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Women’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’ Daily Newspaper • July 21, 2005• $2.00 : st ide Ins 11 Li . Pg D W eW Th JLO’S WORLD/3 BRAVO’S $14.2M PAYDAY/4 Em erg ing Re tai lN ati on s WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear Training Day PHOTO BY GEORGE CHINSEE; MODEL: AMANDA ERICSSON/Q; HAIR BY RIAD AZAR/L’OREAL PROFESSIONAL/FRANK ARENDS; MAKEUP BY DAVID TIBOLLA/JUMP; STYLED BY KIM FRIDAY NEW YORK — Denim, one of the hottest categories at retail, is changing shape this season. Designers are offering every form and look imaginable, including some extreme shapes, such as the rounded inseam cotton denim trousers from Miss Sixty’s conceptual line, Killah, worn here with Diesel’s polyester and cotton tank. “It’s being carried in all 39 international Killah stores,” says Joe Falco, president of sales for Sixty USA. “We believe in it as a company and our international following is feeling really strong about it.” For more, see pages 6 and 7. Rolling With the Punches: Sale of Joe Boxer Label Is Said to Be Imminent By Vicki M. Young NEW YORK — Joe Boxer, the high-profile label best known for its outrageous marketing and underwear, is close to being sold. Licensing experts, speaking on the condition of anonymity, described the prospective buyer as a New York-based brand management firm that specializes in the footwear and apparel industries. They declined to identify the company. The deal is anticipated to close “within the week” if talks proceed smoothly, the sources said. It is uncertain what a sale of the brand would mean for Sears Holdings See Joe, Page12 WWD.COM WWDTHURSDAY Sportswear FASHION ™ 6 A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated WEDDING BELLES Today’s bridesmaids opt for light and airy fashions proverbial star of the show. “Today’s bride is As the temperature rises, so does the number definitely more open-minded and a little bit older,” of weddings. “Summer is a fantastic time to get concurs Yoo. “She’s comfortable with herself.” married,” relates Beth Blake, owner of Thread, a According to the Monitor, 65% of women ages chic destination for bridal parties in New York. 25 to 34 gave their marital status as married in “Warm weather weddings have that easy feel and 1995, compared to just 61% in 2004. Among those sentimentality to them.” 35 to 55; 72% in 1995 stated But that air of romanticism that they were married compared also beckons a dose of reality, to 66% in 2005. cautions Jenny Yoo, a designer of The overall look for the sophisticated bridesmaid dresses. modern bridal party generally is a “A bride needs to be considerate collaborative effort among the of the season,” she explains. bride and her attendants. “I think “Dresses for the wedding party the majority of women in bridal should be light and airy and in parties are well educated about tune with summer.” style and fashion,” agrees Andreas Agrees Christina Dalle Pezze, Padazoboulos, an owner of designer and founder of Simple Banico, a New York City custom Silhouettes, a boutique for shop. bridesmaids, “Bridal parties “Bridal parties can select “Nearly all of our customers can select lighter colors, easy lighter colors, easy silhouettes, bring in pictures from magazines,” silhouettes, and natural fibers for the dresses. That will go a and natural fibers for the dresses. she says. “They’ve done their That will go a long way in homework and at the end of the long way in ensuring that the ensuring that the bridesmaids day, they want what looks best bridesmaids are as comfortable are as comfortable as they for their body type.” as they are beautiful.” are beautiful.” According to the Monitor, one This season’s wedding attendants — Christina Dalle Pezze, in three women cite fashion seem to have an endless array to Simple Silhouettes magazines as a source for clothing choose from, agree the experts, ideas. and they are all ultimately fashThere truly is something for every bridesmaid, ionable. “Our collection is all about natural fibers, no matter what her body type or size, stresses so our dresses are perfect for the warmer months,” Dalle Pezze from Simple Silhouettes. “A bride Dalle Pezze continues. “What you wear should be can decide that she wants her attendants to wear breathable; a cotton dress is ideal for a summer a strapless dress and the bridesmaids still have wedding, whether the ceremony is right by the a range of choices, from a lower-waisted cut to an water or in the middle of the city.” empire waist.” A majority of women will put their money “Strapless happens to be our number one seller, where their comfort is, according to Cotton so it’s not only a style that’s on Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™. Willing To Pay More For trend but in keeping with the Sixty-one percent of female Natural Fibers Such As Cotton season,” Yoo confirms. “Sleeveless respondents stated that they were is a close runner up and that also willing to pay more for natural (Women 16-70) happens to be an ideal silhouette fibers such as cotton. Yes 61% for the summer.” “It’s a very cool and summery No 34% However, warm weather fabric,” considers Blake from weddings are not just limited to the summer Thread. She also highlights an added bonus to months. With the overwhelming popularity buying a cotton bridesmaid’s dress. “You can wear of destination weddings, many in tropical and it again and it won’t scream that you wore it in seaside locations, the need for lighter dressing a wedding party.” is paramount. In fact, diversion from yesterday’s flouncy and Blake estimates that out-of-town ceremonies unflattering frocks seems to be the defining trend in comprise one in three weddings for customers bridal dressing today. “All women want to look great of Thread; for these occasions, she sells her share in their dresses, so custom design is there to make of cotton eyelet. “We do a lot of short, white cotton everyone happy,” explains Christina Kara, owner of eyelet dresses with pink, blue and green trims; Blue, a boutique located in Manhattan’s emerging the color really comes through and gives it a Lower East Side. wonderful hue,” she says. “There’s something It seems customization has changed the face – very sweet, yet sexy, about eyelet and that’s why and the attitude – of bridal parties everywhere. bridesmaids really love it.” “Today’s bride feels obliged to please her sisters, And cheerful bridesmaids should make for a cousins and friends so she allows them to choose blissful bride. As designer Dalle Pezze concludes, “It the styles that are most flattering for them,” doesn’t make sense that anyone would want to go Kara continues. into that day unhappy about anything. After all, “Bridal parties are not about a uniform look who doesn’t want to see happy, smiling faces in their anymore,” confirms Blake from Thread. That wedding pictures?” accounts for today’s wedding parties that often wear one color but in a variety of silhouettes, or This story is one in a series of articles based on findings one style of dress but seen in a palette of colors. “It’s from Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™ hard to put everyone in the same exact dress and tracking research. Appearing Thursdays in these pages, expect each person to look good. Customization is each story will focus on a specific topic as it relates to the a great way for a bride to be considerate of her American women’s wear consumer and her attitudes bridesmaids,” Blake adds. and behavior regarding clothing, Such consideration likely comes from a strong appearance, fashion, fiber selection and dose of maturity and confidence from the many other timely, relevant subjects. The denim category continues to play host to a number of players and, as the game heats up, the consumer continues to come out on top. GENERAL 1 3 4 8 9 10 Joe Boxer, the high-profile label best known for its outrageous marketing and underwear, is close to being sold. Marshall Field’s is opening the first World of JLo shop in its Chicago flagship featuring fashion, handbags, watches and fragrances. Rose Marie Bravo, ceo of Burberry, bulked up her bank account by 8.2 million pounds, or $14.2 million, after cashing in stock options this week. DISH: A boutique grows in Brooklyn…Acid-wash jeans are the latest Eighties’ revival item…Diesel helps cultivate design talent. BEAT: Annette Breindel, owner of the Annett B. Showroom in New York, reflects about her 25 years helping designers get their start. ACTIVE: Combine the plethora of swimwear shows with the excess of South Beach, and it would be hard to tell swimwear has had a tough year. Classified Advertisements ..................................................................14-15 To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address is firstname.lastname@fairchildpub.com, using the individual’s name. WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. COPYRIGHT ©2005 FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 190, NO. 15. 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MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED OVERNIGHT-DELIVERY RETURN ENVELOPE, POSTAGE PREPAID. In Brief ● SARA LEE TO TAKE CHARGE: Sara Lee Corp. warned Wall Street Wednesday that it would take a pretax charge of $122 million in its fiscal fourth quarter relating to the streamlining of its business announced earlier this year. “We are making the tough choices necessary to improve operational efficiency, reduce our cost structure and move the company forward,” said Brenda C. Barnes, president and chief executive officer of Sara Lee, in a statement. The charge includes $113 million worth of severance payouts due to the termination of 1,956 employees from its branded apparel, beverage and household products units. About $9 million of the charge relates to exiting leases and other contracts. “All of these actions will result in cash expenditures and are expected to be completed in fiscal 2006,” the company said. “The after-tax impact of this charge is $81 million.” ● KELLWOOD HIRE: Melanie Reichler has been named senior vice president of sourcing for Kellwood Co.’s Sag Harbor brand. She succeeds Gary Jastrow, formerly senior vice president of manufacturing, who left the company. Reichler was vice president of manufacturing at Michael Kors. Before that, she was senior vice president of manufacturing at Tommy Hilfiger women’s. She also held executive posts with DKNY Jeans, Polo Jeans Co., Liz Claiborne and Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. Based in New York, Reichler reports to Paul Robb, chief executive officer of Sag Harbor. ● BURMA BAN: The Senate voted 97-1 Tuesday to extend a ban on all U.S. imports from Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, after House approval of the ban on June 21. President Bush signed a bill banning all imports — the bulk were garments — in July 2003 in response to a crackdown by the country’s military dictatorship on the democratically elected opposition. Deteriorating human rights conditions had prompted U.S. retailers and apparel importers to voluntarily halt business with Myanmar, where the military invested in garment production. ● QUIKSILVER VOLLEY: Quiksilver Inc. has signed a deal with the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour to sponsor the AVP’s first youth initiative. Quiksilver will sponsor 20 youth events around the U.S., including clinics, camps and tournaments, and will also have co-branded products on site at each event. WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 3 WWD.COM COCKED AND LOADED: It looks like Hearst will win the race to bring a British-style weekly men’s magazine to the U.S. At a focus group this week in New York, participants were shown two different prototypes for a new title called Bullet. According to a source who saw one of the prototypes, the editorial content consisted of photos of scantily clad women, real-life action stories, sports news and TV listings. It did not, however, feature any nudity — a staple of Nuts and Zoo, the successful men’s weeklies started last year in the U.K. “It was very Maxim looking,” said the source — hardly surprising, given that the project is being headed up by Keith Blanchard, Maxim’s former editor in chief. Collaborating with him on it is Todd Detweiler, another Maxim veteran who most recently worked in Rolling Stone’s art department. The focus group members were asked how willing they would be to buy Bullet at two different price points, $1.99 and $2.99. Another former Maxim editor in chief, Mark Golin, is said to be working on a weekly men’s title at Time Inc. (which publishes Nuts through its U.K. subsidiary, IPC). According to two sources familiar with that project, it is nowhere near a launch, but another start-up Golin is overseeing — a Web site that would be aimed at the same audience of young men — is close to getting the green light. — Jeff Bercovici The World of JLo To Bow at Field’s MEMO PAD By Beth Wilson Roman Polanski THE SEDUCTION CHRONICLES: On Wednesday in London, Lewis