The Inside: Pg. 14 NIKE PROFIT DROPS/3 LAMONICA TO EXIT KORS/3 Women ofWWD Leisure WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’THURSDAY Daily Newspaper • March 20, 2003 Vol. 185, No. 57 $2.00 List Sportswear Boy Meets Girl PARIS — Masculine-feminine tailoring returned to the runways for fall. And some of the best of it came from Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren, whose terrific Viktor & Rolf collection was full of skillful riffs on their favorite men’s styles, among them cool pantsuits, big-collared jackets and jeans. The presentation was also inventive, with the designers’ muse, Tilda Swinton, appearing on the catwalk and the other models done up to resemble her. Here, a Tilda lookalike wears a bold-collared blouse and pants. For more on the haberdashery trend, see pages 6 and 7. From Red Carpet Roll-up To Economic Anxieties, Industry Braces for War olding its breath. As the nation Hrolled toward war in Iraq, fashion and retail executives were waiting on Wednesday to see the impact of a conflict everyone hopes will be a short one. The situation already has shaken one of the fashion industry’s biggest events: the Oscars. As reported, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has canceled the traditional red-carpet parade of stars — which some consider the world’s most-watched fashion show — in favor of a low-key event focused on the awards rather than the dresses and diamonds. Party organizers, including See Industry, Page16 PHOTO BY PHOTO GIOVANNI BY GIANNONI 2 WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear GENERAL FASHION: The notion of using men’s haberdasherylooks for women resurfaces 6 every few years, as it did for fall. Here are some of the newest interpretations. ™ As the nation rolled toward war, retail and fashion executives waited to see A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based 1 what the impact might be of a conflict everyone hopes is a short one. HURSDAY, MARCHHURSDAY, 20, 2003 on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated A 12 percent rise in U.S. apparel revenues wasn't sufficient to prevent Nike T , Inc. from sustaining a 1.3 percent decrease in its third-quarter net income. D 3 W SPRING INTO ACTION Ross Stores said higher sales and better buying opportunities paved the W Femininity, retro influences and sports styles define the season 9 way for double-digit increases in its fourth-quarter and yearend profits. The WWDList: The 15 most popular leisure activities among women over “Do I really need anything new for spring?” “There’s a retro lady look going on,” affirms 14 the past 12 months — and shopping is conspicuously missing. questions Anne, a thirty-something investment Talbot’s Thompson. ”There is a distinct nod to the EYE: Artist Dominique Gonzalez-Foerster’s collaborative effort…The start banker, as she makes her way between appoint- 1950s. Think Sabrina or An Affair to Remember.” 20 of summer cocktails…Where in the world is author Stuart David? ments. “I already have so many Other colors to remember Classified Advertisements ..................................................................18-19 of the same things, the this spring include clean basics economy could be a lot better, like white, camel and black. To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is [email protected], using the individual's name. and time is a luxury.” “Neutrals are not going any- While Anne may be a high where soon,” emphasizes SUBSCRIPTION RATES U.S. and possessions, Retailer, daily one year, $99; Manufacturer, daily one year, $135. powered and busy New York Thompson. She also adds All others U.S., daily one year $195. Canada/Mexico, daily one year, $295. All other foreign (Air Speed), daily one year $595. Please allow 6-8 weeks for service to start. Individual subscription information: (800) 289-0273; executive, her sentiments are “optimistic” colors like blue outside U.S. (818) 487-4526; group subscription information (856) 786-0963. largely shared by women of all and yellow to her hit parade Postmaster: Send address changes to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008. WWD (ISSN #0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one additional backgrounds and walks of life of seasonal hues. With the issue every month except July, and two additional issues in April and August, by Fairchild Publications, Inc. who are keeping a careful eye emphasis on utilitarian fashion, a subsidiary of Advance Publications Inc., 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001-8191. WWD is a registered trademark of Fairchild Publications Inc.