BIG BASH BERGDORF GOODMAN PACKED THEM IN AT THE ARTY TOUCH PARTY FOR ITS 111TH LOUIS VUITTON TAPS ARTIST RETNA TO ANNIVERSARY. PAGE 9 DECORATE ITS MIAMI POP-UP. PAGE 12 CHAPTER 11 FILING Authentic Brands Eyes HMX Rescue By VICKI M. YOUNG WILL IT WORK the second time around? WWD That is the question hanging over HMX Group and its related operations, which on Friday filed a volun- tary Chapter 11 petition for bankruptcy court protec- MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012 Q WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY Q $3.00 tion in Manhattan — the second time in four years the company has gone into bankruptcy. While a deal is in place that could keep factory jobs in the U.S., there’s no guarantee that plan will come to fruition and, if it doesn’t, the venerable men’s wear brand could once again find itself a political issue in a presiden- tial election race centered around the economy and American jobs. Both President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney are known to wear the firm’s brands. Pretty According to the Chapter 11 petition, the compa- ny listed assets of up to $50,000 and liabilities of be- tween $50 million and $100 million. The company’s Canadian affiliates are not part of the bankruptcy filing. HMX — which owns as its core brands Hickey Freeman and Hart Schaffner Marx — also has up to Tough a $65 million debtor-in-possession credit facility with Salus Capital Partners, its pre-petition lender. Delivered in a palette of As part of the bankruptcy filing, HMX signed an agreement to sell the company to Authentic Brands milky pastels, these Group, with the firm’s U.S. factories, showrooms and studded stunners work other assets of the operating component to be sold to a new entity, or Opco, that will be owned and man- a girly motif without aged by existing management. As the licensee, Opco an ounce of saccharine. will be required to pay a royalty to Authentic Brands. For more spring The agreement, with Authentic Brands as the “stalking horse,” is subject to better offers in a bank- accessories trends, ruptcy court auction. see pages 4 and 5. HMX faces significant hurdles even under the plan unveiled Friday. Authentic Brands, with the backing of Leonard Green & Partners, is seeking to buy the company’s brands. But it is not funding the operating division SEE PAGE 6 Versace’s New Concept By LUISA ZARGANI MILAN — It is no secret that Donatella Versace has a soft spot for New York and the Versace store opening today in SoHo hinges on this affection while sticking to the brand’s roots. “The brand has a rock soul. The store is a small jewel and fits with this area and its young, bohemian mood,” said the designer a few days ahead of her trip Christian Louboutin’s patent there for the opening. “New York is the city I love the leather pump, Anton Heunis’ most in the world, where I had a home for 12 years, acrylic, brass and glass crystal and where I count more friends than in Milan.” necklace and Valentino Garavani’s The opening of the concept store, located on Lucite and metal clutch. Mercer Street, will be marked by a cocktail event on Wednesday. The blueprint was conceived by Donatella Versace and English architect Jamie Fobert. The 1,785-square-foot store launches a new project: A number of curators, from designers to artists, hand- picked by Versace, will offer their personal visions or interpretations of the brand through a collection of limited-edition products. Christopher Kane, who de- signs the Versus collection with Donatella Versace, is the first curator. He will offer items including T-shirts with archival Versace images, golden earphones em- bellished with the brand’s iconic Medusa head, and a board game titled “Medusa & Greca.” Versace also underscored the relevance of associat- ing with and catering to young customers. “Through the H&M [collaboration] and [designing outfits for ] Lady Gaga, I’ve met so many young people. They inspire me and they are really important for me,” she explained. PHOTO BY THOMAS IANNACCONE; STYLED BY ROXANNE ROBINSON-ESCRIOUT SEE PAGE 3 2 WWD MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012 WWD.COM LVMH Readies Samaritaine Project Bekah Jenkins at the By MILES SOCHA Bergdorf Goodman party. PARIS — As Bernard Arnault often says: Luxury takes time. That’s certainly the case for his Right Bank retail jewel Samaritaine, which is now eyeing an opening in mid-2016, some 11 years after the department store was forced to close because it was deemed a safety hazard. Yet it’s easy to see why EICHNER Samaritaine president