Lapham, editor of Harper’s, took the stand as a witness for the defense in Roman Polanski’s libel action against Vanity Fair. The case, which started on Monday and is set to last five to seven days, is the first in the U.K. where a claimant is taking part in a libel trial by video link from outside the country. Lapham had originally told VF in a 2002 article about New York restaurant Elaine’s that Polanski had made certain sexual overtures to a Norwegian model a few weeks after his wife Sharon Tate’s murder in 1969. On Wednesday in London’s High Court, Lapham replayed the night in question, saying Polanski walked into Elaine’s, sat down at his table, and started talking to model Beatte Telle. “He began to talk to her in a forward way,” Lapham told the jury. “At one point he had his hand on her leg and said to her: ‘I can put you in the movies, I can make you the next Sharon Tate.’” Lapham said he remembered the words because they were “tasteless and vulgar.” Polanski testified from Paris earlier this week refuting the story, and on Tuesday, Mia Farrow corroborated his version of the events. While Polanski has refused to appear in court for fear of arrest and extradition to the U.S., he and his lawyers made a wise choice of country in which to sue. The U.K. libel laws are far more stringent than those in the U.S., and favor the plaintiff rather than the defendant. — Samantha Conti Standard & Poor’s Ups Saks Debt Rating NEW YORK — Standard & Poor’s on Wednesday raised its debt rating on Saks Inc., which is under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors, citing a tender offer that cut debt by $585 million. The ratings remain on review and could be affected by future developments, including the expected sale of the retailer’s northern group of department stores. Belk Inc. bought the southern group — Proffitt’s and McRae’s — for $622 million and assumed $1 million in capitalized leases and other liabilities. S&P raised Saks’ corporate credit and senior unsecured debt ratings to “B+,” the fourth-highest junk rating, from “CCC+.” A majority of creditors holding Saks Inc. debt agreed this month to a waiver of default and amendments related to the retailer’s tender offers and consent solicitations announced in June. Saks Inc. is under investigation for its chargebacks policy and is working to restate earnings. The company has until Oct. 31 to file its annual report. In a separate development, Saks said it will expand its 47,000-square-foot store in the Waterside Shops in Naples, Fla., by 20,000 square feet. The expansion, expected to be done by fall 2007, is part of a strategy of “focusing our resources on our more productive units,” Saks said in a statement. It could also be a response to Nordstrom Inc., which has signed a letter of intent to open a twolevel, 80,000-square-foot store in the same center. Nordstrom may open there in fall 2007 or spring 2008. Nordstrom is also opening at the Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens in March, and at Aventura Mall in north Miami in fall 2007. — David Moin FULLER PHOTO BY JAMIE MCCARTHY/WIREIMAGE; POLANSKI BY JEAN BAPTISTE LACROIX/WIREIMAGE OVERSHARING: Bonnie Fuller is not much for long-form Bonnie journalism, but long book titles are apparently another story. Fuller As of this week, her long-awaited memoir-slash-self-help volume not only has a publication date — April 11, 2006 — but a new title: “The Joys of Much Too Much: Go For the Big Life — The Great Career, The Perfect Guy and Everything Else You Ever Wanted (Even If You’re Afraid You Don’t Have What It Takes).” Including the part in parenthesis, which will appear on the cover but won’t be part of the book’s official title, that comes out to 33 words — three longer than its original working title, “From Geek to Oh My Goddess: How to Get the Big Career and the Big Love Life and the Big Family — Even If You Have a Big Loser Complex Inside.” Fuller started work on the book, which will be published by Simon & Schuster’s Fireside imprint, shortly after leaving Glamour in 2001. Since then, she has changed jobs twice, becoming editor in chief of Us Weekly, then editorial director of American Media. “I draw from my own experiences, and I talk about the experiences of some other women I know, too,” said Fuller of the manuscript. Two words that won’t appear on the cover are Pat Mulcahey — the name of the book’s ghostwriter. According to a Simon & Schuster source, a draft that Fuller and Mulcahey turned in last year was edited “from top to bottom.” A spokeswoman for the publisher declined to comment on the editing process, saying, “The book that we’ve got now is the book we’ve always wanted.” — J.B. CHICAGO — After opening its first boutique in Moscow last year, JLo by Jennifer Lopez is going domestic, launching its store-within-a-store lifestyle concept at Marshall Field’s flagship State Street location here in the fall. “This is the first shop we’re going to have in the States that has all our categories in one place,” said Andy Hilfiger, president and co-founder of Sweetface Fashions, the masterbrand company for JLo. “It will be the world of JLo.” Modeled after the 2,850square-foot Moscow store, the 500- to 600-square-foot State Street space will boast everything JLo — sportswear, Jennifer jewelr y, handbags, fraLopez grances, lingerie and sunglasses. Lopez herself is set to christen the boutique during a public appearance and fashion show highlighting both JLo and Sweetface, her higher-priced line. The event on Sept. 22 is to benefit Chicago’s Children’s Memorial Hospital. “This [store-within-a-store concept] is a great way to showcase the product in one area,” said Hilfiger, noting he hopes to open similar locations elsewhere. The JLo shop will be housed in Marshall Field’s young contemporary area. “This will be the beginning of a full rollout,” Hilfiger said. Although the company does not have immediate plans to open other in-store shops, Hilfiger said New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Miami are all on his “wish list.” The JLo name has been aggressively licensed the past several years, amassing about a dozen categories, including successful JLo outerwear, lingerie, fragrances and costume jewelry. In a deal with Lancaster, Lopez has launched four fragrances, namely Glow, Still, Miami Glow and Live Jennifer Lopez, which will hit stores in October. Lopez, in fact, racked up first-year global sales of $100 million with her maiden fragrance, Glow. During the past year, Lopez has expanded her involvement in the design and business operations of her company, which began in 2001. In February, she launched Sweetface, her better contemporary collection, on the New York runways with much hoopla. Her inaugural holiday collection was filled with cashmere sweaters, houndstooth slacks, baby-doll tops, velvet jackets, fox furs and crystal-speckled fedoras. “JLo was a great way to start, to get ourselves in there with a younger customer,” Lopez said in January. “We’ve been successful. We have all our licenses in place. Now we’re ready to move on to that next level. It’s just about making a smaller line, with better quality and better fabrics.” Opening the first concept store at Marshall Field’s has been under discussion for the past six months, Hilfiger said. “I’ve always loved the [Field’s flagship] store. When we had the chance to partner up with Marshall Field’s, I was all over it. It’s a real iconic store.” For Field’s, launching JLo’s new U.S. presence is a coup. “Obviously, we’re ecstatic,” said Natalie Bushaw, Marshall Field’s publicity manager, who said the shop would be called the World of JLo. “We’re thrilled to be the first retailer in the United States to have the World of JLo shop and we’re eager for our guests to be able to experience it.” Ralph Hughes, Field’s regional director, was out of the country and unavailable for comment. Like the Moscow boutique located in the luxe Crocus City Mall (Russia’s answer to the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops in Florida), the Chicago location was designed by Robin Kramer of The Kramer Group, featuring dusky pink quilted suede walls, white patent leather ottomans, golden mirrors, stainless steel detailing and painted pink surfaces. “It’s very reflective of Jennifer and her tastes,” Hilfiger said. Price points range from $39 for a knit top to $300 for a leather jacket. Denim, which makes up 25 percent of the merchandise at Field’s, ranges from $69 to $125, Hilfiger said. Sweetface will be carried by Field’s in the designer area, beginning in holiday. State Street’s inventory is to be similar to the Moscow location, with some exclusive products. “We’re excited,” Hilfiger said, noting that the Moscow store continues to post strong numbers. He did not disclose them. Chip Rosen, vice president, global licensing and marketing for Sweetface, estimated sales at the Moscow boutique at about $1,000 per square foot. 4 WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 WWD.COM Bravo Cashes $14.2M Roberto Cavalli in Fine Spirits In Burberry Options By Marc Karimzadeh LONDON — Rose Marie Bravo, chief executive officer of Burberry, bulked up her bank account by 8.2 million pounds, or $14.2 million, after cashing in stock options this week, the company said. Bravo, who is paid in dollars, received the options as part of a bonus plan when the company was listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2002, a Burberr y spokeswoman said. She still holds 2.5 million Burberry shares, worth almost 11 million pounds, or $19 million. All figures have been converted from the pound at current exchange. Burberry said in a statement that Bravo had chosen to take advantage of a new coinvestment plan for senior management and company directors that is partly intended as an incentive to keep executives. Bravo agreed to invest $1.3 million, her bonus last year, buying shares in the co-investment plan. The company will match that investment up to 1.6 times the initial sum. For example, for every 100 shares an investor would receive 160. The plan does not vest for another three years, which means that Bravo would have to remain at Burberry for at least that period to get the full benefit. That might dampen speculation that Bravo would leave Burberry and return to the U.S. — possibly as a successor to Paul Charron, chairman and ceo of Liz Claiborne Inc., whose contract expires on Dec. 31, 2006. Bravo has renewed her contract until June 2006, after which she will be on a 12-month contract. Bravo has increased Burberry’s market share tenfold since arriving eight years ago. She was paid almost $15 million in stock options, salary, bonus, benefits and Rose Marie Bravo allowances in the fiscal year ended March 31, according to the company’s 2004-2005 annual report issued last month, and cashed in stock options worth a total of $11 million in the last fiscal year. Burberry, which reported a 9.6 percent sales boost to 113.7 million pounds, or $200.1 million in the first quarter ended June 30, will open its first store in Turkey at the end of August. The store, which spans 7,344 square feet over two floors, will be located on Istanbul’s Bagdat Street, and will sell the Prorsum and London collections as well as the full range of Burberry accessories. “The Turkish market represents an exciting development potential for Burberry,” Bravo said in a statement. “This prime retail location in one of the city’s most distinguished shopping areas gives us an exciting opportunity to showcase our comprehensive product portfolio to the region's sophisticated customer base.” Ruiz de la Prada Brings Bold Palette to U.S. NEW YORK — Don’t tell Agatha Ruiz de la Prada that black Ruiz de is back. la Prada The Spanish designer, who in the fall plans to open a brings a 2,000-square-foot store at 135 Wooster Street in SoHo here, touch of has never met a color she didn’t like. The boutique will be humor to the first in the U.S. for Ruiz de la Prada, who puts her bold, her colorful stamp on products from women’s and children’s designs. clothing to dog beds to toothbrushes. Already well known in Europe where she operates stores in Madrid, Paris, Milan, The Hague and Barcelona, Ruiz de la Prada said she is exploring opportunities in China. “The New York store has very big and important implications,” Ruiz de la Prada said in a telephone interview from her vacation home in Majorca. “It’s more important for me than Paris. I opened in Paris first because it’s easier to go to New York if you’re already recognized in Europe.” Ruiz de la Prada may become a more familiar name in the U.S. sooner rather than later. The designer has a deal with Target to sell her Agua perfume in 1,400 of its stores and indicated that she might sell other products to the mass merchant. Ruiz de la Prada said she has worked with some 50 companies. For Swatch, she designed timepieces presented at the Atlanta Olympic games in 1996. El Corte Ingles, the Spanish department store chain, commissioned a collection of her clothing, jewelry and housewares. The designer is also active in the Spanish art scene, exhibiting at Madrid’s museums and galleries. When she opened her store in The Agua Agatha fragrance Madrid in 1993, the designer initiated cultural to be sold at Target. discussions with intellectuals, artists and writers, dubbing the events “Famous Thursdays.’’ She is continuously adding products and exploring new categories. “I want to do everything,” Ruiz de la Prada said. “People ask, ‘Do you want to do a restaurant, a hotel?’ My problem is I can’t say no. Now that I am beginning to get a little older I’m trying to improve the quality of my merchandise. I’m trying to do fewer things better instead of a lot of things.” — Sharon Edelson Fashion Scoops SLIMANE SONG: Hedi Slimane has been known to seek inspiration from the rock scene. Now, Boston-based indie rock group Keys to the Streets of Fear is returning the tribute with a song dedicated to the Dior Homme designer. “Hedi Slimane” is to be released as a 7-inch vinyl record on Aug. 5. The song features lyrics such as “I want pants like Hedi Slimane” and “I want jeans like Hedi Slimane” followed by the Keys to the Streets of Fear’s chorus “I want to ---- like Hedi Slimane.” Hedi Slimane record cover. If that’s too risqué for U.S. radio stations, there’s always the French version, also on the record. “One of the main reasons we did the song in French and English is so that it could get played on the radio here, since no American DJ will figure out the French words,” said lead singer Pasquale Timore (wishful thinking). Beyond entertainment, the group has fashion ambitions. To celebrate the song’s release, it has approached costume designer Robin Chalfin to rework 10 Antwerp Six outfits purchased at discount stores such as Century 21. Chalfin took apart the pieces and put them back together, adding materials like leather and silk. They will be exhibited at Stel’s boutique in Boston next month. “Hedi Slimane is rock ’n’ roll,” Timore said. “He and Raf Simons are these little obsessions of ours. Our drummer is a former haberdasher and we are really into tailoring.” CAVALLI PHOTOS BY JOHN AQUINO By Samantha Conti NEW YORK — Roberto Cavalli’s work ethic has slightly changed since his early design days in the Seventies. “I used to always design with very loud music and a bottle of whiskey,” Cavalli recalled over a sole meunière and a glass of red wine at La Goulue on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. “Now, alcohol isn’t a part of it anymore. But I sometimes like to sit at my computer at night with a cigar and a vodka.” Daytime boozing may no longer be part of the creative process, but Cavalli still manages to have a lot of fun with fashion. Last month, the Florentine designer inked a deal with Playboy Enterprises to reCavalli in his Madison design the legendary bunny costume. Avenue boutique. He is in New York this week to present his newest venture, Roberto Cavalli Vodka. At $60 per 750-ml. bottle, the product is positioned at the ultrapremium end of the vodka price range. Cavalli hopes to make it a main attraction in bars and nightclubs in the U.S. this fall. The idea to venture into the spirits business came to him by chance after showing his wife, Eva, an empty prototype of his namesake perfume bottle. “She said, ‘It’s fantastic, what’s in it, vodka?’ and I thought, I like that idea,” Cavalli said. “All the best ideas always come by accident.” After meeting a distiller from Italy’s Piedmont region, he decided to give the wines and spirits business a try, and began developing the vodka and designing its bottle. The vodka uses fine Italian grains from the valleys on the Po River and pure water from the peak of the Monte Rosa. Before being bottled, it is filtered through crushed Italian marble, which helps reduce its acidity. Roberto “It’s so pure, so smooth and without that alcohol Cavalli smell,” Cavalli said. Vodka He drew inspiration from his perfume for the vodka bottle. It is sandblasted with a snake coiling around its frosted glass body. “I designed a beautiful bottle, one that a fancy nightclub would understand,” Cavalli said. “Today, people want new things. If you order a Cavalli vodka in a club, you will want to take the bottle home.” The snake has particular significance in Cavalli’s life: The designer staged his comeback in 1994 with a pair of sandwashed jeans with a snakeskin print. He is as well known for his love of wild animals as he is for his bon vivant ways. Recently, he brought a baby tiger home, but didn’t keep it for long. “My wife said I couldn’t,” he said, demurely. The vodka will be launched with a party in Miami in September and will initially be rolled out to the Florida, New York and California markets. It will be distributed in the U.S. by Miami-based Southern Wines & Spirits. Jorge Gutierrez, president of Bay Harbor Islands, Fla.-based Italian Spirit, which imports the vodka, couldn’t give sales projections, but said vodka is a fast-growing beverage classification, particularly at the top end. “There is a trending-up phenomenon in the spirits industry, with customers willing to pay more for quality vodka,” Gutierrez said, adding that, in 2004, 38.7 million 9-l. cases were sold, and 10.4 million were imported. Cavalli hopes to create limited-edition bottles, some of which could be wrapped in colorful printed Cavalli silk scarves. His son, Tommaso, is helping him develop Cavalli-branded red wine in Tuscany. His biggest ambition, however, involves an American icon. “I would like to redesign Coca-Cola,” Cavalli said. “It’s so old-fashioned, and I have so many ideas.” “Too much of a good thing is even better.” Mae West We’ve added a lot more. With a full spectrum of women’s fashions and accessories, WWDMAGIC is the most comprehensive buying trip you will make all season. More focused environments. More exclusive resources. More exhibitors. No other event brings the business of women’s fashion together like this one. From Better to Contemporary to Juniors, MAGIC has more of what you desire to set your store apart. Get More. August 29 – September 1, 2005 Las Vegas, Nevada USA REGISTRATION INFORMATION : 218.723.9792 EXHIBIT INFORMATION : 818.593.5000 Mae West is not associated with, and does not endorse or support, the MAGIC event. 6 WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 Slouchy Tommy Hilfiger’s cotton and spandex jeans; Diesel’s rayon polo. Stuart Weitzman shoes. Slim Shagg’s cotton and Lycra denim jeans and Tencel and cotton T. Shorter Joe’s Jeans’ cotton denim shorts; Shelly Steffee’s cotton and rayon tank. Beth Frank watch; DKNY hosiery. Shape Shi Distressed Cotton and spandex capris from A.B.S. by Allen Schwartz; Shagg’s cotton T. Clean Mavi’s cotton and spandex capris; Pink Dice’s cotton and rayon tank. Kate O’Connor scarf. Maxi Levi’s embroidered and embellished cotton denim skirt; Pink Dice’s cotton tank. WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 7 WWD.COM NEW YORK — The denim category continues to play host to a number of players and, as the game heats up, the consumer continues to come out on top. This fall is no exception. As more brands enter the category, the variety of silhouettes swells. Long, voluminous skirts simultaneously hang with tight, stretch minis; slouchy boyfriendstyle jeans hang next to sleek cigarette styles, and ragged distressed jeans share shelf space with tailored, trouser-style jeans. “There are so many players in the denim arena right now that they can’t all come up with the same product,” said Terence Bogan, vice president of women’s apparel at Barneys Coop. “There is such a wide range of consumers — tall, short, skinny, larger-sized — that you don’t want to alienate a particular size. You have to accommodate a wide range of ages and body types.” Consumers at Henri Bendel can expect a heavily edited selection of denim. “There is an abundance of trends, but we do not buy into all of them,” said Scott Tepper, fashion director and divisional merchandise manager for accessories, apparel and lingerie. “Some of the newer lines aren’t offering something new in the way of trends; they’re just going after trends that already exist. In the premium denim market, that doesn’t work,” he said. For fall, Henri Bendel is focusing on cleaner styles and darker washes. “The destroyed washes are less important to us,” he said. At Bloomingdale’s, Kal Ruttenstein, senior vice president of ifters fashion direction, said he trusts the consumer to lead him through the fall season. “It’s definitely our job to edit it down, but the customer will tell us which direction she’s going in, and our reorders will round out the selection,” he said. “Denim is a 12month commodity. We’ve been testing styles to see if they’ll sell, but we don’t have a clear feeling as to the major trends for fall, so we’ll offer a variety.” Smaller boutiques are taking the same approach and stocking their stores with a varied, but well-edited array of denim. At Atrium, a contemporary boutique here, women’s wear buyer Christine Lee has the task of buying for edgy, downtown girls and more conservative Upper East Side mothers. “We have to merchandise our floor so that every customer sees everything,” she said. “Denim is such a staple now that it’s infiltrated every aspect of the fashion business. It addresses, and touches upon, all parts of the women’s wear market. People are buying all looks at every price level.” At Atrium, Lee tends to offer the best looks in each trend. “I think the only way for any denim company to survive in this realm is to do one thing and to do it really well,” she said. “You have to have a point of view and catch attention to even get your foot in the door.” The ante, it seems, has been upped. “These days, a good fit, fabric and wash are almost a given,” she said. — Lauren DeCarlo Mini Thorn’s cotton denim skirt; Pink Dice’s cotton and rayon thermal T. Longer Guess Premium’s cotton and spandex Bermuda shorts; DDC Lab’s handpainted cotton T. Stuart Weitzman boots. Wide Epoch’s cotton and spandex jeans; Diesel’s cotton tank. Goorin Bros. cap; Saya Hibino earrings. PHOTOS BY GEORGE CHINSEE; MODEL: AMANDA ERICSSON/Q; HAIR BY RIAD AZAR/L’OREAL PROFESSIONAL/FRANK ARENDS; MAKEUP BY DAVID TIBOLLA/JUMP; STYLED BY KIM FRIDAY Skinny Arch Indigo’s cotton and Lycra spandex jeans; Shelly Steffee’s cotton top. Stuart Weitzman boots. 8 WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 WWW.WWD.COM Denim Dish Diesel Shepherds New Designers — Lauren DeCarlo — Luisa Zargani PHOTO BY DAVID TURNER Acid-wash jeans have joined legwarmers and offthe-shoulder sweatshirts as the latest revival from the Eighties. Red Engine, a Los Angeles-based denim company, has introduced the 80s Wash, an updated take on the acid-wash style popular 20 years ago. During the Eighties, Jim Boldes, founder and president of Red Engine, was head of production at Guess Jeans. “When I was at Guess, I was making millions of [acid-wash jeans],” he said. “So, I went to my library and started playing around with that look.” The technique Boldes uses in the updated version is treated with stones to achieve a variegated, watercolor effect. The wash also incorporates finishing techniques such as hand-sanding, tacking and grinding by hand. The 80s Wash, wholesaling for $75, has been introduced as a fashion item and will appear only in one style, the “115,” Red Engine’s best-selling fit. It is a basic five-pocket stretch style and is sold in stores such as Kitson and Fred Segal in Los Angeles. Boldes knows the acid-wash look isn’t for everyone, but he’s having fun with his experiment. “We’ll run with it and see what happens,” he said. “If it sells, we’ll do more. But it’s just a fun thing to put out there.” Even after a near-sleepless night partying with friends and an early morning helicopter flight to Trieste, Diesel owner Renzo Rosso seemed to be loving it all — catching up with the young designers at the Hotel Riviera on the city’s coast line, the thrill of searching for new talent and the knowledge of actively shaping their futures. “Supporting new designers is part of our DNA,” Rosso said. “We now list 55 designers working at Diesel and we grow thanks to their pure, new and always-fresh creativity.” It is this quest for creativity that spurred Rosso to endorse the International Talent Support program four years ago. Every year, the ITS Diesel Award grants $3,000, or 2,500 euros at current exchange rates, and produces five pieces labeled with the name of the winner, which are sold at main Diesel stores around the world. “We are not looking for experienced designers,” Rosso said. “We believe in grooming [creativity], and when you discover new talents, they are faithful and loyal to you.” Antonio Marras, Antonio Berardi, Wilbert Barbara Franchin, director and project suDas and Renzo Rosso seated in front. pervisor of EVE agency, which organizes ITS, said designers this year sent projects revolving around death and its symbols, such as skeletons, closed mouths, covered heads, red stitching or, entirely on the other end of the spectrum, flowers and butterflies, as well as “a downpour of