WWD.COMWWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010 3

By Miles Socha and Joelle Diderich

PARIS — The dark and groovy basement — with its crushed beer cans on the walls, pounding music and enough denim that you can practically smell it — reminds Tommy Hilfiger of his first fashion venture, the chain of People’s Place jeans stores he started in the Seventies.

But his new flagship Hilfiger store on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées here — a sprawling three-story emporium of quirky and cool Americana and his largest unit in Europe — shows just how far he’s come with his signature brand.

“It’s an anchor in Europe and it celebrates our 25 years of business with a mile-stone,” Hilfiger said, seated in a pink armchair next to a miniature mirrored grand piano that are among the conversation-starting fixtures, many of them antique, scat-tered throughout the 8,850-square-foot unit.

“It was Liza Minnelli’s when she was a kid,” he laughed.Hilfiger’s pride was plain in showing off the atmospheric, multifaceted boutique,

which at No. 165 sits between Nike and Louis Vuitton on the famous street, physically and metaphorically in terms of brand positioning.

“We think it’s the perfect location, especially for the international trade,” said Hilfiger, wearing a natty scarf over a blazer and tartan shirt. “It’s also in one of the most important fashion cities in the world.”

Accordingly, Hilfiger has made sure every look of his runway collection is available, along with the odd bit of vintage Yves Saint Laurent or Courrèges sprinkled throughout broad ranges of his sports-wear for men, women and children.

“We feel very positive about this mix of mer-chandise,” he said. “It took a while to get it right.”

Other nods to Gallic culture include framed vintage magazines, including a 1946 copy of Life featuring a cover photo of the Eiffel Tower, and a wall of spinning cubes that flip every two-and-a-half minutes to form red, white and blue Hilfiger, American or French flags.

But above all, the Hilfiger store unapologetically celebrates the American way of life.

An entrance display showcases the brand’s 25th anniversary, limited edition Icon Collection featur-ing the designer’s favorite pieces inspired by per-sonal idols such as James Dean and Grace Kelly.

In the basement denim department, colored stripes on the walls evoke Seventies roller-disco rinks, while bleachers imported from upstate New York create a preppy, collegiate vibe. The cash desk, topped by a luminous sign evoking a movie theater marquee, can double as a bar or DJ booth for parties held at the store.

Hilfiger’s love of rock ’n’ roll is evident throughout, down to the vinyl records cut into butterfly shapes in a wall installation by artist Paul Villinski.

Male customers seeking a more sophisticated atmosphere — and tailored cloth-ing — can head to the ground floor men’s wear area, where traditional paneling and mounted animal heads make for a relaxed, clubhouse atmosphere.

The upscale mood is carried over to the first-floor women’s department, which car-ries sportswear, footwear and accessories and the runway collection, alongside three smaller rooms dedicated to children’s wear.

Hilfiger has operated a 5,200-square-foot boutique on the Rue Saint-Honoré since 2006, but it is not large enough to showcase the “world of,” the designer noted. Next up is a global flagship in Tokyo, slated to open in spring 2012.

A big fan of the French capital, Hilfiger said he frequents dining destinations like L’Ami Louis, Caviar Kaspia and Ladurée. “I also love the fact that this is an art capi-tal of the world,” added Hilfiger, whose gallerist friend and Basquiat expert, Enrico Navarra, was expected at a cocktail opening Wednesday night, along with a smatter-ing of French actresses.

Fred Gehring, global chief executive officer of the Tommy Hilfiger Group, said the new Paris flagship, which quietly opened earlier this month, was only the beginning of the brand’s push into the French market, which should see it increase its presence from a current 25 stores nationwide, of which 20 are franchises.

“We have earmarked Italy and France as our two main focus markets [in Europe] for the next three years,” Gehring said. “We think there are a lot of cities in France that can have a store and don’t have one.”

Accordingly, France’s advertising budget should more than double in 2011 as part of a general increase in the brand’s European media spend, he said.

France is Hilfiger’s fourth-largest market in Europe, after Germany, Spain and Italy. Progress has been slow and steady since Hilfiger arrived here a decade ago, Gehring said. He declined to comment on figures, but market sources estimate the new flagship should generate first-year sales of around 6 million euros, or $8.1 million at current exchange rates.

“You need more patience in a country like France, as a foreign brand, to convince the consumer about your proposition. It’s not a market that is known for quick hypes of anything other than a domestic nature,” he noted. “We’re nicely distributed and we’re starting to understand the French consumer better and better, and I think that, combined with our level of commitment from the investment perspective, for me bodes well for the future.”

Though tourists are expected to make up 75 to 80 percent of the clientele at the Champs-Elysées store, it will serve as an incubator for future franchised units in cit-ies like Marseille, Lyon, Montpellier or Toulouse.

Like Hilfiger’s Fifth Avenue flagship in New York City, the Champs-Elysées store will take full advantage of footfall on the fabled thoroughfare, which attracts an es-timated 200,000 visitors on weekdays and between 400,000 and 600,000 on weekends.

“We feel clearly that this type of location, where you’re truly in the epicenter of the retail crowd, works for us,” Gehring said.

Hilfiger does not design specific lines for different markets, but is toning down its message for France with softer fabrications and a dressier selection, Gehring said.

“Consumers around the world love casual, they love relaxed, they love freedom. They love a lot of the things that America as a country stands for,” he said. “I think the French consumer is equally interested in all these values. I think that our ability to become more successful here, therefore, doesn’t mean we have to change things; we just have to do them better.” PHOT

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Tommy Hilfiger and Fred Gehring

Looks around the new 8,850-square-foot flagship.

For more images from the Paris flagship, see WWD.com/retail-news.

Hilfiger: Americana in Paris

WWD.COM4 WWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010

s Patricia Lansing in Carolina Herrera; Leighton Meester in Marchesa; James Caan and Stephen Dorff; Pamela Skaist-Levy, Crystal Lourd and Gwen McCaw.

ROCK STARS

For more party images, see WWD.com/eyescoop.For more party images, see WWD.com/eyescoop.

The securiTy surrounding The hope diamond’s appearance at the harry Winston store Tuesday night rivaled that of a sitting president. and the word “hope” was used so often, it may as well have been an actual Obama rally.

guests including Leighton Meester, Hilary Rhoda, singer Maxwell, Nora Zehetner and Elie Wiesel clapped as guards unfolded the mirrored box and revealed the hope in its new setting, then Winston president and chief executive officer Frédéric de Narp introduced the new harry Winston hope Foundation, which will aid educational charities around the world.

But co-host Halle Berry quietly stepped out before all of this. “i have heard it’s jinxed,” she said of the famed stone before her departure. “i hope now having a foundation in its honor will reverse that.”

afterward, guests headed over to the monkey Bar for dinner, where birthday girl Glenda Bailey blew out candles on a special dessert.

• • •if a celebrity doesn’t show up at an event, did it ever really happen?

Tuesday night, guests at the gucci-sponsored associates committee of memorial sloan-Kettering cancer center’s Fall party found out when Eva Mendes, Kerry Washington, Camilla Belle and Evan Rachel Wood neglected to fulfill their hosting duties at the glam fete. no matter, the crowd, including Shoshanna Gruss, Julie Macklowe, Jill Kargman, Eleanor Ylvisaker, Patricia Lansing and hosts Dree Hemingway and Amber Heard (with girlfriend Tasya Van Ree) certainly didn’t notice: the sold-out affair had the Four seasons restaurant jam-packed. it took a good 10 minutes of flashing lights to finally usher the convivial masses into the pool room for a seated dinner and a live auction.

Then a Four seasons employee inexplicably turned on what looked like a jacuzzi jet in the pool. “Wow, they’re getting the party on,” laughed Van ree.

• • •one hardly needs an excuse to celebrate fashion. But on Tuesday

afternoon, dior, W magazine and hostesses Colleen Bell and Katherine Ross found two by throwing a ladies lunch to celebrate the Los angeles county museum of art’s “Fashioning Fashion” exhibit and dior’s cruise collection. Crystal Lourd, Gwen McCaw (in from seattle), Barbara Guggenheim, Alexandra von Furstenberg, Wendy Goldberg and Jenny Belushi gathered in Bell’s dining room for the show of frocks. “i feel like a roadie,” Bell said, explaining she had to move her daughter’s drum set out of the room before the two long lunch tables could be set up. “it’s fashion show by day, rock concert by night.”

