BERLIN-BOUND WHAT TO DO, WHO TO SEE AND THE CHANGES AHEAD AT BERLIN FASHION WEEK. SECTION II THE DUCHESS AND THE GARTER. PAGE 11 WWDTUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2012 ■ WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY ■ $3.00 SHOCK DEPARTURE Michael Francis Exits Key Role at Penney’s No further explanation was RT By DAVID MOIN provided and Penney’s did not re- SO 20 E 13 turn calls seeking comment. R MICHAEL FRANCIS, J.C. Penney Penney’s said Johnson will as- Co. Inc.’s president and flashy sume direct responsibility and image maker, has abruptly left oversight of the company’s market- COLLECTIONS the company. ing and merchandising functions. The stirring development comes In after-hours trading, Penney’s NEW YORK just eight months after Francis shares fell 5.5 percent to $23, fol- joined Penney’s from Target Corp., lowing the announcement, which and adds fuel to concerns over was made after the closing bell. Penney’s daring reinvention and While any company undergoing the aggressive tactics that Francis sharp repositioning would expect was orchestrating along with chief to see declines, the last quarter executive offi cer Ron Johnson. The was worse than either Johnson Easy departure of Francis, Penney’s sec- or investors expected. Penney’s ond-in-command, comes after steep logged a $163 million fi rst-quarter losses at the retailer. loss and an 18.9 percent decline On Monday, Penney’s issued in same-store sales. Despite the a brief announcement about disappointing quarterly report, Francis’ exit, with a statement Johnson maintained that the re- from Johnson that simply read: tailer’s transformation is “way Being “We thank Michael for his hard ahead of schedule” and improving work at J.C. Penney and wish him its fashion offerings. the best in his future endeavors.” SEE PAGE 12 Green Bieber’s New ‘Girlfriend’ In recent years, Ralph Lauren has out today — also reveals a more taken a pass on the pre-collection By MOLLY PRIOR grown-up Bieber. hoopla, preferring to play directly Someday, together with JUSTIN BIEBER is funneling his Girlfriend — which launched at to the consumer. But this season, budding maturity into his latest Macy’s and a host of other nation- reenergized by a lineup steeped in scent, Girlfriend. al retailers on Monday — has the vivid color and elegant classics — “Girlfriend is kind of a more makings of growing celebrity fra- mature version of Someday,” grance empire à la Jennifer Lopez. epitomized by this languid green Bieber told WWD on Monday, re- After all, Someday’s annual sales gown — Lauren changed his ferring to his fi rst fragrance, which reached $39 million according to became the number-one women’s The NPD Group fi gures cited by course and held a pre-spring fragrance launch in U.S. depart- the maker of the Bieber fragrance presentation on Monday. ment stores last year. “It has some franchise, Give Back Brands, which For more resort, see of the same scents to it, but older. was acquired by Elizabeth Arden It’s going to be a great fragrance, Inc. last week. pages 4 and 5. and I think people are going to Bieber — who sounded a little like it a lot,” said the 18-year-old, worse for wear after two weeks of whose new album “Believe” — due SEE PAGE 12 PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO 2 WWD TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 2012 WWD.COM Tahari Taps Wilts as Creative Director THE BRIEFING BOX women’s design. Prior to joining By MARC KARIMZADEH Tahari, he was head of interna- IN TODAY’S WWD tional design at Marks & Spencer NEW YORK — Elie Tahari is in the U.K., and before that, beefing up his design team. served in such roles as creative In a move that may just be- director of Roberto Torretta, de- come fashion’s equivalent of sign director for Zara women’s Rick Genest in New York City. Fritz Peterson and Mike Kekich wear and creative director of — the two former New York Maska. Tutino reports to Tahari. Yankees who made headlines for In addition, the company trading families — Tahari tapped hired Gilles Blanchard as its Ingo Wilts as his new creative design director of men’s wear. director of women’s and men’s Blanchard previously was de- design. Wilts was, until last week, sign director of men’s tailored senior vice president and cre- clothing at Calvin Klein, and ative director of Kenneth Cole AQUINO prior to that served as creative Productions, which just hired JOHN director at Falke, and vice presi- former Tahari executive creative Elie Tahari BY dent of design-production, men’s director Kobi Halperin as wom- and Ingo Wilts wear development at Marithé et PHOTO en’s sportswear