WWD articles from April 2004

WWD archives from April 2004

SILVER BELLE.
April 1, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- Mastering the art of mixing high-glam looks with comfortable athletic fare, 21-year-old Jenni Kayne sent out a wonderful collection Tuesday night to a packed house with a star-studded front row. No longer playing to a girly...

BULGARI'S RUSSIAN NIGHT: LUXE BRAND HEADS NORTH TO LAUNCH DIAMOND LINE.
April 1, 2004... St. Petersburg, Russia -- There is still the occasional snow squall here, but the biggest ice seen recently was Bulgari's unveiling Wednesday of its new line of diamond jewelry. Leaving behind the glow of its native Roman sun, the...

IN BRIEF: TENDER GOES IT...COATS WILL WAIT...GARDENS GROW.(Salomon & Taylor Made Co.)(MSC Acquisition Corp)
April 1, 2004... TENDER GOES IT: Adidas-Salomon announced Wednesday an offer to purchase the 20.8 percent of Salomon & Taylor Made Co. it doesn't already own. The offer for shares in the maker of its secondary brands is expected to last 43 days. Adidas-Salomon...

ANALYSTS FORESEE SURGE IN GUCCI'S 4TH-QTR. SALES.
April 1, 2004... MILAN -- As Gucci Group prepares to release its last set of financial results of the Dom and Tom era today, analysts are expecting strong sales momentum in the fourth quarter but a decline in net profits for the year. In the quarter,...

GUCCI NAMES BEDOS CEO AT BOUCHERON.(Gucci Group )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... PARIS -- Gucci Group on Wednesday named Jean-Christophe Bedos the new chief executive officer of Boucheron, effective May 1. This confirms a report in WWD March 25. Bedos, a 15-year veteran of Cartier and its parent, Compagnie Financiere...

LANVIN TO NIX PERFUME, WATCH BUSINESSES.
April 1, 2004... PARIS -- Facing what it calls "a deteriorated economic situation," Lanvin plans to lay off up to 65 people and exit the perfume and watch businesses in an effort to stem heavy losses. The 115-year-old French fashion and fragrance firm,...

FASHION SCOOPS: BLACKOUT...WEK THIS WAY...EXTRA, VALEXTRA.
April 1, 2004... BLACKOUT: Color in springtime? Who needs it? That seems to be the case in Paris, where stars attending this week's Paris Film Festival are rediscovering the power of the little black dress. On opening night, Monica Bellucci, star of Frederic...

DANCING QUEEN.
April 1, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles might be known for many cultural phenomena, but dance isn't one of them. While New York, Paris and London attract fleet-footed ballerinas like moths to a flame, the dancescape in Southern California has...

WESTWOOD'S WAY.(Vivienne Westwood exhibition)
April 1, 2004... LONDON -- They came in pirate hats with feathers as tall as sunflower stalks, curvy dresses with bustles and spiky punk hairdos. The party to kick off the Vivienne Westwood exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum was a champagne-fueled...

LOST CAUSE.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Since the film opened last September, the "Lost in Translation" journey for Sofia Coppola has been one long party, from premieres to awards ceremonies and finally culminating with this week's MoMA benefit, "A Work in Progress: An Evening With...

VUITTON PLANS 3RD NYC UNIT.(Louis Vuitton plans new store in New York City)
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- A giant flagship apparently doesn't suffice. Louis Vuitton, the French leather goods, shoes, jewelry and ready-to-wear brand, plans to supplement its 11-story flagship at 1 East 57th Street with a smaller shop at 845 Madison...

A LITTLE LUXE; THE L.A. SHOWS CONTINUED APACE AS HOLLYWOOD'S A-LIST GOT A GLIMPSE OF JENNI KAYNE'S SIMPLE YET RICH LOOKS, WHILE MICHELLE MASON EVOKED AN EDWARDIAN CHARM AT MASON.
April 1, 2004... Jenni Kayne: In a world that moves at warp speed, it should come as no surprise that 21-year-old Jenni Kayne can go from the promising freshman collection she showed only a year ago to a third season filled with beautiful clothes. And the...