denim, which works well in so many different ways, is not too costly and can be produced anywhere,” she said. Franchin said that she was proud of the relationship built with the fashion houses and that a number of previous contestants were working for Dolce & Gabbana, Yohji Yamamoto, Versace and Moschino, among others. Organizers said the number of applicant designers this year grew to 700, from 70 countries and 174 schools around the world, compared with 460 in 2002. While ITS introduced a photography award sponsored by MINI International this year, Rosso said he was planning on adding awards for the interior design and accessories categories, including jewels, next year. ITS Four was held July 14-17 and, on the last evening, the 21 finalists staged a runway show presenting a selection of their collections. The winners were announced after the event: Marcus Lereng Wilmont of Denmark, who studied at the English Royal College of Art and School of Fashion & Textiles, won the Collection of the Year Award and $24,000, or 20,000 euros. His men in skirts blended European tailoring with Eastern tradition. Fine wools, leather and silks contrasted with exotic materials such as horse hair, metallic embroidery threads, embossed heraldry and antique buttons. Israeli Eli Effenberger took the Special Jury prize grant of $6,000, or 5,000 euros, and the Maria Luisa Award — a dedicated window at the Paris Maria Luisa boutique — with her striking illustrations and oversized kimonos made from Victorian tailcoat suits. The Diesel Award went to the German Christoph Froehlich and his deconstructed men’s wear pieces. I-D Styling Award, Ingeo Sustainability Award, WGSN Best Portfolio and Le Book Award were the other prizes granted by ITS. “It was a great and comprehensive collection, ready to be shipped to stores,” said A look from Marcus Franco Pene, chairman of Gibò, who was one of 18 jurors, along with designers Antonio Lereng Wilmont, ITS Four Berardi and Antonio Marras, Diesel creative director Wilbert Das, John Galliano studio head Elisa Palomino and Maria Luisa Poumaillou, owner of Maria Luisa boutique. Collection of the Year Berardi said this contest was “much needed” at a time when “older designers don’t Award winner. leave space” and Milan looks old. “Miuccia Prada is the only one that always pushes the boundaries and doesn’t play safe,” said the designer, who has decided to start showing in Paris in the fall. “There is an amazing level of design, with students [overturning] preconceptions related to their birth place. You would never guess in a million years the nationality of the Indian designer [Neelanjan Ghosh] by looking at his collection, as there’s none of the expected ethnic traits or embroideries.” PHOTOS BY GIOVANNI GIANNONI Red Engine’s 80s Wash jeans. Acid Wash Redux Velda Colthurst knows firsthand that Brooklyn women don’t enjoy trudging into Manhattan to shop at department stores. Colthurst, herself a Brooklynite, also knows that finding jeans that fit is a chore. She is providing a remedy with Clothier Bklyn, a denim boutique in the borough’s Park Slope neighborhood that had a grand opening on Tuesday. “Women in Brooklyn don’t usually want to leave, so I figured, why not bring it to them?” said Colthurst, who spent six years as a client associate for cosmetics firm Aveda and also worked as a personal shopper. Most of the 1,500-square-foot store is devoted to premium denim brands, including Chip & Pepper, Joe’s Jeans, Land Lubber, Frankie B., Seven For All Mankind, True Religion and Yanuk. The store carries eight brands, with more on the way for the fall. Colthurst said she anticipates getting to a point where the store carries 15 brands on average at price points of as much as $200. The store also offers a limited selection of accessories, designer T-shirts and dresses. Colthurst said when picking new lines, she is after the latest brands and the best fits. She must also cater to a customer who doesn’t fit into just one demographic. “I think it is different from the Manhattan crowd because there are so many different cultures in Brooklyn,” Colthurst said. “I tried to cater to everyone.” She said this means making sure the shelves are stocked with more than the latest low-rise cut. The opening festivities were three years in the making, because “I wanted to take my time and do it right,” Colthurst said. One of the biggest decisions was where to locate. Colthurst narrowed the potential sites to the hipster haven of Williamsburg and the still hip but less punky Park Slope, then conducted her own field observations. “I sat in a diner in Williamsburg for about a month and did the same in Park Slope,” she recalled. “More people dined in Williamsburg than they shopped. In Park Slope, they did more shopping.” Park Slope has become a home for contemporary boutiques. Clothiers Bklyn is sit- PHOTOS BY JASMIN CURTH A Boutique Grows in Brooklyn Clothier’s denim display, here, and store owner Velda Colthurst, insert. uated in the midst of a neighborhood of more than 35,000 people with a median age of 33.8, according to the Web site Usazip.info. The majority of residents are 20 to 45 years old. In 1999, the median household income hovered at just less than $50,000. This doesn’t include the equally trendy Carroll Gardens area next door and the affluent Brooklyn Heights neighborhood a short subway ride away. Colthurst decided to cater to women only. “Men usually shop once and in bulk,” she said. “Women pick up pieces over time, which is what we’re looking for.” — Ross Tucker WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 9 WWD.COM The Beat Annett B. Calls It a Day NEW YORK — Annette Breindel, owner of the Annett B. Showroom, has had one essential rule for 25 years. “I won’t talk to you unless you bring me your clothes,” said Breindel matter-of-factly. That was her response to designers seeking representation in 1980, and it was the same response she gave designers in 2005. “I just won’t look at their book. I need to see the clothes in person.” Breindel closed her showroom on June 30 after 25 years in the business. During her career, she cultivated contemporary labels such as Anna Sui, Jill Stuart, Rebecca Taylor and Nanette Lepore, among many others. She said the end of her career is bittersweet. “It’s an obsessive business, an addictive business,” she said sipping coffee at the lone table in her showroom here at 214 West 39th Street, days before she locked the doors for good. She named the showroom Annett B., sans the “e” on her first name, simply because “it made for a better business card,” she said. The seventh floor space was barren. Wall racks were vacant and stacked boxes were packed for the movers who would cart them to Breindel’s TriBeCa apartment. As Breindel recalled the events of more than two decades, she laughed at certain memories and shed tears for others. She spoke candidly about her relationships with designers and about the industry. Breindel grew up in the North Bronx. During summer vacations from high school, which she attended with the late Oscar-winning actress Anne Brancroft, she was a waitress at local restaurants and would Annette Breindel in save $1,000 each summer and head to Fifth Avenue her TriBeCa home. boutiques to stock her closet for fall. She splurged on plaid coats with fur collars, long velvet dresses and cashmere suits. “I could name every designer in Loehmann’s,” she said, proudly. “I got my entire education there.” Briendel said every weekend girls from the neighborhood would borrow her clothes for dates and every Sunday morning they would return them and gossip about their boyfriends. From there, her love of fashion was sparked. She married immediately after high school and later spent two and a half years in the West Indies with her husband and four children. But when the marriage ended, Breindel moved with the children to TriBeCa. In 1971 she joined the feminist group The Radical Feminist, and in 1980 began merchandising for designer BJ Berti. “She’s the one who really got me into this business,” Breindel said. “I learned how to be an effective merchandiser and how to improve her design.” At that point, she officially opened the Annett B. Showroom. “I really had a conviction that I wanted to have people bring designers to me,” she said of her strategy. “I would never approach another designer in another showroom. That seemed unethical to me.” In 1988, a new designer, Anna Sui, contacted her. “Anna called and said, ‘My rep thinks I should talk to you,’ so she came in and just brought her book,” Breindel said, at this point reiterating her rule. “After I saw her clothes, I flipped out. She was extraordinarily talented,” Breindel said, but added that Sui’s sales were struggling so they tried to figure out why. “There were complaints about the fit,” Breindel said. “It simply wasn’t good enough.” After some adjustments, Sui designed a group of vests, blouses and fitted pants. “That was probably the best group she’s ever done,” Breindel said. “She sold more than she’d ever sold. That started her on a roll. She really trusted my input.” Sui was with Breindel for 10 years or, more importantly, until Breindel signed a new client, Jill Stuart. “Anna always said she wasn’t going to leave, that she had no intention of having her own showroom,” Breindel said. “But when Jill came, Jill’s line took off like a bat out of hell. She has an uptown sensibility, and she’s a quick learner. Her line started getting hot very fast,” Breindel recalled. “Things got intense. Anna is an extremely loyal person, and one of the most honorable people I’ve ever met.” When the competition between Sui and Stuart heated up, Breindel said Sui didn’t think there was room for both of them at the showroom. Sui, Breindel said, felt protective of her designs and feared being copied. “Anna really believes she invented the kilt. The kilt has been around for thousands of years!” Breindel said. Breindel was forced to choose between them. “If I could never launch anyone else what would happen to my career?” Breindel said she asked herself at the time. She debated at length whether to stick with Sui and have “just one famous designer,” as she put it, or if she should do what she really believed was in her best interest. “I actually went to a career counselor at the time,” Breindel said. She decided to keep Stuart, resulting in Sui’s departure. “She would never speak to me again,” Breindel said, her eyes reflecting the emotion of the memory. “I cared about Anna and appreciated her talent, ethics and loyalty.” Sui was unavailable for comment. Stuart remained at the Annett B. Showroom for the next three years. “It’s always a tremendous letdown [when designers leave the showroom], but an expected one,” Breindel said. “It definitely comes as a blow, even though it’s expected, because you become dependent on the income.” The more well-known designers she represented gave her the financial freedom PHOTO BY TALAYA CENTENO By Lauren DeCarlo It’s always a tremendous letdown [when designers leave the “showroom], but an expected one. It definitely comes as a blow, even though it’s expected, because you become dependent on the income. ” — Annette Breindel, Annett B. Showroom to take on start-up designers. “It’s like an art gallery in that way,’’ she said. “You can invest in the smaller companies that weren’t doing as well while the main income subsidized them.” Even when successful companies left the showroom, Breindel never sought to retain a piece of the action. “If other designers in the company were aware of that, I thought they would feel like I had my own interest at heart before theirs,” she said. Nanette Lepore sought out Breindel after her collection had been out for a few years but wasn’t very profitable. “I loved what I saw, but I said, ‘Pajamas for $650?’ ” Breindel said. “She needed to bring her prices way down to the contemporary level. Nanette would probably remember me as changing every button [on her designs],” Breindel said, laughing. Lepore said she had to beg Breindel to carry her line. “She would really make the line go,” Lepore said. “She had really great lines in there, and we were very happy to be a part of the mix. Buyers respected her. If she had the line, buyers would go for it.” Lepore said her company was in debt before joining the showroom. “Within two years, she turned it around. She knew how to merchandise. She could tell who had talent and who didn’t. She didn’t take you unless she thought you had the potential.” Rebecca Taylor was another designer who honed her skills with Breindel. “She was practical, smart, motivated — I instantly took her,” Breindel said. Her best years were probably between 1988 and 1998, Breindel said, when she boasted brands such as Anna Sui, Jill Stuart, Nanette Lepore and Chaiken & Capone. Even in 1987, during the recession, Breindel said she was doing well. Her biggest mistake? “Denim,” she said. “Even if there were 20 jeans lines out there, you can always have 21. I didn’t see that, and it was a mistake,” she said, adding that she was amazed at the influx of denim brands in today’s contemporary market. “It surprises me that there are so many denim lines doing the same thing. I think denim has ruined the contemporary market. People have put so much of their budget into jeans and tops that designers are really discouraged to do much else,” she said. Breindel also noted that through the years, she’s witnessed the shift in the contemporary market, geographically. “There used to be many more key players in New York, and L.A. was thought of as sweat clothes and junk, but now, California is extremely key,” she said. In recent years, the showroom housed contemporary labels such as A. Cheng, Saja, Doma and Leah Kes. Before she closed shop, Breindel arranged for the industry’s top showrooms to view her lines so they might ultimately represent them, but at press time wasn’t certain if any deals materialized. Weeks later in Breindel’s TriBeCa high-rise apartment overlooking Lower Manhattan and the Hudson River, she discussed plans for the future. “Maybe I’d do some consulting — if people approached me,” she said. She is also considering teaching or writing. “Everyone is encouraging me to teach,” she said. Contemplating the future of the contemporary market, Breindel said, “Anna [Sui] is here to stay. She’ll go down in fashion history. Nanette Lepore knows what you have to do to make money and Rebecca Taylor is enormously creative and smart.” After a pause, she added a final bit of wisdom: “You have a shelf life of about two seconds in this business if you’re not famous.” 10 WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 WWD.COM Active LifestyleX Swim Fights Slump With Fashion By Georgia Lee MIAMI BEACH — Combine the sheer volume of almost round-the-clock swimwear shows and parties with the usual excess of the South Beach scene, and it’s hard to tell that the swim category has had a tough year. “The city screamed swimwear,” said Judy Stein, executive director of SwimShow 2006, sponsored by the Swimwear Association of Florida, which moved to the Miami Beach Convention Center for the first time this year after outgrowing its former venue at the Radisson International Mart Centre. The new venue added space, and exhibitors grew to 350 from 300, with a 15 percent gain in buyers compared with last year, Stein said. The show ran July 16-20. Adding to the buzz, IMG, producers of New York’s 7th on Sixth shows, imported the concept to Miami with the Sunglass Hut Swim Shows Miami presented by Lycra. It featured 12 individual fashion swimwear shows from lines such as Speedo, Becca, Inca, Sais by Rosa Chá, Cosabella, Red Carter, Carmen Marc Valvo and Gideon Oberson, and a multiline event sponsored by Lycra. The shows drew 1,000 people a day, including media Carmen Marc Valvo such as Sports Illustrated, Marie Claire and WE network’s “Full Frontal Fashion.” With the pulsing music and lighting, the shows attracted a handful of celebrities, including Damon Dash, owner of Rocawear, and producer Pharrell Williams, who were both at the Inca show Saturday night. For Inca, the event, plus the trade show, was a $100,000 investment, said Gideon Oberson Stacy Deutsch, Inca’s co-owner along with designer Stephanie Hirsch. “We decided, if we did it, we were going to do it right,” Deutsch said. For Cosabella, the 25-year-old lingerie company that launched a swimwear collection last year, the fashion show represented a commitment to grow swimwear, especially for the U.S. market, after a strong first-year reception in Italy, according to Ugo Campello, vice president. Nonetheless, some retailers, while acknowledging the excitement of the tent shows, questioned how the buzz would translate into sales. “The party line is that it’s good for the industry, but it’s overkill,” said Coni Sutter, owner of The Beach House of Naples, which has two stores in Naples, Fla. “Even with all the media there, when will the consumer see it, and how will it help sales at this time of year?” This spring was a dismal one for swimwear at retail, with many retailers not seeing sales until late June, when the weather finally turned hot in the Northeast after cooler-than-usual temperatures for much of the season. Women’s swimwear sales were $2.2 billion from May 2004 to April 2005, the same as the year before, according to NPD Group, a research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y. Fern Mallis, executive director and vice president of IMG, said she was pleased with the synergy of Miami Beach, swimwear and fashion, adding that the event would contin- INCA PHOTO BY SETH BROWARNIK/RED EYE PRODUCTIONS; ALL OTHER PHOTOS BY ROBERT CLARK The U.S. Olympic Synchronized Swim Team performed at the Speedo show. ue next year with more designers participating, though there will be tweaking of details. At the larger trade show, manufacturers and retailers were bullish, despite a tough year and increased competition from specialty chains such as H&M and Old Navy. Alluding to further acquisitions, big companies continue to build brand portfolios that let them hone in on hot categories or niche markets. Future investments range from licensing deals that add brand prestige, to developing house brands that are cheaper and allowing more flexibility in production and design. Many are extending brands to include accessories, shoes or fitness equipment, and are offering more deliveries. Swimwear marketing and advertising budgets continue to grow. Speedo, which is distributed in North America by Warnaco Swim Group, had a big presence in Miami. In adRed Carter dition to 1,500 square feet of exhibit space at the convention center. Speedo held a multimedia show Saturday night at poolside at the Raleigh Hotel that included a fashion show, a performance by the Olympic synchronized Inca swim team and an appearance by Olympic gold medalist Amanda Beard. At the show, specialty swim retailers concentrated on the high-end looks, leaving the basics and commodity-driven product to department stores, discounters and chains that have jumped on swimwear in recent years. Retailers applauded manufacturers for offering more variety and less repetition than usual. Still, trends fell into three basic themes that reflect current ready-to -wear and sportswear influences. ● Bohemian/ethnic: African, Indian, Indonesian cultures combine with hippie influences such as tunics and caftans. ● Glitz/bling: Jeweled accents, from crystals to rhinestones and sequins, as necklines or belts, on gold Norma Kamali at or white bikinis or onethe Xtra Life Lycra piece suits with deep group show. plunging necklines. The return of the monokini and other one-piece silhouettes with center cutouts. ● Bathing beauties: Ultrafeminine, soft and whimsical, includes polkadots, ruffles and shirring. Sheer chiffon cover-ups including pareos, skirts and ponchos. Bridget Quinn Stickline, general merchandise manager of Water Water Everywhere, an Owings Mills, Md., swimwear chain with 20 stores, shopped for cruise with an aggressive sales plan, despite flat sales this year. “We’re committed to staying ahead, seeing product early and pushing for first deliveries,” she said. Concentrating on contemporary, her best category, she bought the new Michael Kors line, as well as La Blanca, Anne Cole and Ralph Lauren. While she bought brown, the dominant color in the market, she pursued color, concerned that brown would make departments too dark and turn off consumers. She noted missed opportunities in good plus-size swimwear. “Nobody’s doing it right,” she said. “We need more good product that is an extension of the regular brands. We never have enough to test data and see how it works. Stacey Siegel, owner of Everything But Water in Orlando, with 40 stores nationwide, liked the variety of the show, which allowed buyers to mix separates from individual vendors. She bought African- and Indian-inspired looks from Becca, and similar themes from Rampage and W, in chocolate brown. She also bought glitzy jeweled and crystal embellished suits from Luli Fama and open jeweled caftans and tunics by Inca. She also bought more monokinis, a top seller this year, from Vix. WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 11 WWD.COM TheWWDList Spanning the Retail Globe The most attractive emerging countries for global retail expansion. Retailers are always looking for new hot spots. Global management consulting firm A.T. Kearney’s annual study of ideal regions for global expansion analyzes development via its Global Retail Development Index, with specific focus on grocers and apparel retailers entering emerging markets. Much of a retailer’s expansion is about timing, a key feature in this study. “There is a window of opportunity of five to six years to enter an emerging market,” said Fadi Farra, senior manager at A.T. Kearney and author of the GRDI study. “If you miss that window, there’s a good chance you will not succeed.” In addition to timing, the GRDI analyzes three other measures: market saturation, market attractiveness and country (economic and political) risk. — Cecily Hall INDIA 1 Global Retail Development Index Score: 100 Fadi Farra of A.T. Kearney said India’s GRDI score has been rising for the past few years. “It’s mainly because of the basics. It’s the second-largest population in the world, and the country did more than $300 billion in retail sales last year, $61 billion of which was apparel. Retail apparel sales are expected to grow to $100 billion by 2010.” Farra also noted, “Women are starting to enter into the workforce in India. They are starting to wear nicer clothing in the workplace, which increases spending incentive.” RUSSIA 2 GRDI Score: 99 Even upscale retailers like Burberry, which opened its second Russian store in Moscow in 2004, are moving into the world’s largest country in terms of area. Why? “Russia is heavily populated, and it is an example of where consumers are shifting from foods to nonfoods,” Farra said. “Even further, there is a stronger interest in — and awareness of — Western style than you would imagine.” UKRAINE 3 GRDI Score: 87 As part of a retail expansion program for Eastern Europe, Giorgio Armani was on the move with store openings back in 2002, WWD reported. The effort included a store in Ukraine: In the capital of Kiev, Armani opened a 3,456-square-foot freestanding Armani Collezioni store. Charriol, the fine jewelry and watch outfit, has made its entry into Kiev, opening a store in June. CHINA 4 GRDI Score: 83 China, the world’s most populous nation, is a hotbed of activity. Two of the world’s largest retailers are competing for attention. Wal-Mart is shifting its expansion into high gear there, with 47 openings in China to date. But it faces competition from France’s hypermarket chain, Carrefour SA, which has 61 stores in China. The GRDI study stated that China has a $628 billion retail market that is growing more than 9 percent each year. PHOTOS: INDIA BY P. PET/CORBIS; RUSSIA BY JOSE FUSTE RAGA/CORBIS; UKRAINE BY GOEBEL/CORBIS; CHINA BY DALLAS & JOHN HEATON/CORBIS; SLOVENIA BY L. JANICEK/CORBIS; LATVIA BY FRANZ-MARC FREI/CORBIS; CROATIA BY PETER ADAMS/CORBIS; VIETNAM BY TIBOR BOGNAR/CORBIS; TURKEY BY LARRY DALE GORDON/CORBIS; SLOVAKIA BY ADAM WOOLFITT/CORBIS; CHILE BY KEREN SU/CORBIS; THAILAND BY JOSE FUSTE RAGA/CORBIS SLOVENIA 5 6 GRDI Score: 82 The GRDI study noted that Slovenia is an attractive destination, partly because of a per capita GDP of $36,405. In addition, its membership in the European Union has brought growth and stability. Grocers like EuroSpin are entering the marketplace, and H&M, Sweden’s trendy clothing retailer, said that it has expanded into Slovenia with two stores, one in Maribor city center, and the other in Ljubljana City Park shopping center. LATVIA GRDI Score: 81 Bordering the Baltic Sea between Estonia and Lithuania, Latvia’s population totals almost 2.3 million. Finland-based Stockmann Group expanded its line of Seppälä stores, a fashion and cosmetics chain for women, children and men in Latvia in 2003. Retailers are moving into the capital of Riga. The first Zara store opened last year, and a new upscale shopping center called Basteja Pasaza has hit the scene in Riga, as well. CROATIA 7 GRDI Score: 80 Marks & Spencer, based in the U.K., has planted roots in Zagreb, the capital. Zagreb has its fair share of malls, like The Galleria Importanne, an exclusive shopping center on Ibler Square in the heart of the city. The GRDI study pointed out that the country has a largely urban population and total retail sales growth of close to 40 percent over the past two years. VIETNAM 8 9 GRDI Score: 79 The busy streets of Hanoi, Vietnam, whose population exceeds 3 million, are getting even busier: Levi Strauss & Co., the San Francisco-based jeans and apparel retailer, opened its first franchised jeans outlet in Vietnam in May. The store opened at a shopping center in Hanoi. The company plans to open more stores. Another recent entrant to the country is Parkson, a Malaysian retail chain, which hopes to build 10 outlets in the next five years. TURKEY GRDI Score: 78 The latest news in Turkey is the opening of Burberry’s first store in Istanbul. Ikea, the home furnishings and accessories retailer, opened its first store in May in Istanbul, as well. “Overall, the Mediterranean region has been fairly attractive,” A.T. Kearney’s Farra said. “The political environment is not affecting retail, and though retailers have been expanding, the saturation level for Turkey is still quite low.” SLOVAKIA 10 GRDI Score: 77 Retail powerhouse Tesco expanded in Slovakia this past year with seven openings, including five compact hypermarkets. As a result, U.K.