creative director. François Girbaud. Blanchard re- GREENE The hire comes at a time when his extensive international fash- ports to both Wilts and Tahari. Tahari is restructuring his compa- ion background — particularly in “With the additions of Gilles JENNA ny amid reports of layoffs to build, men’s wear, a budding category for and Fred joining the Elie Tahari BY as he put it, “a brand new founda- Tahari — as the reason for the hire. family, their combined talent and PHOTO tion.” He told WWD that before, Before K C P, Wilts served as extensive experience in design “It was a one-story house and the senior vice president and cre- makes them poised to continue Michael Francis, J.C. Penney Co. Inc.’s president, has business grew. Now, we are divid- ative director at Hugo Boss and our national and international abruptly left the company just eight months after coming ing it in a way where each prod- its Boss Black, Boss Selection expansion,” Tahari said. over from Target Corp. PAGE 1 uct line has its own focus and its and Boss Green divisions, design- As for the Wilts-Halperin own team, instead of everybody ing women’s and men’s wear and swap, Tahari called it a “pure co- Justin Bieber’s second fragrance, Girlfriend, launched at doing everything.” accessories for nine years. incidence.” “Ingo resigned [from Macy’s and a host of other national retailers on Monday, At Tahari, Wilts, a native of Asked what appealed to him KCP] about six months ago, and I joining Someday in the pop star’s scent empire. PAGE 1 Germany, will oversee all design about the Elie Tahari brand, think Kobi just started there,” he efforts for women and men, as well Wilts cited the higher quality and said. “Kenneth is my friend and Georges Plassat, in his first public speech since taking over as T Tahari and licensee divisions. range of product. “I look forward I wish him all the best, and so is as chairman and chief executive officer of Carrefour, said it Wilts, whose first day was Monday, to working with Elie and helping Kobi. He is a good guy.” would take three years to turn the company around. PAGE 6 is also expected to help with the him improve his business,” Wilts If all this seems like an epi- company’s e-commerce business. said. “We can build the team and sode of “Wife Swap,” the reality Footwear brand Alexandre Birman has tapped Caden Tahari, to whom Wilts will re- elevate the whole brand.” television show on Lifetime, then Stobart as global president. PAGE 6 port, said the designer’s mandate To that effect, Tahari also so be it. “We got the better half,” is “to elevate the brand,” citing tapped Fred Tutino as director of Tahari said with a chuckle. Oscar winner and former “American Idol” contestant Jennifer Hudson is introducing the Jennifer Hudson Collection for QVC in September. PAGE 7 Greece Elections Fail to Inspire Investors The Tory Burch brand today will unveil a redesign of Index gained 1.1 percent to While the immediate threat of its Tory Blog and introduce its first Tory Daily iPad and By EVAN CLARK 621.86 as Amazon.com Inc.’s stock a Greek withdrawal from the euro iPhone app. PAGE 7 rose 2 percent to $222.66. The has passed, debt watchdog Fitch SUNDAY’S ELECTION in Greece Dow Jones Industrial Average Ratings warned: “The crisis in The Australian wool industry is waking up from a long gave investors what they want- lost momentum, slipping 0.2 per- Greece and the euro zone remains slumber after a decade of depressed supply and demand ed — a political landscape that cent to 12,741.82. intense. Fiscal austerity and pain- and a dirth of marketing activity. PAGE 8 keeps the euro zone whole, at Investors worried last week ful structural reform combined least for now — but the win wasn’t that Greece would vote in lead- with a strong parliamentary oppo- A host of British brands wrapped up London’s inaugural enough to overshadow brewing ers who would ultimately steer sition…means that the new Greek men’s fashion week with parties on Sunday. PAGE 9 troubles in Spain and Italy, which the country away from the euro, government is likely to be fragile.” face steep borrowing costs. destabilizing the currency bloc Among the U.S. fashion stocks Alexa Chung is the latest “It” girl to hook up with Maje The yield on 10-year Spanish and sparking bank runs across losing ground were Fossil Inc., and will be the face of the French contemporary brand’s bonds hit 7.19 percent, and Italy’s the continent. But conservative down 3.4 percent to $72.93; Guess fall advertising campaign. PAGE 9 debt wasn’t too far behind, at 6.09 and socialist political parties Inc., 2.1 percent to $28.42; Kohl’s percent, according to Tradeweb.