PERCHANCE TO DREAM.(fashions from Natalie designers Coryn Madley and Naama Givoni)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... With a new leader at the Los Angeles chapter of GenArt, (publicist and show producer Lee Trimble), the show's three-part theatrical installment late Monday night at a Culver City sound studio was a welcome diversion from the runway parade at...

HILFIGER L.A. STORES CLOSE.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- Tommy Hilfiger threw in the retail towel here this week. All three Hilfiger stores in the greater Los Angeles area closed as of Wednesday, only two years after they opened to replace the corporation's much-publicized...

BIG START FOR NEW DALLAS VENUE.
April 1, 2004... DALLAS -- The kickoff market of FashionCenterDallas raised traffic, spirits and most importantly, bookings, according to reps. "This is fantastic," said Robert Bronstein, president of BCBG. "The first day of the show we made almost last...

STYLEMAX: COLOR IS KING.
April 1, 2004... CHICAGO -- Looking to add newness and a punch of color to their specialty stores, many Midwestern retailers found what they wanted at Chicago's StyleMax fashion market, which ran March 13-16 at the Merchandise Mart. "We've all gotten...

SHISEIDO RAISES FORECAST.
April 1, 2004... TOKYO -- Shiseido Co., Ltd revised its net profits projection upward by 8.7 percent for fiscal 2004, partly as a result of a reduction in the amount it pays into its employee pension fund. The extraordinary income deriving from the...

DAN RIVER FILES CHAPTER 11.
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Citing the need to lighten a crushing debt load, Dan River Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Wednesday in Georgia's Northern District court. But company officials emphasized that they believed their fairly simple debt...

CATHERINE SADLER STEPS DOWN AT ANN TAYLOR.(opens Catherine Sadler Group)
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- After helping along Coach and then Ann Taylor, Catherine Sadler is striking out on her own. Sadler, who stepped down as chief marketing officer of Ann Taylor Stores Corp. on Wednesday, turned a page in her career and launched...

ALFREDO VERSACE ORDERED TO JAIL.
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Alfredo Versace is headed to jail for civil contempt. Federal District Court Judge Peter Leisure on Wednesday handed down the order, stating that Versace must surrender to the U.S. Marshall on April 12 for a "term of civil...

MAKING THE CONNECTION.(The Jean Connection, Dallas, TX portrayed)
April 1, 2004... Denim rules at The Jean Connection. Unusual and hard-to-find fashion denim lines are a specialty at the 10-year-old store in Dallas' Preston Center, which carries nearly 30 brands for women, men and children in a wide range of prices and sizes....

I.C. ISAACS TRIMS LOSS.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... I.C. Isaacs & Co., which produces Marithe & Francois Girbaud jeans in North America, trimmed its losses last year, according to a recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company recorded a net loss of $1.7 million, or...

EMBRACING IMPERFECTION.(Earnest Sewn)
April 1, 2004... When a shopper shells out $200 for a pair of dungarees, she often is expecting to get something close to perfection. But Scott Morrison is betting that some shoppers are really looking for the imperfect. Morrison -- who in February left...

GOA A-GOIN'.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... For the past few years it has seemed that a new company was crowding into the jeans business every month, though some didn't last that long. Now Los Angeles-based high-end contemporary line Goa is pulling out of the crowded field. Owner...

GRABBING HOLD OF THE TEEN DOLLAR.
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Don't even think about asking teens to hand over their money -- that is, unless the product is fashionable, comfortable and priced right. That seems to be the formula for success when it comes to targeting the teen...

WOMEN'S GOLF: GETTING CROWDED ON THE COURSE.
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- There's a fresh breeze swinging through women's golf. Up-and-coming golfers like Michelle Wie, Grace Park and Aree Song are paving the way for a new generation of players who may not even remember when golf was primarily a...