• • •“all of a sudden all anybody is talking about is Los angeles, so i

wanted to come and see what it was really all about,” said leather goods scion Santiago Barberi Gonzalez Tuesday at a dinner in his honor at mr. chow in Beverly hills. his college pal China Chow, along with Lisa Eisner, Brad Goreski and Cameron Silver joined Jeffrey Deitch, Sharon Stone, Stephen Dorff, James Caan, Kate and Laura Mulleavy, Doug Aitken, Patric Reeves, Alexandra Grant and Honor Fraser for the affair. after dinner, stone rose to cross the room and introduce herself to deitch. “i’ve been in your gallery before,” she told him as she popped a lychee into her mouth. “Welcome to Los angeles.”

s Clockwise from above: Daphne Guinness with Halle Berry in Dolce & Gabbana; Sharon Stone; Santiago Barberi Gonzalez with China Chow in Chanel; Dree Hemingway in Gucci; Amber Heard and Tasya Van Ree, both in Gucci.

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DEC 8-10, 2010

NEW INSPIRATIONS. FRESH IDEAS.Discover 36 of the world’s finest visual and store design showrooms

at A.R.E.’s REtAil DEsign CollECtivE, December 8-10

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show headquarters: 7 W New York, 7 W. 34th St.register today: www.retaildesigncollective.comRetail Design Collective is presented by A.R.E. (the Association for Retail Environments) www.retailenvironments.org

ADEl RootstEin Rootstein Mannequins will premiere

“tEMPtAtion,” featuring some

of the world’s top new models.

205 W. 19th st. | 212-645-2020

www.rootstein.com

AlPHA DisPlAY Alpha Display is a U.s. manufacturer of high quality

store fixturing for the apparel and giftware industry.

7 W. 34th st. suites 639 and 812 | 718-892-1555

www.AlphaDisplay.com

ARCHitECtURAl sYstEMs, inC. Asi is a global material source for store

design and visual merchandising. Preview

distinctive, sustainable and affordable product

collections on display in the showroom.

150 W. 25th st. 8th Fl | 212-206-1730

www.archsystems.com

B+n inDUstRiEs new systems: giant Peg. new tables: steamer

nesting, Minimal Cantilever. new presentation at both

locations, colored completely in intense tangerine.

7 W. 34th st. 11th Fl, and 420 W. 14th st. suite 2sE

212-912-3870 | www.Bnind.com

CHRistinE tAYloR CollECtion through the Art of Display, CtC transforms retail

spaces into unique experiences that reflect our client’s

vision, fascinate the shopper and invite a purchase.

7 W. 34th st. 11th Fl | 215-794-7914

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CiRClE visUAl inC. You’re invited to be inspired and transformed. Come visit

our showroom where your imagination can run wild.

225 W. 37th st. 16th Fl | 212-719-5153

www.circlevisual.com

golDsMitH goldsmith at studio 350 is a U.s. manufacturer of

fashion forward mannequins, forms and visual elements,

featuring Window Mannequins from France.

601 W. 26th st. studio 350 | 212-366-9040

www.goldsmith-inc.com

HoliDAY FoliAgE grass, Florals, Privet, topiaries, Wood Planters,

Decoratives, seasonal Décor, Wood & Metal

Fixtures – custom sizes & finishes.

7 W. 34th st. 11th Fl | 619-661-9094

www.holidayfoliage.com

liFEstYlE/tRiMCo lifestyle/trimco will premiere the “Four seasons”

along with fixtures from Mg Concepts and a

select group of iDW mannequins.

152 W. 25th st. | 212-627-2809

www.lfs-trimco.com

MonDo MAnnEQUins EuroDisplayUsA is proud to be one of the

first world-wide manufacturers to introduce

environmentally sustainable mannequins.

121 W. 27th st. suite 201 | 866-645-7032

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silvEstRi CAliFoRniA silvestri California will present several men’s and

women’s mannequin collections. new forms and

bases along with decoratives will also be featured.

7 W. 34th st. suite 823 | 800-647-8874

silvestricalifornia.com

stoCKMAn MAnnEQUins the European Manufacturer from Paris will introduce

a brand new collection of Mannequins and a special

vintage line. Come visit our showrooom.

126 W. 25th st. | 212-633-0138

www.siegel-stockman.com

WWD.COMWWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 20106

PARIS — A French court ruled Wednesday that Françoise Bettencourt Meyers’ demand to have her mother, 88-year-old Liliane Bettencourt, put under guardian-ship merits examination.

The Courbevoie, France-based court’s decision fol-lowed the third request lodged by Bettencourt Meyers to have the L’Oréal heiress placed under legal protec-tion. A court in Nanterre, France, threw out the two prior demands.

If Bettencourt is put under guardianship, her position on L’Oréal’s board could be at risk. She is the company’s largest individual shareholder, with a 31 percent stake.

Bettencourt Meyers filed an initial complaint against photographer François-Marie Banier in December 2007. She alleges he abused the weakness of Bettencourt, who gave him assets valued at about 1 billion euros, or $1.35 billion at current exchange. Banier has denied any wrongdoing, while Bettencourt has maintained she is sound and acting on her own free will.

On Nov. 3, Bettencourt Meyers launched a new legal

proceeding against Banier, plus Patrice de Maistre, Bettencourt’s financial adviser, and Fabrice Goguel, her former tax lawyer. Bettencourt Meyers claims all three have abused the weakness of Bettencourt.

Also on Wednesday, a Paris-based court decided that Bettencourt-affair-related dossiers must be moved out of Nanterre to Bordeaux, France, which is deemed to be a setting where justice can be more serenely carried out. Nanterre is the stage of two dueling magistrates: government-appointed prosecutor Philippe Courroye and judge Isabelle Prévost-Desprez.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday evening, French President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed the nation in his first TV in-terview since reshuffling the government on Sunday.

Among the marked changes to the lineup was the absence of Eric Woerth, the former labor minister, who is being investigated for alleged influence peddling re-lated to the Bettencourt affair, among other possible legal infractions.

It was asked whether Woerth’s elimination came

because he’s considered guilty in what’s called the Woerth-Bettencourt affair.

“Certainly not,” replied Sarkozy. “I have great con-fidence in Eric Woerth, who is a perfectly honest man, who was a great labor minister and who incited my ad-miration for his courage and his dignity at the time of the retirement reform.

“He himself told me that it would be simpler for him to defend himself if he was no longer minister, because when one is no longer minister [on exiting] the judge’s chamber, there is one camera; when one is minister, there are a hundred,” continued Sarkozy.

He also fielded some press-related questions. Sarkozy claimed never to have been involved in spy-ing on journalists. (Le Monde, for instance, alleges the government ordered counterespionage agents to find sources of news leaks, especially after the newspa-per published a story in mid-July about ties between Bettencourt and Woerth.)

— Jennifer Weil

By Sharon Edelson

NEW YORK — Alber Elbaz on Wednesday evening was putting the finishing touch-es on the Lanvin (Heart) H&M collection he’ll show tonight at the Pierre Hotel. Elbaz chose 20 looks, which he customized for the runway with strategically placed bows and fabric flowers, piles of necklaces, netting and hats. He took a strapless ruffle dress and added more layers and turned men’s wear into sexy and elegant styles for women.

“We took a lot of things from our collection and translated them differently,” Elbaz said. “We’re seeing how you make it your own and elevate it. We custom-ized a men’s coat. It has new buttons.”

The reworked coat had two black fabric flower buttons and black and rhine-stone jewel buttons. Clearly not satisfied, Elbaz scrutinized the model as an as-sistant ran over with a handful of different buttons.

The models were ensconced in a room off the main suite at the Pierre with clothes hanging on racks and tossed on the floor, piles of accessories, pantyhose in odd color combinations and pieces of fabric. Asia Chow emerged wearing an olive green men’s trenchcoat over a black dress with nude bodice and mesh skirt. A sash across her chest read “Miss H&M,” beauty contestant-style. She had earmuffs made from tulle poufs and large red and beige flowers pinned to the coat, green and black patterned pantyhose and leopard-print shoes tied at the ankle with black ribbons and rhinestones on the heels.

“It’s nice to have some models and friends of different generations and body types,” Elbaz said.

Asked who else would be walking in tonight’s show, he said, “That’s a surprise.” “Asia is 16,” said her mother, Eva, watching from the couch. “She’s so excited.

How many girls get to work for Alber?” Eva Chow invited Elbaz to Los Angeles, where

she lives, saying he should come and look at his store. Elbaz confirmed that he’s opening a store in Los Angeles but declined to divulge the loca-tion. “We’re just renovating it right now,” he said.

Lanvin (Heart) H&M will launch on Saturday in 24 of the retailer’s U.S. stores. That’s twice as many stores an any previous designer partner-ship, an H&M spokeswoman said. On Saturday, the stores will open at 8 a.m., two hours earlier than at other designer introductions. H&M’s largest store, a 60,000-square-foot unit opening at the Forum Shops in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in early December, will host a Lanvin event on Dec. 10.

“I definitely think it will sell out more quickly,” Margareta van den Bosch, H&M’s cre-ative adviser, said of the Lanvin line. “Playful, Parisian high fashion is very suitable to H&M.”

Elbaz said he’s been working on the collec-tion for nine months. “They [H&M] knew what buttons to push,” he said. “They gave me a chal-lenge. They said, ‘Can you translate the dream of Lanvin and give it to a bigger audience?’ ”

He decided to design mostly dresses and coats for the collection because he was told that after the first day of an H&M introduction, “what’s left over is a skirt here, a shirt there. This is pretty and happy clothing.”

Yet it was a “tough project,” Elbaz admitted. “They said there would be four or five meetings. We had 40 to 50 meetings. I don’t think you’re getting an expensive H&M [piece]; you’re getting a bargain of Lanvin.”

The designer doesn’t think the house’s cus-tomers will object to the lower-priced collabo-ration. “People today are buying on eBay, and we’re seeing our things copied everywhere. [Our clients] got the original — hot from the oven.”

Elbaz admitted that the runway show is “stressful. Every [show] is like a wedding.”

BEAUTY BEATCourt to Consider Guardianship for Bettencourt

Elbaz Preps H&M Collection for the RunwayAlber Elbaz and Asia Chow in a preview for Lanvin for H&M and one of the looks Elbaz created for the New York show.

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WWD.COM7WWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010

Hugo Boss’ Multipronged Growth Plan By Jean E. Palmieri

The Tide has Turned for hugo Boss.after an off year in 2009, when sales and

earnings declined, the german brand has made a comeback in 2010, with net income in the third quarter rising 79 percent to 92.2 million euros, or $118.3 million.

Claus-dietrich Lahrs, who took over the helm of the company in august 2008, is confi-dent business will grow again next year, thanks to an aggressive retail rollout plan and contin-ued expansion in emerging markets. expanding women’s wear is also a priority.

The overall goal is to grow to 2.5 billion euros, or $3.5 billion at current exchange, in sales over the next five years, up from 1.6 bil-lion euros, or $2.2 billion, now, with retail ac-counting for 50 percent of revenues. earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amorti-zation is projected to rise to 500 million euros, or $694 million, by 2015, up from 270 million euros, or $374 million, in 2009. Boss generates 70 percent of its sales in europe, 20 percent in the americas and 10 percent in asia, but Lahrs sees the breakdown in five years adding up to 54 percent in europe, 25 percent in the americas and 21 percent in asia-Pacific.

in an interview in new York, Lahrs, the hugo Boss ag chairman and chief executive of-ficer, revealed that over the next decade, “the worldwide positioning of our brand will depend on our position in China.”

right now, germany is the company’s larg-est market, followed by the u.s. and france, but “China will move up soon,” he predicted. “We have to get prepared now. it is reality, and we’re ready to do more business abroad.”

he said that in China, and anywhere in the world, “we have to send an easy-to-understand message.” and that message is one that is cen-tered around a strong, multidimensional prod-uct offering and a two-pronged approach to growth — wholesale as well as retail.

Lahrs said the company has experienced “a nice increase in wholesale” and is also “growing very fast in retail.” he said the company usually chooses to invest in retail in markets where it doesn’t have a profitable wholesale partner.

hugo Boss, which currently operates 450 stores worldwide, will add 50 to 60 units a year over the next five years, with a focus on the americas and asia. on average, 20 stores a year will open in China.

in the u.s., five new company-owned stores will open in 2011, in the houston galleria; Palm Beach, fla.; dadeland Mall in Miami; Pentagon City in Washington, and schaumberg, ill., ac-cording to Mark Brashear, chairman and ceo for the americas. There will also be a flagship added in Copley Place in Boston, which will replace an existing store in that city. Currently, there are 35 u.s. stores in operation, 13 fran-chise stores and 28 outlets.

Lahrs said that, while the thrust may be on adding new stores, renovations of existing units is “almost as important” to the image of the brand.

The wholesale-retail split is 60-40 in the u.s., higher than the overall split of 70-30. it is expected to hit 50 percent in the states “very soon,” Lahrs said.

for Lahrs, it’s the company’s balance between retail and wholesale that gives it an advantage.

With men’s suits averaging $895 at retail, hugo Boss has hit the sweet spot for american men during the recession. “We offer premi-um, quality product at reasonable prices,” he said, also citing the company’s “sophisticated european design,” reliable fit and on-time de-livery. often, he said, companies struggle with juggling their creativity and manufacturing process, but at hugo Boss, it is “harmonized,” giving retailers the confidence that the product they offer will arrive when they expect it.

Lahrs said the company has experienced strength in all markets. as reported, third-quar-ter sales gained 12 percent in europe, 13 percent in the u.s. and 27 percent in the asia-Pacific re-gion. Wholesale revenues rose 6 percent after adjustment for currency effects. retail sales, including outlets and online, advanced 36 per-cent on a currency-adjusted basis, and sales at directly operated stores increased 15 percent on a like-for-like, currency-adjusted basis.

Lahrs said, looking ahead, he “feels strongly

about continued growth in the american mar-ket with our department store partners and our own stores.” he said a “very strong position in the u.s. market is key to our success.”

The european market was stronger than ex-pected, he added, and the asian market contin-ues to grow. “Based on our first-half orders, 2011 looks positive,” he said. “although there will be some challenges in some markets in europe and the u.s., we feel well positioned to weather them.” The group now projects eBiTda before special items to grow about 20 percent, up from 10 to 12 percent, and net sales to rise 5 percent on a currency-adjusted basis, as opposed to the earlier forecast of 3 to 5 percent.

he said once consumers get a taste for lux-ury product, they’re loath to go back. “They may change their habits or wait, but once you get used to a better house, car or suit, you won’t give up on it,” he said. “it’s human nature.”

Turning to product, Lahrs said that although “hugo Boss is a male-driven brand, the single biggest opportunity is women’s.” The company of-fers women’s product in four of its five collections — Black, orange, green and hugo — and “we’re making it as powerful as it needs to be.” The line caters to professional women who are “looking for feminine ready-to-wear with a sexy look.”

even so, he stressed, the focus on women’s will not be to the “detriment of men’s wear,” which he also expects to grow.

Lahrs said hugo Boss has been benefiting from a renewed interest in men’s suits, dress shirts and ties — the company’s “heritage prod-uct,” he said. “our customer is extremely in-terested in formal men’s wear, but that doesn’t mean sportswear is slowing,” he added. “it’s just rebalancing.”

all told, the company offers 36 collections each year across its different labels. Boss Black is the backbone of the company and represents 70 percent of volume. it offers both tailored cloth-ing and sportswear and is the “core of the brand,” Lahrs said. Boss orange, which represents 11 to 12 percent of sales, offers premium casualwear and is targeted to a younger customer. hugo is the company’s most “design-driven product,” he said, and is “edgier” than the other offerings. it accounts for 7 to 8 percent of sales and “we use it to demonstrate the design capacity of hugo Boss,” he said. green is a fashionable golfwear line for men and women that is designed to be used both on and off the course. although still a small per-centage of sales, this line “is the single-largest growth brand in the u.s.,” according to Brashear. it is sold in hugo Boss stores as well as in depart-ment stores such as nordstrom and saks fifth avenue and green grass shops.

The final label is hugo Boss selection, a men’s-only offering that Lahrs called the com-pany’s “new weapon. it’s great tailored clothing and sportswear at serious price points.” for ex-ample, prices for this line average $1,495. Lahrs said the line is targeted to the u.s., China and europe in particular, but will be available in other places as well.

“We will not have a worldwide assortment,” he said. “fashion is dominated by local tastes and fits, and there are different requirements from market to market.”

Lahrs said the company has experienced “very healthy growth across all brands” and en-courages competition among its labels internal-ly. “That’s the best way to keep igniting energy within the brands,” he said.

Turning to the back office, the company re-cently realigned its Canadian operation, elimi-nating eight positions and putting Brashear and his team in charge of all of north america. “historically, we’ve been organized in silos with each market acting autonomously,” Brashear explained. “But to reduce redundancies, we streamlined our leadership, took the investment in back of house and redeployed it into point of sale [initiatives] such as shops, marketing, etc.”

Lastly, the internet is another initiative that is gaining momentum within the company and plans are for e-commerce to contribute 5 per-cent of total global net sales within five years. Boss now sells online in the u.s., germany, spain, france, the u.K., Belgium and italy, with asia also on the online agenda.

Brashear said this business helps keep the brand modern, “and it’s important to us and our customers that we are a young, modern brand.”

Claus-Dietrich Lahrs

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Looks from Hugo Boss Orange…

Looks from Hugo Boss Orange…

…and Hugo Boss

Green.

…Hugo by Hugo Boss…

8 WWD, thursDay, november 18, 2010

For more, see WWD.com.

Oraine B. in Michael Kors’ cotton shirt and wool pants. Gitman Bros. tie; Jan Leslie tie bar; Thomas Pink belt.

Brian D. in Ermenegildo Zegna’s cotton shirt and Ralph Lauren Purple Label’s wool pants. Z Zegna tie; Jan Leslie tie

bar; Salvatore Ferragamo belt.

Doug P. in Hamilton’s cotton shirt and Michael Kors’ wool pants. Thomas Pink tie; Jan Leslie tie bar.

As with other men’s wear classifications, the furnishings market is showcasing a younger, slimmer fit and a sportswear-infused offering for spring. Bold checks and tonal plaids become this season’s catalyst for a hybrid shirt that works inside and out of the boardroom, while ties continue their reinvention with an array of narrower widths and a slicker fashion-forward sensibility. — Alex Badia

PHOTO By ELi ScHMiDT

WWD.COM9WWD, thursDay, november 18, 2010

WWDMen’s

Brian S. in Ledbury’s cotton shirt, Perry Ellis’

wool vest and Elie Tahari’s wool pants. Charvet tie;

Jan Leslie tie bar. Mitch B. in Gitman Gold’s cotton shirt and Theory’s wool suit. Salvatore Ferragamo

tie; Tateossian tie bar; Tom Ford belt.

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For more men’s wear looks, see WWD.com/menswear-news.

10 WWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010

Men’s

Dress Shirts and Ties Go on a Diet By Jean E. Palmieri

Slimming down iS all the rage today in the dress shirt and neckwear markets.

driven by demand from a younger consumer, shop-pers are responding to narrower silhouettes in both cat-egories, and manufacturers are responding by slicing material from billowy shirts and narrowing the width of their ties. Updated patterns in dress shirts and new fabrications in neckwear are also garnering interest as customers seek a quick and simple solution to update their wardrobes.

“Both businesses have been good,” said lou amendola, chief merchandising officer of Brooks Brothers. “we’re selling ties that are more youthful in width and pattern, and on the shirt side, slimmer silhou-ettes are driving the business.”

amendola said the shirt and tie businesses are “on par with total business, which seems to be healthier today than it has been.” he attributed it to a new gen-eration of shopper who is drawn to narrow ties, “not the traditional three-and-a-half-inch business,” as well as bow ties, where Brooks is having success with reversible models as well as more traditional options.

in shirts, even the superslim fit is finding fans, as are crossover models that can be worn to work or after hours. Fashion colors, such as purple, are also more popular than the standard blue or white, he said. and while shirts and ties are not expected to outpace sportswear in terms of growth at Brooks Brothers, amendola said he’s “not feeling uneasy about shirts and ties for Christmas.”

even so, figures from the nPd group show the cat-egories are still challenged — sales of men’s dress shirts dropped 2.6 percent from october 2009 through october 2010, and neckwear sales fell 13.4 percent in the same period. But men’s vendors are focusing on the bright spots.

mitchell lechner, president of the dress-shirt division for Phillips-Van heusen, said that although traditional dress shirts don’t show “big gyrations” in sales, fashion options are where the action is. and for PVh, “fit is fashion,” he said. two years ago, slim-fit shirts repre-sented around 6 percent of sales, but that number has shot up to 27 percent today, he revealed. “Slim fit is really moving the business.”

By fall 2011, lechner said, fashion patterns will play a role. “there will be more fashion-forward statements such as bolder colors in stripes, checks that open up, saturated blues and even greens.” wider repeats in classic stripes and day-to-night shirts are also expected to do well, along with “hybrids,” which are a cross be-tween a dress and sport shirt, he added. “why would a customer pay more unless he’s excited, and that’s what fashion will do,” he said.

on the neckwear side, PVh reported that sales are up in the high single digits this year, a trend the company hopes will continue, ac-cording to larry Kniola, executive vice president of sales and mar-keting for the neckwear group.

“there are a couple of trends that are moving the needle,” added david Sirkin, senior vice president of sales and marketing for the PVh neckwear group. “the most important is the slimming down of neckwear.” Sirkin said that goes hand in hand with the overall trend in the men’s market toward more narrow silhouettes — not only shirts, but also jeans, lapels and jackets.

Sales of ties less than three inches are strong, he said, and even a two-inch Calvin X model in the Calvin Klein collection is doing well. “the slimmer we get, the better,” he said, noting that the trend is happening in brands as varied as tommy hilfiger and Kenneth Cole. “the customer sees a big difference and wants to update.”

in terms of fabric, Kniola said nontraditional offerings, such as wool, are serving to update the category. these options “can be worn with a more casual jacket or jeans,” he said. For spring, checks and plaids in cotton will be a trend.

overall, they’re optimistic about the future. “going into holiday, we’re extremely optimistic that we will hold our positive trend,” Sirkin said.

John Kammeier, senior vice president of merchandising for randa, was among those reporting good business trends, led by “a big surge” from young customers. these trendsetters are respond-ing to narrower silhouettes as well as bow ties. the bow-tie trend “came out of nowhere,” he said. the company started by offering a small program at Belk, and success there prompted an expansion to other stores.

adding tie bars, chains or tie tacks to neckwear as a package is boosting sales at retail, Kammeier said. “Consumers see this as added value,” he said.

true seasonal fabrics — such as wool, cashmere, linen and seer-sucker — are gaining in importance. Patterned dress shirts are giving a boost to solid ties, while men who opt for solid shirts are embracing neckwear in patterns such as plaids. randa is also see-ing more interest in performance fabrics and is now offering oil-resistant finishes in addition to wash-and-wear ties.

“with the new innovations and the success we’re having with the youth market,” he said, “it’s cool to wear a tie again, and that drives a lot of business.”

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WWD.COM11WWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010

Men’s Dsquared2 Suits Up With New Classic LabelBy David Lipke

DsquareD2 will embark on a con-certed foray into the men’s tailored cloth-ing and furnishings market next year, with a new offering under the Dsquared2 classic label that will be available at retail in may. The line is more competitively priced than the core Dsquared2 collection and is de-signed to capture a more classic customer than the brand’s main line, which is known for its edgy, rock ’n’ roll vibe.

“we have our customer for the weekend and fun times, but guys need to wear suits also,” said Dan caten, founder and creative director of Dsquared2, along with his twin brother, Dean. “This is definitely our big-gest push into tailoring. we could open a new kind of men’s wear customer — maybe a store like Harry rosen — with this collection.”

caten said Dsquared2 classic comprises about 30 percent of the brand’s total spring offering.

The first collection under the Dsquared2 classic label includes seven suit styles and two tux-edos, in addition to shirts, ties, knits, outerwear, leather goods, cuff links and pocket squares. suits in the line will retail for $1,300 to $2,100, compared to $1,500 to $2,200 for suits in the main collection. Furnishings and accessories under the classic label will carry similarly sharp-er price points in relation to the core collection.

“we really worked on the prices to be competitive. They are not inexpensive, but they’re fair,” said caten of the line, which is made in italy by staff international, which holds the long-term license for Dsquared2. staff international is a division of renzo rosso’s only the brave holding company.

The suit styles are named for cities, such as Toronto, london and new York, with each cut

for a different silhouette and body type. some styles feature softer, unconstructed shoulders while others are more formal and rigid. “london is the shortest in length, with three buttons, and is for a shorter guy like myself,” explained caten. “The Toronto is longer and has an easier fit, for maybe a guy who isn’t totally in shape.”

The Dsquared2 classic line will be available in Dsquared2 retail stores, on dsquared2.com and at key wholesale ac-counts. The company is targeting its top part-ners such as saks Fifth avenue, bergdorf Goodman, nordstrom, Holt renfrew, selfridges, isetan and Galeries lafayette.

Dsquared2 and its local partners cur-rently operate 12 freestanding stores, including a new store in monte carlo that bowed on nov. 12. additional units

will open in shanghai in December and beijing in march. Total sales for the Dsquared2 brand this year, including all licenses, will be about 130 million euros, or $176.5 million at current exchange, ac-cording to the company.

in september, the caten brothers signed a new 17-year contract with staff international, going through the spring 2027 collection. The contract calls for the opening of flagship Dsquared2 stores in new York, los angeles, Paris, london and Tokyo over the next three years.

apart from Dsquared, staff international’s licensed brand portfolio encompasses maison martin margiela, marc Jacobs men, Viktor & rolf, Vivienne westwood red label and Vivienne westwood man.

Dsquared2 Classic suits,

furnishings and accessories

will hit retail in May.

WWD.COMWWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 201012

By Miles Socha

PARIS — What do ice cream, puppets, cigars, porcelain, speedboats, masks and picture frames have in common?

All are still fatto a mano, or handmade, in Italy, and detailed in a quirky new book by Fendi as it continues to find innovative ways to talk about craftsmanship as a key pillar of the Roman luxury house.

For starters, the homespun 200-page tome, bowing in Fendi stores next week, shines the spotlight on a good number of the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton-owned brand’s competitors, from men’s wear powerhouse Brioni and jewelry firm Buccellati to shoemaker René Caovilla.

They’re intermingled among Recco, a maker of mouthwatering and cheesy focaccia, and Brionvega, which re-creates groovy portable tele-vision sets from the Fifties and Sixties and stuffs them with modern-day technology.

According to Michael Burke, Fendi’s chief executive officer, showing the diversity of handmade Italian products provides a broader context in which to talk about Fendi’s know-how, mentioned sparingly in the book. Relevant listings include Cuoio Romana, the Roman workshop where its Selleria bags are stitched and molded, or Lisio, a Florence workshop specializing in hand-loomed damasks and brocades that Silvia Fendi discovered to re-create a lost velour Baguette bag — and

subsequently 15 others.Burke said the first task of freelance

journalist Vittoria Filippi Gabardi was whittling the list of makers of “Italian specialness” to a mere 100. “Italy still makes stuff in every single field,” Burke marveled. “There’s a very or-ganic link between craftsmanship and the Italian lifestyle.”

Published by Electa Mondadori in both English and Italian, “The Whispered Directory of Craftsmanship” will sell for 40 euros, or $54.75 at cur-rent exchange, in select bookstores and Fendi’s 190 boutiques.

Fendi was prescient in detecting a shift away from showy luxury in 2007 when it unveiled the Peekaboo bag, a more traditional, upscale satchel. And in 2009, the brand tethered its crafts-manship message to a forward-looking realm — industrial design — by setting

a foundation to support young designers creating limited edition objects via such events as “Craft Punk,” which was staged during the Salone del Mobile in Milan.

For example, designer Simon Hasan created modernistic vases using a technique from the Middle Ages: boiling leather until it becomes as rigid as armor.

According to Burke, craftsmanship is “only relevant if it’s connected to what’s going to happen in the future.”

He said Fendi’s efforts in craftsmanship have helped boost growth of its high-end businesses, including Selleria leather goods, specialty furs and ready-to-wear.

By Samantha Conti

LONDON — Selfridges Group Ltd. is adding to its stable of retail brands.The group, parent of the British department store, said this week

it plans to acquire the Dutch luxury retail chain de Bijenkorf from the Maxeda Retail Group for an undisclosed sum.

De Bijenkorf, Holland’s leading fashion and luxury goods retailer, has been in operation since 1870, and has a chain of 12 stores. Selfridges Group is expected to complete the deal and take ownership in early 2011.

“De Bijenkorf is an excellent addition to our portfolio of international stores,” said W. Galen Weston, chairman of Selfridges Group.

“This is an exciting opportunity for us to expand in Europe. Our long-term view and strong financial position will further enhance de Bijenkorf and offer a world-class experience to all parts of the Netherlands,” he said.

The company said Paul Kelly has been named managing director of Selfridges Group Ltd., and will oversee the new business. Kelly was for-merly chief executive officer of Selfridges and retailer Brown Thomas in Ireland.

De Bijenkorf will maintain its identity and continue to operate as a stand-alone business run by the management team in the Netherlands, re-porting into Kelly.

Selfridges added that the planned acquisition is part of the group strat-egy to own and operate premier luxury stores in select markets.

After the purchase, the total turnover of the Selfridges Group, which in-cludes Selfridges, Brown Thomas and Holt Renfrew, will be about 2 billion pounds, or $3.2 billion at current exchange, the company said.

Continued from page oneAlso in the mix is Li &

Fung, which has been ag-gressively pursuing deals in the branded space. In July, the company re-vealed the creation of a new company with Star Branding, called MESH, or Music Entertainment Sports Holdings, which focuses on developing lifestyle brands related to those celebrity-driven worlds. Star Branding’s partners include Tommy and Andy Hilfiger, Bernt Ullmann (a former presi-dent of Phat Fashions) and Joe Lamastra. Both Andy Hilfiger and Lamastra were partners with Lopez in Sweetface Fashions, the company that developed her previous apparel lines.

While Lopez has been absent from the apparel zone in the last year, she’s been anything but AWOL in the style arena. This October, she launched a new women’s scent, called Love and Glamour, with licensee Coty. Since 2002, Lopez has devel-oped 16 fragrances (in-cluding flankers and lim-ited editions) that have rung up more than $1 billion in sales, including her first pioneering scent, Glow by JLo.

“For me, whenever I get involved with something, I get really involved. Every business that I do get involved with is something that is superclose to my heart,” Lopez told WWD about the launch of Love and Glamour.

In October, Gucci launched a print campaign for its new children’s fashion line featuring Lopez and her two-year-old twins, Max and Emme. In connec-tion with the campaign, Gucci donated $1 million to UNICEF and $50,000 to the Maribel Foundation, a charity founded by Lopez and her sister, Lynda, that is focused on health care for children and mothers around the world.

Lopez — whose star turn in 1997’s “Selena” biopic and subsequent chart-topping album “On the 6” in 1999 catapulted her to both Hollywood and music stardom — first got into the fashion arena with the 2001 launch of her JLo by Jennifer Lopez label, under the aegis of Sweetface Fashions.

A roster of licenses quickly followed suit. In 2002, Lopez herself inked an eyewear license with Denver-based Outlook Eyewear Co., and in 2003 Sweetface added an inti-mate apparel license with the Warnaco Group Inc. and a jewelry license with Miriam Haskell.

The same year, the com-pany launched the young-er, sportier Sweetface label during the holiday

season, as an offshoot of JLo by Jennifer Lopez. By 2004, Sweetface Fashions and its various licenses were generat-ing a reported $400 million in sales. In 2005, Lopez debuted at New York Fashion Week with a high-wattage runway show for her JLo by Jennifer Lopez collection.

However, in 2007 , Sweetface Fashions pulled the plug on JLo by Jennifer Lopez and replaced it with a brand called justsweet, which catered to the junior market. The Sweetface brand was po-sitioned as a higher-end con-temporary label.

“Five years ago, I had a lot to learn about this business,” Lopez told WWD at the time about the launch of justsweet. “And as I learned, I became more involved in the day-to-day. Now I am in the office all the time. I was there every single day, going over every tiny de-tail. As I got through the learn-ing curve, I became more in-volved and will continue to be.”

However, in 2008, the com-pany did another about-face, closing justsweet and re-launching JLO by Jennifer Lopez exclusively as an e-com-merce play at ShopJLo.com.

At that time, there were also 17 freestanding JLO stores in Russia and former Soviet Union countries and eight in Greece. By last year, Lopez and Sweetface had exited all its ap-parel businesses.

Lopez, Anthony in Fashion Deal With Kohl’sFendi Touts Italian Craftsmanship

Selfridges Acquires de Bijenkorf

Images from Fendi’s new directory of Italian craftsmanship.

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WWD.COMWWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010 13

By Cate T. Corcoran

Of a Kind, an art gallery fOr emerging designers that carries only exclusive limited editions, became the first store on tumblr when it launched Wednesday.

Visual blogging platform tumblr is getting lots of attention (and venture capital investment) as the place to find experimental visual content from early adopters in creative fields such as art, media and fashion.

“We think of it as an art gallery for emerging designers,” said chief executive officer and co-founder Claire mazur. “the idea is to promote emerging fashion designers through e-commerce and edito-rial content.”

Of a Kind will feature one designer each week, and offer exclusive items in numbered editions of five to 50 pieces. Prices will range from $50 to $500.

inspired by new york concept store Opening Ceremony and 20x200, a site that sells affordable prints from emerging fine artists, mazur and co-founder and president erica Cerulo thought up the idea in January after starting a tumblr blog of the same name about things they loved. mazur worked in arts management, and Cerulo was an editor at lucky magazine; they both quit their jobs in august to launch the site.

the site will focus first on accessories that don’t have sizes, but will gradually add clothing, said mazur. Of a Kind funds production for every item it carries, so the venture is low-risk for the designers.

some of the first de-signers will be mandy Coon, lizzie fortunato Jewels, dusen dusen and symmetry goods. the first item will be mandy Coon’s bunny-shaped bag in tweed, which sold well in velvet and leather at Opening Ceremony.

tumblr does not cur-rently support e-com-merce, but Of a Kind integrated it with e-com-merce platform shopify.

the Of a Kind store is part of a bigger trend toward new retail formats, including distributed retail, such as the cus-tom shoe store Jeffsilverman.com that lives in a widget on blogs, and the facebook store that gilt put up over the weekend. Of a Kind’s store format is similar to ahalife, which features one “globally curated” product each day.

“We really know these designers and want you to feel like you love them,” said mazur. they chose to put the shop on tumblr because they wanted to tightly integrate the editorial and the store. as well, the fashion and arts community on the site is their customer.

With about 47 million visitors a month, according to Quantcast, tumblr has been growing quickly. it is expected to close a fifth round of funding soon. it recently hired Weardrobe co-founder rich tong as fashion director.

notable fashion- and design-related tumblrs include hippy Kitchens, not gilty, erie Basin, Outsider art, subversive glamour and What i Wore.

A mock-up of the store that launched Wednesday.

By David Moin

gaP inC., thOugh still struggling in the u.s., KeePs ad-vancing its overseas expansion.

in september, the $14.5 billion retailer will open its first store in south america, in the Parque arauco mall in santiago, Chile. a fran-chise agreement has been signed with Komax, which has the exclu-sive rights to operate gap brand stores in Chile. Komax purchases the merchandise from gap and must adhere to gap standards. Komax has franchise agreements with other well-known retailers, including the north face, Brooks Brothers and ralph lauren.

gap did not state how many stores it expects to see in south america.

gap said, with Chile, it will have stores in 25 countries on six continents. “We are looking forward to offering gap’s modern, cool american designs to customers in a retail sector that is strong, and has an exceptional demand for fashion,” said stephen sunnucks, presi-dent, gap inc., europe and strategic alliances. “Komax has impressed us with their local expertise in the market and proven track record of launching international brands to customers in Chile.”

gap has 165 franchise stores in eastern europe, latin america, the middle east and australia. By 2015, the company expects to have 400 franchise stores.

the retailer also operates some wholly owned stores abroad, in-cluding a handful in China, which opened this month. it views online growth and multichannel expansion overseas as helping to counter-balance the negative comparable-store sales in america. gap inc. chairman and chief executive officer glenn murphy recently said that there’s “a big shift in the balance of the business,” whereby interna-tional and online operations are seen generating 27 percent of rev-enues by 2013, versus 16 percent in 2007.

TOM TOM CLUB: Is there anything Tom Ford can’t do? You could forgive Carine Roitfeld, editor in chief of French Vogue, for asking herself that after the designer — handed the reins to guest edit her December-January issue — wrote articles, photographed and styled well features, cast models and art directed everything with the exacting style for which he’s famous. He even spent a couple of days in Condé Nast France’s offices on the Faubourg Saint-Honoré smack in the middle of Paris Fashion Week.

“I always say, ‘Tom has an eye like a scanner,’ ” Roitfeld marveled. “He took his role very seriously. He is truly multitalented.”

Roitfeld noted Ford accepted her invitation a year ago, without knowledge that he would reenter the women’s fashion arena last September with a hush-hush, celebrity-studded New York fashion show. He photographed the likes of Lauren Hutton fresh off the runway for a fashion story about his muses, all wearing Tom Ford. Other fashion brands figure in well features envisioned by Ford: one photographed by Terry Richardson at his New Mexico ranch; one on high jewelry, and another devoted to mature women who have resisted plastic surgery. “He very much likes beautiful wrinkles,” Roitfeld said, flashing a smile.

While at times sarcastic and even “caustic,” the issue is also deeply personal. Ford peppers the magazine with family photos, and tapped intimates, such as his longtime partner Richard Buckley and close friend Lisa Eisner, to contribute articles about a variety of topics, from beauty to the Los Angeles art scene. Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott shot the cover image, with Ford visible behind young model Daphne Groeneveld in an ecstatic, mouth-open pose. The holiday issue is slated to hit French newsstands on Nov. 30, polybagged with a calendar lensed by Mikael Jansson and starring model Daria Werbowy. — Miles Socha

PACKAGED GOOD: In a bid to restructure its hulking debt load, American Media Inc. on Wednesday

entered into Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Manhattan. The publisher of the National Enquirer, Shape and others revealed its intention to file the prepackaged plan earlier this month after ending a previously proposed debt swap. Under the terms of the plan, AMI’s creditors would be paid in full, receive a combination of cash and new notes or get stock in the company when it comes out of bankruptcy. AMI listed assets of up to $50,000 and liabilities of as much as $1 billion in court documents. In a release issued after it formally filed, AMI said the majority of creditors entitled to vote on the plan had approved it, and that it hopes to reemerge in less than 60 days. The company said its cash on hand and cash from continuing operations would be able to fund the business during the bankruptcy, and that it did not need to seek debtor-in-possession financing.

“Publications will function seamlessly, staff will be unaffected by the reorganization and customers should not notice any difference during this short process,” said David Pecker, the publisher’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. — Matthew Lynch

CLIENT CONFIDENTIALITY: Interior designer Victoria Hagan keeps her Rolodex close to the vest, but a look around the room at her book party on Tuesday evening at Daniel was potentially revealing. Is Martha Stewart a client? “We’ve known each other for years,” Hagan offered. What about Jeff Zucker, the outgoing chief executive officer of NBC Universal, who was glued to his BlackBerry just outside the doorway? Hagan only smiled. “I do work with Conan O’Brien!” she proclaimed. “He’s so cool, and he’s my funniest client. I started out working for Ronald Perelman. He expected a lot from me and I think it made me better.” The designer, who was once called “the most cerebral, the one bound to be influential” by The New York Times, is celebrating 20 years in the business with her first book, “Victoria Hagan: Interior Portraits.” — Amy Wicks

First Tumblr Store Launches

Gap Entering South AmericaBy Lauren Benet Stephenson

eyeWear firm OliVer PeOPles has dipped into its archives to relaunch a trio of classic styles.

the frames include the first introduced by the company at its founding in 1986, featuring filigreed an-tique metal temple detailing. another style has contrasting tortoiseshell colors. the third is the spherical O’malley style.

the three styles are priced from $350 to $395 retail and will be available in limited dis-tribution beginning next month in 350 stores, including Oliver Peoples locations, as well as in Bergdorf goodman and Barneys new york.

Oliver Peoples is limiting the number of doors in an ef-fort to maintain the frames’ sta-tus as collectibles, said larry leight, the com-pany’s co-founder and creative director.

to maintain authenticity, leight insisted on pro-ducing the styles in the same Japanese factory in which their predecessors were made. he said lim-ited distribution and careful attention to craft will tap into the consumer’s need to “have something

that lasts forever.” the styles are also a “celebra-tion of the brand’s american heritage,” he said.

Oliver Peoples launched when leight and his brother dennis, both licensed opticians, pur-chased and began selling thousands of pairs of turn-of-the-century eyewear and optical memo-

rabilia from an estate sale. the start of the company coincided with

the postrecession period of the late eighties, when “people tended to go towards quality, value and classics” and Oliver Peoples became popular for what leight described as its “intel-lectual eyewear.”

Oliver Peoples Taps Into Classics

MEMO PAD

The cover of French Vogue’s holiday issue, guest edited by Tom Ford. Lisa Eisner and Lauren Hutton in Tom Ford, photographed by the designer.

Classic styles from Oliver Peoples.

WWD.COMWWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 201014

3x7 (left)

By Kerry Olsen

MILAN — A year of recovery was how Pitti president Gaetano Marzotto termed 2010 here Wednesday, as he set the scene for the 79th edition of Pitti Immagine Uomo, which kicks off Jan. 11 in Florence.

“We’ve seen positive signs the tex-tile industry has recovered, and now it appears the apparel sector is, too,” said Marzotto, although he stressed the fashion industry has yet to fully bounce back from the economic downturn. According to research by the Italian fashion and textile consortium SMI Sistema Moda Italia, based on a survey of 160 textile companies, Italy’s textile and fashion sector saw a continuous uptick in sales throughout the first nine months of the year. The third quarter saw a 6.8 percent increase in revenues.

Marzotto highlighted currency woes and the need for a weaker euro if the Italian fashion industry is to retain competitive prices in export markets including the U.S. and Asia. Following a drop in international exports last year. The country’s exports grew 4 percent in the first seven months of the year to around 14 billion euros, or about $19 billion. It registered a 10.5 percent in-crease in exports to the U.S. and a 27 percent rise in shipments to Hong Kong in the period of January to July com-pared to the same period in 2009, ac-cording to SMI data.

The upcoming Pitti Uomo’s theme is “PittiCity,” which aims to emphasize its varied offerings. Hoping to tempt buy-ers in the main pavilion will be open-plan stands reminiscent of department stores, and a renewed ground-floor layout, which completes the pavilion’s transformation that was started in 2009 by Spanish architect Patricia Urquiola. Pop-up stores will have a lifestyle ap-peal and feature design items and, for the first time, beauty products.

Sportswear will extend its pres-ence at the fair. Marina Yachting and C.P. Company have both leased larger exhibition areas, and brands including Façonnable and Jeckerson are notable reentries. New label Albert Arts will also make its world debut in the sports pavil-ion. Related events set to bolster the cat-egory’s reach include the 125th celebra-tion of Italian sneaker brand Pantofola d’Oro in conjunction with the magazine L’Uomo Vogue, and Umbro’s unveiling of its new capsule collection.

Other fair highlights include fall previews from U.S. designer Adam Kimmel; Scottish brand Folk Clothing, and American shirt brand Arrow, part of Phillips-Van Heusen. Italian sarto-rial label Lubiam will present its cen-tennial capsule collection and host a celebratory installation at Villa Vittoria. Liberty of London men’s wear — pro-duced and distributed by its Italian partner, Slowear Group — is set to make its debut fair appearance at the city’s British library, and Hugo Boss will return to the fair with its Boss Selection line. Fabio Quaranta and Andrea Incontri, upcoming Italian de-signers and winners of this year’s “Who Is On Next?” Pitti Uomo competition, will also showcase their latest offerings.

Special guests this season include Trussardi, guest of honor Alberta Ferretti and Gareth Pugh for Pitti W. Beatrice Trussardi, president and chief executive officer of the Trussardi Group, said Stazione Leopolda will play host to its runway show on Jan. 12 to honor the brand’s centennial. The capsule collec-tion will be available to preorder the same day from e-tailer TheCorner.com.

Pugh will use the San Michele tower to preview a film shot in Florence, ac-cording to Lapo Cianchi, director of com-munication and special events of Pitti Immagine, while Alberta Ferretti will show a special women’s wear collection in the Florentine Santo Stefano church.

By Evan Clark and Alexandra Steigrad

ReTAILeRS CHeCKING IN WITH eARN-ings reports on Thursday had good things to say about their third-quarter apparel businesses, as well as their prospects for the fourth quarter.

Setting the upbeat tone, Target Corp. chairman, president and chief executive officer Gregg Steinhafel predicted a strong quarter and holiday season ahead. “We ex-pect Target’s fourth-quarter comparable-store performance will be the best of any quarter in the last three years,” he said. That would put it above the 2.8 percent gain registered in the first quarter. Both men’s and women’s apparel outper-formed the 1.6 percent comp increase registered in the third quarter.

After the markets closed, Limited Brands Inc. raised full-year guidance after reporting third-quarter earnings that just beat analysts’ expectations but arrived with a 10 percent comp increase attached. Shares of Chico’s FAS Inc. soared more than 10 percent as the com-pany, recovering from a bad start, beat estimates with a 26.8 percent jump in its third-quarter profit profile.

On the vendor side, shares of Perry ellis International Inc. rose 9.9 percent to $23.46 after its third-quarter profits jumped 69.8 percent on a 13.2 percent sales increase and substantially boosted its full-year guidance.

The favorable winds blowing out of the apparel sector, coupled with better-than-expected profits and elevated guid-ance from BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc., helped lift the S&P Retail Index 3.76 points, or 0.8 percent, to 474.29 on a day when the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell just over 0.1 percent, to 11,007.88,

and the S&P 500 rose less than 0.1 per-cent to 1,178.59.

Where its larger discount competitor, Wal-Mart Stores Inc., said Tuesday that shoppers were waiting for their next pay-checks to head to stores, Target, catering to a slightly higher-end consumer with a distinct fashion message, talked about life’s little luxuries.

“The recession taught [shoppers] to create and live within budgets, and even as the economy improves, they continue to shop with a list,” said Kathryn Tesija, executive vice president of merchandis-ing, on a conference call with analysts. “More recently, guests have started to put an occasional indulgence on that list.”

Tesija said Target was making mean-ingful market share gains in the beauty and apparel categories, as well as in toys, health care and groceries. The company is also continuing to roll out quick-hit designer exclusives with brands such as Mulberry and William Rast.

Its performance was in sharp contrast to Wal-Mart’s, where weak apparel sales contributed to a 1.3 percent comp drop in its U.S. discount stores.

Target’s profits for the three months ended Oct. 30 climbed 22.6 percent to $535 million, or 74 cents a diluted share, from $436 million, or 58 cents, a year ago. Revenues rose 2.2 percent to $15.61 billion from $15.28 billion. ePS topped analysts’ estimates by 6 cents and helped push the stock up 3.9 percent to $55.62 Wednesday.

Tight inventory management, and a double-digit comp gain in large part at-tributable to Victoria’s Secret’s 14 per-cent leap, helped Limited Brands more than quadruple its quarterly profits to $61.3 million, or 18 cents a diluted share,

from $14.9 million, or 5 cents, a year ear-lier. Net sales increased 11.6 percent to $1.98 billion from $1.78 billion. Analysts polled by Yahoo were looking for ePS of 17 cents on revenue of $1.98 billion.

The company’s gross margin expand-ed to 36 percent of sales, strongly ahead of the 31.7 percent recorded during the third quarter of fiscal 2009.

Adjusted ePS for the year, previously pegged at $1.68 to $1.83, was lifted to be-tween $1.82 and $1.97.

