THE NEW NORTHPARK/9 FASHION’S STARRING ROLE/13 WWDWomen’s Wear DailyWEDNESDAY • The Retailers’ Daily Newspaper • May 3, 2006 • $2.00 Sportswear Silver Belle NEW YORK — Hollywood glamour is always in style. Simple, sassy and elegant party frocks are sure to liven up the coming holiday season. Here, Nanette Lepore’s silk and metallic halter dress, a Head Dress headband and Stuart Weitzman shoes. The British Invasion: Topshop Aims to Open Flagship in New York By David Moin M FRIDAY M FRIDAY NEW YORK — Get ready America: Topshop is on its way. British retail tycoon Philip Green wants to make his mark in the U.S. and SON MAKEUP; STYLED BY KI SON MAKEUP; STYLED BY a Topshop flagship could open in New York as soon as next spring. He already has his eyes on a site, but declined to reveal details beyond saying it is 60,000 to 90,000 square feet in size. “If we enter here, we’re not going to be TZ/KRAMER + KRAMER/HAKANS TZ/KRAMER low-key,” assured Green, the flamboyant billionaire owner of Arcadia, parent of Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Burton, Miss Selfridge and department store British Home Stores. Topshop 12 E; HAIR AND MAKEUP BY SUZANNE KA E; HAIR AND MAKEUP BY See , Page PHOTO BY TALAYA CENTENO; MODEL: CECILIA/SUPREM TALAYA PHOTO BY 2 WWD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 2006 WWD.COM Maria D. Lopez Resigns at St. John WWDWEDNESDAY Sportswear NEW YORK — Maria D. Lopez, who was second on a mission the past 18 months to reach a young- in command to Tim Gardner, head designer at er clientele and started experimenting with new St. John, resigned on Tuesday. knit fabrics, different pattern specs and slimmer GENERAL She had been with St. John, the Irvine, Calif.- silhouettes. It also moved some of its production Philip Green wants to make his mark in the U.S. and by next year could based fi rm, for 13 years. to China. Many of the newer styles met resistance 1 plant his crown jewel, the Topshop fashion emporium, in the U.S. Lopez confi rmed her resignation, but de- from St. John’s loyal and mature customers, who The ICSC said April same-store sales should show the biggest annual clined further comment. Sources said she re- claimed they don’t have the same quality and don’t gain in two years, despite intensifi ed worries over higher gas prices. signed over creative differences. fi t as well as their previous St. John clothes. The 2 Neither Gardner nor Philip Miller, interim fi rm had sales declines in the fall and spring. Unilever trimmed its portfolio, selling hair care brands Finesse and Aqua chief executive offi cer of St. John, could be Richard Cohen, former president and ceo, 2 Net to Lornamead Brands Inc. for an estimated $130 million. reached for comment Tuesday. resigned last month and was succeeded by EYE: Fashion elite fi nd their inner punks at the Metropolitan Museum of Gardner succeeded Marie Gray as head de- Miller, who admitted there were some “fi t and Art’s Costume Institute benefi t “AngloMania.” signer at St. John in August, and his fi rst collec- quality” issues this spring, and that St. John is 4 tion hit stores this spring. The company has been working to remedy them. MAINSTREAM: Ethical fashion is taking hold as European stores react to 6 environmental and human rights concerns in apparel manufacturing. NorthPark Center in Dallas is set to complete a $225 million expansion 9 intended to make it the dominant mall in the north Texas market. High gas prices have fueled public and political outrage, and business ICSC Expecting April Comp Blowout 10 professors feel they will infl uence, but not dominate, consumer spending. WEST: Product placement and the infl uence of the personal and By Meredith Derby tum in weather-driven demand for spring merchan- on-screen styles of movie stars on fashion continues to converge. dise that began in early March peaked during the 13 NEW YORK — The International Council of Shop- Easter holiday week resulting in an almost ideal Classifi ed Advertisements.............................................................14-19 ping Centers reported Tuesday that April same- spring buying environment,” Planalytics said in a store sales are poised to show the biggest year- Monday press release. To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is fi rstname. over-year gain in two years — despite recently In March, comps rose a weaker-than-expected [email protected], using the individual’s name. intensifi ed worries over higher gas prices. 1.9 percent. Sales were hurt, analysts said, by the WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. COPY- ICSC chief economist and director of research April 16 Easter holiday, which fell three weeks RIGHT ©2006 FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 191, NO. 94. WWD (ISSN # 0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one ad- Michael P. Niemira, predicted in a report that April later than last year. Analysts expect that a shift of ditional issue in January and November, two additional issues in March, May, June, August and December, and three ad- comparable-store sales should rise between 6 and spending occurred out of March and into April be- ditional issues in February, April, September and October by Fairchild Publications, Inc., a subsidiary of Advance Publications, 6.5 percent. That would be the highest increase cause of the later holiday. Last year saw the reverse Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided by Advance Magazine Publishers Inc.: S.I. Newhouse Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, President & C.E.O.; John W. Bellando, Executive Vice President and since the ICSC reported in March 2004 an average effect when comps in March were stronger than in C.O.O.; Jill Bright, Executive Vice President_Human Resources; John Buese, Executive Vice President_Chief Information Officer; monthly comp increase of 7 percent. Most major re- April because Easter fell on March 27. David Orlin, Senior Vice President_Strategic Sourcing; Robert Bennis, Senior Vice President_Real Estate; Maurie Perl, Senior Vice President_Chief Communications Officer. Shared Services provided by Advance Magazine Group: Steven T. Florio, Advance tailers will report comps on Thursday. In terms of winners and losers for April sales, Magazine Group Vice Chairman; David B. Chemidlin, Senior Vice President_General Manager, Shared Services Center. “Like the Energizer Bunny, the consumer con- analysts think specialty retailers likely benefi ted Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. tinues to keep on spending despite rising concerns from core customers shopping for spring break 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 88654-9096-RM0001. Canada post return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: DPGM, 7496 Bath Road, Unit 2, Mississauga, ON L4T 1L2. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS on the energy front,” Niemira said. vacation apparel. Among those, Stifel Nicolaus CHANGES TO WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, Based on supply concerns, the per-barrel price analyst Richard Jaffe expects that American Eagle ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008; Call 800-289-0273; or visit www.subnow.com/wd . Four of crude oil has swelled to around $74 from about Outfi tters Inc. will see April comps rise 6 to 8 per- weeks is required for change of address. Please give both new and old address as printed on most recent label. $67 one month ago, while prices at the gas pump cent, which would be on top of a 20 percent comp Subscriptions Rates: U.S. possessions, Retailer, daily one year: $109; Manufacturer, daily one year $145. All other U.S., daily one year $205. Canada/Mexico, daily one year, $295. All other foreign (Air Speed), daily one year $595. recently went over $4 a gallon in some areas of the increase last year. The consensus estimate is for a First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, U.S. The average price at the pump is about $3 a 9.6 percent increase. and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permissions gallon. And yet, consumers keep fi nding the ability “Strong demand for the [AE] brand continued and reprint requests, please call 212-221-9595 or fax requests to 212-221-9195. Visit us online: www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub.com. Occasionally, we make to dole out discretionary income on apparel. into April with the company’s fi rst summer fl oor- our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would Niemira said warmer weather was a factor for set, which was set April 18. Favorable customer re- interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information by mail and/or e-mail, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. the expected boost in April comps. According to sponse to trend-right merchandise and the benefi t WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSS, DAMAGE, OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO UNSOLICITED MANU- weather forecasting fi rm Planalytics, it was the of the Easter shift will likely drive April comps,” SCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPAR- ENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS.