Top U.S.The Travel DestinationsInside: Pg. 16 STORES LAUD TAX-CUT PLAN/3 JUICY’S NEW PAD/10 WWD WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’THURSDAY Daily Newspaper • January 18, 2007 • $2.00 List Sportswear Sitting Pretty Primping ain’t easy, but designers are doing their part this season with an assortment of frothy numbers with a retro feel. Here, Faviana’s polyester charmeuse dress, worn with a 1928 Jewelry necklace and Steve Madden shoes, photographed at Rita Hazan Salon in New York. For more prom looks, see pages 6 and 7. Next Step for Jones: Group Is Said Mulling Possibility of Breakup By Vicki M. Young NEW YORK — ION ASSISTANT: JULIA COLLIER; SYLED BY DAVID YASSKY DAVID JULIA COLLIER; SYLED BY ION ASSISTANT: After an aborted auction of the entire company last year, Jones Apparel Group may be contemplating plan B: a breakup. Financial and industry sources said tentative “feelers” have been extended to various parties regarding their interest in the Nine West group and the upscale specialty chain Barneys New York. Jones’ chief financial officer Efthimio Sotos declined comment Wednesday. No bank appears to have been appointed to advise the company on any possible breakup. Should Jones be successful in breaking See Jones, Page15 PHOTO BY GEORGE CHINSEE; MODEL: CARLY/NEW YORK; HAIR BY NELSON VERCHER AND MAKEUP BY RAMY GAFNI, BOTH AT RITA HAZAN SALON; FASH HAZAN SALON; RITA GAFNI, BOTH AT RAMY AND MAKEUP BY NELSON VERCHER HAIR BY YORK; GEORGE CHINSEE; MODEL: CARLY/NEW PHOTO BY WWD.COM WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear FASHION ™ Getting ready in style will be easy this prom season because designers 6 have created looks that are short, colorful and frilly. A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated GENERAL After a failed auction of the whole company last year, Jones Apparel 1 Group has moved on to Plan B: split up the various parts of the fi rm. THE NEW BUSINESS CASUAL The Mills Corp., the beleaguered real estate investment trust, agreed to Women Establish a Balance between Relaxed and Professional 3 be acquired by Brookfi eld Asset Management for $7.5 billion. “It’s simple, it’s classic; it says ‘I’ve arrived’,” DENIM: Perry White has returned to the fabric that helped him start his in Boston, MA. The prevailing new world order in 8 career in fashion with the launch of his fi rst full denim collection. coos actress Melanie Griffith as Working Girl Tess workplace fashion might best be described as one of blended rules and exceptions. “Everything is more BEAT: Juicy Couture is looking to squeeze out a bigger share of the New McGill, hoping to convince a dubious Joan Cusack York market with its third city store opening Friday on Bleecker Street. as to a garment’s worthiness in a famous scene from relaxed,” Enright completes. 10 the classic 1988 film. One huge exception to yesterday’s rules is denim The Bush administration began collecting data on Vietnamese imports, As the beloved protagonist in in the office. What was once 12 kicking off a controversial program that could lead to imposing duties. the movie learns, workplace considered a working fabric for A rift between House and Senate Democrats has arisen over tying a wardrobes reflect the prevailing cleaning the house or fixing up 12 minimum wage increase to tax breaks for small businesses. popular culture and business the car is now a highly acceptable December wholesale prices on U.S.-made women’s and girls’ apparel environment. Going with the garment for the workplace. 12 fell 0.4 percent for the month and 0.7 percent from a year earlier. pervasive flow is one way of Denim has earned its place in the charting a course to professional workplace, particularly when it’s a EYE success. Evidence the power- clean and dark wash version, says From the sea to the shore, some shows, shops and eateries to hit during driven, dress-for-success 1980’s, Paige Adams-Geller, founder of 4 the Paris haute couture shows taking place next week. the near 180-degree turn a decade the popular Paige Premium later in the dot-com, dress- Denim line. “When you have a Classifi ed Advertisements.............................................................18-19 downed 1990’s, and now, the clean and sophisticated jean, it To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is fi rstname. blended balance found in fashion can be a staple of your wardrobe [email protected], using the individual’s name. in today’s fully accessible and for work or any place else.” WWD IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT global world. Current fashions And when it comes to jeans ©2007 FAIRCHILD FASHION GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 193, NO. 13. WWD (ISSN 0149–5380) is published daily (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one meld soft knits, like cotton and the workplace, denim is back additional issue in January and November, two additional issues in March, May, June, August and December, and three sweaters, with crisp classics, like in black. “Darker gray and over- additional issues in February, April, September and October) by Fairchild Fashion Group, which is a division of Advance “Women are certainly finding their Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided by khakis, denim, woven tops and dyed black washes are coming in Condé Nast Publications: S. I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, President/CEO; John W. Bellando, Executive comfort levels with dressing pencil skirts for a relaxed yet to play again and that only helps Vice President/COO; Debi Chirichella Sabino, Senior Vice President/CFO; Jill Bright, Executive Vice President/Human casually for work by adhering to Resources. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offi ces. Canada Post Publications Mail polished appearance. add to denim’s place in the Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 886549096-RT0001. Canada Post: return maintaining a safe balance between undeliverable Canadian addresses to: P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6 POSTMASTER: “Women today are able to strike corporate environment,” tells SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA their individual style and their 91615–5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE an even chord between the power Adams-Geller. “Darker washes, INQUIRIES: Please write to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008, call 800-289-0273, or visit suit of yesteryear and the anything- company’s culture.” particularly in a trouser cut, can www.subnow.com/wd. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. First copy of new — Jeannine McShane, subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production goes slouchy separates of more go a long way as a pant and that correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permissions and reprint requests, human resources consultant please call 212-630-4274 or fax requests to 212-630-4280. Visit us online at www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other recent years,” offers Linda has a role in a corporate world.” 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. DeFranco, Senior Product Trend Denim is clearly a favorite pick for If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA women for personal or professional pursuits; 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, Forecaster with Cotton Incorporated. “They are OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, taking advantage of the wide variety of options in according to the Monitor, on average, female BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR skirts, trousers, sweaters, blouses, dresses, jeans and respondents wore jeans 3.94 days a week. CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY jackets, and they are mixing and matching and Keep it simple and it’s very easy to master casual A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE. layering them for a modern look that is stylish as dressing at work, explains Gretchen Petrone, Product well as office appropriate.” Line Manager at L.L. Bean, the national retailer. “Women are certainly finding their comfort levels “Find a classic garment, like a chino, a cable sweater, with dressing casually for work by adhering to a woven top, a good jean, a corduroy bottom and In Brief maintaining a safe balance between educate yourself in finding the right fit; that is so important. “ ● TJX Cos. said Wednesday that an unknown their individual style and their Is Casual Day Appropriate TJX DATA THEFT: company’s culture,” says Jeannine Fit is certainly important, amount of data relating to debit, check and credit card transac- McShane a Central Florida based for the Workplace? confirms McShane, the consultant, tions had been stolen from its internal databases, and could human resources consultant. particularly when garments that affect T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, A.J.