-based Tesco was named “Top Retailer for 2004,” by the Association of Trade in Slovakia. Activewear giant Quiksilver also has a location in Slovakia. Peter Bloxham, vice president for Quiksilver Europe, told WWD last year, “Each country offers a different type of potential. It’s the youth culture that drives the market here.” CHILE 11 12 GRDI Score: 76 Chile’s GDP per capita is high, and the saturation level of food retailers is being dominated by local companies. “There are virtually no foreign food retailers in Chile,” said Farra, who pointed out that low foreign saturation levels can heighten the attractiveness of a market. Other nonfood foreign retailers are making their moves, such as Polo Ralph Lauren, which has six freestanding stores throughout the country. THAILAND GRDI Score: 75 The GRDI study said the economic impact of last year’s tsunami disaster has not been as traumatic as initially feared. Tesco is one of the retailers with the biggest foreign presence in Thailand. There are 107 stores of various formats employing a total of 23,000 people. Tesco’s flagship “green” store in Bangkok is part of its energy conservation campaign — the store contains solar panels that cover more than half of the roof (the largest rooftop solar energy system in the region). SOURCES: A.T. KEARNEY ANALYSIS, EUROMONEY DATABASE, AND WORLD BANK REPORTS. THE GLOBAL RETAIL DEVELOPMENT INDEX RANKS EMERGING COUNTRIES ON THE URGENCY FOR RETAILERS, INCLUDING GROCERY AND APPAREL RETAILERS, TO ENTER THE COUNTRY. THE SCORES ARE BASED ON 25 VARIABLES ACROSS FOUR PRIMARY CATEGORIES: ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL RISK; MARKET ATTRACTIVENESS; MARKET SATURATION; AND TIME PRESSURE (DIFFERENCE OR ADDITION BETWEEN GDP AND MODERN RETAIL AREA GROWTH). FOR AN EXPANDED VERSION OF THIS LIST, GO TO WWD.COM. 12 WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 WWD.COM Joe Boxer Said to Be Near Sale Continued from page one Corp., which carried over the exclusive agreement to sell the brand when Sears Roebuck & Co. and Kmart Holding Corp. merged this year. Joe Boxer was founded in 1985 by the flamboyant Nick Graham, who described his chief executive officer title as “chief underpants officer.” The company was sold in March 2001 to Westport, Conn.based Windsong Allegiance Group LLC, with Graham retaining an equity interest. Joe Boxer’s operating assets, trademarks and trade names were included in the sale to Windsong. Neither Bill Sweedler, president of Windsong, nor Sears Holdings could be reached for comment. As a subsidiary under Windsong’s umbrella, Joe Boxer signed a long-term exclusive agreement with Kmart in 2001. The goal was to relaunch the brand with a new line of home and apparel products. The company targeted the 2002 back-to-school season for the launch. Joe Boxer was the first major department store brand to migrate downstream to discounter Kmart, which happened when former Kmart executive Chuck Conaway took over as chairman and ceo of the discounter in May 2000. Kmart gained the right to sell and manufacture Joe Boxer products and control the brand’s entire distribution. But several months before the b-t-s rollout, Kmart filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection. Still, the discounter made good on its promise to launch Joe Boxer as scheduled. And in true whimsical, yet attention-grabbing, Nick Graham-style, the launch took place without a hitch in Kmart’s hometown of Detroit, but with a literal bang as human cannonballs flew through the air as part of a “fashion show.” The launch was followed by other festivities, such as a marching band wearing Joe Boxer shorts parading in the streets around Kmart’s Astor Place store in Lower Manhattan. The marketing of the Joe Boxer brand at Kmart even created an instant celebrity, Vaughn Lowery, best known for dancing the “Joe Boxer Boogie” in a b-t-s television commercial plugging the collection. Joe Boxer at Kmart — at one point, available at the discounter in men’s and women’s underwear, loungewear and sleepwear; in women’s accessories, and select home goods — was considered groundbreaking due to the brand’s migration from department stores. Because of a lack of success in luring big-name labels, mass retailers typically rely on proprietary brands to fill the void. Kmart, which counted on Martha Stewart Everyday as the chain’s biggest volume brand, was no exception. Other proprietary brands in the Kmart stable at the time included Jaclyn Smith, Route 66 and Kathy Ireland. Kmart, which exited Chapter 11 in May 2003 as Kmart Holding Corp., merged in March with Sears, Roebuck & Co. and the new combined entity operates under the corporate Joe Boxer umbrella Sears Holdings Corp. At the time of Windsong’s acquisition, Joe founder Nick Graham. Boxer had a wholesale volume of $100 million, and was sold primarily at department stores, including Federated Department Stores, May Department Stores, Saks Inc., Dillard’s and Marshall Field’s. Since the Kmart merger with Sears, Joe Boxer hasn’t had much of a presence at Kmart, and certainly not in the Sears stores. The brand has “been cut way back,” according to one licensing source. The source, who deals primarily with brands in the mass market channel, said the plan for Joe Boxer “going forward, will be only in [women’s] intimates and men’s underwear.” Kmart did not respond to calls for comment about its plans for Joe Boxer. Graham has been working on the Nick(it) label for J.C. Penney, a collection of British-inspired sportswear for young men. He sold Joe Boxer after encountering a financial squeeze that arose from a bitter lawsuit with Van Mar, a former licensee. Van Mar won a $3.15 million judgment against Boxer in December 2000. The underwear firm found itself unable to pay the judgment because of its lackluster financial condition stemming partly from Graham’s penchant for costly media events that drained the company’s cash flow. Aside from Joe Boxer, Windsong owns brands such as Como Sport, Navy Cutter and New Frontier. The company’s licensed brands include Geoffrey Beene Sleepwear, Colours by Alexander Julian and Body by Jake. Joe Boxer at Kmart NEW YORK — A spot check at the Kmart store on 34th Street here showed the Joe Boxer brand was well positioned and at attractive price points in several categories. But the assortments were not as deep in comparison to the initial launch of the brand in 2002. In women’s, the Joe Boxer brand was featured on ribbed tanks for $6.99, shorts for $4.99 and T-shirts for $9.99, as well as pajama pants for $12.99 and bras for $9.99. In men’s wear, the brand was on about a dozen stockkeeping units, including a package of briefs for $11.99, crew shirts for $9.99 and workout pants for $11.99, as well as T-shirts for $9.99. In the children’s wear section, the brand appeared on about four items. On the Kmart Web site, the offering of Joe Boxer included about a dozen sku’s in apparel, jewelry and home goods. In apparel, the retailer featured “Printed Boxers” with various words or designs. The site also featured innerwear for men, including classic-style briefs. Price points ranged from $7.99 to $11.99 and included two, three and five packs on the briefs. The Joe Boxer jewelry line on the Web site included 14 different watch styles. The home goods offerings included lamp shades, lamps and bedding. On clearance were Joe Boxer purple sheets for $9.99 to $39.99. — Sarah Ascione and Ashley Moore Italian Fashion Industry Seeks Next Generation of Designers ROME — In a country where Dolce & Gabbana are widely considered the latest new designers, the need to find and support a fresh generation of talent is becoming a priority. The issue was addressed by the Who Is on Next award created by Vogue Italia with the support of Alta Roma, the body that organizes the city’s couture shows. “We need fresh blood for a new generation of designers and a sense of continuity — the last successful designers are now over 40,’’ said Franca Sozzani, editor in chief of Vogue Italia. “We offer a negative image in a world that moves constantly. I’m not so optimistic as to believe that there will be a big new designer every year, but experimentation creates movement and this is positive. “Who’s on next? This is what people ask me all the time and I don’t have an answer,” she added, pointing out that Paris, on the other hand, can list Olivier Theyskens and Phoebe Philo, for example, as recent successful designers. On July 11, six months after the launch of the contest, the three winners — Albino, the 6267 label and accessories designer Carlo Alberto Pregnolato —staged their runway shows at Rome’s Auditorium, designed by Renzo Piano, where most of the couture shows are held. The other six finalists, chosen out of 300 candidates, also showed their collections: Isabella Tonchi, Alessandro Cannavò, Bureau de Chance designers Stefania Bertoni and Lara Canal, Corto Moltedo, Francesca Rossi and Matteo Thiela. In September, the winners will show their spring-summer collections in Milan during fashion week. They also will appear on the pages of Vogue Italia and receive a monetary award. Albino D’Amato, 31, who has worked with Emmanuel Ungaro, Guy Laroche, Emilio Pucci, Dolce & Gabbana and Giorgio Armani, showed pleated short dresses inspired by Jean Patou and Givenchy. One of Albino’s best looks was a canary mink-fur vest worn over a powdery blue satin blouse and dark shorts. The line is available at Biffi, Milan; Maria Luisa, Paris, and Harvey Nichols, Hong Kong, among others. Albino said Two looks from young Italian designers. PHOTOS BY DAVIDE MAESTRI By Luisa Zargani he wanted to give his own “fresh and contemporary spin” to sophisticated looks and deconstructed shapes. Two designers, Tommaso Aquilano and Roberto Raimondi, launched the 6267 label last year. The line is available at Blake, Chicago; Really Great Things, New York, and Tuberose, Palm Beach, Fla., among others. The designers showed a feminine collection of beautifully cut tweed suits and a velvet and shantung cocktail dress that would make the day of many a Lady Who Lunches. Pregnolato, who has worked with Missoni and Roberto Cavalli, showed a handmade collection of feather-light shoes and handbags that reelaborated vintage Fontanetto fabrics or had a retro, Fifties’ Hollywood glamour. Design, however, was only one component, Sozzani said. “The competing designers must have a business plan and a long-term strategy,” she said. In addition, production and distribution are a must. Competing designers are required to have a collection of at least 20 pieces, list a few points of sale and submit a video. “Those who don’t know how to communicate will never be successful,’’ said Sozzani, who raised the entry standards to set this contest apart. “This is a business, so they must be concrete. There are a lot of competitions that serve the press and are photogenic, but then nothing comes of them. We want a new designer, but not an emerging one who later disappears.” Joan Kaner, vice president and fashion director for Neiman Marcus, and one of the 10 international judges, said, “The winners have a style of their own, all the right looks and a very nice, cohesive group of clothing. At the same time, this is not about items — these designers must have a vision and a strategy.” Gianni Amati, owner of the trendsetting Leam boutique in Rome and also a judge, praised the initiative, saying, “There is a whole world of designers out there to evaluate, and not enough chances to do so.” While lauding Alta Roma for its support and organization, Sozzani did not mince words. “There are a lot of people who say they are willing to help, but nothing ever comes of those promises.” A government representative at the event, Adolfo Urso, Italy’s vice minister for trade, said an unspecified amount had been allocated within next year’s state budget to finance fashion. The contest will be held again in January during the city’s couture week. Next year, Valentino is expected to show in Rome, an event that will mark his 45th anniversary. Tick Tock YOUNG | AFFLUENT | SUCCESSFUL | TARGETED VITALS Man hand-picked readers spent an average of AN HOUR AND 24 MINUTES with the magazine, and a whopping 94% agree that we’re an insider’s reference guide to luxury life style.