THE WWD LIST: TV ADVERTISING RECOGNITION; THE 10 MOST EFFECTIVE NEW TV COMMERCIALS LAUNCHED BETWEEN FEB. 16 AND FEB. 29.
April 1, 2004... It's not every TV commercial that can break through the clutter during the Academy Awards, where several of the spots on this list first aired. You need a unique message, captivating images, a trustworthy spokesperson and an appealing product....

BURANI NET SKYROCKETS THANKS TO TOP BRANDS.
April 1, 2004... MILAN -- Robust performances from its top brands sent Mariella Burani Fashion Group SpA's year-end sales and earnings up. Net profit swelled 92.2 percent in 2003 to 21.7 million euros, or $26.2 million, from 11.3 million euros, or $13.6...

NCTO PUSHES JOBS ISSUE.(National Council of Textile Organizations)
April 1, 2004... WASHINGTON -- The National Council of Textile Organizations wants to hit politicians where it hurts: in the ballot box. Officials from the new lobbying group forged by fabric and yarn makers launched their organization Tuesday on Capitol...

COACH SIGNS RODEO DRIVE LEASE.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Coach has found a Beverly Hills address to add to its burgeoning retail network and collection of products, WWD has learned. A long-term lease was signed at 325 North Rodeo Drive for a two-level, 4,200-square-foot unit,...

RCS' ABBOUD SALE SAID DONE, MARTY STAFF TO BE NAMED CEO.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- RCS MediaGroup is expected to announce today that it has completed its sale of Joseph Abboud to a unit of a Boston-based equity firm, and that Marty Staff will replace Robert J. Wichser as president and chief executive officer of...

CHINATOWN RESIDENTS LOBBY FOR 9/11 FUNDS.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- A crowd of several dozen residents of Chinatown and the Lower East Side gathered outside a state office building in Manhattan Wednesday to complain that $1.2 billion in federal funds allocated to help their neighborhoods recuperate...

THREE'S A CHARM.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- With its newest entry, Hypnose, Lancome is aiming to occupy the top three slots in the prestige mascara market within a year. Hypnose is being marketed as a custom-volume mascara and joins the top-selling Definicils and...

DE SOLE'S DENOUEMENT: GUCCI GROUP'S PROFITS RISE 2% IN 4TH QUARTER.
April 2, 2004... Paris -- Domenico De Sole took his final bow as Gucci Group's chief executive Thursday by delivering fourth-quarter operating profits for the Gucci brand of $206.4 million -- an amount that matches total revenues of the derelict luxury...

EARLY COMPS HINT AT SPRING FEVER.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- A touch of spring led to solid March same-store sales results at The Dress Barn and Guess Inc. In addition, American Eagle Outfitters reported late Wednesday that its month-to-date consolidated comps through March 30 increased...

IN BRIEF: IT'S A LOCH...TWO HEARTS FOR SEARS...TIT FOR TAT?
April 2, 2004... IT'S A LOCH: Scottish tartans from Lochcarron of Scotland will be on display Sunday in Manhattan's Central Park, as part of the Tartan Week celebration. The Scottish pavilion will feature a range of tartans from the family owned company, and...

KOHL'S STEPS UP MERCHANDISING FOCUS.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- After losing some of its luster last year, Kohl's Corp. is getting its merchandising ducks in a row with the addition of more senior-level talent. "We are dedicating more resources to provide additional focus on both branded...

CORRECTIONS.(Correction Notice)
April 2, 2004... Madley is the name of the line designed by Coryn Madley and Naama Givoni. The brand was incorrect on page 6, Thursday. The same day, Donato Sardella was the photographer of the Jenni Kayne show on page one. The credit was incorrect.

QUIET RIOT; SMART, UNDERSTATED LOOKS PREVAILED AT DAVIES, WHILE TRINA TURK REVIVED THE SEXY SECRETARY STYLES OF THE SIXTIES AND SUE WONG STROLLED DOWN THE ANCIENT SPICE ROAD.
April 2, 2004... Davies: With a season under her low-slung belt, designer Erica Davies (formerly of Richard Tyler, who sat in the front row, and Marc Jacobs) put out a clever sophomore effort that continued the principles she employed last season. Once again,...