Producing the second biggest per-centage gain of the 172 public compa-nies tracked by WWD, Chico’s shares ended the day up $1.06, or 10.5 percent, at $11.13 after it reported an 8.1 per-cent increase in sales to $446.9 million, highlighted by a 14.2 percent improve-

ment at its White House|Black Market chain. Comps were up 3.1 percent, led by WH|BM’s 7.1 percent jump.

Net income was $28.8 million, or 16 cents a diluted share, up from $22.7 mil-lion, or 13 cents, in the year-ago period. Gross margin eased to 56.9 percent of sales from 57.6 percent a year ago.

“We began the quarter with negative comps due to the self-inflicted problems of transitioning to fall product too soon in the Chico’s brand, causing a lack of wear-now product,” president and ceo David Dyer said on the firm’s conference call. “In the White House brand, our full-price inventories were too low and we lacked sufficient clearance inventory. However, as the quarter progressed, our performance steadily improved and we have recovered the positive momentum in our business.”

• Retail Apparel Prices Drop: Retail ap-parel prices declined a seasonally ad-justed 0.3 percent in October and fell 1.2 percent compared with a year earlier, the Labor Department said Wednesday in its Consumer Price Index. Women’s apparel prices were down 0.9 percent month-to-month and dropped 1.9 per-cent year-to-year. Men’s apparel prices declined 0.3 percent in October and fell 0.4 percent from a year earlier. Prices for all goods and services rose 0.2 percent in monthly comparisons and advanced 1.2 percent compared with a year ear-lier. The so-called “core prices,” which exclude the volatile food and energy sec-tors, were flat in October. Core prices advanced 0.6 percent from October 2009, the smallest year-to-year increase since the index started in 1957.

— With contributions from Liza Casabona and Arnold J. Karr

Strong sales at

Victoria’s Secret helped

Limited Brands.

Pitti Immagine Sets Agenda

Target, Limited Earnings Stoke Holiday Optimism

WWD.COMWWD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2010 15

CAVALLI LETS IT RIP: Roberto Cavalli showed his romantic and poetic side on Wednesday during the unveiling of his photo exhibition in Milan, titled “Black Is Never Absolute,” but trust the outspoken designer to also add a dose of controversy to the walk-through. “I like to catch the image of a cloud when it goes by. I have looked at a black sky and waited patiently, for hours, for the sun to shine through,” said Cavalli. “You see, black is never absolute. There is always light behind it.”

The images, taken over the past 10 years by the designer during his trips around the world, range from views of the sky and marine landscapes to the desert in Namibia and the only existing baobab that is made of two intertwined trees. “This is the baobab innamorato [in love],” said Cavalli. Yet, with his usual spirit, in the room dedicated to animal prints, Cavalli was quick to point out: “I actually photograph the animals so that I can reproduce the pattern on my dresses, while other designers merely copy my prints.”

Another stab at his peers, and at himself, too, came with Cavalli’s aversion for today’s fashion ad campaigns, which, he believes, have no connection with reality. “Photos in fashion ads are not spontaneous, even mine. Why would Madonna be draining pasta in those Dolce & Gabbana ads? Models wearing dresses in the desert? Kate Moss on a tree?” he said referring to one of his own previous ads. “There’s no sincerity, no spontaneity. I prefer photos of real life.”

The exhibition, which is held in Milan’s Palazzo Morando and runs until Dec. 12, is expected to travel to New York and Miami, among other cities, but dates are not set yet.

HSN’S NEW CELEBRITY PROJECT: HSN is putting another celebrity in front of the camera. Irina Shabayeva, last year’s winner of “Project Runway,” is offering knit headbands with fake fur muffs, shawl collar sweaters and belted fake shearling jackets as part of a collection launching on HSN on Nov. 24. Retailing for between $29.90 and $269.90, Shabayeva’s line for HSN is her first attempt to reach a budget-conscious customer; her namesake label, which launched last spring, sells for between $495 and $3,495. Shabayeva, who’s also prepping to introduce a bridal collection for Kleinfeld Bridal next spring, is already brainstorming her sophomore collection, including tops and sportswear, with HSN for fall 2011.

SOMETHING BLUE?: “For the royals, apparently the royal blood is not in demand any longer,” said Karl Lagerfeld, reacting to news of Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton. Not that it’s a bad thing. “Better for the generation to come,” Lagerfeld reasoned. “She is very different from Princess Diana,

and seems very well balanced and a happy person. She is chic in a way the position needs. Let’s wait and see.” Lagerfeld, calling Middleton “beautiful and elegant,” also detected a resemblance to Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, “like a younger sister,” he noted.

Meanwhile, because the Brits love a good gamble, why wouldn’t they put their money on Middleton’s choice of wedding dress? The online betting agency Paddy Power has 9-2 odds on both Daniella Helayel, the designer behind Issa, and Amanda Wakeley, who once made dresses for Princess Diana. Others at the top of Paddy Power’s list include Elizabeth Emanuel (5-1), who made Princess Diana’s dress with her now ex-husband David Emanuel; Vivienne Westwood (6-1); Bruce Oldfield (7-1); Marchesa (8-1), and Jenny Packham (10-1). And if that were not enough, the site has also placed odds on the color of the queen’s hat on the big day — with pink at the top of the table; the maid of honor, with Kate’s sister Pippa Middleton the front-runner, and the date of the marriage, with odds on days in July.

HONORING MIUCCIA: On Monday evening in Milan, Miuccia Prada will be presented with the Carlo Porta Award — an annual recognition of “those whose cultural works and personalities honor Milan and its most important traditions,” according to a statement from the organizing body. Though fashion is certainly one of the city’s cornerstones, Prada will be the first designer to receive the accolade in its 46-year history. Prada was selected for her success in the industry as well as her forays into the contemporary art world with Fondazione Prada, which most recently inaugurated an exhibit called “The Giacometti Variations” by John Baldessari in Milan.

HOLIDAY TREATS: Being a fashion entrepreneur herself, it’s only natural that Tory Burch has a few things going on this week, which is Global Entrepreneurship Week. American Express just donated $100,000 to the Tory Burch Foundation, which helps women start their own businesses. The donation came from the total proceeds of the exclusive cardmember-only presentation Burch held during New York Fashion Week.

On Friday, Burch will also unveil her holiday windows in 46 stores with an installation she collaborated on with artist Timothy Paul Myers. Inspired by a photo of a reindeer, the 46 pieces use a total of over 2 million Hasbro Lite Brite colored pegs. The company is partnering with Dress for Success to plug in the installation on Friday afternoon, and each representative can pick a work-appropriate Tory piece at the store. The company will also donate clothes to the organization.

WHO’S ON NEXT?: Guessing who might be the most appropriate designer to one day succeed Karl Lagerfeld at the helm of Chanel is a fascinating pursuit for bloggers — and one rarely based in the factual world. In print, the incumbent designer doesn’t flinch at the question. In an interview in Numero’s November issue, Lagerfeld replied: “I have a contract for life so it all depends on who I would like to hand it to. At the moment I’d say Haider Ackermann.” Lagerfeld has recently been enamored of Ackermann’s

fashions, and had invited him to attend the most recent Chanel show. Ackermann reacted by saying, “What can one possibly say to such a phrase?! Such a compliment! Honored I feel, how can one not be?! In all honesty tremendously, immensely touched especially coming from Monsieur Lagerfeld.”

SEND A NOTE: In an age of e-mail, J. Crew believes people should scribe letters by hand. “The art of letter writing has been long lost,” said Tom Mora, J. Crew’s head of wedding design. To reverse the trend, J. Crew just inked a deal with Connor Fine Engraver and Stationer to sell an exclusive holiday collection of engraved stationery at the J. Crew bridal boutique on Madison Avenue, 10 other J. Crew stores and on jcrew.com. The boxed sets of all-cotton stationery are priced at $75 for 12 cards and come in a choice of five engravings custom-made for J. Crew. Bespoke wedding invitations are also offered. Aside from J.Crew, the Connor line is sold at The Plaza hotel by appointment. Fine stationery, observed Henri Richter-Werner, Connor’s creative director and an alumni of John L. Strong stationery, “is a category in the luxury retail world on the verge of disappearing, though there is a segment, especially a high-end customer, that still writes every single day. It’s more of a self-branding and representation of who you are.”

The Tory Burch holiday window installation.

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