* VITALS MAN... ONLY THE RIGHT READERS. Fall close August 2. Call Ann L undberg, Publisher, 21 2-630-3888 *Source: VITALS Man Reader Survey April 2005 14 WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 PUBLIC RELATIONS Fashion Publicist RETAIL ANALYST We’re closing our doors after 20 years. Biggest bargain of the year! Junior, Contemporary & Casual Wear. Some Fixtures. Last day of sale is July 29th. For info, call: 212-695-3470 Senior Buyer/Merchandise Director 37th St. 25 windows 7000 ft. $16.00 5500 ft. Terrace- Views- $20.00 Showrooms Bwy & 7th- sublet- move in Prime Manhattan Re Jon 212-268-8043 85 Mercer Street - SOHO 1,200 sq. ft. w/high ceiling. Retail Space. Dumann Realty (212) 505-6300 Oilily is expanding and is seeking a Senior Buyer/Merchandise Director for the US market. The desired candidate will be a results-oriented analytical business manager with intelligence, strategic business acumen and creativity. He / She should bring a combination of 3 to 5 years of successful multi-store merchandise management and buying experience in an upscale apparel or children’s environment. He / She should possess a strong appreciation for unique and innovative product and understand the complexities of working for a European based company. The selected candidate will have a proven record of developing sales and margins through leadership and strategic planning efforts for unique regional markets. They should be collaborative in nature, particularly in dealing with subordinates, peers and the field staff. This senior management position will report directly to President of the US Market and directly manage product assortments for 35 full-price boutiques and two outlet locations. Candidate must be willing to relocate to Chicago. OILILY is an Equal Opportunity Employer and we offer competitive salaries including incentive earnings, medical, dental, life and disability benefits as well as a comprehensive 401K package. www.dumann.com Helmsley-Spear, Inc. 212-880-0414 BWAY 7TH AVE SIDE STREETS Great ’New’ Office Space Avail ADAMS & CO. 212-679-5500 Designer (Job # 988) Account Executive (Job # 989) If you are interested in applying for these openings, please apply directly to http://careers.jny.com for confidential consideration. AnEOE/Affirmative Action Employer Accounting Inventory/Costing Manager PATTERN/SAMPLES Reliable. High quality. Low cost. Fast work. Small/ Lrg production 212-629-4808 PATTERNS, SAMPLES, PRODUCTIONS All lines, Any styles. Fine Fast Service. Call Sherry 212-719-0622. PATTERNS, SAMPLES, PRODUCTIONS Leading Intimate Apparel Mfr. seeks an organized, detail-oriented professional with excellent follow-up skills to assist in monthly closings, inventory reconciliation, stock transactions, cycle counting and cost analysis. Only candidates with a min. of 3 years experience at a large public accounting firm will be considered. Prior exp. with standard costing and inventories in a mfg. environment is preferred. Proficiency in AS400/Word/Excel req’d., Lawson a plus. Hours: 8:30-4:30. Excellent benefits! Please fax or mail resume with salary requirements: Attn: H.R. Fax: 201-635-0208 Wacoal America, Inc. One Wacoal Plaza, Lyndhurst, NJ 07071 NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE Administrative/Production Assistant Large midtown textile firm seeks an admin/prod assistant. Responsibili ties include checking / control of contracts, cost analysis, production follow-up, corresponding w/ customers & manufacturers. Must be detail oriented & have computer skills. Salary based on experience. Please forward resume to: Fax: (212) 354-2674 Admin Since 1967 Full servcie shop to the trade. Fine fast work. 212-869-2699. W-I-N-S-T-O-N APPAREL STAFFING PTTNS/SMPLS/PROD DESIGN * SALES * MERCH ADMIN * TECH * PRODUCTION (212) 557-5000 F: (212)986-8437 High qlty, reasonable price. Any design & fabric. Fast work. 212-714-2186 We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package. Fax or email your resume with cover letter Attn: HR Fax: (203) 302-3810 Email: hr@vcsgroupllc.com Designer HANDBAGS Fitting Model Needed GREAT OPPORTUNITY! Fusion Accessories seeks a DESIGNER with 2+ years experience in Handbag Design. Must be fashion savvy, w/strong sketching abilities, and Adobe Photoshop proficient. Detail oriented, organized, and professional as well. Must be willing to do some domestic and international travel. Interview scheduling for July 28th and 29th. Please contact by E-mail at: sam.sum@fusionsories.com Height 5’9 1/2" Designer Size 2 or 4 Bust 33.5" Waist 25" Hip 35.5" Full time position (M-F) Great Benefits! Please fax or e-mail resume to: 212-869-5795 recruiting@verawang.com GRAPHIC DESIGNER DESIGNER Showrooms & Lofts Make a Mistake? The ideal candidate must possess a BS degree, have a strong financial background and be experienced in retail math in order to retrieve, analyze and interpret retail sales data. We expect a min. of 3 years relevant business experience as well as excellent analytical, communication and organizational skills. Proficiency in MS Excel is required. Please email resume to katy@oililyusa.com or fax to (708) 366-4743. No phone calls please. For Space in Garment Center We do all kinds of garment construction. Need price tickets or label sizes changed? Need items repackaged, stored or re-shipped? No project too small or too big. We’re quick, efficient & priced just right! Call Noreen (718) 985-9788 BCBG Max Azria Footwear , based in Greenwich CT, is seeking a Retail Analyst to help build business through the analysis of department store sales performance, profit & loss, order assortments and key item selling for all accounts across the country. AMAZING FASHION CAREERS Artists - Designers - Merchandisers Production - Sales - Technical - Etc. Call Barbara Murphy (212) 643-8090 (agcy) ARTIST Children’s wear co. seeks creative, organized, hard working individual who is proficient in Illustrator and Photoshop. Must be able to follow directions and come up with original art concepts. Fax resume: 212-465-0645 ASST PROD Leading Intimate Apparel Co seeks an organized & detailed oriented person to do daily flwup w/overseas, to handle W’mart & Target acct. Spec garment is a must. Minimum 2 years experience. Pls e-mail resume to Debbie at debbie@agegroupltd.com INFANTS APPAREL/LAYETTE Character license division seeks talented Designer w/minimum 6 years exp. Must coordinate w/licensors & factories for approvals. Fax: or E-mail resumes to: 212-725-2703 / bbkkids@aol.com DESIGNER Private Label Importer seeks creative, organized, detail oriented individual, with strong flat sketching and specing abilities to design garments, color yarn dye fabrics, create embroideries and execute complete tech packs for overseas. Products include Junior & Missy Sportswear, Children’s and Sleepwear. Knowledge of Photoshop & Illustrator a must. Please Fax or E-mail resume to: 320-215-1334 / bk@key-apparel.com Designer & Production Manager Fast growing activewear company seeks to add new head designer and production manager to its team. We seek talented, creative and organized team players to enhance our future collections. Ideal candidates must have 1-3 years related experience in the activewear and stretch fabrics, strong communication skills, work independently on short timelines, the ability to multi-task, to complete detailed design packages and support the private label and sourcing side of our business. Experience w/ sketches, specs & Colorways required. Please contact Holly Burns at hburns@faremon.com CFO- Great Opportunity! Design Top apparel importer seeks qualified person w/strong financial relationships to join our rapidly growing company! InterBAGS • BAGS • BAGS national LC and cash flow responsibilities. We’re a leading supplier to the Fragrance/ Located in L.A. Fa x : 2 13 -6 2 2-7 3 5 3 Cosmetic industry and seeking a unique Email:joel.bernstein@kenpofashion.com individual to assist w/sketching, creating spec sheets, new concepts, sourcing materials, etc. Will communicate with Designer $70 to $100K. Current exp in overseas factories daily & assist salesprivate label Junior cut and sewn tops people. Must be very organized, have required. 1407 Broadway import co. ability to multi-task and be a team player. Call 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agcy Must have knowledge of Photoshop & Illustrator along with fashion trends. Midtown location. Email all resumes to: bags123@hotmail.com Leading importer seeks a creative / enthusiastic individual to design Girls Design denim line. Must have knowledge of spec’s, follow up & Photoshop Illustrator. Salary commensurate with ****FREELANCE**** experience. Please fax resume: Well est’d. Watch Mfr. is looking for (212) 971-0018 Attn: Debbie/Becky WATCH DESIGNERS for new ladies’ celebrity license collection with upscale European flair. Designs to be cutting edge and very fashionable. Please send resume to: watches123 @hotmail.com JR. Design Assistant Designer/Children’s WATCH DESIGNERS DRESS DESIGNER / MERCHANDISER DESIGNER Handbags/Accessories Candidates must be experienced with mid-tier, mass and junior markets. Knowledge of current handbag trends preferred. Salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits!! Email resume with salary req’s. to: sandy@concept1.com MAGASCHONI APPAREL GROUP contemporary private label company is seeking a aggressive, motivated, multitasking individual to join our team, candidates need to have strong merchandising skills, an excellent taste level, excellent communication & follow up skills to be able to communicate on a daily basis with overseas office, be computer literate and be able to interact with buyers. Pls fax resumes to 509-757-7814 or email: paul.mcdonough@magaschoni.com Fast growing contemporary company seeks entry level graphic designer to create look books and line sheets. Must be proficient in Illustrator, Photoshop, and Quark. Photography exp and photo retouching a big plus. Fax resume to Jackie 212-302-3318 Knitwear Coordinator Liaison between production, merch and sales for better knitwear. Must be detail oriented, well organized, good communicator, Excel / Computer skills must. EDI knowledgeable. Fax resume to: 212.221.8129 PDS PAT MAKER GERBER $70 - $85K ToddWayne1@aol.com Call 212-947-3400 PLANNER/ANALYST Sportswear Importer needs Retail Link Pro to help manage Wal-Mart account. Strong analytical & Excel spreadsheet skills req’d. Buying experience preferred. Fax Resume to Pete @ 212-944-2452 Private Label Sportswear importer is seeking FIVE professionals to expand our Ladies’ Division: 1. MERCHANDISER 2. PRODUCTION MANAGER 3. PRODUCTION COORDINATOR 4. DESIGNER 5. TECHNICAL DESIGNER Relative working experience req’d. for each position. We welcome motivated, highly organized, and responsible candidates who are good team players. Strong communication skills and basic computer skills are a must. Please E-mail resumes and salary history (with position title in subject) to: jobs@gstarnewyork.com Production Assistants Private Label Mfr. seeks 2 individuals with import experience. Must be able to multi task and work independently. Strong computer skills req’d. TWO positions avail. Bilingual Chinese a plus. Salary to 35K. Please E-mail resumes to: shurvitz@globe-tex.com Globe-Tex Apparel PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Womenswear manufacturer seeks entry level prod assistant for fast growing private label division. Must have min 1 year exp working in imports and be computer proficient. Great opportunity for growth. Fax resume to Jackie 212-302-3318 PRODUCTION Asst Production Mgr Major shoe man seeks indiv w/ 1-2 yrs exp. Resp will include costing, comm. with factories scheduling, etc. Knowledge of Footworks a plus. Mid-town location. Attractive salary + benefits. Send resume with salary history and requirements to: hr@ninashoes.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Top apparel importer seeks qualified person w/ strong sourcing, planning, QC/QA & follow through reqd. Fast pace, Overseas travel required. Located in Los Angeles. Fax: 213-622-7353 Email: joel.bernstein@kenpofashion.com Rapidly growing lifestyle PR firm is hiring two full time senior and midlevel publicists. 2-5 years exp. in fashion, home, accessories, lifestyle PR and strong media contacts are req. E-mail res and salary req. to gwenglam@fyimedia.com QUALITY CONTROL SUPERVISOR Growing New Jersey domestic/import manufacturer seeks individual to develop, implement and maintain systems to ensure compliance with customer quality standards & regulations. Will also interface with other departments. Qualified candidates will be aggressive, have good communication & computer skills, have at least 2-5 yrs exp. in a manufacturing environment. Bilingual Spanish a must. Email resume and salary req’s. to: hr@freezecmi.com Retail Analyst Leading childrenswear company seeks experienced Retail Analyst to provide analytical support to sales force. Responsibilities include developing and managing sales and inventory, forecasting models and plans for each account. Must retrieve, analyze and interpret retail sales data and make recommendations to maximize sales potential. Must create and analyze weekly and monthly reports by sku for sales and stock planning and forecasting. Knowledge of Kmart Workbench and Wal-Mart Retail Link web based systems req’d. Qualified candidates will have a minimum of 3 years experience in brand apparel, cosmetics, or accessory business. Strong retail analytical skills required. Must be proficient in Excel, Power Point, Database Managers. Competitive salary and excellent benefits. Fax resumes with salary requirements to 732-636-4764 or e-mail: resumes@celebrityintl.com Sales Executive Prestigious designer label seeks energetic sales pro with strong store contacts. Min. 5 years exp. Excellent comp and growth opportunity. Fax resume to 212-695-9483 or email emhiring@yahoo.com Shipping Manager Brooklyn, NY based Junior Sportswear Co. is seeking a Head Shipping Manager to oversee a high volume of merinclude chandise. Responsibilities managing all shipping and coordinating all pick-ups/deliveries with contractors. Candidate must be detailoriented with the ability to multi-task. Salary commensurate with experience. Please fax resume to: Alan: 212-575-0068 TECH DESIGNER Lifestyle Men’s/Womens/Kids apparel importer, seeks candidate with 3-5 years experience. Responsibilities include, fit, tech packs and merchandising of line. Illustrator and Photoshop a required. Must have solid communications skills. Please email resume to: howardls@verizon.net Tech Design MISSY KNITS & WOVEN IMPORTS Exp’d. pro needed 4 days per week. E-mail: designerhead@hotmail.com TECHNICAL ASSISTANT Womenswear manufacturer seeks entry level technical assistant to assist technical designer. Must have exp. specing garments. Min 1 yr exp in imports. Fax resume to Jackie 212-302-3318 Technical Sketcher Children’s wear company seeks an organized and detailed oriented individual to create technical sketches. Must have some knowledge of garment construction. Proficiency in Illustrator and Photoshop required. Fax resume: 212-465-0645 WWD, THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2005 15 WWD.COM PHOTO BY JOHN AQUINO A Shaving Line for Gentlemen By Matthew W. Evans NEW YORK — The proprietor of a three-year-old e-commerce site called Egentlemen.com has created his own men’s shaving line and named it — what else? — True Gentlemen. Raymond Attipa, 24, whose Web site carries men’s skin care and shaving brands, such as The Art of Shaving, E Shave and Jack Black, introduced True Gentlemen products in January at a handful of U.S. spas. More products are on the way for November; there are now eight items in the True Gentlemen assortment. Attipa’s strategy was purposeful when he decided 18 months ago to develop True Gentlemen as a shaving collection. “Shaving [generates] 85 percent of sales of niche, luxury men’s grooming,” he said. “I monitored the market on Egentlemen.com and I saw that the only three products that were the heavy hitters were pre-shave oil, shave cream and aftershave balm. So, I decided to come out with a shave line.” Besides white-and-black shaving brushes, the collection includes a 1.7-oz. pre-shave oil for $20, a 5.3-oz. shaving cream for $25 and a 3.4-oz. aftershave balm for $35. Each of the three formulations is grouped into one of two scents: Lavender and Unscented. While the existing assortment targets men ages 35 and older, Attipa plans to introduce in November a third range of products that are scented with accords of cedarwood “for a 45-plus crowd,” he said. True Gentlemen’s U.S. distribution network now includes about 25 sites, 15 of which are spas. The remainder of doors is made up of apothecaries and male-oriented salons. Attipa plans to expand distribution of True Gentlemen to nearly 80 doors by yearend, and is eyeing Kitson in Los Angeles, 4510 in Dallas and Mario’s in Portland, Ore. True Gentlemen “is very heavily ingredient-driven,” Attipa noted. “That’s why some high-end spas’ BEAUTY BEAT Items from the True Gentlemen collection. aestheticians have looked into it.” The pre-shave oil includes moisturizing avocado oil, antioxidant grape seed extract and hemp seed oil. The shaving cream features aloe, coconut acid and glycerin. Finally, the aftershave balm boasts about 13 substances, including antioxidant bladder wrack, regenerative chamomile and green tea extract, plus multiple vitamins. “I kept the line small and sleek,” said Attipa, who is targeting retail sales of $600,000 by yearend. “Shelf space is important in smaller apothecaries and at spa retail.” Sales at Inter Parfums Gain 31.5% in Quarter NEW YORK — Inter Parfums Inc., after announcing an exclusive deal for bath and body products for Gap and Banana Republic, said Wednesday net sales jumped 31.5 percent in the second quarter to $61.4 million from $46.7 million a year ago. For the first half of 2005, net sales were up 26 percent to $132.5 million. At comparable exchange rates, sales gained 24 percent. The firm said the Burberry Brit scent led the sales gain for the second quarter. In addition to the new Gap and Banana scents, which are expected to launch in 2007 and next year, respectively, Inter Parfums will roll out Tumulte by Christian Lacroix in August, Arpège Pour Homme by Lanvin in the fall and Burberry Brit Gold in time for this holiday season. The company expects to adjust its earnings guidance for 2005 to account for the new launches. Regarding Inter Parfums SA, the Paris-based subsidiary of U.S.-based Inter Parfums Inc., the firm said second-quarter sales shot up 43.8 percent to 44 million euros, or $56.6 million. For the first half, its sales rose 31.8 percent to 91.2 million euros, or $117.3 million. Dollar figures are at the average exchange rate. At constant exchange rates, sales in the first half spiked 35.1 percent. Also in the half, Burberry represented 67.7 percent of the subsidiary’s business, generating 61.7 million euros, or $79.4 million, in sales, a 13.5 percent increase year-onyear. Lanvin rang up 13.2 million euros, or $17 million, representing more than 14 percent of the firm’s activity. Paul Smith, Inter Parfums SA’s third-biggest license, boasted sales of 6.5 million euros, or $8.4 million. “Taking into account the launches planned for the fall — Tumulte by Christian Lacroix and Arpège Pour Homme by Lanvin — the firm confirms its sales objective of 192 million euros [$232 million] for 2005, representing growth of 22 percent over 2004,” Inter Parfums SA said in a statement. The company is expected to report earnings on Aug. 8. ALLEN B./A.B.S As the leader in contemporary design, we continue to grow and are looking to add talent to our team. Major Store Account Executive Seeking energetic, sales driven individual with 3-5 years experience for major department store client base. Specialty Store Account Executive Seeking energetic, sales driven individual with 1-3 years wholesale sales experience for specialty store client base. Fax resumes to Patricia: 212.764.6912 • (EOE) ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE MAXX NEW YORK HANDBAGS is seeking experienced, energetic, individual to join our specialty stores sales team. Candidate must be familiar with our product and be able to immediately manage and maintain accounts on all levels. Handbag experience required. Pls fax resume: 212-679-0311 BLUE SPICE Better Children’s and Junior line looking for Road Reps and in house Sales Executives with minimum 5 years experience in better market. Currently at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Von Maur. Great compensation package. Email Resume to: sarah@sqz.com JSong International Inc. Embroidered Dress & Sportswear Co. seeking exp’d. Sales Pro. Travel req’d. Salary + Commission! Fax or E-mail to: 212-736-1686 / jsongjsi@aol.com Private Label Sales Executive Leading apparel company manufacturing Ladies, Mens Girls and Boys sportswear in 15 countries globally seeks sales executive who has strong relationships with large retailers for Private Label business. Excellent opportunity to earn large income for successful sales. Send Resume to: Box#M 1057 c/o Fairchild Publications 7 West 34th Street, 4th Fl New York, NY 10001 by Allen Schwartz Allen B., a leader in contemporary/designer denim and casual lifestyle clothing, has an incredible opportunity for an aggressive, self-motivated Account Executive to join our sales team in New York. Established relationships with better contemporary/designer and International specialty stores a must. Excellent benefits, salary and commission. All replies kept confidential. Fax resumes to: 212-840-0092 or Email: Lsinger@absstyle.com Multi-line Sales Rep Trendy women’s young contemporary and contemporary clothing co needs exp’d rep with showroom in NYC. Ph: 213-742-9001 x 404 (Don) E-mail: don@offlineinc.com SALES EXECUTIVES Rapidly expanding licensed Handbag company seeks dynamic Specialty Store & Department Store Sales Executives to build new accounts and manage existing retail and brand accounts. 2-3 years Handbag exp. a must. Qualified candidates must be motivated, detail oriented, multi-taskers capable of worki n g closely with various company depts. in fast-paced environment. We offer competitive salaries & incentive based compensation packages including benefits. Please fax resume to: Jody O’Rourke 212-686-0945 LUCRATIVE OPPTY Exciting Knit/Woven division looking for Sales Executives with minimum 5 years experience in tops. Must have very strong contacts and following. Great compensation package. Email Resumes to: victoria@sqz.com SALES EXECUTIVE Better Junior Jeans Company seeks an aggressive, highly motivated Sales Pro with major dept./chain store following. Email: jason@limojeans.com or Fax: (323) 581-1191 SALES $125-$140K Home Fashions Dept & Specialty Stores Allen Platt SRI Search 212-465- 8300 Allen@srisearch.com Sales Manager Well established contemporary sportswear company seeks an enthusiastic Sales Manager with a proven track record to join our team. Excellent career opportunity for an extremely motivated, highly organized & creative thinker. Must be a team player with a strong contemporary background. The candidate must be able to manage representative sales offices as well as our NY corporate office. Salary and incentive compensation commensurate with knowledge and experience. Email resume to: elsam@susanamonaco.com no phone calls — Brid Costello and Amy S. Choi Sales/Merchandiser Successful Sweater/Knit Co. Better Branded & Private Label Ladies’ Sportswear/Outerwear Co. is seeking an aggressive, motivated, positive thinker to join our Sales Team. Must have strong merchandising skills in the woven sportswear market, and a great eye for fashion trends. Product development skills a +! Min. 3+ years sales proven track record in better Specialty/Dept. Stores req’d. Fax to: 212-358-0031 Seeking Key Salesperson w/Major Store following who can expand our existing customer base. Fax resume to Howard at: 212-221-3480 Tritone Design A textile design service studio seeks a 1+ year, exp’d salesperson. Please e-mail your resumes to: textiletone@yahoo.com Sales Partner(s) Wanted! Well Established Mfr./ Importer Junior, Misses & Plus Size Knitwear & Sweaters seeks Sales Partner(s) to bring in new business &/or Private Label Customers. The tools are here! Tired of working for others? Unlimited Earning Potential! Fax resume to: 212-214-0788 or Call Jeffrey for appt: 212-764-6500 SALES REPS WANTED HI VOLUME BUSINESS! Top apparel importer seeks qualified reps with strong specialty store following. Territories open: 1) Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia 2) Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas Fax: 213-622-7353 or Email: joel.bernstein@kenpofashion.com Sports/Loungewear Sales Major Chinese Public Co. w/ 12 yrs NY & US presence making private label & own brands, currently selling major chains, seeks additional salesperson(s) for branding division for missy sportswear & loungewear. Require strong merchandising skills. Must have relationships with mass market retailers and/or dept. stores. Fax (212) 391-4497. Store Manager Retail Sales Assistants High-end children’s and ladies’ designer clothing company from London seeks qualified, motivated & dynamic retail sales staff for boutique soon to open uptown on Madison Avenue, New York City. Full and part-time considered. Must have exp, computer knowledge, enthusiasm, friendly disposition and excellent customer service, preferably with retail sales experience, skills and be a team player. Please email resume: rachelrileyrecruitment@yahoo.com F/T & P/T RETAIL SALES Upscale boutique in Nolita is looking for sales associates with retail experience. We offer an exciting opportunity for growth within expanding company! Please fax resume to: 212-674-0506 Retail Sales Manager Fast-paced 8000 sq ft high-end clothing store in Boca Raton, FL seeks candidate to manage highly motivated sales team and build and expand an established customer base. Experience a must. Salary, commission, benefits. Fax resume 561-994-6333 Henry WWD The Magazine More immediate. More authoritative. More insider. More provocative. New Date: October 31 For more information on advertising in this special publication, please contact Ralph Erardy, senior v.p. group publisher, at 212-630-4589. Photo by Stéphane Feugère The best seat in the house.