© 2003 by Fairchild Publications Inc., on both their bank balances green, in pale to more olive a subsidiary of Advance Publications Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, and personal time clocks in shades, is also a budding pres- including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may be these challenging times. ence. “There’s a good green expressly permitted in writing by the copyright owner. Editorial Reprints: (212) 221-9595 “As long as innovation is story going on this spring,” Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and other offices. “The fashions are great this season Mailed under Publications Mail Sales Agreement No. 517054. Canada Post Returns to: P.O.Box 1632, Windsor, ON N9A 7C9 there, people will shop,” asserts relates Cohen. GST # 88654-9096-RM 0001 Canada Publications Agreement # 40032712 and the accent is on the details.” Printed in the U.S.A. Candace Corlett, principal Color is also particularly All signed articles published in the paper represent solely the individual opinion of the writer and not those of of WSL Strategic Retail, a Lynn Cohen omnipresent in women’s WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY. –Runway Boutique marketing and retail consul- sportswear this season. Credit For Web site access, log on to www.WWD.com tancy based in New York. And she adds a bit of the attention to figure enhancing athletic wear or blue-sky information for consumers looking to a significant case of cabin fever after a long, loosen their purse strings and step out in fashion hard winter, but spring styles for 2003 are also in coming months, “There is break-out news decidedly sporty chic. In Brief in styles this season.” “There’s this sense of play in fashion right ● There most certainly is newness for spring, agree now,” Thompson elaborates. “Women want to feel DUPONT’S NORTHERN DEAL: DuPont on Wednesday said it offered to pay $1.4 billion to acquire the outstanding shares of the fashion experts. And with the vernal equinox fresh and alive.” DuPont Canada, of which it already owns 76 percent. It’s one of arriving on March 20, the days growing slightly Notes Easley, “Spring is a great time for fashion the last housekeeping steps Wilmington, Del.-based DuPont has longer, and fashion palates salivating for new flavor, that performs.” She points to utilitarian style pants to do to prepare for the spinoff or sale of DuPont Textiles & it’s time to start spring shopping and feast on the and ensembles that take the wearer through several Interiors, which the company has said it aims to complete by the latest and greatest. activities, both indoor and outdoor, athletic and end of the year. DTI’s U.S. operations already operate as a The most recent data from the Cotton Incorporated spectator, within the same day. stand-alone unit within the company. DuPont has said it is con- ™ sidering a number of ways to spin off DTI, including an initial Lifestyle Monitor indicates that women may be The desire for ease of dressing ties in with recent public offering if market conditions permit. However, as report- ready to get out there and enhance their wardrobes data from the Monitor. Sixty percent of female con- ed, the company is also said to be in talks with other private in- for spring. Sixty-seven percent of women in 2002 sumers said they would rather wear one comfort- vestors, including Koch Industries, which owns KoSa — indicated that they didn’t believe that they had too able outfit all day than change clothes to fit dif- DuPont’s former polyester operation. many clothes and could shop for more; this repre- ferent activities. ● sents an increase of 5.2 points over the prior year. But the sports influence isn’t all down home VIYELLA SOLD — AGAIN: Viyella, the traditional U.K. cloth- ing brand that targets women over 50, has been sold to the There was also a significant increase in females Americana this season, says Easley. “There’s a sports knitwear manufacturing company Harris Watson Holdings for an having time to shop for clothes; 70% of respon- meets Far East look going on,” she allows, pointing undisclosed sum, confirming reports in these pages. A spokes- dents told the Monitor that they made time in their to important items currently selling at Kirna woman for Harris Watson confirmed the sale, but declined fur- schedules for clothes shopping in 2002, up from Zabete, such as the baseball kimono. “It’s a very ther comment. As reported, Richard Thompson, of Riverhawk 66% in 2001. chic but exaggerated silhouette.” Runway Bou- Investments, bought the Viyella and Jaeger brands from Coats “The fashions are great this season,” affirms tique’s Cohen adds, “There’s the Asia Major influ- PLC in January with an eye to flipping them. Earlier this month, he sold Jaeger to the textile entrepreneur Harold Tillman, Lynn Cohen, owner of Runway Boutique in the ence; satins and kimonos are important and they owner of Baird Menswear Brands.