DOWN GETTING TEXAS WAY CLOSER A CHAT WITH TAISSA FARMIGA THE ALLIANCE AND THE ACCORD ARE ABOUT SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST, NATIONAL PRIDE WORKING TOGETHER MORE AS THEY BRUNELLO CUCINELLI SAID THERE ARE “WINDS AND SOME OF THE STANDOUT SEEK TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN THE OF CHANGE” IN ITALY AS HIS FIRM REPORTED MOVIES AT THE FESTIVAL. PAGE 12 BANGLADESH APPAREL SECTOR. PAGE 4 A 7.5 PERCENT GROWTH IN PROFITS. PAGE 2 IN PRAISE OF SPRING NMG Hopes Season Will Kick-start Rtw By DAVID MOIN THE NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP likes the look of European fashion and is hoping for a much-needed lift in ready-to-wear sales. “We believe there is going to be a reason to buy WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015 ■ $3.00 ■ WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY ready-to-wear. We feel pretty positive about the kinds of trends we are seeing,” Karen Katz, NMG’s presi- WWD dent and chief executive offi cer, said from Paris dur- ing a conference call recapping the company’s second fi scal quarter and plans. “Going into the spring season, we are probably as excited as we have been in a number of seasons about the big fashion change,” Katz said. “There is a big movement of this bohemian look. The Seventies, as a reference period, are all over the runways. We do be- lieve the kinds of ready-to-wear we are seeing on the runway, the kind of shoes, are things customers don’t necessarily have in her closets. There’s a completely different pant silhouette. “There are just different fashion trends than we have seen in the past couple of years. For our fashion customer, we believe there is going to be a reason for her to buy ready-to-wear. We think it’s re- fl ected in our designer ready-to-wear business. We are having one of the better seasons we’ve had in the last number of seasons.” If her prediction proves true, it will mark the reversal of a slide in designer rtw sales that has plagued retailers for the last few years. Women in- stead opted fi rst for handbags and shoes and, most recently, for fi ne jewelry. The decline left retailers bemoaning the lack of newness in the market. SEE PAGE 10 Fashion Is a Zoo: ‘Zoolander 2’ Set Café du By JOELLE DIDERICH AND MILES SOCHA PARIS — Blue Steel is back. Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson confi rmed they were reprising their roles as male models Derek Zoolander and Hansel McDonald (see below) in a sequel to the Mode cult comedy “Zoolander” with a surprise appearance Karl Lagerfeld all but slung a crisp white at Paris Fashion Week. The pair emerged at the end of the Valentino show and strutted down the catwalk napkin over his forearm as he welcomed to the sound of The Human League’s “Don’t You Want guests to the banquette-lined Brasserie Me,” throwing the signature Blue Steel look at camer- Gabrielle — a vast stage set inside as and prompting loud cheers from editors and celeb- rity guests including Kate Mara, Olivia Palermo and the Grand Palais — where Nicky Hilton. over croissants and sips of (See the review of the Valentino bubbly his patrons were show, page 7.) treated to a powerful, On their way textural, tweedy Chanel back, they both PARIS dramatically collection that satisfi ed on dropped their all counts. For more from coats on the run- Paris, see pages 6 to 9. way, with Stiller grabbing a cell- phone from a front-row guest PHOTO BY GIOVANNI GIANNONI GIOVANNI PHOTO BY and filming himself. The actors made a quick exit after the show, avoiding waiting photographers and press. Later in the evening, Stiller told WWD that fi lming starts in Rome on April 7, and that the seven-year-old Valentino documentary, “The Last Emperor,” inspired him to fi lm the sequel in the Eternal City. “Rome is the most cinematic environment,” the actor said. According to a tweet from Paramount Pictures, the fi lm will be released on Feb. 12, 2016. Ignazio Marino, the mayor of Rome, posed alongside Stiller in photos PHOTO BY STÉPHANE FEUGÈRE SEE PAGE 11 2 WWD WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2015 WWD.COM John B. Fairchild Memorial Set THE BRIEFING BOX most often known — turned IN TODAY’S WWD By WWD STAFF Women’s Wear Daily from a stodgy trade publication NEW YORK — A memorial into a must-read among service for John B. Fairchild not only the fashion set but They Are Wearing: will be held April 21 at the worlds of society, the Paris Fashion Week. 2 p.m. at Saint Thomas arts and business, and also For more, see Church here. The church is founded W and M