Most CompetitiveThe RetailersInside: Pg. 12 JONES REPORTS LOSS/3 THE CONTEMPORARY BOOM/9 WWD WWDWomen’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’THURSDAY Daily Newspaper • February 15, 2007 • $2.00 List Sportswear Textured Message NEW YORK — A little surface appeal goes a long way — especially when it comes to great knits. Case in point: Carolina Herrera’s cashmere sweater and wool and silk blouse. For more textured looks, see pages 6 and 7. Arnault’s Growth Plan: No Acquisitions Seen As LVMH Net Rises 30% By Miles Socha PARIS — Let private equity funds overspend on acquisitions. Bernard Arnault said he prefers to bank on the stars, both proven and budding, already in his LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton luxury empire. “We have the potential to double our performance on a like-for-like basis in the next five years,” he said Wednesday in reporting a 30 percent leap in 2006 net profits to 1.88 billion euros, or $2.36 billion, as LVMH revenues rose 10 percent to surpass the 15 billion euro threshold to 15.31 billion euros, or $19.23 billion. Currency conversions See LVMH, Page11 PHOTO BY THOMAS IANNACCONE PHOTO BY WWD.COM WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear FASHION The basic cozy sweater received an upgrade from designers for fall with ™ 6 numerous techniques, from basic ribs to intricate scallops. A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated GENERAL LVMH chief Bernard Arnault was upbeat about growth as the luxury “REEL” TIME 1 group reported a 30 percent leap in 2006 net profi ts to $2.36 billion. Red-Carpet Fashions Influence Real Women’s Jones Apparel Group posted fourth-quarter and full-year losses, with Fashion Choices, Even If Women Don’t Know It 3 wholesale better apparel and Barneys New York as bright spots. Marc Jacobs’ fi rst store in London opened on Mayfair’s Mount Street this Whether the readers of popular weeklies “With the media’s 24/7 coverage of celebrity, 3 week, its windows crammed with tulips, roses, daisies and daffodils. view red-carpet fashions as the ultimate in and the instant gratification of the internet, trends aspiration or excess, the trickle-down influence are turning faster than ever and the female shopper DISH: Pushing the luxury envelope, fashion fi rm Move Easy and jeweler Xipe launched jeans washed in Champagne at the Luxury & Yacht fair. of catwalk couture will inspire the styles worn expects to find the latest trends she sees via the 8 by Jane Doe. media, immediately,” offers Allen B. Schwartz, BEAT: Retailers agree that, when it comes to the highly competitive According to the Cotton the designer and founder of 9 contemporary area, it’s all about survival of the fi ttest. Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor™, ABS. “It is the contemporary Sales at department and specialty stores outpaced overall retail the average female respondent designer’s responsibility to stay 10 performance last month, the Commerce Department reported. spent $78.05 in the last month on top of these trends and Demonstrators marched outside fi ve Burberry stores to protest the on apparel, a far cry from the deliver the same quality to the 10 scheduled closing of a South Wales factory that makes shirts for the label. five to six figure price tags of a mass market, and at a cost that is red-carpet ensemble. That within their budget.” EYE might explain why many women According to the Monitor, There were no dinosaurs or cavemen come to life, but there was plenty say that celebrities do not 56.2 percent of female 4 of hubbub at the Museum of Natural History’s annual Winter Dance. influence their fashion respondents said that they Milan Preview is included as a Section II in this issue. sensibilities. In fact, celebrities planned more changes in their rated last as the most influential apparel in the next three Classifi ed Advertisements.............................................................15 source of fashion ideas. Clothing months, indicating that they To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is fi rstname. that women already own and willingly embrace new trends [email protected], using the individual’s name. like was the number one answer and styles. And for the most WWD IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT among 80.9 percent of female part, women appear to be ©2007 FAIRCHILD FASHION GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. pleased with what they are VOLUME 193, NO. 36. WWD (ISSN 0149–5380) is published daily (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one respondents, followed by store “Think of it as a fashion pyramid; additional issue in January and November, two additional issues in March, May, June, August and December, and three displays (67.5 percent), people finding at retail; nearly one in additional issues in February, April, September and October) by Fairchild Fashion Group, which is a division of Advance the styles favored by the celebs Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided by they see regularly (50.6 percent); three and more than three in Condé Nast Publications: S. I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, President/CEO; John W. Bellando, Executive sit at the top and then eventually Vice President/COO; Debi Chirichella Sabino, Senior Vice President/CFO; Jill Bright, Executive Vice President/Human only a mere 17.2 percent gave five female respondents stated begin filtering down to a larger and Resources. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offi ces. Canada Post Publications Mail celebs the nod. that they found the colors that Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 886549096-RT0001. Canada Post: return larger base and women are undeliverable Canadian addresses to: P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6 POSTMASTER: Whether or not they are aware they like and in styles that they SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA welcome to join at any level that 91615–5008. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE of it, red-carpet designs will shape found interesting. INQUIRIES: Please write to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008, call 800-289-0273, or visit what women across the country they want, when they want.” As anyone will attest, it’s not www.subnow.com/wd. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. First copy of new — Joanne Stoner, subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production and the world will wear. This what you spend, but how you correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permissions and reprint requests, Edressme.com please call 212-630-4274 or fax requests to 212-630-4280. Visit us online at www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other influence is primarily due to a carry the look that counts. “The 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. If you retail cycle that is turning more money spent on a look never do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615- 5008 or call 800-289-0273. WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, and more rapidly, aided and abetted by a couture- matters as much as how you wear it. A simple OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, happy media; that, in turn, is feeding an dress with one great accessory can look chic,” says BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR increasingly-voracious fashion clientele. Such a Albright. “Confidence is what really makes a look 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 hungry consumer appetite is easily explained, says look amazing. When dressing the average woman, A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE. Joanne Stoner, founder of Edressme.com, a chic we at the Fashion Library encourage her to wear online destination. “Think of it as a fashion what feels the most comfortable, because only pyramid; the styles favored by the celebs sit at the then can she exude confidence, creating a return top and then eventually begin that is priceless.” In Brief filtering down to a larger and “You most certainly should not Sources of Clothing Ideas larger base and women are be judged by how much you ● UNION BILL SET TO MOVE: The House Committee on Edu- spend and anyone who does welcome to join at any level that Already Own & Like 80.9% cation and Labor was poised to approve a bill Wednesday night they want, when they want.” judge you by that is simply that would mandate the recognition of a union if a majority of But there is also an apparel Store Displays 67.5% lacking creativity,” exhorts employees sign authorization cards. The bill would then go to sector addressing the 15.4 People Seen Regularly 50.6% Crandall from ShopBop. the House fl oor, where it is expected to pass. However, the pros- percent of women who admit Catalogs 42.1% “Nowadays with the integration pects in the Senate are uncertain.