Jean- Jacques Guiony brims with ex- STEVE BY citement about the multiuse proj- The vaulted glass ceiling and Art Nouveau ect, which will also incorporate a PHOTO luxurious Cheval Blanc hotel. mural at Samaritaine. During a tour of the site on ON WWD.COM Friday, Guiony showed off the styles, presented multiple chal- for safety reasons related to fire views of the Seine River and lenges and encountered numer- risks, “it’s a very important ele- EYE: Paris monuments future hotel ous administrative snags. ment of the building that we will Bergdorf Goodman celebrated its 111th birthday at guests will enjoy, and the glass- When construction work final- keep to some extent,” he noted. The Plaza with designers, models and socials, including domed area under one court- ly begins, likely in mid-2013, the The project also spans 95 Michael Kors, Jason Wu and Coco Rocha. For more yard, which is ringed by an Art building fronting Rivoli is to be units of affordable housing, a day photos, see WWD.com/eye. Nouveau mural depicting pea- demolished, with Japanese archi- care center for 60 children, and cocks and an intricate band of tecture firm SANAA plotting an 215,000 square feet of offices. TO E-MAIL REPORTERS AND EDITORS AT WWD, THE ADDRESS IS ironwork incorporating bunches ultramodern facade of undulat- At a time of intense one-upman- [email protected], USING THE INDIVIDUAL’S NAME. of grapes. ing glass that will invite shoppers ship for Paris hotels, the future WWD IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT ©2012 FAIRCHILD FASHION MEDIA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. A century ago, merchants to traverse through three court- Cheval Blanc promises to dazzle, VOLUME 204, NO. 84. MONDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2012. WWD (ISSN 0149–5380) is published daily (except Saturdays, profited from the sun-drenched yards and discover some 280,000 with most of its 80 rooms and suites Sundays and holidays, with one additional issue in May, June, October and December, and two additional issues in February, March, April, August, September and November) by Fairchild Fashion Media, which is a division of Advance Magazine space to display hats and fine square feet of retail space. offering spectacular views of Paris Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided by Condé Nast: apparel. The next-generation Other parts of the building are landmarks. The seventh floor, S.I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, Chief Executive Officer; Robert A. Sauerberg Jr., President; John W. Bellando, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Financial Officer; Jill Bright, Chief Administrative Officer. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, Samaritaine will use it to house landmarked, from the Art Deco boasting high ceilings and edged and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax restaurants in order to help lure facade and signs facing the river, with balconies, is to be dedicated Registration No. 886549096-RT0001. Canada Post: 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 the surging pedestrian traffic on to the intricate railings in the Art to the hotel restaurants and bars. Hollywood, CA 91615 5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please Rue de Rivoli to explore the en- Nouveau sections, framed by hulk- Architect Edouard François has write to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008, call 800-289-0273, or visit www.subnow.com/wd. tire block-long complex. ing steel beams incorporating deli- been contracted to design the hotel. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. For New York Hand Delivery Service address changes or inquiries, please contact Mitchell’s NY at 1-800-662-2275, option 7. Subscribers: If the Post Office alerts us that your magazine Guiony, who is also chief fi- cate curlicues rendered in plaster. The Samaritaine department is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription nancial officer of Samaritaine’s Guiony pointed out that the store — a stone’s throw from the term or up to one year after the magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatisfied with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt parent LVMH Moët Hennessy floors were originally composed Louvre museum — was founded of order. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New Louis Vuitton, acknowledged that of glass bricks to funnel sun- in 1870, with LVMH acquiring a York, NY 10017. For permissions requests, please call 212-630-5656 or fax the request to 212-630-5883.