magazines. WWD.com. located at 1 West 53rd Street Above all, he played an at Fifth Avenue. integral role in developing Fairchild died Feb. 27 the modern fashion indus- at age 87 after a long ill- try by bringing designers ness. The former chair- out from the anonymity of man and editorial director the ateliers’ back rooms and of Fairchild Publications, John B. Fairchild, 1970 turning them into world- Mr. Fairchild — as he was ARCHIVE PHOTO FROM FAIRCHILD wide celebrities. Cucinelli Profits Rise 7.5 Percent DABROWSKI KUBA PHOTO BY initial public offering and that he was “very, very By LUISA ZARGANI happy” with being a public company. “We are stron- The Neiman Marcus Group likes the look of European ger, more international and more supported.” fashion and is hoping for a much-needed lift in its ready-to- MILAN — Brunello Cucinelli believes winds of change Sales in international markets rose 12.4 percent, wear sales. PAGE 1 are sweeping through Italy and Europe — “a very dif- accounting for 80.8 percent of total revenues. ferent and improved air, compared with a year ago.” Sales in the U.S. rose 12.7 percent to 122.9 mil- In a stunning finish at Valentino’s fall show, Ben Stiller as The Italian entrepreneur was speaking after lion euros, or $163.4 million, representing 34.5 Derek Zoolander and Owen Wilson as Hansel settled their walk his luxury goods company reported year-end re- percent of the total. Europe gained 8.2 percent to off once and for all. PAGE 1 sults. Higher sales and growth in both its retail and 116.7 million euros, or $155.2 million, representing wholesale channels helped Brunello Cucinelli SpA 32.8 percent of revenues, lifted by tourism. Greater There could be a thaw taking place between the Accord see net profit in 2014 rise 7.5 percent to 31.8 mil- China jumped 32.7 percent to 20.9 million euros, on Fire and Building Safety and the Alliance for Bangladesh lion euros, or $42.3 million, compared with 29.6 mil- or $27.8 million, accounting for 5.9 percent of total Worker Safety. PAGE 4 lion euros, or $39 million, in 2013. In the 12 months sales. The performance was favored by the conver- ended Dec. 31, revenues gained 10.4 percent to sion of three boutiques in Hong Kong at the begin- Bonobos’ sister brand Ayr will undergo its first significant 355.9 million euros, or $473.3 million at average ning of October 2013 into wholly owned units. wholesale expansion, entering some Nordstrom locations exchange, compared with 322.5 million euros, or The Rest of the World grew 16.6 percent to 27 $425.7 million, in the previous year. million euros, or $36 million, representing 7.6 this week. PAGE 4 Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation percent of sales, lifted by the conversion of three and amortization climbed 8.4 percent to 63 million wholesale boutiques and 13 hard shops in depart- The battle to close what many advocates say is an euros, or $83.8 million. ment stores to directly operated stores in Japan, Internet sales tax loophole was revived once more on Cucinelli, chairman and chief executive officer carried out in September. The Italian market posted Capitol Hill on Tuesday. PAGE 4 of the firm, said the group is “in the midst of a de- a 2.7 percent growth in sales to 68.5 million euros, velopment path in Italy and abroad, with excellent or $91.1 million, accounting for 19.2 percent of rev- Gucci is coming to New York. The Italian brand is planning an results in terms of both revenues and margins. We enues. Referring to Russia, Cucinelli said that or- event on June 4 to show its cruise collection under the new consider this latest year as a ‘fundamental’ year for ders for spring “held up” and that he saw no change creative direction of Alessandro Michele. PAGE 9 the image of our business.” for the fall season, despite the fact that the company He touted the brand’s “clear positioning at the has no directly operated store in the region. Schiaparelli is reportedly in talks to bring on Bertrand Guyon, highest end of luxury as well as the distinctive fea- The group’s retail channel rose 28.6 percent, a seasoned couture designer currently at Valentino, as its tures” of the collections and their “craftsmanship, while wholesale monobrand gained 14.3 percent, ex- creative director. PAGE 9 modernity, style and quality. cluding the conversions to the direct channel, while “The above can be said also of our latest fall col- the wholesale multibrand division rose 1.5 percent. According to Forbes’ 29th Annual The World’s Billionaires lections. Since all orders have already been placed As of Dec.