PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO PUSH FORSAFEGUARDS/3SHARAPOVA’S STYLE/11 WWD W omen’s Wear Daily•TheRetailers’ DailyNewspaper•April7,2005$2.00 THURSDAY Sleek Chic see page10. and jeansfromhisnewforayintodenim.For more, Azria’s woolandfurjacket overasilkchiffonblouse season withfurtrimandslimcuts.Here,BCBGMax fare, butMaxAzriaisgivingthemachichitouchthis NEW YORK —Ajacket andjeansmaybetraditionalfall when mostLBOshaveanaveragedebt- conservative” which isconsidered“fairly in a60percentdebt-to-capitalratio, billion ofequityand$3debt. wouldbe$2 which thefinancialstructure has thepotentialtobeanLBOunder hedge fundmanagersaidaNeiman’sdeal from ApollotoTexas Pacific Group—one bid forNeiman’s—withnamesranging Group thefirstinlatestfashion. back invogue—withTheNeimanMarcus NEW YORK — M.YoungBy Vicki Seen asFirstCandidate To LBO ScenarioReturns Sportswear The fundmanagersaiditwouldresult As speculationcontinuesoverwhowill

Re tail WithNeiman’s Leveraged buyoutscouldbe See Neiman’s , ▲ P age Maria Sharapova 13 WWD.COM WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear GENERAL ™ As speculation continues over who will bid for Neiman Marcus, one hedge 1 fund manager said a Neiman’s deal has the potential to be an LBO. A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based A coalition of textile and fiber producers filed seven China safeguard on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated 3 petitions seeking to impose quotas on $1.45 billion worth of goods. EYE: Talking with Ellen Barkin about her new film, “Palindromes”…Don’t TOP CHOICE 4 call her a stripper, because Carolina Cerisola never takes it all off. Blouses and dress shirts head women’s spring fashion lists FASHION: Deep in the heart of Texas, Austin thrives on fashion thanks to its 6 retail, music and college scenes supplying plenty of style and energy. “If you can only buy one item this season, and femininity to the body,” explains Lisa Erickson, ACTIVE: Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova talks about her career, her make it a really good blouse or shirt,” advises spokesperson for Eddie Bauer. “You’ve got options 11 on- and off-court style, and her upcoming 18th birthday. Linda DeFranco, senior trend forecaster at Cotton from the wrap top to the banded collar shirt to Classified Advertisements ...... 14-15 Incorporated. “It’s a true must-have for spring 2005 button-up tanks in a variety of fabrics and colors. To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is and it can be dressed up or down, worn a hundred Women are dressing in layers; for example, a dress [email protected], using the individual’s name. different ways and always looks fresh.” shirt can be a light layer over a tee or under a cardigan, WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. COPYRIGHT ©2005 FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. And with hundreds of choices at depending on the time of year. VOLUME 189, NO. 73. WWD (ISSN # 0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one additional issue in June; two additional issues in April, May, August, October, November and December, and three additional retail, ranging from the bohemian The dress shirt helps women issues in February, March and September, by Fairchild Publications, Inc., a subsidiary of Advance Publications, Inc. PRINCIPAL peasant blouse to the feminine retain that tailored look while still OFFICE: 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. Shared Services provided by Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.: S.I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Steven T. Florio, Vice Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, C.O.O.; John W. Bellando, Executive Vice-President and C.F.O.; Jill ruffled top to the crisp tailored dress being completely fashionable.” Bright, Executive Vice-President_Human Resources; John Buese, Executive Vice-President_ Chief Information Officer; David Orlin, shirt, the options are endless. That The dress shirt’s flexibility as a Senior Vice-President_Strategic Sourcing; Robert Bennis, Senior Vice-President_Real Estate; David B. Chemidlin, Senior Vice- President_General Manager, Advance Magazine Group Shared Services Center. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at may likely explain an all-time high layering piece either under or additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40032712. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration in ownership of tops among over other garments will likely go No. 88654-9096-RM0001. Canada post return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: DPGM, 7496 Bath Road, Unit 2, Mississauga, ON L4T 1L2. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008. FOR women; female respondents told a long way in pushing the comfort SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008; Call 800-289-0273; or visit www.subnow.com/wd . Four weeks is Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle button for many women as well. required for change of address. Please give both new and old address as printed on most recent label. First copy of new Monitor™ that they owned 11.22 Vanity, according to the Monitor, subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001. For permissions and reprint requests, dress shirts on average in 2004, up is alive and well and likely please call 212-221-9595 or fax requests to 212-221-9195. Visit us online: www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild from 9.9 in 2003. appearing at a social occasion magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub.com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive In fact, according to STS Market near you. When asked how they these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. Research, woven shirts were among dressed for parties, more than WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS, DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO UNSOLICITED “In a season marked by personal MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND the top performing women’s half (55%) said they preferred to TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART expression, blouses and shirts products (after jeans and slacks) in be slightly overdressed. “There’s WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED are the perfect canvas for TO DO SO BY WWD IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE 2004. Unit sales for woven shirts a tremendous functionality to ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED OVERNIGHT-DELIVERY RETURN ENVELOPE, POSTAGE PREPAID. experimentation.” increased by 8.8%, while dollar — Betsy Thompson, today’s dress shirt,” Erickson sales rose 8.2%. In addition, Talbot’s continues. “You can take off your cotton’s share of woven shirts jacket and still look crisp.” reached 59.5%. Erickson owes the extreme wearability of the In Brief “In a season marked by personal expression, modern top to wrinkle-resistance properties blouses and shirts are the perfect canvas for experi- commonly incorporated into today’s garments. ● POSH PUNCH: LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton is on a rum mentation,” states Betsy Thompson, Talbot’s “Shirts from our cotton wrinkle-resistance line are a run. Moët Hennessy, its wines and spirits division, said staple for the busy Eddie Bauer woman.” Wednesday it will launch 10 Cane, a prestige rum. Originating spokesperson. “Shirts are open to casual and more from Trinidad, 10 Cane will be launched in partnership with refined interpretations – looking relaxed when Thompson from Talbot’s also sees this as an Trinidad Distillers in the U.S. this spring and will retail for more layered over a white tank and khakis – and sharp important trend. “Some of the strongest fabrics and than $30 a bottle. LVMH, which bought Glenmorangie, one of when paired with career separates. Dressy camisoles blends we’re offering this season include wrinkle-free Scotland’s most prestigious single-malt whisky makers last and blouses in shimmery fabrics are elevating jeans cotton, which our customers adore because it goes December, is expanding its stable of spirits brands. However, it and giving a feminine lift to more tailored pieces.” right from the dryer to your back.” did not appear to be immediately interested in acquiring brands “Options abound,” relates Alison Miller, creative This feature clearly resonates with women, of the British sprits group Allied Domecq, some of which could be director for the Italian ready-to-wear collection, according to the Monitor. Wrinkle-free all cotton off-loaded if Pernot Ricard succeeds in its recent takeover bid. AlidioMichelli. “There are tunics garments edge out cotton/poly- ● NEW PRINCIPAL: Herbert Mines Associates, an executive in varying lengths, camisoles, sexy, Willing to Pay More for ester blend clothing, even when search firm for the retail, fashion and consumer products indus- soft little tops, and crisp tailored Natural Fibers Such as Cotton apremium applies. Fifty percent tries, named Dan Searby as a principal. Searby, a former mar- menswear-inspired shirting. The of female respondents told the keting executive with Restaurant Associates and Coca-Cola, will accent is on a slimmer silhouette 2003 2004 +/- Monitor that they would prefer to be responsible for expanding Mines’ presence in the food serv- with a chic underlying femininity.” Yes 58% 61% +3.0 pay $35 for an all-cotton wrinkle- ice and hospitality markets. Hal Reiter, chief executive officer of But there is a little bit of unexpected No 35% 34% -1.0 resistant garment versus $30 for a Herbert Mines, said the addition of Searby would enable his mixing and matching from dif- cotton blend item. An increasing firm to “access a wider candidate pool to help clients find the right leadership talent.” ferentworlds going on, she contends. “Bohemian number of women also contend that they were luxe plays out in smock-like blouses and abridged willing to pay more for natural fibers; 61% of ● NEW BREEDER: Ken Seiff, former chairman and chief executive caftans with paired down ethnic touches; in keeping female respondents made that claim in 2004, up 3 of Bluefly, the off-price Web site, has teamed up with Alex Drosin with the season, it’s a bohemian vintage in an auction points from 58% in 2003. to form Glowcast Ventures, a media and Internet incubator. Drosin house way versus a flea-market way.” “Blouses today have gone way beyond the standard is the former president of Broadway Video Enterprises, a media There certainly seem to be a variety of global forces pinstripe shirt. Shirts and blouses have a specific production and distribution company he cofounded with Lorne at play having a significant influence on tops for place in fashion today,” allows DeFranco, Cotton Michaels. Glowcast is located at 160 Varick Street in lower Manhattan. Seiff, an entrepreneur who started Bluefly, said spring and summer 2005. Nehal Amin from Incorporated’s trend forecaster. “We’ve learned Glowcast’s first venture is a cable television channel start-up. Kaneesha.com, a website offering Indian-inspired that even the dressiest of blouses, once reserved clothing, says there are “brightly colored embroidered for special occasions, are now for the everyday. It ● COMMUNICATING AT BOTTEGA: Marisa Gallagher has joined tunics and tops with sexy cuts to flatter, sheer effects will even look great with a pair of jeans. A good Bottega Veneta as director of communications for the U.S. market. and beautifully cut sleeves with either a peek-a-boo or blouse or shirt always feels new. After all, don’t the She replaces Nicole Felsen, who had been with the company for a flare enhanced with shimmering embroidery.” magazines always cover the top 10 white shirts five months. Most recently, Gallagher worked in public relations Adds Miller, “With blouses this season, it is all every season? There’s a reason for that. While it at Prada USA Corp. She will oversee Bottega’s U.S. fashion press about the details, albeit a more refined and acutely may seem like a no-brainer, they’re always a terrific relations and advertising for the women’s, men’s and home divi- sions. She will report to Lisa Pomerantz, Bottega Veneta’s world- edited use of embellishments. They are more about fashion choice.” wide communications director. artisanal textures, a subtle richness and delicateness This story is one in a series of articles based on findings ● that is not at all girly, but rather sophisticated. From from Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ TIFFANY AT LA CANTERA: Tiffany & Co. is the latest high-end beautifully cut and seamed menswear-inspired tracking research. Appearing Thursdays in these pages, retailer to announce that it’s opening a store in San Antonio’s shirting in the finest cotton qualities to details like each story will focus on a specific topic as it relates to the The Shops at La Cantera. The 1.3 million-square-foot open-air pleating techniques, ribbons, and other ornamental American women’s wear consumer and her attitudes center is set to be completed in September and also will house touches, these accents promote the blouse as a key and behavior regarding clothing, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. The Tiffany boutique will span 6,000 square feet and will feature a limestone entry arch to com- player in a woman’s wardrobe.” appearance, fashion, fiber selection and plement the mall’s Southwest-style architecture. Among the of- “Shirts are definitely being cut to give more shape many other timely, relevant subjects. ferings will be the brand’s engagement rings, fashion jewelry and watches, accessories, china and crystal gifts. WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 3 WWD.COM Coalition Files Market-Disruption Petitions Against China

