Flaming Hot Socks PLUS: The men’s sock business has Ones to Watch been going gangbusters on the at Pitti Uomo, heels of fashion styles with a including Isaia. punch of color. Page MW10 Pages MW6 and MW7. June 13, 2013 PREPPING FOR PITTI Italian Men’s Brands Tropical Tout Their Heritage Exports to U.S. and other markets seen as key to growth. Storm by LUISA ZARGANI MILAN — Men are catching up with women in one of their favorite activities: shopping. Colorful patterns and out-of- According to a Fondazione Altagamma the-box silhouettes are taking and Bain & Company study, men’s spend- ing on luxury goods grew at a faster rate the men’s market by storm for than women’s in 2012 — 12 percent versus spring. Junichi Abe, designer of 10 percent, respectively. As a result, life- style brands have been heavily investing in Tokyo’s Kolor and featured men’s-only concepts, mainly in the U.S. and Asia, in their effort to attract a discerning designer at the and demanding male customer. upcoming Pitti Uomo Raffaello Napoleone, chief executive officer of Pitti Uomo organizing body Pitti show in Florence, Immagine, said men are increasingly so- epitomizes this phisticated, drawn by quality and more con- temporary designs. “Tailor-made continues trend with his to be in strong demand, as well as more-cre- ative, urban-technical sportswear,” he said. creative tailoring “Men’s wear companies are obliged to inno- and play on vate because what passed the test before is no longer enough.” prints. For more Napoleone said that so far in 2013, figures on the brands to show an increase in exports around the world and a drop in imports from countries such as check out at the China, Romania, Tunisia and India. He point- upcoming show, ed specifically to a 19 percent gain in exports to the U.S. “Markets with a growing GDP are see pages MW4 strong export countries for Italy,” he added, lamenting poor local spending. to MW7. With that as a backdrop, Napoleone said that based on the number of projects, exhibi- tors and preregistrations, the outlook for Pitti Uomo is positive. Many Italian brands will be touting the attributes of Made in Italy man- ufacturing and savoir-faire at the four-day show, which kicks off in Florence on June 18. Umberto Angeloni, ceo of Caruso, touted Italy’s “manufacturing Renaissance,” not- ing how consumers around the world are increasingly “asking about the origin of the product and the nature of the manu- facture. And they want its value and price explained.” Angeloni said that in addition to a Made in Italy label, he urged people to “discover its added value. It’s not only about production, but it’s about the research and development of fabrics and shapes. Production used to be seen as an after- thought — a fixed cost — now it’s one of the strategic factors of success. Made in Italy should not merely be used as a designation of origin. Manufacturing is not merely about making, it’s about creativity.” Angeloni believes the second half of 2013 will be stronger than the first, which has been hurt by concerns over the euro currency. “Orders for fall 2013 are show- ing a single-digit gain compared with fall 2012. This is an important signal as it marks a change in trend,” said Angeloni. “The U.S. and Japan have restarted, and Europe is no longer caught in the vicious Kolor’s mohair and wool MIYAZAKI circle of the austerity measures of the suit, cotton shirt and past 12 months. Luxury is connected to silk tie. Suede belt. YUKIE economic cycles — if GDP growth slows, BY luxury spending slows.” PHOTO {Continued on page MW14} MEN’S HOSIERY LEG APPAREL 366 FIFTH AVENUE, SUITE 1008, NEW YORK, NY 10001 212-268-4747 Men’s Week WWD thursday, june 13, 2013 MW3 PEI Rings Bell on 20 Years as Public Firm by JEAN E. PALmIERI commerce — accounted for 9 percent and sportswear or swimwear brands targeted to would be ideal locations so “we can control licensing about 3 percent. the Perry Ellis a more-mature department store shopper and manage it,” Oscar Feldenkreis said. He WHEN GEORGE FELDENKREIs fled label represents one-third of company sales — macy’s, Kohl’s and Dillard’s are PEI’s hopes to open one of these prototype stores Fidel Castro’s Communist regime in Cuba and golfwear is also 30 percent. largest customers. “We wouldn’t be inter- within 18 months or less, he added. in 1961 with his one-year-old son, a preg- Within its existing brands, the plan calls ested in juniors or young men’s, that not Expanding internationally through li- nant wife and $700 in his pocket, he prob- for expanding into additional product cat- our focus. We’ve tried that before and it censed stores throughout Asia, Canada and ably never dreamed that