FASHION SCOOPS: TIMELESS WRAPS...PROPERTY OF ARMANI...STRIKE A POSE.
April 2, 2004... TIMELESS WRAPS: From the hors d'oeuvres to the pretty young things' favored choice of dress, wraps were everywhere at Bergdorf Goodman on Wednesday night. That comes as little surprise: Bergdorf's threw a bash to celebrate Diane von...

BEVERLY HILLS' BLAST FROM THE PAST.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- The proliferation of retro looks shows no signs of ebbing and the latest decade that hipster shoppers are zeroing in on is the Eighties. So what better label to evoke that Eighties nostalgia than Camp Beverly Hills? Los...

BOBBI BROWN: HERE COMES THE SUN.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Bobbi Brown is letting the sun shine. Two years after the launch of her fragrance Beach, the makeup artist has developed a line of sun care. "My favorite place in the universe is the beach," noted Brown. "What I love about...

L'OREAL APPOINTS TWO.(Chris Salgardo, Joyce Green)
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Two new executive roles were announced by L'Oreal USA Thursday, setting the stage for increased growth for the beauty giant's Kiehl's Since 1851 and Shu Uemura brands. Chris Salgardo, who for four years has been senior vice...

BAXTER OF CALIFORNIA: YOU'VE GOT MALE.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Baxter of California president Jean Pierre Mastey considers the 39-year history of the men's line -- and the 500 original customers from 1965 who still use it today -- two of the brand's greatest assets. After all, Baby...

EULBERG'S PRECIOUS METALS.(Julius Eulberg )
April 2, 2004... BERLIN -- While some would say a good complexion is worth its weight in gold, cosmetics entrepreneur Julius Eulberg has taken the notion one step further with his new skin care line, called Julisis, incorporating gold and silver. Made up...

LANCOME TO ADD VOLUME.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Lancome is out to add more volume to its considerable mascara business with a new formula it hopes will become the market's second-place finisher within a year. Hypnose, launching in May, is being positioned as a custom-volume...

PENHALIGON'S: 132 YEARS YOUNG.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Penhaligon's will reintroduce two fragrances in the U.S. this spring as part of continuing efforts by parent Cradle Holdings Inc. to open up the 132-year-old brand to a younger, more modern consumer. First, Lavandula, which...

SERVING UP BEAUTY WITH A WINK.
April 2, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- Working as beauty editors brought Belen Aranda-Alvarado and Anna Lisa Raya to two admissions: They really did love makeup, and the market is saturated with options either for girls who glitter or women preoccupied with...

EUGENE PERMA REVEALS ITS PLANS.
April 2, 2004... PARIS -- With its eyes on acquisitions and partnerships, and thoughts of expanding its color cosmetics business, French hair care concern Eugene Perma thought it time to air its strategy. So the company hosted its first meeting with...

FAKE NAILS FIRMS DIGGING IN AGAIN.
April 2, 2004... SKILLMAN, N.J. -- Thirteen-year-old Kate Klinck isn't allowed to visit the salon for professionally applied artificial nails. But she has become adept at gluing on fake nails she buys at the local Wal-Mart. She buys them for special occasions...

MORE BRATZ COMING TO COSMETICS.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Fira Cosmetics recently teamed up with MGA Entertainment to produce a new series of Bratz -- girls' cosmetics. It is the first licensed deal for Fira, a division of Fiske Industries. The new cosmetics line, set to...

TOP NOTES: ANOTHER MILLION-DOLLAR BABY...ORANGE YOU GLAD...RISDON PROMOTIONS.
April 2, 2004... ANOTHER MILLION-DOLLAR BABY: A Clinique gift-with-purchase promotion held recently at Macy's Herald Square exceeded the $1 million mark in sales volume, according to Philip Shearer, group president for the Estee Lauder Cos., who oversees the...