Importer associations criticized the By Kristi Ellis The surge in Chinese The surge in Chinese domestic industry’s actions and said they imports is causing moves WASHINGTON — Building on the Bush imports is causing moves did not have enough evidence to prove to limit their growth. administration’s decision to review to limit their growth. that imports from China are linked to do- China’s surging imports, a coalition of mestic production losses. U.S. textile and fiber producers filed Julia Hughes, vice president of inter- seven China safeguard petitions national trade at the U.S. Association of Wednesday, seeking the imposition of Importers of Textiles & Apparel, said quotas on $1.45 billion worth of ship- there was a backlog of imports that en- ments the group alleges are decimating tered in January and February due to the U.S. manufacturing base. CITA’s directive that overshipped goods The American Manufacturing Trade in categories that embargoed last year Action Coalition, National Council of would be put on staged entries in the Textile Organizations, National Textile new year. She claimed the trade would Association, National Cotton Council and even out through the year. UNITE HERE filed the cases covering Erik Autor, vice president and inter- cotton and man-made fiber knit shirts, national trade counsel at the National sweaters, bras and dressing gowns, man- Retail Federation, said: “The fact is that made fiber knit shirts and trousers, and China was more severely restrained certain synthetic filament fabric. under the quota system than any other PHOTOS BY DARREN MCCOLLESTER/GETTY IMAGES The petitions are based on import exporting country and…the pressure has data from the first quarter and are classi- Chinese apparel and textile imports to try felt strongly there were several other been building up a long time as a result fied as market-disruption cases. consider whether to impose temporary categories that must be included in the of the restrictive quotas the textile indus- Domestic industry groups filed 12 threat- safeguard quotas on $624.5 million worth near term to limit China’s access to the try insisted be imposed on China.” based petitions pegged to projected data of shipments of cotton knit shirts and U.S. market for textiles and apparel.’’ Also at the press conference, Missy six months ago, but they have been tied blouses, cotton trousers and cotton and He said the coalition is reviewing ad- Branson, vice president of NCTO, said up for five months by an importer lawsuit man-made fiber underwear. ditional categories, including knit fabric the Bush administration’s self-initiation and preliminary injunction challenging The federal Committee for the and wool trousers. on China safeguards is not enough to the government’s authority to accept Implementation of Textile Agreements Tantillo called on the government to move her organization to support the cases based purely on threat. will begin reviewing a total of 10 China institute a “comprehensive quota arrange- Central American Free Trade The coalition now has the import data safeguard petitions on separate tracks cov- ment” with China that would set category Agreement. Trade experts have suggest- and says the numbers prove China is on its ering 20 categories and worth $2 billion in growth limits to create the certainty lack- ed the move by the administration was way to monopolizing global apparel and 2004. CITA has 15 days to review the mar- ing in the petition-by-petition process. intended to persuade GOP textile-state textile production. In the targeted cate- ket-disruption cases filed by the industry, Imports from China are just one of the lawmakers to back CAFTA. gories, the import growth from China followed by a 30-day comment period and criteria CITA analyzes in its safeguard Some NCTO members have signaled ranged from a 34.5 percent increase in bras 60 days to make a determination. review. Other criteria include domestic they might support CAFTA if the admin- to a 769 percent gain for certain synthetic “We were clearly pleased the govern- production data, world imports and istration provides help in other areas, in- filament fabric in the first quarter, accord- ment took that action,” Auggie Tantillo, prices. Domestic textile and apparel in- cluding China. A contingent of domestic ing to Commerce Department statistics. executive director of the AMTAC, said at dustry employment has fallen from more textile producers and associations, in- The Bush administration took an un- a press conference. “Those were ex- than one million jobs in January 2001 to cluding AMTAC and NTA, remain op- precedented action Monday, saying it tremely critical categories that needed to 665,900 through March, representing 36.4 posed to CAFTA because of its numerous would begin a self-initiated review of be addressed. However, we as an indus- percent of the January 2001 workforce. exceptions for foreign fabric and yarns. EU Sets China Safeguard Guidelines De Quercize Headed to Paris? By John Zarocostas China agreed to the safeguard mechanism By Marc Karimzadeh when it joined the World Trade Organization GENEVA — The European Union on Wed- in 2001. The safeguards allow importing coun- NEW YORK — Is Stanislas de Quercize, Cartier’s energetic North nesday published the long-awaited guidelines tries to cap the growth of Chinese imports in American president and chief executive officer, saying goodbye to it will use in determining whether to slap tem- particular categories to no more than 7.5 per- New York and bonjour to Paris? porary safeguard quotas on rising Chinese im- cent from the previous year, or 6 percent for A source close to Compagnie Financière Richemont SA, which ports, following the Jan. 1 abolition of textile wool products, if those imports are causing owns Cartier, said the luxury conglomerate is in talks to move de and apparel quotas. market disruption. Quercize to Paris to head up Richemont’s Van Cleef & Arpels, world- The rules spell out how much Chinese im- The EU guidelines allow the commission to wide, as ceo. Frédéric de Narp, general director of Cartier in Italy, ports would need to rise in any one category of initiate a review of Chinese imports on its own, is said to be a front-runner to run Cartier in the U.S. goods to trigger a review and possible safeguard or at the request of any of its 25 member states. At Van Cleef, de Quercize would replace Isabelle Guichot, who left quotas. They also include a fast-track emer- Unlike in the U.S., the rules do not allow pri- the jewelry firm last January to join Gucci Group, where she now gency procedure in the event of massive surges. vate industry groups to file safeguard petitions. serves as ceo of Sergio Rossi. “The guidelines recognize the legitimate The timeline includes a 21-day public com- De Quercize was in Geneva at the concerns of member-state governments and ment period, followed by 60 days of investiga- Salon International de la Haute the textiles sector, while allowing China to tion and informal talks with China. If the EU de- Horlogerie watch show and couldn’t be benefit from the lifting of the quotas,” EU termines that safeguards are required, Brussels reached for comment Wednesday. But it’s Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson said in authorities then would ask China for formal understood an announcement could a statement. “They equip us to make a swift consultations, and within 15 days of the request come within the next week. and effective response.” would expect China to set up a system for limit- De Quercize joined Cartier in the U.S. The amount that Chinese imports would ing its exports in the category in question. in 2002. A Richemont veteran, he came to need to increase to trigger a safeguard review In the case of extreme growth, the fast-track New York after a three-year stint as pres- takes into account China’s share of the mechanism allows the EU to immediately ask ident of Cartier France. Before that, he European market. For instance, in categories China for formal consultations, without a 60- had held several positions within of goods where Chinese imports represent 7.5 day investigation. Richemont, including president and ceo percent or less of the European market, this Both the regular and fast-track procedures of Montblanc North America from 1994 year, those imports would need to double to allow the EU to impose safeguard limits on to 1997 and international director of trigger a review. Next year, a rise of 50 percent China without Beijing’s consent. The EU marketing for Alfred Dunhill until 1999. or more would cause a review. guidelines stipulate the investigation should As a brand, Van Cleef & Arpels is In categories where Chinese imports repre- consider the damage China’s growth may much smaller than Cartier, which fuels sent 7.5 to 20 percent of the market, a 50 per- cause to textile exporters in vulnerable devel- Richemont’s growth and has an estimat- cent rise in imports would trigger a review. oping countries. Reviewers are also to take Stanislas de Quercize ed sales volume of $600 million in the Where Chinese imports make up 20 to 35 per- into account any positive effects of rising U.S. alone. However, de Quercize would cent of the market, a 30 percent hike would Chinese imports, such as falling unit prices for steer Van Cleef’s global direction and growth. begin a review and in categories where China European consumers. Last December, Van Cleef & Arpels launched its latest collection, accounts for more than 35 percent of the mar- Meanwhile, the ruling council of the 24- called Couture, which draws from the Twenties for inspiration with ket, an increase of 10 percent would set the re- member-country International Textiles and fashion details such as lace, embroidery, ribbons, tassels and but- view process in motion. Clothing Bureau, which includes China, re- tons in precious metals and gemstones. It also just opened a store on The EU also sketched out minimum growth leased a statement that said it hoped rich Bond Street in London designed by Anouska Hempel. rates below which it would try to avoid initiat- countries “would reject protectionist pres- Richemont also owns brands such as Panerai, Baume & Mercier, ing a safeguard review, ranging from 10 to 25 sures and help strengthen confidence in the Jaeger-LeCoultre, Piaget, Vacheron Constantin, Chloé and Shang- percent, depending on China’s market share. multilateral trading system.” hai Tang. 4 WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 WWD.COM

Ellen Barkin at the New York premiere of Barkin’s Bite “Palindromes.” NEW YORK — When her new film, “Palindromes,” premiered at the Venice Film Festival last summer, Ellen Barkin was a little concerned that her husband, Ron Perelman, might not like it. After all, “Palindromes” was directed by Todd Solondz and eye® deals with Aviva, a 13-year-old girl from New Jersey who has an abortion, runs away from home and has a sexual relationship with a born-again truck driver. “I kept saying to him ‘You can’t walk out, Ronald. I know it’s not going to be your cup of tea but you cannot walk out of a movie I’m in at the Venice Film Festival,’ ” Barkin recalls. Perelman not only didn’t walk out, he loved the movie. “The fact that my very straight husband said this was the best movie he’s seen and the best I’ve ever been and the prettiest I’ve ever been is kind of staggering.” Even Barkin’s kids love the movie, in which she plays the unglamorous, supporting role of Aviva’s mother. One of the movie’s unusual devices has eight diverse actors — including a 420-pound black woman and Jennifer Jason Leigh — play Aviva at various points in the film. At times this is both heartbreaking and funny. “I don’t think anybody’s dumb enough in my family not to get the humor,” Barkin explains. She has seen the movie 10 times. “I think it’s easy for me [to watch it again and again] because I’m not the central character.” It is also easy for her because she has a screening room at home, where she watches everything from “Sin City,” which she wishes she’d been in, to “Ice Princess,” which she has now seen twice, at least once with best friend Julianne Moore and Moore’s children. “I spend my entire weekend watching movies,” Barkin explains, “which is one of the delights of my life.” Making “Palindromes” “was the best experience I’ve had,” Barkin adds. Big-budget filmmaking can be debilitating, she says. “I remember being on a movie and watching the entire BBC series of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ while they lit a shot and then going shopping. And I’m not exaggerating. That’s six episodes.” The time and budget constraints, however, of indie cinema provide no downtime, so the performers are actually acting all day long. “When Todd called he said, ‘It’s not a lead role.’ I said, ‘I don’t care.’ He said, ‘Well, you haven’t read the script.’ I said, ‘I don’t care.’ He said, ‘There’s no money.’ I said, ‘I don’t care.’ ” The budget of “Palindromes” came in at under a million dollars, which is, in all likelihood, less than the cost of the jewelry Barkin has on today (two diamond rings, a diamond necklace and diamond earrings). “Ronald thinks of jewelry as art, which is kind of fabulous,” she explains. “He really appreciates it — we’ll be eating dinner and he’ll play with my ring.” The money, quite obviously, is not an issue, and though Barkin hadn’t worked in several years, the experience with Solondz has made her want to work more. She teaches acting in the graduate program at the New School, a gig that developed out of her affinity for playing mothers onscreen. “I could teach young actors, and I loved putting them on the right path,” she says. That said, her children keep her busy at home. There are eight between her and Perelman (two from her marriage to Gabriel Byrne, and six from Perelman’s three previous marriages) and the shopping habits alone of the four teenage ones are enough to drive a parent crazy. “You have to have a rule as a parent,” Barkin says. “No Marc Jacobs. Just Marc.” She goes on: “I can’t deny them [nice things.] I was too poor growing up not to buy them [now]. And I know it’s bad. I get yelled at by my ex-husband and my brother. Not by my husband, who doesn’t understand why they can’t have Marc Jacobs or Chanel. But I cut at Marc Jacobs. The older girls can have Miu Miu, no Prada. But If I ever think they’re head-to-toe designer, they’re finished. They’re not allowed. “It’s not about the money,” she continues. “When you can afford it, then it has to be about something else. It’s not appropriate for my 12-year-old daughter to carry my Chanel bag, which is all she wants. She can wear her little Marc loafers and her Marc jacket.” Barkin tried to get the kids to shop at Zara, but that was only good for a while. “I liked Zara because I told them ‘It looks exactly like what you’re not getting.’ ” And though she jokes about having had one pair of jeans, one sweater and one pair of shoes growing up in The Bronx, she finds great pleasure in buying her children, stepchildren and niece nice things, like Mukluks at Kitson in L.A., plastic Chanel jewelry and Hermès leather bracelets. (For the record, she buys all her own clothing, too.) “You want them to look so cute and they’re all so beautiful in their own way,” Barkin explains. “As long as they don’t look like little fashion victims.” — Marshall Heyman

Argentina — we’re used to seeing skin.” Carolina Cerisola Tonight the rest of America can also get a peek of Cerisola’s FLASH DANCER performing, here, and talents when Bravo premieres the first of a four-part docudrama LOS ANGELES — Don’t call her a stripper, because Carolina taking a breather, inset. called “Forty Deuce.” The reality show, which kicked off with a Cerisola never takes it all off. The dancer may belong to a tradition celebrity-studded party in Hollywood Thursday night, follows of racy stage seduction that goes back to the club founder Ivan Kane; his wife and business partner, Moulin Rouge, but she swears there’s Champagne Suzy, and the club’s three main dancers as they nothing to make a lady blush in her toil and sweat to create Forty Deuce’s good, clean fun. nightly performance at Hollywood In the first episode, Kane chases his ultimate dream: to burlesque club, Forty Deuce. open a branch of Forty Deuce in Las Vegas’ Mandalay Bay “When I first heard about Resort and Casino. In the meantime, he faces an unthinkable taking off my clothes for Forty disaster: Cerisola’s visa has expired and she has to return to Deuce,” recalls the Buenos Aires. Will Cerisola ever return? Tune in next week. (For twentysomething Cerisola, who the record, everything turns out fine. Kane and Champagne has been the club’s headliner Suzy currently have plans to open more clubs in New York, since its 2002 opening, “I said, London, South Beach in Miami and New Orleans. Champagne ‘No! I’m not going to do that!’ It Suzy also is launching a line of lingerie inspired by the club.) was hard to understand at first Throughout it all, Cerisola steals the show, whether because it’s burlesque, but it’s performing onstage with Forty Deuce’s jazz trio or sitting with not” — Cerisola pauses to search Kane in an immigration lawyer’s office. “Carolina has that her limited English vocabulary for the intangible thing that separates certain people from the pack,” best word — “burlesque burlesque.” In says Kane. “She just connects on a visceral level. All the other words, she’s no hoochie-coochie girl. dancers are incredible, but she’s the star.” A former world champion salsa dancer, Despite her heady success with Hollywood’s celebrity crowd, Cerisola begins her improvised striptease in a heavily beaded Cerisola remains surprisingly wide-eyed. She mentions a few gown and ends it in a lightly sequined bra and panty career highlights worthy of Us Weekly — the time Courteney Cox ensemble. And her celebrity followers — including Brad Pitt, gave David Arquette a birthday party at Forty Deuce and hired Orlando Bloom, Adrien Brody, Justin Timberlake, Mick Jagger In-N-Out Burger to cater; the night Ricky Martin came and David Bowie — can’t get enough of what they do see. backstage to pay his respects, and how both Sting and Prince But the queen of the “shaky-shaky,” a signature dance move have flown her around the world to dance onstage with them. that looks exactly as it sounds, also has legions of female Yet Cerisola’s head hasn’t been turned by the temptations of devotees, including Angelina Jolie and Demi Moore — and an fame. Her life’s ambition, she says, is to marry and move to especially protective one who surely wouldn’t appreciate Italy. But her real passion, aside from dancing? “Strawberries raunchy dancing of the lap or pole variety. “My mom came to and tall boys,” she replies. see the show,” says Cerisola. “She liked it, but I’m from — Kevin West BARKIN PHOTO BY WIREIMAGE; CERISOLA PHOTOS BY JOHN DEWIS WIREIMAGE; CERISOLA PHOTOS BY BARKIN PHOTO BY WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 5 WWD.COM