one day he would egories. For example, when it acquired the hasn’t performed well for us.” But active- Latin America is also in the plans. be ringing the closing bell at New York’s Ben Hogan brand, PEI inherited compres- wear and additional golf brands are defi- On the e-commerce front, the plan is to Nasdaq exchange. sion and woven tops, hats, belts, gloves and nitely on the radar. “improve the online capabilities and func- But that’s what happened on Wednesday other apparel products that “can be rep- His father noted that adding to the ac- tions of the Perry Ellis, Original Penguin, C&C when the chairman and chief executive of- licated within our other golf brands,” ac- cessories roster would also be appealing. California, Rafaella and Cubavera e-com- ficer of Perry Ellis International Inc. visited cording to the company’s 10-K. In addition, “We do some accessories in Perry Ellis, merce sites to improve the shopping experi- the exchange to celebrate the company’s but there are big opportuni- ence and attract additional business both do- 20th year as a public company. ties there too,” he said. In fiscal mestically and abroad,” according to the 10-K. shortly after putting down roots in 2013, the U.s. represented 92 “And we don’t do e-commerce in golf, miami, George and his brother, Isaac, percent of total revenues.. so that’s a huge opportunity,” Oscar created a company named supreme Although the company has Feldenkreis said. A site for the golf business International, manufacturing school uni- 86 international licensing is expected to be live by the end of the year, forms and traditional four-pocket Latin agreements and 26 global of- he noted. A Laundry site is also on the agen- guayabera shirts. supreme International fices and distribution centers, da for 2013. went public in 1993 and became Perry Ellis expanding outside the U.s. re- Women’s wear in general has been a International after the acquisition of that mains a priority. learning curve for the company. “When company in 1999. “When we talk about Europe, we bought Rafaella, it was a fabulous hon- From those humble beginnings, the king 95 percent of our business eymoon for the first six months,” he said. of the guayaberas has created a business is in the U.K.,” said George “then it became a challenge. We realized with just shy of $1 billion in sales, 30 owned Feldenkreis. “And we haven’t you can’t adapt a men’s business to wom- and licensed brands, 69 retail stores and a even started selling golf, or Perry en’s wear.” the plan going forward is to ex- foothold in established and emerging coun- Ellis or Perry Ellis America pand the brand from related separates into tries around the world. in Europe yet. We also see op- a broader collection that can open more Feldenkreis is not content to stop there. portunities in Asia.” He said wholesale distribution and potential licens- With his son Oscar, vice chairman, president the company currently has a ing revenue. and chief operating officer, at his side, he joint venture in shanghai for its Under the Laundry umbrella, the sees opportunity for continued growth in the manhattan label and a store for Laundry by Design label allows the compa- future. top categories for expansion include Laundry in Beijing. “And Latin ny to “pursue a better price point with the golfwear, women’s wear and direct-to-con- America is also a big area for us,” customer shopping in different channels of sumer initiatives. he said. distribution from the current Laundry by “the opportunity is still very big to grow aquino Expanding retail is another shelli segal contemporary market.” the our current brands,” George Feldenkreis john focus. the company currently executives also hope to expand into Perry said. In addition to the flagship Perry Ellis by operates 40 Perry Ellis, five Ellis women’s wear as well as women’s golf label, the company owns Jantzen, Laundry Original Penguin and two mul- in the future. Photo by shelli segal, C&C California, Rafaella, George and Oscar Feldenkreis at the new headquarters. tibrand retail outlets, and three In addition to visiting the Nasdaq, the Cubavera, Ben Hogan, munsingwear, Perry Ellis, two Cubavera and 17 Feldenkreises marked the opening of savane, Original Penguin by munsingwear, “we have expanded our product offerings to Original Penguin full-price retail stores. their new New York headquarters in the Natural Issue, Axist and Farah. include new line extensions, such as Perry “Our long-term vision is to take Penguin Hippodrome building at 1120 Avenue of the Oscar Feldenkreis stressed that although Ellis America, which provides a casual more vertical and less wholesale,” Oscar Americas this week.