BOOTS EMPIRE STRIKES BACK.(Boots Company PLC)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... LONDON -- Over the next year, Boots plc plans to invest $702 million in sprucing up its existing stores, opening 60 new ones and creating 3,000 jobs. The company's new chief executive officer, Richard Baker, said in a fourth-quarter trading...

EXTRACTS EMERGES AS BASTION OF NEWNESS.
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Extracts' latest trade show, held last weekend at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, revealed itself as the place to be if you're a buyer looking for new beauty products, or if you're a new beauty entrepreneur looking to have...

MEMO PAD: A WINTOUR'S TALE...NORTHROP'S NEXT GIG.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... A WINTOUR'S TALE: Fresh on the heels of "The Devil Wears Prada," a new, unauthorized biography of Anna Wintour is in the works. The book is being penned by Jerry Oppenheimer, and WWD has learned it will be called "Front Row: The Cool Life and...

STYLE.COM GOES E-TAIL.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Style.com is setting up shop. The Web site, the online home of Vogue and W that boasted 956,000 unique visitors in March, will launch The Shop on Style.com next month, featuring a rotating group of eight to 10 different...

OXFORD UP 37% IN THIRD QTR.(Oxford Industries Inc., quarter )
April 2, 2004... ATLANTA -- Tommy Bahama is still the star performer for Oxford Industries Inc., which reported a hefty 37 percent increase to $9.5 million in net earnings for the third quarter ended Feb. 27, and a record earnings per share of 58 cents,...

L.A.'S LATEST MEDIA MAVENS.
April 2, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- Just in time for fashion week, two new media outlets -- one print and one online -- are bringing a fresh focus to fashion consumerism here. Both helmed by veteran magazine launchers, the outlets are vying not to go...

LANDMARK MOVE FOR LANE CRAWFORD.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... HONG KONG -- Lane Crawford, Hong Kong's venerable specialty retailer, is preparing to move from its oldest location, Lane Crawford House in Central. The landmark store will be replaced with a new one set to open late this year. The new...

PARSONS TAPS GOLDBERGER AS DEAN.(Parsons School of Design, Paul Goldberger appointed)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- New School University named Paul Goldberger as dean of the Parsons School of Design on Thursday, replacing Randy Swearer, who had been dean since 1999. Goldberger is a well-known architecture critic and author, having written...

BOSS' 2004 PROJECTION.(Hugo Boss AG)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... Berlin -- At its annual financial press conference in Metzingen Thursday, Hugo Boss AG projected a "slight increase in currency-adjusted sales and a disproportionate rise in net income" for 2004. The German fashion group is looking for...

AGOA COUNTRY LEGISLATION MAKES WAY TO THE HOUSE.
April 2, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Legislation extending special duty-free breaks on apparel for the poorest sub-Saharan African countries was introduced Thursday in the House. The bill would allow apparel makers in the region's least-developed countries to...

REPORT POINTS OUT BARRIERS TO U.S. EXPORTS.
April 2, 2004... WASHINGTON -- U.S. trade officials drew criticism Thursday for failing to take concrete action against foreign trade barriers despite years of consultations and diplomatic hand-wringing. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative...

PPI SHOWS APPAREL KEEPS SLIDING.(Producer Price Index)
April 2, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Wholesale prices for domestically produced apparel fell slightly by 0.1 percent in February, as the downward pressure on prices continued to pound U.S. textile and apparel manufacturers, the Labor Department's Produce Price...

CAROL MEYROWITZ HONORED BY NEEDLERS FOUNDATION.(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Some 1,300 people came out to honor Carol Meyrowitz, president of The Mermaxx Group, and executive vice president of The TJX Cos., as the recipient of the Needlers' Foundation "2004 Woman of the Year" award. Soledad O'Brien,...

RETAIL VENTURES LOSS EXPANDS DESPITE SOLID GROWTH IN FOURTH.(Retail Ventures Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Higher sales and improved margins helped Retail Ventures Inc. to triple-digit earnings growth for the fourth quarter. But it wasn't enough to overcome widening losses for the year. For the three months ended Jan. 31, the...