Teen retailers are expected to outperform Wal-Mart Renews Focus on Key Items the pack in March. By Katherine Bowers dler development team will travel to the U.K. in May to begin designing the spring 2006 goods, mark- ROGERS, Ark. — After being burned in recent ing the first time Asda and Wal-Mart will carry iden- years by attempting to be too trendy, Wal-Mart will tical George product. Children’s clothing is a test showcase fashion with broad appeal in an effort to category because it is less trendy and more univer- drive sales. sal, said Beth Schommer, children’s wear vice presi- The world’s largest retailer is going after the “big dent, divisional merchandise manager. In ladies ap- middle tier of the fashion pyramid,” Deanah Baker, parel, George will become more casual and less ca- ladies accessories merchandise manager, said dur- reer focused in upcoming seasons, she said. ing an informal presentation of merchandise at Wal- At the conference, Wal-Mart lined up mannequins Mart’s first media conference on Tuesday. in brightly colored layered tops (screen T-shirts over The new program, dubbed “Gotta Have It,” fo- polos, camis over camis) paired with Bermuda shorts cuses on key items, such as polo shirts and tiered or flared skirts along a whole wall of a ballroom. The skirts. It is part of an initiative led by Claire Watts, feeling was bright, clean and crisp. executive vice president of apparel and home, to Polo shirts, for example, had been updated with clean up the apparel department with a better-ed- more fitted silhouettes, plunging necklines, ruch- ited and more cohesive presentation. ing details and piping, but the effort didn’t feel “She is really pushing us to take out everything overdone, as has been the case in the past. Skirts extra and to show the customer what we stand included gored denim miniskirts, tiered ankle- for,” Baker said during the conference at a hotel length styles and A-line styles with bright prints. five miles from Wal-Mart’s Bentonville, Ark., Spring apparel, however, hadn’t appeared to headquarters. “It’s a bit scary because these are catch on yet at a new Supercenter in Jane, Mo. On a big-volume buys we are making.” tour, Dell Sloneker, divisional vice president, north- It’s also Wal-Mart’s response to Target, which last east region, spot-checked item sales using a hand- year consistently beat its larger competitor with bet- held computer, tracking sales and inventory. A pink- Comp-Store Sales ter same-store sales and is adept at presenting mer- striped top, displayed prominently on the front chandise that coordinates across several categories. aisle, had sold only two size mediums in two weeks. A customer buying yoga pants could, for example, A version in aqua blue, size small, had not yet been buy a mat specifically designed to match. Wal-Mart purchased. All regional and district managers re- Face Tough March also said it will court the female shopper with clean- cently attended seminars on new rack layouts that er stores and bathrooms, and better-quality goods. emphasize wider spacing for cart maneuverability. By Meredith Derby While Wal-Mart stores are focusing on apparel The retailer has high hopes for keeping acces- items with broad salability, walmart.com continues sories trendy with clip-on charms for belts and NEW YORK — High gas prices; difficult year-over-year sales com- to test the waters with more expensive and trendy handbags à la Juicy Couture. The retailer is also parisons; chilly, wet weather, and an earlier Easter are the forces items, such as the roughly $50 cashmere sweaters blowing out of cowboy hats, and “you can’t find a that tugged and pushed March same-store sales, which may be soft- sold last Christmas, or the $15.87 trendy rubber rain green handbag on our floor,” Baker said. er than the strong comps seen in the first two months of the year. boots that are a bestseller on the site, said a spokes- Breast-cancer-ribbon logo visors, washed canvas The International Council of Shopping Centers expects March woman. The site is designed to offer products handbags and a two-in-one transparent plastic tote comparable-store sales to show an aggregate increase of 3.5 to 4.5 “above and beyond” what the stores stock, she said. with snap-out printed hobo also are selling well. percent. This forecast is up against a tough comparison: In March Wal-Mart’s domestic product design team also is The retailer also is working on better coordina- 2004, comps gained 7 percent. beginning to work directly with George Global, Wal- tion in accessories for upcoming seasons, match- Same-store sales, a widely regarded metric that measures Mart-owned Asda’s product development office that ing color plastic totes with flip-flops and beach sales at stores open at least a year, rose 4.9 percent in February manages the brand internationally. The infant-tod- towels, for instance. and 3.6 percent in January, according to ICSC data. Most retailers release March comps today. The impact of higher fuel prices is keeping some retailers up at night. But consumers may be coping. As Nymex crude oil fu- tures hit a record intraday high on Monday, up more than 60 per- H&M Profits Soar 29% in First cent year-over-year, the ICSC said recent survey results show American shoppers are dealing with higher gas prices by becom- By Miles Socha while group sales rose 7 percent H&M plans to open 62 stores ing more efficient shoppers: They are buying the same amount of to 12.62 billion kronor, or $1.83 in the second quarter, but “our goods, but making fewer trips to the store. PARIS — Aided by lower sourc- billion. Excluding currency im- greatest challenge is to increase Fifty-nine percent of households surveyed reported that they ing costs during the wind-down pact, the sales increase stood at 8 sales in our existing stores,” have not reduced their spending over the last month on items of global textile quotas, Hennes percent. Dollar figures are at the Enhorning said. As of Feb. 28, such as clothing, shoes, jewelry, consumer electronics and beauty & Mauritz said its first-quarter average exchange rate. H&M operated 1,069 locations, services, the survey said. profits zoomed 29.1 percent to During a conference call, with Hungary and Ireland as its Michael Niemira, chief economist and director of research at 1.5 billion Swedish kronor, or H&M’s investor relations chief, newest markets. the ICSC, said higher average weekly earnings have helped offset $217.1 million. Carl-Henric Enhorning, acknowl- During a question-and-an- the negative impact gas prices have had on consumer spending. The Swedish fast-fashion be- edged that trade in Germany, its swer period, an analyst asked if Indeed, Robert W. Baird & Co. analyst J. David Cumberland wrote hemoth also credited “signifi- largest market, was slow, reflect- H&M might reprise its guest-de- in a recent research report that “employment among low-income cantly reduced” markdowns and ing sluggish consumption there. signer initiative, since last consumers has improved slightly in recent months.” a weak U.S. dollar for its acceler- By contrast, he described the U.S. year’s collaboration with Karl If last month’s sales results at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. are any indi- ating profitability, with gross mar- business as “good, with improved Lagerfeld unleashed a shopping cation, however, March comps could have some fire left in them, gins climbing to 56.8 percent profitability. We are looking to see frenzy that bolstered November considering that Wal-Mart’s target demographic is likely one hard- from 53.7 percent a year ago. a profit for the full-year 2005.” sales by 24 percent. est hit due to the higher gas prices. The company said in a recorded Operating profits increased 29.6 March sales, up 20 percent at “We’re working on the possi- call released Saturday that U.S. same-store sales in March rose 4.2 percent to 2.2 billion Swedish constant exchange, also suggest bility to do something in the au- percent, including its Sam’s Club division, the second month in a kronor, or $318.8 million, for the strong momentum going into the tumn, but nothing has been de- row that total U.S. comps rose more than 4 percent. In comparison, three months ended Feb. 28, retailer’s second quarter. cided yet,” Enhorning replied. comps rose 6 percent in March 2004 at U.S. Wal-Mart-owned stores. Food comps, Wal-Mart said, were stronger in March than those PYPER BLOWS Media, which still had McCarthy under contract, in the general merchandise category. Wal-Mart said, “Due to unsea- TOWN: Us Weekly’s promptly sued, winning a favorable settlement that sonable weather, sales for spring seasonal items were below plan.” MEMO PAD masthead, formerly prohibits her from helming OK until next year — Many analysts who released research notes previewing March so top-heavy, is assuming the launch goes forward. — Jeff Bercovici same-store sales focused on the cool weather that hit most of the slimming down fast. Editor in chief Janice Min notified country during the month. The weather compares unfavorably with the above-average temperatures in March 2004. Piper her staff Wednesday that Sarah Pyper, hired away from POACHED PUBLISHER A LA MARTHA: Martha Stewart Jaffray senior research analyst Jeffrey Klinefelter said the lousy In Touch a year ago to be special projects editor, is Living named a new publisher Thursday, striking a weather “at least partially offset” what was likely a sales benefit leaving to return to her native England. Her last day will blow for a sister publication in the process. Sally from the shift in the Easter holiday, which fell one week earlier be April 13. Should she decide to remain in the U.S., Preston, who was vice president and publisher of this year. Last year, Easter fell in the April sales reporting period. she’ll have to wait until Organic Style, will replace Suzanne Sobel, who Klinefelter said teen retailers, such as American Eagle October, when her non- resigned last month as MSL’s senior vice president Outfitters Inc. and Abercrombie & Fitch Inc., as opposed to mass compete agreement runs out, and publisher. Parent company Martha Stewart merchants and major department store chains, may have been re- sistant to the poor weather because teens shopped for apparel to find a new position. Living Omnimedia recently relaunched Body + Soul, and accessories to take on spring break vacations. Pyper’s exit follows that of a natural health and lifestyle magazine it acquired In addition, more promotions in March could have benefited executive editor Nicola last year. It competes directly with Organic Style, same-store sales, said Citigroup Smith Barney analyst Kimberly McCarthy, who quit in January which now must hire its third publisher in six Greenberger in her report previewing March results. “However,” to help British tabloid baron months. Founding publisher Bernadette Haley, she added, “positive comps could come at the expense of mer- Richard Desmond bring OK recently named publisher of Quick & Simple, chandise margins, given the cold, wet weather throughout the magazine to the U.S. Wenner stepped down in August. — J.B. Midwest and Northeast. 6 WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 Austin City Deep in the heart of Texas, Austin thrives on fashion. Thanks to the local retail, music and college scenes, the capital lives Shop Flock EVERYWHERE IN THE TEXAS CAPITAL, T-SHIRTS, POSTERS AND ottoman that serves as a napping ground for Branch’s giant Bernese bumper stickers repeat the mantra “Keep Austin weird.” But rather mountain dog, Teddy. Along with Steffe, Fetish carries Chaiken, Max than being a den of the bizarre, the city is simply cut from a different Studio, Lisli and Diane von Furstenberg, but it’s the selection of shoes cloth than the state’s other major hubs, Dallas and Houston. Most — all arranged by color — that dominates the store. Among the more Austinites consider their city to be more liberal and laid-back, fueled by understated styles of DKNY and Kenneth Cole, Branch offers quirkier the huge live music scene (insiders say it outpaces those of New York looks from Emma Hope, Bettye Muller, Lulu Guinness and Sigerson and Los Angeles) and the University of Texas at Austin’s diverse student Morrison, of which, she says, “I sell tons.” body. Likewise, the local fashion scene reflects this same ideology. Last fall, Branch opened Underwear around the corner from Fetish. “Houston and Dallas have the debutantes, but we’re funkier, groovy,” The lingerie-only boutique carries Eberjey, Hanky Panky and Nina says Katy Culmo, who bought the boutique By George in 1979. At her Ricci, among others. “I knew there was fabulous lingerie out there that store, where the sleek cement and wasn’t in the dark wood of the women’s space The interior of By George. By George’s department stores,” opens into the men’s section Matthew and she says. And is there (managed by her husband, Katy Culmo. a market for such a Matthew), looks from Dosa, Rozae dedicated store in Nichols, Nanette Lepore and Austin? Branch sums Rebecca Taylor hang beside up business in two artwork from Malcolm Hill, who words: “Hallelujah, has also done murals for Barneys glory!” New York. As for her Like the capital merchandise selection, Culmo, building and UT known to offer clients honest college campus, assessments in the fitting rooms, Garden Room, Fetish says she likes to follow her and Underwear are personal preference for muted, situated North of the deconstructed looks or, as she Colorado River, says, “clothes you can pull out of which cuts a swath your closet five years from now through the city. South of the river is A colorful rack at Therapy. The pastel the increasingly window at the developed area cabbies refer to as SoCo, named for Garden the city’s South Congress Avenue. This neighborhood Room. is a destination stop for college students flocking to hip boutiques such as Factory People and Therapy, where music is the defining influence. “Austin is music,” says Le Popov, owner of Factory People, where customers can simultaneously rifle through racks of Development, Habitual and Easel, as well as the latest CD releases. “Everything revolves around bands.” To wit, her store has been a venue for numerous parties where, most recently, the Kings of Convenience played against a backdrop of rock-flavored Sass & Bide tops and jagged Karen Walker jewelry. Shelby Meade, owner of Fresh and Clean, which reps such artists as Moby and Robbie Williams, is one music type who has become a Factory People fan. “It’s the center of what is amazing about Austin,” she says. “You walk that won’t scream spring 2005.” inside and it’s alive, Judging by the healthy foot traffic mixing the best in on a weekday afternoon, unique design with a including actress-turned- rock attitude.” documentarian Rosanna Just up the street, Arquette, it’s an aesthetic that’s Therapy carries speaking to Austin dwellers. denim brands such as While By George does attract its Miss Sixty, Chip & share of college students, Culmo Pepper and Earl says the majority of her customers Jean. “I’ve got a lot of range in age from mid-20s to 60s customers who are (Patti Griffin, Shawn Colvin and musicians looking for Dennis Quaid’s wife, Kimberly good stage pieces,” Buffington, also frequent the says owner Jyl store), and they look to her for Kutsche, just as contemporary collections. singer-songwriter That market works well for two Inside Factory Lisa Germano walks other retailers in town, Patty People, where rock in the door. Kutsche Hoffpauir at the Garden Room meets music on a says the musicians and Kathy Branch, owner of both Part of Fetish’s shoe collection. regular basis. are usually drawn to Fetish and Underwear. Hoffpauir the unique pieces she says that when she opened the Garden Room 26 years ago, everyone else carries, made by local designers including Stowe Provisions and Modo in town was carrying high-end designers. She took a chance with the Designs. (If customers aren’t in need of retail therapy, there’s always the contemporary market. “Suddenly, business was unbelievable,” she says. store’s wall of chocolate goodies.) Since opening, Hoffpauir has cultivated a social atmosphere in the store However, the energy and musical vibe of Austin aren’t lost on and on any given day, she might host three generations of a family, all designers. “There’s a real pulse in Austin,” notes Steffe. “It’s hip and looking to buy the latest from Trina Turk, Sigrid Olsen or Cynthia Steffe. young.” And Sass & Bide’s Heidi Middleton says she wouldn’t mind a Likewise, Steffe is a hot seller at Fetish, a store accented by colorful visit to the city herself. “I've never been to Austin,” she says, “but I have THERAPY, THE GARDEN ROOM, FETISH, FACTORY PEOPLE AND PAULA LUNDGREN PHOTOS BY LAURA PARSONS LAURA PHOTOS BY LUNDGREN PEOPLE AND PAULA THE GARDEN ROOM, FETISH, FACTORY THERAPY, peacock feathers and a huge chandelier hanging over a circular been very curious about Texas for years.” W, TA WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 7 WWW.WWD.COM Better Shop Around

