk to guys in their and shied away from tight-fitting clothes — “But I really like my queue, and I think possible to do. It’s a failure in my own language, that’s until, mercifully, Los Angeles-based image as I stand in it, I have a nice time.” own personality. I like my food too eye® compelling TV. Take ABC’s consultant Mary Kay Harrison intervened, Yet, this year, she’s flying awfully much. I get bored having a facial.” “Monday Night Football” just in time for the launch of “X-Play.” close to the radar. This spring, she — Amy Prince sideline reporter Melissa “Mary Kay saved me from myself,” Webb Stark, for example, or CNN’s business giggles. The pair shopped in Los Angeles anchor Claire Leka. and San Francisco to create the new look. San Francisco-based cable network They picked up jeans by Seven and Diesel, WESTON CONNECTION: London was more swinging than a Tech TV has given the formula a techy twist and brightly colored Juicy Couture and three-ring circus during its recent social season. Sir Elton with 24-year-old Morgan Webb, cohost of Marc Jacobs pieces. Webb’s favorite EYE SCOOP John’s fifth annual White Tie & Tiara Ball might have “X-Play,” a show about video games wardrobe additions are futuristic and attracted the most paparazzi — and raised millions of dollars, with guests from Liz Hurley launched this spring. Not only is Webb a asymmetric, evoking an anime feeling. to Lily Safra — but Galen and Hilary Weston took the laurels for most-talked-about party of major brain — she majored in rhetoric at While Webb’s new style is rooted in the summer. The bash, nominally to celebrate Hilary’s 60th birthday, was a show of the UC Berkeley and builds computers for fun “Matrix”-inspired fashion, it’s meant to be couple’s pure social might. According to gossips, the Westons had originally wanted — she’s a bombshell who boasts an a gentler, more inviting version of the Prince Charles as their royal guest, since Weston and the Prince are old polo buddies. But uncannily appropriate surname. And she Hollywood prototype. Sometimes, of St. James’ Palace refused to “give them a date,” as the social argot has it, meaning that loves playing Unreal Tournament 2K3 and course, Webb’s look is a little too inviting — the Prince couldn’t fit the Westons into his schedule. So the Westons called in their Golden Sun: The Lost Age. her digital diva routine inspiring precisely second royal choice — the Queen. She did give them a date, and Her Majesty came to the Still, for Webb, who joined the station’s the kind of attention she was trying to party at Fort Belvedere, the Duke of Windsor’s former residence where the Westons now staff as a researcher in 2001, the move on- avoid. In April, an anonymous hacker live. In addition to the Queen and the Westons, the top table was filled by the Blacks and air presented a challenge. She worried that broke into Madonna.com and inserted his the Bamfords, London’s current It couples. (They later gave a lunch in their country house the channel’s young — and 75 percent male own message on the home page: “Morgan — and did get Prince Charles, who arrived in their private helicopter.) Apparently, it did — viewers might not take her seriously. So Webb, will you marry me?” the Queen some good to get out of the house — she seemed to have had a ball at the she decided to tone down her funky off- When the buzz about the break-in died Westons and was said to have stayed until 2 a.m. screen style when making appearances on down, Webb decided that unwanted Other top invitations during the season were issued from Prince Charles, who hosted “The Screen Savers,” another tech program attention, while probably unavoidable, his annual round of events for the American friends of the Prince of Wales Foundation; on the same channel. shouldn’t be encouraged. She invites fans Lord Jacob Rothschild, who entertained at Somerset House; the Livanoses, who gave a “I’m a young woman in a field that’s to post messages on her own Web site, dinner at home, and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, who had cocktails in the garden completely dominated by men, and I think MorganWebb.com, but admonishes, “I am at Kensington Palace to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. Those who braved people had their doubts about whether I not interested in long, panting comments blustery skies to toast the Kents included other “minor royals” such as the Duke of Kent; actually knew anything about computers at about my anatomy.” Princess Alexandra with Sir Angus Ogilvy, and Freddie Windsor. Also there were the Duke all,” she sighs, noting that her fan mail “You put yourself out there for everyone and Duchess of Marlborough, Annabel Goldsmith, Amyn Aga Khan, the Begum Aga Khan, confirms admirers don’t always have digital with a cable box,” says Webb. “People are Prince Rupert Loewenstein and the Blacks. Prince Michael, who looks increasingly like the matters on their minds while watching Webb. critical, but they’re also kind. You just learn last czar, his kinsman Nicholas II, struck up a conversation in fluent Russian with Helene The result of Webb’s initial to take the lechery with a grain of salt.” de Ludinghausen, another Russian relation.

conservatism, however, was a real bore. — Alesandra Dubin RUBIN DAVE WEBB PHOTO BY