The Inside: What the WealthyPg. Buy 26 SWANK’S SAKS RECORD/3 U.S. PUSH FOR MANGO/14 WWD WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’THURSDAY Daily Newspaper • September 14, 2006 • $2.00 List Sportswear Can This Dream Be Saved? NEW YORK — Does fashion still have room for unbridled fl ights of fancy? Let’s hope so, despite all evidence to the contrary. On Tuesday, sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy wowed their Rodarte audience with a dazzling display of romantic grandeur and meticulous craft. They swathed their models in chiffon, taffeta and a bower of pink rosettes, each one crafted meticulously by hand — at their Pasadena kitchen table. Whether the Mulleavys will ultimately be able to translate their vision into a commercially viable business — and whether the industry as a whole gets serious about developing a substantial support system to help gifted aspirants — remains to be seen. For more on the shows, see pages 6 to 11. Macy’s Parade Begins: Retailer Goes National But With a Local Touch By David Moin all the conversion of 400 May stores Cto Macy’s daring or risky. But don’t call it the homogenization of malls. It makes Terry Lundgren bristle. “This is not a cookie-cutter deal,” said Lundgren, the chairman, chief executive and president of Federated Department Stores, which orchestrated the nameplate change on Saturday following Federated’s $17 billion acquisition of May last year. “We have tailored the assortments to the individual locations.” Though there are now two Macy’s in 160 or so malls, they are not twins. They See Macy’s, Page22 PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO PHOTO BY WWD.COM WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear FASHION ™ Rodarte showed some serious talent, Michael Kors danced with luxe 6 sportswear and Narciso Rodriguez pushed the outer (space) limits. A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated GENERAL Call the conversion of 400 May stores to Macy’s daring or risky, but say 1 it’s the homogenization of malls and Terry Lundgren will bristle. RULING CLASS Retailers and press attending Milan Fashion Week will have a new show Today’s Fashion Ascribes to the Rule of Self-Expression 3 location to check out and see more designers holding two shows. Benetton’s net profi t and sales grew in the fi rst half, but higher costs What to wear: White after Labor Day? More When it comes to the issue of denim and the 4 sliced margins as the fi rm executed an incentive scheme for franchisees. office, jeans certainly have a place, asserts designer than one pattern at a time? Mixed brands? A Bulgari posted a large jump in fi rst-half profi ts, thanks to higher prices, handbag that doesn’t match one’s shoes? Jeans Christopher Enuke, founder of premium denim lower costs and a more effi cient production and distribution process. in the office? Multiple shirts and bottoms at the line Oligo Tissew. “Denim is very important 4 same time? Are these fashion no-no’s or a whole to the workplace; it’s a very practical garment. Mango, the $1.4 billion Barcelona chain, is a Johnny-come-lately among new way of looking at dressing? When you consider that many people today 14 international retailers, but is fi nally on the move in the U.S. What once were the have to travel a distance to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr. said he would urge the Chinese prevailing rules of fashion may work and balance a family 17 toward a more fl exible currency when he visits Beijing next week. now be the exception as women life at the same time, they Chicago-based Hartmarx Corp., known for its men’s suits, has acquired everywhere embrace white as need to be able to wear a pant 17 knitwear fi rm Sweater.com as part of its expansion of women’s. sans season, wear plaids and that stands up to all that and BEAT: Layering is a key trend among teen and contemporary consumers checks together, mismatch denim does.” According to the 18 this season, and specialty retailers are primed to benefi t, analysts said. accessories, elevate denim to a Monitor, women are wearing week-long wardrobe staple and jeans nearly four days a week, DISH: DKNY Jeans has launched a Web site featuring photos of its lines, an entertainment section, a brand profi le and a link to shop at macys.com. layer tee shirts over woven tops. indicating that they are clearly 20 “Fashion is a form of putting their denim to work wearable art and it’s hard to at work. EYE find any hard and fast rules Denim is also a highly If there was any question that fashion week is all about celebrity, it was today; it’s really more about desirable garment outside of 12 fi rmly answered Wednesday night on the top fl oor of Milk Studios. individual style and that does the workplace. Seven out of not follow any rules,” says ten female respondents told Classifi ed Advertisements.............................................................30-31 Patricia Pao, Chief Executive the Monitor that they preferred Officer of Pao Principle, a to go places where they could To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is fi rstname. New York City-based retail wear jeans. Additionally, jeans [email protected], using the individual’s name. consultantcy. “Self expression “Fashion is a form of wearable art were the first pick of casual WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. COPY- is the most important part and it’s hard to find any hard and wear for two out of three female RIGHT ©2006 FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. fast rules today; it’s really more VOLUME 192, NO. 56. WWD (ISSN # 0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one ad- of fashion; it’s similar to an respondents. ditional issue in January and November, two additional issues in March, May, June, August and December, and three ad- individual canvas of art.” about individual style and that does But what about when you’re ditional issues in February, April, September and October by Fairchild Publications, Inc., a subsidiary of Advance Publications, Perhaps the only “rule”, as it not follow any rules.” not sure if denim is right for the Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided by Advance Magazine Publishers stands, is being true to your self — Patricia Pao, occasion? Go dark, cedes Enuke, Inc.: S.I. Newhouse Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, President & C.E.O.; John W. Bellando, Executive Vice President and Pao Principle C.O.O.; Jill Bright, Executive Vice President_Human Resources; John Buese, Executive Vice President_Chief Information Officer; when it comes to dressing today. the designer. “They will always David Orlin, Senior Vice President_Strategic Sourcing; Robert Bennis, Senior Vice President_Real Estate; Maurie Perl, Senior “We dress to say something forgive you a darker jean.” Vice President_Chief Communications Officer. Shared Services provided by Advance Magazine Group: Steven T. Florio, Advance about ourselves and if you are not comfortable Women appear to agree. When asked about the Magazine Group Vice Chairman; David B. Chemidlin, Senior Vice President_General Manager, Shared Services Center. with a certain look, that definitely shows,” color of their next denim purchase, 39% and Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 28% percent of female respondents told the 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 88654-9096-RT0001. Canada post return undeliverable considers Claire Dupuis, a Senior Product Trend Canadian addresses to: DPGM, 7496 Bath Road, Unit 2, Mississauga, ON L4T 1L2. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS Analyst with Cotton Incorporated. “It’s a way of Monitor they would buy medium blue and dark CHANGES TO WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, making a statement and not following a dictated blue, respectively. ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WOMEN’S WEAR set of rules about what, when and wear.” “I own twelve pairs of jeans and I could not DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008; Call 800-289-0273; or visit www.subnow.com/wd . Four live without them,” Pao, the retail consultant weeks is required for change of address. Please give both new and old address as printed on most recent label. Making that individual statement obviously Subscriptions Rates: U.S. possessions, Retailer, daily one year: $109; Manufacturer, daily one year $145. All other means different things to different women. states. “I probably would not wear denim for a U.S., daily one year $205. Canada/Mexico, daily one year, $295. All other foreign (Air Speed), daily one year $595. When asked by the Cotton Incorporated prospective client meeting, but I would certainly First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, Lifestyle Monitor™ if wear a dark jean with a and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permissions they preferred to buy Chanel jacket to meet a and reprint requests, please call 212-221-9595 or fax requests to 212-221-9195. Visit us online: www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub.com. Occasionally, we make clothing that is more People Often Comment on Clothes long-term client.” Pao is our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would fashionable or higher in quick to point out that interest our readers.