PAULA LUNDGREN is on a mission to rid Austinites of what she calls “unsupervised purchases.” That is, splurges that make no sense, such as the fur coat that will never see the light of day in Limits the balmy Texas s off a seemingly endless supply of style and energy. — Nandini D’Souza climate or the miniskirt for a mother of three. With such remedies in hand, Lundgren is spreading her fashion-conscious message one person at a time as Austin’s busiest personal shopper. The tall, gregarious blonde rarely works less than six days a week, zipping from clients’ homes to stores and back again. Her roster of 250 clients now includes everyone from a 14- year-old going to a dance to an 84-year- old who lives in a retirement home. “She still wants to look good,” says Lundgren, matter of factly. “She has a Busy personal shopper Paula Lundgren at one of personal trainer.” her frequent retail stops, the Garden Room. The bulk of Lundgren’s business, though, comes from the 30- to 50-year-olds, from all around Texas to as far as Boston. “They want to look their best, but they’re busy,” she offers. “They’re all working, have children, husbands, big careers.” Southern Exposure Lundgren says these ladies — who often bring in their husbands and children, too, for a fashion overhaul — seek her out when they FOR THREE DAYS IN MARCH, FROM NOON TO 3 A.M., realize they’re disconnected from the world of current style. And downtown Austin’s annual South By Southwest fest attracts she’s more than happy to offer her advice. “Really, I just want to put music hopefuls of every stripe, armed with a few songs, an what I want on you. I’ll listen, but I’m pretty headstrong. If you’re amp and at least an iota of talent. Whether it’s to catch the coming to me, you’re really ready to hear someone else’s opinion,” Raveonette’s Nordic fuzzpop, Bloc Party’s garage rock, she says, noting that Tracey Reese, Prada, Donna Karan, DKNY Aqualung’s navel-gazing piano or the cheeky rap of Welsh and Nanette Lepore are among her favorite labels. “Some people octet Goldie Lookin’ Chain, fans and industry types alike like to try to manage and control me, and I might say, ‘Why do you use me then?’” congregate en masse. The dress? Whatever suits their fancy, They Customers pony up $110 an hour on weekdays and $135 an hour but usually with an emphasis on shredded T-shirts, on Saturdays for Lundgren’s opinion and fashion assistance. And Are distressed jean jackets and sundresses that read either goth she’s willing to go the distance for them, whether it’s hunting down Wearing® or girly. But with the brutal SXSW schedule of at least five the right wedding dress at a local Austin boutique or making the 90- bands playing every hour on the hour, most prefer to round minute drive to San Antonio’s Saks Fifth Avenue for a hard-to- off their look with sneakers — Chuck Taylor, Adidas, Puma, come-by Chanel bag. Le Coq Sportif, K-Swiss and so on — that get them from On a recent day, two clients, via Lundgren, dropped a total of venue to venue quickly, comfortably and, as ever, coolly. $50,000 at Saks. “Let’s see, that was a Moschino look, Prada dresses, two great bags, seven pairs of shoes,” Lundgren recalls of the splurge. Typically, she stocks her clients’ closets for everyday events, weddings and social events, but no occasion is off limits. “For some of them, I’ve even picked their funeral outfits,” she says with a laugh. Lundgren started down the personal shopping path 15 years ago when the Austin boutique she was working at closed its doors. At the time, she already had been moonlighting with private customers. “I realized, ‘Excuse me, I’m making 35 percent of my income on my day off,’ ” she recalls of her decision to go solo. “So it was do or die.” Prior to that, she worked at Neiman Marcus in Dallas and also spent two years as the first-floor manager of Macy’s in New York’s Herald Square. But the native Austinite, who received her B.S. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1979, can’t see herself living anywhere else but her beloved city. “No one else thinks of Austin as the fashion capital of Texas, but we do. I mean, our boutiques are great,” she says, citing the Garden Room, By George and Therapy among her favorites. “I have people coming from out of town to shop here because the boutiques are better here than Dallas or Houston, where big department stores put the smaller shops out of business.” That’s one reason why she has no plans to join a larger store’s personal shopping department. “I like my freedom. I don’t feel I’m indebted to anyone. I’m there for the client only, not to promote this store or that,” she admits. “I’m free to be honest about everything.” And such brutal honesty just could be her greatest fashion talent. “I’m known for it,” she says. “I’ll say, ‘Your teeth are yellow, go get them whitened right now.’ Or, ‘It’s time to get an eye job,’ or, ‘No, you don’t need an eye job.’ And they’ll say, ‘Thank you, Paula. Nobody else told me.’ ” 8 WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 WWW.WWD.COM

