THE EASTERN INFLUENCE/12 VALENTINO PROMOTES DE BONI/15 WWDWomen’s Wear Daily •WEDNESDAY The Retailers’ Daily Newspaper • January 17, 2007 • $2.00 Sportswear Olivier’s Twist NEW YORK — Olivier Theyskens is back — showing his fi rst looks for Nina Ricci in New York starting today. In a preview with WWD on Tuesday, his pre-fall collection bore the same brooding elegance he had honed at Rochas, as well as some unexpected takes in bits of strong color and even sexy shapes. Here, his mannish suit with a hint of Dickens. For more, see pages 6 and 7. Mickey Sounds Off: Talent Is Out There, Just Go and Find It By David Moin . Crew chairman and chief executive JMillard “Mickey” Drexler has some important advice for the fashion industry: “Go with your gut.” The merchandising wizard who transformed the way America dresses at Gap Inc. and then turned around J. Crew to the point where last year it had one of the most successful initial public offerings in retail history also dismissed the idea the fashion industry is talent-starved. In Drexler’s view, “The merchants are around — if we unearth them.” Drexler made a rare speech Tuesday at a luncheon at the National Retail See Drexler’s, Page14 PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO PHOTO BY 2 WWD, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 17, 2007 WWD.COM Burberry 3Q Revenues Gain 22.6% WWDWEDNESDAY Sportswear By Samantha Conti That growth came in part from the Spanish market, where Burberry has recently switched its FASHION LONDON — Revenues at Burberry for the third distribution from wholesale to retail. It also came Olivier Theyskens is in New York this week to present to retailers his fi rst quarter ended Dec. 31 rose 22.6 percent to 206 from new or refurbished stores in the U.S. and 6 pre-fall collection for Nina Ricci. million pounds, or $394.6 million, on the back of Europe. strong retail sales of outerwear and luxury acces- As reported, the group continues to expand its sories, as well as an updated sales and delivery stand-alone stores. It will increase retail selling GENERAL schedule. space by 14 percent in the second half and by a Millard “Mickey” Drexler was honored by the NRF Tuesday — and told The fi gures compare with sales of 168 million total of 13 percent for the fi nancial year, which 1 the industry: “Go with your gut.” pounds, or $293.9 million, in the corresponding ends in March. Revenues at Burberry for the third quarter rose 22.6 percent to $394.6 period a year ago. (Currency conversions were In late March, Burberry will open its fi rst 2 million on strong retail sales of outerwear and luxury accessories. made at average exchange rates for the respec- U.K. retail store outside London, in Manchester, tive periods.) England. The 3,200-square-foot store, to be locat- BEAUTY: Two corporate takeover sagas, concerning Caremark Rx Inc. Chief fi nancial offi cer Stacey Cartwright said ed near the city’s Harvey Nichols and Selfridges, 4 and Parlux Fragrances Inc., showed no signs of abating on Tuesday. Tuesday it was the best quarter Burberry has will carry the Burberry Prorsum and London MAINSTREAM: Jones New York is upgrading its marketing, with a full- had since it was listed on the London Stock lines and offer the bespoke trenchcoat service. time style consultant, a VIP members program and a new ad campaign. Exchange fi ve years ago. Analysts gave the num- Burberry has traditionally had a strong 10 bers a thumbs-up, with Seymour Pierce calling wholesale business in the U.K., but Cartwright WEST: The Los Angeles summer market saw the return of classic dress- them “excellent” and HSBC saying they were said the time was right to seek growth through 16 ing defi ned by easy-fi tting silhouettes and vintage-inspired prints. a positive surprise and higher than the bank’s retail in its home market. expectations. Wholesale sales in the period rose 19.4 per- Sales rose across all geographic regions and cent to 43 million pounds, or $82.4 million, from EYE Once Arnold gave the word, the Golden Globe celebrities were free to channels in the period. Cartwright added that 36 million pounds, or $62.9 million. The third the increases would have been even bigger had quarter is generally not a strong one for whole- 8 kick up their Viviers and Choos and hit the post-party circuit. it not been for currency fl uctuations and, in par- sale, but Burberry has recently switched the tim- Classifi ed Advertisements.............................................................17-23 ticular, the weak U.S. dollar. ing for selected shipments from the fi rst half to In a statement Tues day, Burberry also re- the third quarter. To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is fi rstname. [email protected], using the individual’s name. We want to keep the design and innovations fl ourishing WWD IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT ©2007 FAIRCHILD FASHION GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. “ VOLUME 193, NO. 12. WWD (ISSN 0149–5380) is published daily (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one throughout the year. Our customers always want new additional issue in January and November, two additional issues in March, May, June, August and December, and three additional issues in February, April, September and October) by Fairchild Fashion Group, which is a division of Advance stimulation. Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided by Condé Nast Publications: S. I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, President/CEO; John W. Bellando, 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 Mail — Stacey Cartwright, Burberry Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax 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: vealed plans to expand its home in London. It will The company has also increased its whole- SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615–5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE leave its Haymarket headquarters near Piccadilly, sale outlook for the second half and is now ex- INQUIRIES: Please write to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008, call 800-289-0273, or visit which is made up of a number of separate spaces, pecting a low- to mid-teen percentage increase www.subnow.com/wd. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production and transfer to one large offi ce site in Westminster, in wholesale sales. This is due, Burberry said, correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permissions and reprint requests, near the Thames. All global operations, including to the new market calendar and replenishment please call 212-630-4274 or fax requests to 212-630-4280. Visit us online at www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other design studio and showrooms, will be consolidated program. Fairchild 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. under one roof there by late 2008. Licensing revenue in the quarter rose 5.6 If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA Cartwright said an updated selling model, percent to 19 million pounds, or $36.4 million, 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, introduced by Burberry chief executive Angela from 18 million pounds, or $31.5 million, led by 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 Ahrendts, was a big growth driver in the pe- Burberry fragrance launches last year and the MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR riod. Burberry has increased its annual market watch collections. The company said it is expect- CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY WOMEN’S WEAR sales periods to fi ve from two. There is now a ing a mid- to-high single-digit percentage in- DAILY IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE. September market, with deliveries scheduled for crease in licensing revenue in the second half. February, and a March gift market. Meanwhile, Burberry gave the fi nancial de- “It’s about getting newness and freshness into tails of the closure of its polo shirt factory in the stores year-round,” said Cartwright in a tele- Treorchy, Wales, which it plans to shut because phone interview. “We want to keep the design it is no longer commercially viable. The com- In Brief and innovations fl ourishing throughout the year. pany said Tuesday it would incur a cash cost of Our customers always want new stimulation.” 3.5 million pounds, or $6.9 million, to cover the ● MODEL DEBATE: Unlike Milan, the British Fashion Council Cartwright added that Project Atlas, Burberry’s redundancy packages, outplacement and train- has decided it won’t enforce an offi cial body mass index ruling ongoing information technology and operational ing costs for employees, as well as a non-cash during London Fashion Week because it doesn’t want to dis- overhaul program, is enabling the fi rm to deliver expense of 1.7 million pounds, or $3.3 million, criminate against models.