The Inside: China’s Youth AppealPg. 12 JONES NET FALLS 59%/3 CALVIN KLEIN HITS DUBAI/8 WWD WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • TheTHURSDAY Retailers’ Daily Newspaper • May 1, 2008 • $2.00 List Sportswear Plastic Fantastic INDIO, Calif. — The Parisian punk rock quartet the Plastiscines earned some major stripes with their rollicking performance at last weekend’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, but could they pull off a fashion shoot mere hours after their set? No sweat. Here, bassist Louise Basilien serves up her fi ercest pose in Sass & Bide’s acetate and polyester dress. For more on the Plastiscines, see pages 6 and 7. Putting on the Brakes: Kohl’s Latest Retailer To Cut Back Expansion By Doris Hajewski N BLACK FOR MAC; STYLED BY LEILAN BLACK BABOI FOR MAC; STYLED BY MILWAUKEE — Kohl’s is the latest to feel recession’s pinch. The retailer plans to slow its store expansion plans and won’t reach its previously announced goal of 1,400 stores by 2012, chairman and chief executive officer Larry Montgomery said. “We’re probably going to take a couple of years longer than we originally planned to get to that,” Montgomery said following the company’s annual meeting at the Milwaukee Theater here. The 957-unit retailer will take the pulse of the economy each year and adjust its store opening plans accordingly, he said. See Kohl’s, Page11 PHOTOGRAPHED BY HELLIN KAY AT THE ANTHEM HOUSE, COACHELLA; HAIR BY JOHNNY STUNTZ/PHOTOGENICS BEAUTY AT SMASHBOX; MAKEUP BY ROBI SMASHBOX; MAKEUP BY THE ANTHEM HOUSE, COACHELLA; JOHNNY STUNTZ/PHOTOGENICS AT BEAUTY HAIR BY AT HELLIN KAY BY PHOTOGRAPHED WWD.COM WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear FASHION For four girls who have just played the biggest and steamiest gig of their ™ 6 lives, the Plastiscines are remarkably fresh-faced and composed. A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated GENERAL Kohl’s Corp. will slow its store expansion plans and won’t reach its goal 1 of 1,400 stores by 2012, chairman and ceo Larry Montgomery said. SIZE WISE Bloomingdale’s and the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union Serving the Plus Size Consumer: A Solid Return on Investment 3 have reached a tentative agreement on a new labor contract. Shares of Jones Apparel Group Inc. rose 5.5 percent, buoyed by an Call it a fascinating conundrum of Supply a size 15 and above told the Monitor that they had 3 improvement in spring selling, despite a fall in fi rst-quarter profi ts. “Size” Economics. browsed the internet for apparel. EYE: Christy Turlington, fresh from a yoga retreat, wasn’t prepared for the According to the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle “Additional research tell us that this consumer 4 media throng at the dinner for the Tribeca Film Festival artist program. Monitor™, 21% of female respondents report wants to wear stylish denim, so Zafu offers a section DENIM: Calvin Klein Inc. held its fi rst event in Dubai showing spring wearing a dress size 15 or greater. Yet, seven out of dedicated solely to Plus Jeans,” Newel continues. 8 signature and ck lines, part of its series of international installations. ten of these same respondents say “When we added Svoboda, a line LETTERS: While it’s often derided as Rome’s ugly sister, Milan is getting that they cannot find clothing of premium denim, the response 10 a facelift equal to its fashionable reputation. that they like in their size. was off the charts so we know that Supply the right product with if you offer the right product, she Classifi ed Advertisements.............................................................13-15 savvy styling, flattering fit and will pay for it, no matter what.” To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is fi rstname. a sense of value in the size she Svoboda, with a line of denim [email protected], using the individual’s name. wears and you’ve got a winning sized exclusively 12 and above, is WWD IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT economic formula, says Emme, just one of many better brands ©2008 FAIRCHILD FASHION GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 195, NO. 93. WWD (ISSN 0149–5380) is published daily (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with the world’s first fuller figure serving the plus consumer today. one additional issue in January, October and December, two additional issues in March, April, May, June, August and supermodel, women’s advocate Marina Rinaldi, Tadashi, Eileen November, and three additional issues in February and September) by Fairchild Fashion Group, which is a division of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided and clothing designer. “If you Fisher, Melissa Masse, Anna by Condé Nast Publications: S. I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, President/CEO; John W. Bellando, invest in her, she will invest in Scholz and Anne Klein New Executive Vice President/COO; Debi Chirichella Sabino, Senior Vice President/CFO; Jill Bright, Executive Vice President/ Human Resources. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offi ces. Canada Post Publications you, it’s as simple as that.” York are just a number of labels Mail Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 886549096-RT0001. Canada Post: While the demand is clearly serving the plus consumer at high return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6 POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA there, the supply is often end emporiums from Neiman 91615–5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE lacking and that is reflected in Marcus to Saks, among others. INQUIRIES: Please write to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008, call 800-289-0273, or visit www.subnow.com/wd. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. First copy of new the amount of money the fuller “If you invest in her, “It’s not about money, it’s subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production figured woman spends on she will invest in you, about getting what she wants,” correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permissions and reprint requests, please call 212-630-4274 or fax requests to 212-630-4280. Visit us online at www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other clothing. Female respondents it’s as simple as that.” says Emme. “There is definitely Fairchild magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub.com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list wearing a size 15 and above spent — Emme a couture consumer who will available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA an average of $64.93 on clothing spend to get the wardrobe that 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, in the last month compared with $75.40 for fits with her lifestyle.” OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED respondents sized 12 to 14, $82.05 for respondents While higher end brands exist and are poised MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR sized 7 to 11 and $88.65 for respondents sized 0 to for success, the majority of women buying larger CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY 6. “She spends less because she has less from which sizes name mass merchants as their current A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE. to choose,” Emme concludes. “Believe me, she resource for apparel. Among plus size females will spend if you can speak to her with the right who say that they have issues with finding products and services.” clothing that they like in their sizes, 32% shop Emme makes her own fashion contribution to mass merchants, 27% chain stores, 17% specialty In Brief women through Me by Emme, her line of women’s stores and 12% department stores, amplifying the sportswear sized 2 to 26, which is sold on QVC. opportunity for chain, specialty and department com. She is just one of a number of entrepreneurs stores to offer brands and services to devise ways ● MACERICH GETS PHOENIX LAND: Mall developer Macerich to speak to this customer. on Wednesday paid $32 million at auction for 112 acres in north to recognize the power and importance of the Phoenix that is earmarked for its Palisene mixed-use project. larger size market, but she is also one of the first to One specialty retailer serving this consumer The company was the sole bidder. Rival developer Related Cos. add that more needs to be done by everyone in the is J. Jill, the multi-channel retailer. Says Betsy and Thomas J. Klutznick Co., partners in a competing CityNorth global supply chain. Thompson, a spokesperson, “Fuller figured development, bowed out after unsuccessfully contesting the “Strides have clearly been made in the plus women haven’t always had as many flattering or auction, originally scheduled for October 2007. Macerich al- size market, but there is still a long way to go,” stylish options and we’ve found that they love ready owns 18 million square feet of retail space in 11 regional agrees Blair Newel, Vice President of Product having sophisticated choices, great fabrics that feel shopping centers in the Phoenix area.