A look from the City of Turn the Paige Angels Denim Dish collection. With an expanded premium denim line and a new lower-priced collection bowing this fall, fit model- turned-jeans designer Paige Adams-Geller is on a “brand-building mission.” Warnaco Taps Meyer Adams-Geller, 35, who worked as a fit model for Seven, Citizens of Humanity and Blue Cult from 1996 to Warnaco Group Inc. on Wednesday named Dwight 2004 before launching Paige Premium Denim this Meyer to the new post of president of global sourcing. spring, made a personal appearance Saturday at Luna, Meyer, 52, last served as executive vice president an Atlanta-based specialty store with seven locations of global sourcing at Ann Taylor Stores. At Warnaco, throughout the Southeast, including the Carolinas, he will be based in New York and report to Joe Florida and Maryland. The Los Angeles-based designer, Gromek, president and chief executive officer. whose line is sold in some 530 specialty store accounts, “Growing our gross margin is very important and will make similar appearances around the country, in- growing our operating profit, and the way we intend cluding Neiman Marcus stores in Las Vegas, Beverly to do that is through sourcing initiatives,” Gromek Hills and Scottsdale, Ariz., in the coming weeks. said in a phone interview. “We’ve got a great opportu- The 14-piece cotton denim collection will expand nity as we migrate from a manufacturing-based com- for fall to include sportswear pieces and denim-relat- pany toward an outsourced model.” ed items, such as tweed trousers, satin camisoles and Warnaco currently manufactures some of its velvet, satin-lined blazers that retail for $165 to $250. swimwear at company-owned facilities in Mexico A lower-priced line, City of Angels, will also launch and some high-end intimate apparel in France, but this fall, an eight-piece collection of denim retailing at the bulk of the $1.42 billion in apparel and acces- around $88. The new line is “more rock ’n’ roll-influ- sories it sold last year was sourced from foreign enced,” said Adams-Geller, with more embellishment. contractors. The company last year generated a The line is designed to expand the brand to younger gross margin of 33 percent, with a net profit of $42.5 customers, including the teenage daughters of her million. premium denim customers, she said. Meyer said that, after Gromek approached him, Details in the Paige Premium Denim collection in- “looking at the business model here, the opportunity, clude vintage-inspired linings, velvet and grosgrain it was impossible not to make the switch.” ribbon waistband linings and delicate small stitching. David Lam, who currently heads up Ann Taylor’s Along with more sportswear pieces, future plans call At Luna on Saturday, around 100 pairs of jeans Asian sourcing operation, will also be joining for more fit variety, including a higher rise. sold, according to owner Tina Hart, who said the first Warnaco as managing director of Warnaco Asia. He The fit of both lines is designed to “lift the derriere, shipment of 200 pairs sold out a week earlier this will report to Meyer and be based in Hong Kong. lengthen legs and slenderize hips and thighs,” said spring, with the Mulholland Trouser, which “fits all Meyer and Gromek first worked together at Ann Adams-Geller. Both lines also carry an overriding mes- body types,” as a bestseller. Taylor in the early Nineties. — Scott Malone sage of positive body image, said Adams-Geller, who suf- “Paige understands fit,” said Hart. “The rinse is fered from anorexia as a model in her teens and 20s. soft and feminine, without the hard edge that a lot of Each pair of jeans comes with a card in a special credit jeans have.” card back pocket with a message exhorting customers to First-year sales for the two lines are projected at The painted “feel good about your body and comfortable in your skin.” $30 million, said Adams-Geller. Polo Jeans will —Georgia Lee hit stores in August. made from a 10.5-oz. denim and will be available in all eight Scoop stores nationwide and on the Scoop Gets Exclusive scoopnyc.com Web site by the end of this week. It will AG Adriano Goldschmied has produced an exclusive remain on shelves throughout the summer. pair of women’s and men’s jeans for Scoop boutiques Yu l Ku, president of Koos Mfg., the Los Angeles called, naturally, The Scoop. jeansmaker that produces the AG Adriano “It’s lightweight, with a little flare and in the perfect Goldschmied brand, said the move was made “In keep- fade,” said Stefani Greenfield, co-owner of Scoop bou- ing with our philosophy of building strong partnerships tiques. “Not only does it look great, but it’s totally on with our stores….We wanted to deepen our investment trend and special since you can only get it at Scoop.” with their company by working together to help Scoop The Scoop will retail for $128. The women’s style is develop a jean for their customer.” — L.D. Big Bonuses for VF Brass Coming off a year in which the company completed three acquisitions and posted a 19 percent rise in net income, VF Corp.’s top officials saw significant pay hikes. According to the Greensboro, N.C.-based compa- ny’s proxy filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, chairman, president and chief execu- tive officer Mackey McDonald was paid a combined $3.2 million in salary, bonus and other cash com- pensation last year, a 44.1 percent hike from the prior year. The increase primarily came from an ▲ ▲ Limited Editions for Polo almost $2 million bonus payment, close to double Polo Jeans Co. has introduced a limited-edition denim the prior year’s. collection that includes a denim ballgown and artisan The board’s compensation committee, in the fil- painted jeans. ing, noted that in addition to VF’s financial growth, The ballgown is in stores now and the painted jeans McDonald’s pay reflected his success “in a number of will hit stores in August. areas, including building lifestyle brands, sales “Denim is limitless,” said Heather Pech, president growth, stretching brands and customers to new geog- and chief executive officer of Polo Jeans Co. “We want- raphies, leveraging VF’s supply-chain capabilities ed to create a personal style through a fabric that we and leadership development.” love. How you dress it up or down is up to you. Young Among the firm’s other top executives, Terry Lay, Americans today are creating their own personal style.” vice president and chairman of the firm’s jean- The ballgown has a corset top and cascading denim swear coalition, saw his pay rise 29 percent to $1.3 train. Only 150 gowns will be made available for pur- million; Eric Wiseman, vice president and chair- chase to the public. The gowns are available at polo- man of the outdoor and sportswear coalitions, jeans.com and select department stores nationwide. recorded a 56.2 percent increase to $1.3 million; The retail price is $349. John Schamberger, vice president and chairman of “A great pair of jeans can go from the beach to a cross-coalition management, was up 29.9 percent to black-tie event,” said Pech. “I’ll leave my husband $1.2 million, and Robert Shearer, vice president behind, but my denim is coming with me.” and chief financial officer, was awarded a 36.8 per- The painted denim comes in one style, the Whitney, a cent hike to $1.1 million. stretch low-rise boot cut. Each of the 400 pairs are one-of- Over the course of the year, Schamberger exer- a kind. The painted jeans will retail for $150 and will be cised 162,000 stock options, resulting in $2.4 million available at Macy’s East, Macy’s West, Macy’s Beverly in income above and beyond his salary and bonus. Center and Lord & Taylor, in addition to polojeans.com. Shearer cashed in 13,000 options for a profit of “We have a great love affair with denim,” said Pech. $257,959 and Lay used 700 options, making $10,745. “There’s an intimacy between that fabric and the con- VF reported income last year of $474.7 million on sumer.” —Lauren DeCarlo sales of $6.05 billion. —S.M. WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 9 WWD.COM Denim Report Hemming Silten to Step Down as Dockers President By Scott Malone 2004, despite racking up its eighth consecutive year of sales declines. NEW YORK — Bobbi Silten, president of Levi As a whole, Levi’s last year recorded net in- Strauss & Co.’s U.S. Dockers division, will be come of $30.4 million on sales of $4.07 billion. And Hawing stepping down from her post in June to take a Silten also acknowledged during the February six-month sabbatical, the San Francisco-based call that the “distraction of the Dockers sale company said in a statement this week. process” had taken a toll on performance. By Ellen Burney and Scott Malone Silten’s departure comes after a year when In May 2004, Levi’s officials disclosed that Levi’s management considered selling off the they were planning to sell Dockers, with the FOR DECADES, THE RISE AND FALL OF HEMLINES HAS BEEN Dockers business, but ultimately pulled it off the goal of raising enough money to pay down a the cause of chatter among designers, sociologists and even Wall market. The firm said substantial chunk of Street investors, who turned to them as an indicator of where the Monday it is kicking off the firm’s $2 billion market was headed. The conversations tended to focus on skirts and a search for an external debt load. After shop- dresses, though. It was taken pretty much as a given that the hem of candidate to replace ping the brand for sev- a pair of pants should more or less hit at the ankle. the 44-year-old Silten. eral months, in Oct- In the jeans business, that may be a given no longer, considering Phil Marineau, ober the company re- the opposite positions staked out by a pair of jeans lines rolling out Levi’s president and vealed it was calling this year. chief executive officer, off the sale process be- In London, designer Suzy Radcliffe has launched a line of jeans said at the end of cause no bids had been — called Radcliffe — with legs that can be adjusted at home with- Silten’s break Levi’s high enough. out a sewing machine or scissors, to accommodate wearers of differ- will “consider her next Levi’s bondholders ent heights and also different heel sizes. career opportunity at had approved the idea “I was sick of jeans where the the company.” of selling Dockers, so bottoms were sagging and hems Dockers’ financial long as the deal were dragging,” said Radcliffe. “I performance has mir- Dockers U.S. sales last year came to $649.4 million. brought in at least wear jeans every single day and rored that of Levi’s as a $600 million. But want a pair I can wear with high whole in recent years, with sales eroding. In fis- Levi’s officials had been holding out for more heels, kitten heels or flip-flops.” cal 2004, which ended Nov. 28, Dockers’ U.S. — they never said exactly how much, but fi- In New York, designer Robyn sales came to $649.4 million, down 20.9 percent nancial sources said the firm had been hoping Webb represents the other side of from $820.5 million in 2003. Worldwide sales of for a price tag between $800 million and $900 the debate with her forthcoming the brand were off 19 percent to $764.2 million. million. line, called Rdoubleu. During the company’s February conference In this week’s statement, Silten said, “The U.S. “I like jeans that are really call discussing the results, Silten said part of the Dockers brand is off to a good start in 2005, with long, so I made them with a 35- decline was the result of an effort by the brand preliminary indications of a solid first quarter.” inch inseam,” she said. “The hems to focus on higher-margin products and more Silten joined Dockers as director of market- will be destroyed after a few wear- profitable sales, a corporate-wide strategy that ing in 1995. She was promoted to president of ings. I don’t mind.” allowed Levi Strauss to return to profitability in the brand in late 1999. Jeans in the superpremium Radcliffe line, which launched at Two looks from retail in the U.K. last month, can Radcliffe. be adjusted to an inseam of 31, 33 or 35 inches using cufflinks and button holes that are included and concealed inside the leg. In an effort to simplify invento- ry management, many women’s jeans lines offer their fashion styles in only one inseam length, typically 32 or 33 inches, though more basic stock jeans are often available in a choice of lengths. Radcliffe, who previously worked as a branding consultant for firms including Levi’s and Adidas, got the idea for the line four years ago and spent the inter- vening time perfecting the fits. In addition to the adjustable in- seams, the jeans feature false pockets to reduce bulk and mes- sages stitched into the inner waist- bands, such as “Let’s make love in London” and “It’s better to be looked over than overlooked.” Styles wholesale for around $100 and initially are available in a handful of London boutiques. The firm also plans to sell the jeans through its Web site, radcliffedenim.com. Initially, the collection includes two styles, a boot-cut flare and a straight-leg, five-pocket style. Each season, Radcliffe will add limited-edition trend-led pieces to the line, starting with colorful riding jackets and blazers in January. Radcliffe expects first-year wholesale volume to reach $1.9 million at current exchange rates. She has no plans right now to dis- tribute the line outside the U.K. “We had a 2,000-pair trial rollout last year at Question Air [a London specialty chain] stores and every customer that tried a pair on bought them,” said Radcliffe. “We’re not aiming at teenagers who want the latest pair of jeans and then move on.” Meanwhile, Webb is embracing the tattered look with her Rdoubleu line, which is due to launch for fall retailing. Webb, who until July 2004 served as designer of Honee jeans, contends that her jeans feature their own engineering break- through. Made with a contemporary fit, they’re slightly undersized so that women can wear them a few more times between washings without the jeans stretching out of shape, a quality Webb said she’d noticed in men’s jeans. “With women, normally after a couple of wearings, the jeans are huge,” she said. Initially, the Rdoubleu collection will feature one cut of jeans, a low-rise, long cut. The jeans will be available in a variety of finishes and washes, and wholesale from $60 to $80. 10 WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 WWD.COM The Beat For BCBG, It’s All in the Jeans

NEW YORK — BCBG Max Azria and BCBGirls volume for both collections to reach “between $30 will welcome denim into their collections for fall. million and $40 million,” though, he added, A BCBG Max Azria cropped “We flirted with it a bit for years. We wanted “denim goes very fast, so it all depends.” leather jacket and cotton to impose ourselves as a lifestyle brand and not “But we’re optimistic,” he added. crochet top paired with cotton just a jeansmaker,” said Max Azria, chairman The BCBGirls denim collection also will consist and chief executive officer of Los Angeles-based of five styles made from midweight ringspun BCBG Max Azria. “Can we survive in America stretch denim or 100 percent cotton midweight without denim?” Azria asked ring denim. The inspiration for the playfully. “It’s like being an A BCBGirls’ girls’ collection was rock ’n’ roll. Italian and not eating spaghetti.” jacket, “We don’t talk about age, but The introduction of denim was tunic and this collection is a bit more young part of the brand’s “natural distressed contemporary — more rock ’n’ roll growth,” as Azria called it. The jeans. than the Max Azria collection, BCBG Max Azria collection is which is more sophisticated,” said inspired by vintage details and Azria. The girls’ collection fea- combines the saddle stitch of the tures two mini guitars on the back BCBG signature bag collection. pocket. The wholesale price range The women’s collection, produced of the collection is between $43 from Japanese denim, will include and $63. The collection will retail five fits — four of which are named at Marshall Field’s, Macy’s, May for Azria’s daughters (Agnes, Co. and Dillard’s beginning in July. Chloe, Marina and Joyce. The fifth “The BCBG name is very strong style, Mia, a low-waisted, skinny- for us,” said Louis Mastrogiacomo, leg style, is named for a designer). senior vice president of better Azria said that, while new sportswear at Macy’s East. styles will be introduced to the Speaking particularly of the denim collections each season, BCBGirls denim collection, his focus is on improving what is Mastrogiacomo said: “We feel that already in front of him. “We will we have that customer profile — probably introduce a style or two the young contemporary customer in the two collections each year, — in our stores. This customer is but we want to stay a bit longer on someone who’s interested in con- each cut and improve style.” temporary looks, but is just start- The washes range from a ing out. There are items in the deep, saturated shade of blue to a lighter blue, BCBGirls collection that work well with pieces vintage shade. The wholesale price range is from the BCBGirls denim collection. They’re very between $63 and $118. The collection will be conscientious about making it work well together.” available at all BCBG Max Azria stores as well as The go-ahead for the denim collections comes key department stores and specialty stores in on the heels of BCBG’s announcement last August. Novelty fabrics such as “true blue retro month to add outerwear into the mix for fall. stretch denim” and “fine count broken twill “The consumer reaction in every category denim” will be introduced as the season pro- we’re opening has been outstanding,” Azria said. gresses. “I feel great about it, but it’s more humble not to “It’s easy these days to mix denim with a beau- talk about it. I feel so good because my consumer tiful blouse,” said Azria. “It’s easy to mix fashion understands what I’m doing and I appreciate it.” and trends.” Azria said he predicts the wholesale —Lauren DeCarlo JOHN AQUINO PHOTOS BY

ter. The sizing technique Winn and Paluba employ is called the Close to Custom Fit (C2C Fit). They Rebecca & Drew Bust Out a New Concept are in the process of obtaining a patent. Winn and Paluba expect the wholesale volume for the first NEW YORK — The only standard in women’s sizing From left, tops from Rebecca & Drew year to “come close to $1 million,” said Winn, who exists in bras — and that infuriated Rebecca Winn Manufacturing in sizes 32C and 32A. met Paluba five years ago when he had his own and Drew Paluba. retail boutique here on the Lower East Side, Winn and Paluba considered the women’s button- called ASP. down shirt to be one of the most ill-fitting garments “There was a tremendous problem with the but- in women’s clothing, so they set out to create button- ton-down shirt,” said Paluba. “We listened to what down shirts that were sized according to bra size, women wanted in terms of different body parts.” eliminating any guesswork when it came to buying Most women, Paluba said, had issues with the off the rack or ordering online. placement of the top button. “Girls were really The key was to calculate both bust size and height unhappy with the first button. Either it was too low resulting in a more individualized, less boxy, fit, or too high.” Paluba fixed the problem by placing Winn and Paluba said. Rebecca & Drew two buttons under the top button giving women a Manufacturing will launch its first choice whether they wanted more or less coverage. collection for summer and open a The wholesale price range of the collection is $80 700-square-foot boutique in June to $90. Styles include long- and short-sleeved, 100 at 342-344 West 13th Street in percent cotton shirts in a number of patterns ranging the Meatpacking District here. from solids with ribbon-trim to stripes and prints, Also in June, Rebecca & Drew such as polkadots and gold star-studded patterns. Manufacturing will launch on “Our collection of shirts have no stretch,” neimanmarcus.com. Paluba said. “Designers get around the fit issue by “We wanted to standardize siz- using stretch.” ing and make sense out of it,” said Though Rebecca & Drew Manufacturing is Paluba, co-founder and designer for launching for summer, Winn and Paluba said they’re Rebecca & Drew Manufacturing. “I Rebecca Winn not interested in following the conventional sched- found that, for so many women, siz- and Drew Paluba ule of shipping for a specific season. “We want it to ing is a huge point of confusion and be a buy now, wear now, type of thing,” Paluba said. leads to ill-fitting clothing.” Tunics are a part of the summer collection as The shirts will be sized from 32A to 38D and will well as shirts with designs such as a unicorn, parrot, be available in two lengths, regular or long, result- tiger and an angry chicken. All are created by ing in 28 total sizes per style. Winn, president of Paluba, and some styles are screen-printed on the Rebecca & Drew Manufacturing, was one of the back. Eventually Rebecca & Drew Manufacturing founders of the Alice & Olivia brand. She and hopes to introduce outerwear into the collection, Paluba spent the last year conducting focus groups based on the C2C Fit technique.

asking women what would make dress shirts fit bet- WOLF/MAJOR MODEL MANAGEMENT WENDY MODEL MANAGEMENT; CENTENO; MODELS: EMILIA GRABOWSKI/EON TALAYA PHOTOS BY — L.D. WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 11 WWD.COM Active LifestyleX

…in a siren red look from the …and in a pink dress at the September 2004 U.S. Open… Nasdaq-100 Open last week.

Reigning Wimbledon champ Maria Sharapova in a bold hue at the Pacific Life Open last month… ACIFIC LIFE PHOTO BY MATTHEW STOCKMAN/GETTY IMAGES; U.S. OPEN BY CLIVE STOCKMAN/GETTY IMAGES; U.S. OPEN BY MATTHEW ACIFIC LIFE PHOTO BY

Sharapova Style at 18 P SHAW/GETTY IMAGES EZRA BRUNSKILL/GETTY IMAGES; NASDAQ BY By Melanie Kletter contacted Sharapova after watching her pick up her cell phone to make a call right after her Wimbledon win, and the phone didn’t work. Motorola subsequently sent her NEW YORK — Reigning Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova is a budding style one of its phones, and the relationship began. icon, but she has yet to attend a fashion show. “She personifies our brand and has been great to work with,” said Cordua. “She is “I have gotten many invites and I always want to attend shows when I am in New young, dynamic, hardworking and cutting edge, and she travels the world.” York, but I have tennis,” Sharapova said in a phone interview from Miami, where she Sharapova is scheduled to appear in ads and marketing materials for the brand in was preparing for a photo shoot. “I prefer to concentrate on my game.” coming months, and in honor of her 18th birthday, the company is presenting her with On the cusp of a notable birthday — Sharapova turns 18 on April 19 — she took some a gift of its new stylish upscale phone, the PEBL. time out to talk about tennis and fashion as she prepares for her next big match, the Sharapova often has been likened to Anna Kournikova, but these days, the comparison French Open, which begins on May 23 in Paris. In honor of her birthday, Sharapova will is becoming less mentioned in the media and Sharapova refuses to even discuss the petu- be feted Saturday night at a party lant player in interviews. Unlike hosted by Motorola, one of her many Kournikova, who never won a WTA sponsors, at the Hiro Ballroom in championship and now spends her Manhattan featuring a performance nights in clubs canoodling with by rock band Maroon 5. Enrique Iglesias, Sharapova focuses on Celebrations aside, though, Shara- her game and already has won her first pova has only one thing on her mind: Grand Slam event. She is also part of a tennis. While most 17-year-olds are new wave of Russian women tennis busy pondering what to wear to players that includes Anastasia school and the finer points of the Myskina and Vera Zvonareva, who have SATs, she’s focused on her goal to be- made serious inroads in recent years. come the number-one female tennis But when it comes to style on the player in the world. Sharapova, even court, Sharapova prefers to play in as a teen, shows a keen awareness of dresses rather than skirts and tops her athletic skills and abilities as well like many other female competitors. as where she needs to improve her “I have always wanted to be differ- game. She recently suffered a profes- ent in my own way, both on and off the sional setback, losing the Nasdaq-100 court,” she said. “Now, there are so Open finals on April 2 in an upset to many ways to be creative. You don’t Belgium’s Kim Clijsters. have to wear ugly uniforms and I think “I am still very young, and as time dresses are classier and more elegant.” goes by, I am trying to become better Sharapova works closely with Nike OUIS VUITTON PHOTO BY GARETH CATTERMOLE/GETTY IMAGES; MARC JACOBS BY STEVE JACOBS BY IMAGES; MARC GARETH CATTERMOLE/GETTY OUIS VUITTON PHOTO BY and faster and stronger,” Sharapova L ZEITZ-KDA/ZUMA ART BY CAVALLI GRANITZ/WIREIMAGE; to develop her court looks, and often said. “My game is evolving and I have sports stylish and athletic dresses in become a more experienced player bold hues such as pink, yellow and sil- than I was a year ago, even six months ver. For the upcoming Wimbledon ago. I learn a lot from winning and tournament in June, Sharapova said from losing.” Sharapova in …hitting L.A. …and she has “something special” planned, For Sharapova, turning 18 is hard- head-to-toe inin aa MarcMarc heating up but all she will reveal is that it will be ly a time for reflection. Louis Vuitton Jacobs dress Miami last white with some “hints of gold,” since “I guess it’s a really big age and I at the and Manolo month in there are dress restrictions at am going to be a year older, and I feel Wimbledon Blahnik a Roberto Wimbledon. good about turning 18,” she said. dinner last July shoes last Cavalli top Sharapova’s favorite designer off “But everyone supposedly matures. inin London…London… September… and pants. the court is Marc Jacobs, although With my job, I have had to be mature she has a vast wardrobe and is open- and responsible, and my birthday is really going to be just another day.” minded when it comes to finding new designers. She tries to hit stores such as Scoop The Siberian native, who moved to the U.S. at age seven to attend tennis training when she is in New York, and since she is often on the road, she shops stores interna- camp in Florida, took the sports world by storm last July when she defeated Serena tionally. Her favorite piece now is a pair of buckled cowboy boots that she picked up Williams at Wimbledon to become the second-youngest woman to win the illustrious recently while playing in Australia. tournament. Since then, she has become a marketer’s dream, with her cover girl “Lately, I have become a big fan of vintage pieces,” she said. “Before, you had to go looks, long blonde hair, willowy silhouette and on-court style. to little boutiques to find them, but now, they are more available and I am really into Sharapova quickly has become a broad cultural figure and has endorsement con- those looks.” tracts with a diverse range of companies, including Tag Heuer, Motorola, Nike, While many female athletes lately have been criticized for being too racy — the Prince, Canon, Speedminton, Pepsi Japan and Honda Japan. Under a licensing deal beach volleyball players’ skimpy outfits at the Summer Olympic Games, for exam- with Parlux Fragrances, Maria Sharapova the perfume will launch in September. ple, or Serena’s denim and motorcycle looks at last year’s U.S. Open — Sharapova “It’s been a whirlwind since Wimbeldon,” said Sharapova with a giggle. “I have be- doesn’t judge. come associated with so many companies and have had the opportunity to meet amaz- “I like seeing female athletes express their own style,” she said. ing people in different industries. It’s fun to be recognized, and I feel like I have so And her endorsement deals are only the beginning of what will likely be a long ca- many fans and supporters now. It’s definitely been an adjustment, but it’s something reer in this business. that comes with winning, I guess.” “I definitely want to do something in fashion when I am done with tennis,” she Julie Cordua, marketing director for mobile devices at Motorola, said her company noted. “I have many ideas, but I am not sure what I will do yet.” 12 WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 WWD.COM Retailers across the nation, listen up: Hispanics are a fast-growing target audience. By 2007, it is estimated that the purchasing power of Hispanics will top TheWWDList $926 billion. Hispanic consumers older than 18 were asked by NOP World to rank nine retail attributes, or factors, in terms of importance when choosing a shopping destination. NOP World also surveyed them on favorite stores: The clear choice was Wal-Mart, with 36 percent of respondents selecting the discount retailer as their top shop. “Wal-Mart comes out so far ahead because they are Hispanics Hit the Stores being successful with practically every factor,” said Brad Fay, managing director of NOP World. J.C. Penney, Sears and Target tied in second place, all with 4 Top retail attributes preferred by Hispanic customers. percent of the votes. —Cecily Hall FACTOR: LOW PRICES 77 percent It’s all about the low prices, and everyone loves a good deal. The Hispanic population is no exception, especially when recognizing 1 that the Hispanic median household income ($33,103) is below the U.S. average ($43,318), according to fall 2003 data. “Consumers do have some universal needs, some fundamental expectations for the retail industry,” explained Brad Fay of NOP World. “Finding low prices is a perfect example.”

FACTOR: CONVENIENT LOCATION 72 percent One of the strategies that chain stores must constantly be pushing is where to locate their new stores. And mass retailers such 2 as Wal-Mart, Target and Kmart have definitely figured out where their bricks should go. In the coming fiscal year, Wal-Mart plans to open between 180 and 185 new Supercenters alone. Kmart believes its niche is as an urban discounter and aims to cater to ethnic groups such as Hispanics.

FACTOR: WIDE RANGE OF MERCHANDISE 71 percent The more a store offers, the more time a consumer can spend inside its doors. At least that’s how Hispanic shoppers feel. 3 Hispanic families tend to be larger in size, which gives retailers extra incentive to create a shopping environment for the entire family. Fay also pointed out: “It’s not just about offering merchandise that’s totally different. It’s also about the communication and the presentation of the merchandise that makes the products feel relevant, as if they’re made specifically for you, the consumer.”

FACTOR: EMPLOYEES WHO SPEAK SPANISH 54 percent “Mass market retailers have been extremely successful at employing Spanish-speaking staff,” said Fay. At the end of 2004, Wal- 4 Mart had 128,000 Hispanic workers in the U.S., which accounts for 10 percent of its 1.2 million employees.

FACTOR: PRODUCTS RELEVANT TO HISPANIC CUSTOMERS 52 percent Here’s a tip for marketers: Attach hot celebrities to your products. Thalía is a former Mexican soap opera actress and one of the 5 latest Latin sensations to hit the U.S. pop music scene. Her name is attached to a clothing line for girls and women found exclusively at Kmart. “If the clothes are being worn by people who are Hispanic, it can give consumers that more-relevant feeling,” Fay said.

FACTOR: WIDE RANGE OF PAYMENT OPTIONS * 47 percent Stores that provide numerous payment options also will keep consumers happy. In fact, the top four store chains for Hispanics all 6. PETER BECK/CORBIS; 7. JAMES SPARSHATT/CORBIS; 8. ROY BOTTERELL/CORBIS; 9. TOM & DEE ANN MCCARTHY/CORBIS BOTTERELL/CORBIS; 8. ROY 9. TOM & DEE ANN MCCARTHY/CORBIS 6. PETER BECK/CORBIS; 7. JAMES SPARSHATT/CORBIS; 6 accept the following forms of payment: Visa, Mastercard, Discover, American Express, store credit cards, debit cards, gift cards- gift certificates and cash.

FACTOR: SPANISH SIGNAGE * 47 percent The word “sale” can be easily recognized by most people, but seeing signs in Spanish is still an area of importance. A study 7 conducted by the Magazine Publishers of America last year indicated that 46 percent of Hispanics are Spanish-dominant speakers. Something like store signs in Spanish could attract even more of this segment of the population.

FACTOR: PRODUCT PACKAGING AND LABELS IN SPANISH 43 percent Labels marked in Spanish aren’t a top priority for consumers, but for Hispanic shoppers who do not speak English, this is a clear 8 benefit. “Combine factors like products labeled in Spanish with employees who speak Spanish — these go together in making a welcoming environment for the Hispanic consumer,” said Fay.

FACTOR: OWNER IS A MEMBER OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY 34 percent This is the least important attribute when it comes to shopping — Hispanic consumers do not find as much importance in 9 identifying with the owner of a store as they do with getting a good deal on a product. NOP pointed out that, while no one specific Hispanic store was selected as a favorite shopping spot, 5 percent of respondents named a local store that caters to Hispanic- Americans as their favorite. PHOTOS BY 1. CORBIS; 2. KEITH DANNEMILLER/CORBIS; 3. JOSE LUIS PELAEZ/CORBIS; 4. MARK TUSCHMAN/CORBIS; 5. EZIO PETERSEN/LANDOV; 1. CORBIS; 2. KEITH DANNEMILLER/CORBIS; 3. JOSE LUIS PHOTOS BY SOURCE: NOP WORLD, A GLOBAL MARKET RESEARCH COMPANY, NEW YORK, N.Y. *INDICATES A TIE. WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 13 WWD.COM Neiman’s Seen as LBO Prospect

Continued from page one Macy’s is one example of an LBO to-capital ratio of 70 percent. In addition, a private eq- that didn’t fare well, and its uity buyer would still be able to pay down the debt with- acquirer, Federated Department in a decent time frame because a substantial portion of Stores, also was an LBO victim. Neiman’s cash flow, which is about $450 million, would be available to do so. Neiman’s is expected to name a buyer some time this month, financial sources said. But there could be another wrinkle in the chase for Neiman’s. Real estate investment trusts that have Neiman’s stores in their mall portfolios, Simon Property Group and General Growth Properties, are said to be exploring the idea of joining forces with a private equi- ty group so they can gain control over the value of the real estate, as well as possibly where Neiman’s might expand its store locations, according to financial and real estate sources. Several hedge fund managers said they think the Neiman Marcus business can support up to 70 stores. Neither executives at Simon nor General Growth could be reached for comment. Neiman’s isn’t the only potential retail LBO on the horizon, though. J.C. Penney & Co. recently was said to be the target of an LBO led by Cerberus Capital Management and involving other financial partners, in- cluding the Carlyle Group. With J.C. Penney as a target and Cerberus as an LBO sponsor, a deal involving a consortium is possible, but it would take some work. And Cerberus would first have to line up some financ- ing. One financial source said Cerberus had ap- proached J.P. Morgan to underwrite a deal, but was turned down. The private equity firm is now said to be knocking on other financial doors to see if there’s any interest in the underwriting. Sears, Roebuck & Co. to form Sears Holdings. sists of the assets of the targeted firm, which generally Cerberus could not be reached for comment An LBO is an acquisition where a large portion of the is pledged as collateral for the borrowed funds. Wednesday. J.C. Penney said it does not comment on purchase price is borrowed against assets of the compa- Successful fashion LBOs in the past include market rumors, and Carlyle said it had no comment re- ny being acquired. What makes LBOs an attractive option Donnkenny, Chorus Line and Norton McNaughton. garding J.C. Penney. for a partnership or consortium of investors is that the Norton McNaughton became McNaughton Apparel As for other retailers making the “for sale” rounds, participants are able to reduce the risks of their invest- Group after it bought the Jeri-Jo and Miss Erica labels. the names include the department store division of ment stake because it is shared between the consortia. McNaughton went public in 1994, and was acquired by Saks Inc. and, most recently, Gottschalks. For the boards of a targeted company, an LBO is also a Jones Apparel Group in 2001. Louis J. Bevilacqua, partner at the law firm Cad- way to get out of the public market. That public status an A more recent example is the 1998 LBO of walader, Wickersham & Taft, where be costly, due to the burdens of the Aerospostale by Bear Stearns Merchant Banking Group, he is chairman of the firm’s corpo- Sarbanes-Oxley legislation requiring which it successfully took public in May 2002. rate/mergers and acquisitions de- financial and accounting disclosure. Of course there’s no guarantee an LBO will result in an partment, noted that Saks Inc. will And although LBOs tend to re- IPO five years down the road. Some unsuccessful LBOs — probably have a hard time selling sult in a higher price tag for a deal, all done in 1986 — have left investors awash in red ink. its Saks Fifth Avenue division due it’s better for the equity firms to In that year, Edward Finkelstein, chairman of R.H. to the risks involved concerning the pay a premium than sit on their Macy & Co., the fifth-largest department store chain at potential liability arising from a cash, which seems to be growing the time, took the company private through an LBO val- Securities and Exchange Com- daily. For instance, global private ued at $3.6 billion; Ronald Perelman completed a $1.8 mission probe. equity firm the Carlyle Group said billion acquisition of Revlon via an LBO, and Linda Saks disclosed last month that it on March 29 that it raised $10 bil- Wachner, former chairman of Warnaco Group, complet- is conducting an internal investiga- lion of equity capital to fund new ed her hostile LBO of that firm. tion involving “improper collec- buyout investments in the U.S. and R.H. Macy eventually filed for bankruptcy, and was tions of vendor markdown al- Europe. Investments in the U.S. subsequently acquired by Federated Department lowances” and said it would pay will be funded through Carlyle Stores, itself a victim of a bungled LBO by Canadian back, or otherwise compensate, un- Partners IV, which has $7.85 billion real estate mogul Robert Campeau. Revlon went public named resources in an amount of of commitments. in March 1996, after one failed attempt in 1992. Since up to $21.5 million. In addition it “Unfortunately, we were unable the LBO, the company generally reported losses, even will restate earnings from fiscal to accept all of the capital commit- back in 1992. In the case of Warnaco, the company went 1999 to the third quarter of fiscal ments made by our investors. We ac- public in 1991, but then, after a series of acquisitions, 2004 as a result of the repayments cepted a level of capital that we ran into cash-flow problems that eventually led it to file and accounting errors on leased could prudently invest over the next for bankruptcy. It exited bankruptcy proceedings in departments. five years,” said David M. Ruben- January 2004, and is now known as Warnaco Inc. One hedge fund, the Blackstone stein, cofounder and managing di- Even with today’s economic environment seemingly im- Group, has said it is not looking at Norton McNaughton was a successful LBO rector of Carlyle, in a statement. proving, the risks involved with an LBO are still present. either Saks Fifth Avenue or the that didn’t end up in bankruptcy court. It is As for why LBOs are the acquisi- “As the economy continues to improve, more and Saks Department Store Group. now a part of Jones Apparel Group. tion strategy du jour, Bevilacqua more investments will get done. The really good deals Meanwhile, there are plenty of observed: “There’s a ton of money will get done in the early stages. At the end [of the LBO other retailers that could get snapped up via a lever- that needs to be put to use. The [private equity] funds cycle] is when you’ll see people buying stuff of no qual- aged buyout, sources speculated. With $120 billion on are looking to buy in the most efficient way and an LBO ity and overpaying for marginal properties,” Bevi- the sidelines, which is tempered by a need to invest it transaction [fits that requirement].” lacqua said. cautiously, the tempo of LBOs may pick up as private He said the increased mergers and acquisitions ac- But with a lot of money chasing the same deals and equity players switch from targeting distressed compa- tivity is a sign the economy is getting better. The same driving prices up, the stakes could get stratospheric. nies to eyeing more pricy deals in a landscape scarce factors that lead to the general upside of the market “What it really depends on is what happens in the with suitable firms to acquire. cycle also point toward favorable exit strategies, partic- next several years. In highly leveraged transactions, if When a target company is found, everyone seems to ularly the initial public offering as the one favored fol- the economy stays strong and interest rates stay low, it want a piece of the action, which has resulted in a grow- lowing an LBO, the attorney said. should be fine. If we have a hiccup, along with the high ing number of consortia prowling for deals. This is a de- “Sarbanes-Oxley imposes substantial burdens on leverage, you might see some restructuring and bank- parture from prior LBOs, when most of the deals in- management and their boards. It can be a very expen- ruptcies,” Bevilacqua noted. volved just one or two buyers. sive and somewhat invasive process. One can argue Davidowitz was more pessimistic about the future. But why the sudden interest in retail? whether the benefit is worth the cost. At some point the He cautioned: “Who is celebrating all these consolida- “If you want to know why retail is the flavor of the answer is no. If it costs $15 million just to comply with tions? Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot and Lowes. All the month, look to Edward Lampert,” said Howard Sarbanes, that’s a large cost of shareholder value. You’ll retailers who keep their eye on the ball focused on the Davidowitz, chairman of Davidowitz & Associates Inc., a see more LBOs of some form as companies elect not to customer and intelligently building their businesses. national retail consulting and investment banking firm. stay public,” the M&A expert predicted. They’re dancing in the streets. “The funds all see what he did with Kmart. It’s the herd In a classic LBO, such as the 1999 transaction involv- “If you’re Target and you see what Sears and Kmart mentality. That’s what they did a few years ago in the ing St. John Knits International, capital is borrowed to are doing, you’re just laughing,” Davidowitz said. “How technology sector. Now [the intense focus is on] retail.” take the firm private. Buyers, because they use debt to do you integrate your computer systems? Which buyers Lampert took Kmart Corp. out of bankruptcy two fund their purchases, expect the company’s operating are going to buy what? The problem with the LBO is years ago and recently engineered its merger with cash flow to service that debt. Typically, the debt con- that the leverage takes away your flexibility.” 14 WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005

SQUEEZE JEANS A national jeanswear company is growing and Cash For Retail Stock & Closeouts. No Lot Too Big or Too Small. has the following positions available: Call CLOTHES-OUT: (937) 898-2975 Junior Denim Designer Cole Haan, awarded the 2004 Footwear News Achievement Must have at least 8-10 yrs exp in junior denim bottoms Award for Company of the Year, is looking for a talented indi- Proficient in Illustrator & Photoshop vidual to join our exciting team in the following capacity. Key Junior Account Executive Leading Accessories Co. PRODUCT DEVELOPER - ACCESSORIES 5-10 yrs min exp in junior market seeks bright individuals for Must have strong dept, specialty & chain store contacts the following open positions: This position, based in our New York office, will manage the entire product development process. Successful candidate Technical Designer Production Coordinators will manage and drive the development process from concept 3-5 yrs min exp fitting ladies bottoms Qualified applicants must 37th St. 25 windows 7000 ft. $14.00 to product confirmation with a focus on g-series accessories Must have full knowledge of Illustrator & Excel have min. of 5 years experi- 39th St. 4400 ft. Full fl. $14.00 products. This position requires 3-5 years of experience in Production Coordinator ence in production and be Showrooms Bwy & 7th- sublet- move in able to communicate with Prime Manhattan Re Jon 212-268-8043 developing luxury and innovative accessories. In addition, Must have 3-5 yrs exp this position requires excellent communication skills, self- overseas factories. Some motivation and strong organizational skills. Excellent benefits travel is required. Please email resume: [email protected] Cole Haan offers a competitive salary and comprehensive Accounts Payable benefits package. To apply please fax or email resume to: Reviewing and coding A/P 212-515-1626 / [email protected], subject invoices, weekly check runs, Sales / Admin Asst responding to A/P inquires, line reading Product Developer - Accessories. Leading Off Price Distributor seeks DESIGNER aggressive, energetic, exp’d indiv. to bank recs & heavy Excel work. We are an equal opportunity employer. M/F/D/V assist Head of Sales. Strong follow-up, Must have experience with MERCHANDISER comm, computer and org. skills req’d. Quickbooks Pro & MS Excel. Leading women’s apparel co. is 2+ yrs exp. Fax resume to 212.704.0266. GRAPHIC DESIGNER We offer competitive salary SPORTSWEAR Dynamic Legwear & Accessory Co. is seeking a dynamic designer with seeking a talented and detail oriented 5-10 yrs exp. to join our NEW YORK & benefits packages! Email DESIGNER applicant with 3-5 years graphic design design staff. Designing for a major Shipping & Receiving resume with salary req’s to: experience. Knowledge of package de- For ladies dress company [email protected] We are seeking a dynamic, sign a plus. Please fax resume to: public contemporary co. Candidate Domestic and International. 7th Avenue - Prime Chelsea talented design pro with 4-7 yrs. (212) 997-7273 must have a strong background Please fax resume to Steve: 212-768-4804 2,750 sf ground floor + partial bsmt exp. to join our BOSTON staff in update knits and wovens for Dumann Realty (212) 505-6300 designing for a major public moderate pants, skirts and jackets and www.dumann.com Import Coordinator strong knowledge of prints and SPEC TECH Tech Designer Asst. contemporary co. Must have Est’d children’s apparel importer seeks Fast paced Ladies import Knit Co.seeks Import sweater co. seeks indiv. w/ min For Space in Garment Center background in updated knits and adynamic individual w/ 3-5 yrs. exp. fabrics. Must be able to shop ind w/ min 2 yrs exp in Spec Dev, fitting, 2-3 yrs exp w. sweaters. Spec/tech Helmsley-Spear, Inc. wovens for pants, skirts and jkts. with imports, traffic, documentation, stores for the newest trends and grading. Must have pattern making exp packs/sample follow-up. Heavy over- follow-up, bookings, and communica- have an understanding of devel- & knowledge of garment construction. seas comm. Fax: 212-391-8174 212-880-0414 Must be able to shop stores for tion with brokers, truckers & ware- Excellent communication & follow-up the newest trends. Strong houses. Candidate must be proficient opment time lines. Must be able skills needed. MS Excel, Word & Email Showrooms & Lofts knowledge of fabrics and an in Excel, Word. Must be detail oriented, to show collections to buyers. skills a must. Fax resume to: BWAY 7TH AVE SIDE STREETS understanding of development aself-starter and able to work Excellent Salary and Benefits TECH DEPT @ 212-391-8027 or Technical Designer Great ’New’ Office Space Avail independently. Great oppty! Pls email email to: [email protected] Immediate opening for 2 positions - ADAMS & CO. 212-679-5500 time lines. Must be able to show resume to: [email protected] Fax Resume HR: 212-827-0897 Woven and Knit Junior. Fast paced co. collections to store buyers. Spec Tech Must know how to spec garments, Excellent salary and benefits. approve grades, generate initial devel- Fax resume to HR: IMPORT Great opportunity! Great company! opment specs, work directly with over- Production Leading Intimate Apparel Mfg. seeks seas to make adjustments. Very organ- 617-332-3260 COORDINATOR experienced & highly organized Spec ized and detail oriented. Knowledge of Major importer of womens wearing ap- Magaschoni Apparel Group Tech for Ladies, Mens & Kids product. Excel, Illustrator or Color Matters a 1410 BROADWAY parel seeking candidate with 2+ years is seeking the following: Resp incl.: Daily communication with plus. Fax resume to Alan 212-997-9284. 9500 ft beautifully renovated furnished experience in import documentation, Production overseas office & factories. Conducts showroom & office for sublease CAD Artist/Junior letters of credit, garment classifica- fittings with the ability to translate Call 212 221 6200 ext 241 Experienced CAD person wanted for tion, etc. Must have experience with ex- Manager/Merchandiser changes necessary to specifications. TRAINEE Email: [email protected] high-volume showroom. Must have cel spreadsheets. Fax resume to: Must possess strong technical knowl- MAC05-9 Illustrator V.9, Photoshop V.6 To develop a private label contemporary Lace and embroidery firm wishes to 212-869-4437 Attn: Nidia Fernandez dress and wovens line. Must have mer- edge, flat sketching and be computer hire a trainee to learn the product and and color matters systems experience. literate. Strong follow-up and analytical Fax resume to: Jackie 212-768-7856 chandising ability especially in the how to sell it. Fax resume to: 201-943- dress market, must be able to interact skills along with Bra experience is man- 7163 or call 201-943-1082 ask for Gail. datory. Knowledge of Spec/Design Design with buyers/ design team, must be ex- Import Manager cellent in follow up with all aspects of packages helpful. Experience with Assistant Designer Ladies’ better dress mfr seeks qualified production and be familiar with costing. Walmart, JCP & Regionals a plus. import mgr in its NY office to handle Please fax your resume to: B Farrell Leading Better Separates Co. seeks or- Candidates must have strong organiza- Visual/Floor Merchandiser Honduras Factory all aspects of importation. Deal closely tional skills, be able to communicate (212) 842-4032. EOE. Long Island jean stores seeks full time ganized, motivated, and creative fire- with forwarders and customs brokers. Honduras Apparel Factory, extremely cracker willing to do whatever it takes. with overseas offices/vendors, be com- Visual/Floor Merchandiser. Experience versatile equipment & personnel, expe- Qualified individual should have mini- puter literate and detail oriented. Must SaraMax necessary. Fax resume: (516) 742-4720 Must have drawing skills, spec, sketch, mum 5 years experience. Must be profi- rienced management in place, turn key technical packages, EMB layouts. (2 years have at least 5 yrs experience. operation, WRAP Certified, will be able cient Excel/Word & email with strong experience working w/China a must!) communication skills. Competitive sal- Production Assistant to benefit from CAFTA. Currently sew- Fax resume to Natasha @ 212-302-3872 ing knits & woven garments. For more ary and benefits package. Fax resume Must have experience in private label info, please E-mail: [email protected] in confidence to 201-964-5608. contemporary sweaters with minimum 2 years experience. DESIGN ASSISTANT Please email resumes to Missy update private label co. seeking PRODUCTION [email protected] designer assistant. Ability to work on or fax to 509-757-7814 multi projects simultaneously is neces- Asst Prod’n Supervisor sary. Should be creative and have Men’s clothing, Brooklyn location. Exp technical knowledge. Must be proficient in sewing and all kinds of sewing PRODUCTION MANAGER in Photoshop and flat sketch. Must be machines. Salary & full benefits. Start Major apparel company seeking exp’d organized and a team player. immed. Fax resume attn: Leo Santos: production manager. Responsibilities Fax resume to 212-244-5692 (718) 853-8805 include placing orders in overseas factories, sourcing, managing large staff, excellent communication, detail orient- ed, and good computer skills. Fluent in TLC Logistics PRODUCTION ASST Chinese preferred. Must have min. 10 to We will warehouse and ship to your Rapidly growing ladies co. seeks 15 years experience. Please fax: (212) West Coast customers from our Los Design Director prod’n. assistant to handle all details 944-5127 Att: Human Resources. Angeles facility. Call: 310-324-0188 Fun, energetic brand seeks a seasoned from development to prod’n. Qualified professional for junior denim & related candidates will be aggressive, a team separates line. Exp rqrd in all aspects player, have excellent communication of the design process, including: creative & computer skills & have 1-2 years direction, merchandising, sourcing, wash experience in a manufacturing environ- PRODUCT MERCHANDISER development & follow through w/the Far ment. Excellent benefits. Please fax High volume, well establishd costume East. Please email or fax resume to: resume to: 212.730.5845. Jewelry Co. in NYC seeks a Product [email protected] / (212) 398-0406 Developer/Merchandiser with minimum PATTERNMAKER of 5 years experience. Must be detail Miami based FREELANCER available PRODUCTION COORD. oriented; have good communication skills; Please call Leon Guekjian @ DESIGNER be computer literate, and work well in Growth opportunity with established ateam environment Import experience 305-302-5134 Established Sportwear Co. is developing company! Need dynamic person for ex- unique designer collection. Great op- is a must and design ability helpful. panding International Apparel/Textile Will manage staff of assistants. We offer portunity for a designer with a CON- division. Organized, self-starter with a TEMPORARY or DESIGNER background. a salary commensurate w/experience; min. 3-5 years exp. required. Bilingual Medical & Life insurance; 401k & Profit Must have exp. working in a sample room. Mandarin a plus. Salary commensurate Fax resume to Joyse: 212-302-3318 Sharing benefits. Please Fax resume to: with exp. Fax resume to: (212) 563-7484 973-379-7581 DESIGNER Product/Sales Admin Asst Leading 7th Avenue manufacturer seeks Extremely well organized, highly moti- Designer to launch better sportswear vated indiv. w/ min 2 yrs. exp. in apparel collection. Must have minimum of 10 yrs. Production Coordinator or home furnishings. MS Office req’d. ADMIN SINCE 1967 experience & ability to travel overseas. Send resume w/ salary req’s to: Please fax resume to: (212) 944-0647 Coolwear seeks a hands-on production W-I-N-S-T-O-N pro with minimum 7 years experience E-MAIL: [email protected] or to handle all phases of domestic and FAX: (212) 244-7212 APPAREL STAFFING DESIGNER & import production. Candidate must be DESIGN * SALES * MERCH detail oriented, computer literate, and a QUALITY CONTROL ADMIN * TECH * PRODUCTION SALES MANAGER multi- tasker. Must know how to create (212) 557-5000 F:(212) 986-8437 LADIES & MEN’S and follow T&A. Blue Cherry experience SUPERVISOR Afully vertical garment co. seeks exp’d a plus. Please e-mail resume to: Growing New Jersey domestic/import BOOKKEEPER &talented Designers & Sales Manager [email protected] manufacturer seeks individual to develop, Able to manage A/R & A/P, invoicing, for both contemporary Ladies wear in implement and maintain systems to en- RTV, EDI, and work with the factor. woven & sweater knit & for better sure compliance with customer quality Must know Excel/Word/Acctng. programs. Men’s clothing. Candidates should Production Coordinator standards ®ulations. Will also inter- Please Fax or E-mail resumes to: e-mail resumes w/ cover letter & salary face with other departments. Qualified 212-719-0111 / [email protected] history: [email protected] Home textile import co. seeking organized candidates will be aggressive, have good &detail oriented team player to assist communication & computer skills, have at CAD artist $70-75K. Current exp in U4IA, FASHION OPPORTUNITIES in marketing plan. Fast paced environ- least 2-5 years experience in a manufac- Illustrator required. Mens sportswear div Artists - Designers - Merchandisers - ment. Detailed strong follow up & com- turing environment. Bilingual Spanish of large co. Full time perm exp a must. Production - Sales - Technical - Etc. puter literate. Written & verbal Chinese. a must. Email resume & salary reqs. to: Bdway @39th st.Call 973-564-9236 agcy Call Barbara Murphy (212) 643-8090 (agcy) Fax Resume to: 212-481-2241 [email protected] WWD, THURSDAY, APRIL 7, 2005 15 WWD.COM Danish Group Files Suit Versus L’Oréal Fashion Scoops PARIS — The Danish Consumer Council has filed of moisturizers, cleansers and color cosmetics a lawsuit against L’Oréal over one of its hair color- under the Zia Natural Skincare brand. Zia products ST. JOHN AND DE SOLE?: As if there wasn’t already enough speculation ing products. are sold in natural food retailers such as Whole surrounding him, Domenico De Sole turned up at the St. John Knits’ sales The council is taking the French cosmetics Foods and Wild Oats. meeting Monday at the Four Seasons in Newport Beach, Calif., mixing giant to court after receiving a complaint from a Fran Strachan, president and founder of Zia, will business and pleasure. De Sole, former chairman and chief executive Danish woman who claimed to have developed join Hain as vice president, business development, officer of Gucci Group, is a pal of St. John ceo Richard Cohen. The pair eczema and itching of the scalp a new role. Andrew Jacobson, gen- engaged in a question-and-answer session in front of about 200 sales reps after coloring her hair with eral manager of personal care for and executives, which led some to speculate that De Sole might join St. L’ Oréal Excellence Crème. BEAUTY BEAT Hain, will oversee Zia. Details of John’s board. A company spokeswoman declined to comment. Board A spokesman from the French the deal, which commenced chairman Jim Kelley said De Sole wasn’t on tap to serve, though he added, beauty giant refused to comment on the case. Monday, were not disclosed. The transaction is ex- “He’d be awesome.’’ This is not the first time L’Oréal has been sued pected to be accretive to Hain’s 2006 fiscal year. for damages allegedly caused by its hair dyes: The Also under Hain’s personal care umbrella — a THE POLO DIET: A great perk of working at Polo Ralph Lauren’s 650 Madison Council says it has registered 38 cases in Denmark new division — is Jason Natural Cosmetics, a Avenue headquarters — and there are said to be many — has been the connected to the brand’s hair coloring products. brand Hain acquired in 2004, marking its entry into daily breakfast free of charge for all employees. Now, it seems the days of The L’Oréal spokesman emphasized that “cus- beauty. Sales for Jason neared $20 million in 2003. bagels, doughnuts and fresh fruits are gone. Effective last Monday, tomer safety remains the number-one priority” for For now, Zia will operate out of San Francisco but breakfast was pretty much toast — pun intended. One staffer said the the company, and that all its hair color products future plans could have the company merging with breakfast, which was served at 650 and 980 Madison Avenue, was nixed in comply with the European Union’s strict regula- Jason’s headquarters in Culver City, Calif. Hain, fairness to some of the other Polo offices around town, which never had tions on such items. which makes Celestial Seasonings tea and Terra that benefit. A Polo spokeswoman declined comment. The Danish Consumer Council, however, would chips, is based in Melville, N.Y. There were even rumblings that the staple peanut M&M’s bowl at the like to see those regulations tightened; it is calling — Andrea Nagel company’s sixth floor reading room wasn’t going to be replenished, but on the European Union to ban all dangerous sub- thankfully, those rumors proved to be false. “I can’t imagine they’d abolish stances in hair-dye products. the M&M’s,” quipped a staffer. “If so, it’d be the end of an era.” “[These products] contain a vast number of dif- Trappmann Tapped for Juvena ferent chemical substances, many of which are BERLIN — Dirk Trappmann has been named DOWN-HOME, UPTOWN: All the not regulated, that is, their effects on human be- president and chief executive officer of the Bergdorf Goodman regulars showed ings have been far from clarified,” said Sonny Juvena/La Prairie Group. up at the store Tuesday night to fete Kristoffersen, the council’s senior legal adviser Trappmann, 44, succeeds Harald Stolzenberg, CeCe Cord’s new spring handbag line for consumers’ test cases. 62, who retired after 15 years as president and ceo — store president and ceo Jim Gold, Kristoffersen said products should include of the Swiss prestige beauty care company, which is Helen Schifter, Nina Griscom, Blaine warnings about such substances, as well as what a division of the Beiersdorf Group. The Juvena/La Trump, Celerie Kemble, Dennis Basso, STEVE EICHNER PHOTO BY percentage of substances they contain. Prairie Group includes the selective brands La Carolyn Roehm, and, of course, The spokesman at L’Oréal said the company Prairie, Juvena of Switzerland, Marlies Möller Damon Dash and his bodyguard. Dash started placing warnings on the packaging of its Beauty Hair Care and SBT Skin Biology Therapy. was there “just following her hair dyes last year, reenforcing those already con- During Stolzenberg’s tenure, Juvena/La Prairie around,” he said motioning over to tained in the inside instruction leaflets. quintupled operating profit and increased group his wife, Rachel Roy. “But, yeah, I — Jennifer Joan Lee turnover by 160 percent to 289 million Swiss come here a lot. Her line is here so I francs, or $239.3 million at current exchange come to make sure it’s selling. I did rates. He will continue to consult for the company some research here, too, when I went Hain Acquires Zia Cosmetics for the next six months, a spokeswoman said. into the suit business.” The NEW YORK — The Hain Celestial Group is continu- Trappmann was most recently managing direc- shoulder-to-shoulder crowd mingled CeCe Cord ing its efforts to become a natural beauty power- tor of Beiersdorf Thailand and Indochina. He to the bluegrass sounds of C.C. house with the acquisition of Zia Cosmetics Inc., began his career in sales at Procter & Gamble and Adcock and the Gumbo Ya-Yas, a band Cord invited up from Louisiana. “I the company announced Wednesday. moved to Beiersdorf Germany in 1992, where he thought the name fit,” she said. Waiters passed oysters Rockefeller and Zia, a 20-year-old natural beauty company, based was later appointed marketing director of interna- vodka martinis that had a pickle green tint from the pepperocinis floating in in San Francisco, reported 2004 annual sales of less tional business at Beiersdorf International. them. Not surprisingly, one guest found them “a bit strange.” than $10 million, which were generated by its line — Melissa Drier

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How America Shops ABRESE, KEITH SMITH Section II: June 20 Close Date: June 2

Don’t miss WWD’s most compelling, research-driven issue of the year revealing how, where and why America shops. WWD readers will hang on FLEISCHMAN, JOHN CAL YLE ERICKSEN, LAUREN every groundbreaking word and sought-after statistic unleashed inside this keep-and-save resource.

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