SUZY: EVENING GOWNS 101...THE VOGUE EDITOR, THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT...OLYMPIC DREAMS.(Column)
April 2, 2004... La bellissima Renee Fleming, who thrilled opera lovers everywhere as Violetta in Verdi's "La Traviata" at the Met Opera this year, swept onto the stage of the Juilliard School's spring gala, "Classified Jazz," and said, "Let's talk about...

Breezy does it.(Corey Lynn Calter's collection )(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... LOS ANGELES -- Fashion week ended on a high note, with Corey Lynn Calter sending out a perfect balance of looks, from vintage and eclectic to simple and easygoing. Her lace capelets, floral silk skirts and houndstooth jackets looked like...

Fashion's Spring blooms, but will retailers see spending wilt in 2004?
April 5, 2004... NEW YORK -- As spring looks blow out of stores, retailers wonder if the momentum will continue and enable the sector to regain its long-lost growth. Probably not. It looks like apparel faces another tough year as consumers continue to...

Von Furstenberg accessorizes.(Diane von Furstenberg is venturing into jewelry by teaming up with Rio de Janeiro-based jeweler H. Stern for the Diane von Furstenberg by H. Stern collection)
April 5, 2004... NEW YORK -- Diane von Furstenberg can now wrap herself in diamonds. The designer best known for her signature wrap dresses is venturing into jewelry by teaming up with Rio de Janeiro-based jeweler H. Stern for the Diane von Furstenberg...

Leiber taps Madison Ave. for Manhattan flagship.(Judith Leiber is finally ready to give its home base of Manhattan a proper flagship)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... NEW YORK -- Judith Leiber is finally ready to give its home base of Manhattan a proper flagship. The company said Friday that it will open a boutique at 680 Madison Avenue and 61st Street in a space that was formerly occupied by Maxim's...

Pamela Dennis line to return for 2005.(has negotiated a deal with Pegasus Capital Advisors which will allow her to reopen her signature business)
April 5, 2004... NEW YORK -- Pamela Dennis plans to reopen her signature eveningwear collection in September, three years after its demise under the umbrella of the Pegasus Apparel Group. The designer said on Friday she had negotiated a truce with Pegasus...

In brief: Ross seeks shares...Settling Sun...Genesco goes head to toe.(Ross Stores Inc. wants to double number of authorized common shares)(defendants of a copyright infringement case brought by Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. have agreed to settle )(Genesco Inc. completed the acquisition of Hat World Corp.)
April 5, 2004... ROSS SEEKS SHARES: Off-price retailer Ross Stores Inc. said it is seeking shareholder approval to double the number of authorized common shares to 600 million, according to a proxy filed Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The...

Textile jobs up in March.
April 5, 2004... WASHINGTON -- Textile mills, surprisingly, added jobs in March, marking the first time in four years the category has shown a gain. Industry analysts were cautious about the slight increase, however, in the face of massive losses over the...

Beauty's April Fool's.(Bobbi Brown and Dale Chrichton honored at Beauty Ball)(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... NEW YORK -- The joke was on the beauty industry at this year's Beauty Ball. Bobbi Brown, founder and chief executive officer of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics -- and the recipient of one of the night's two honors, the Beautiful Apple Award --...

Future of bankrup Spiegel unclear.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... NEW YORK -- Spiegel Inc. to liquidate? That was the market talk Friday following the bankrupt catalogue retailer's year-end sales and earnings results. It was noted in several reports that Michael Otto, whose family owns 89 percent of...

Fashion scoops: The Italian job...Altruistic Nicky...Diamond-ring circus.(the screening of I'm Not Scared was supposed to be hosted by Italians for Italians)(Nicky Hilton models for Rock & Republic)(Richie Rich and Traver Raines bring their three-ring circus to New York)(All Pink, the new line from Rampage)
April 5, 2004... THE ITALIAN JOB: The screening of Miramax's new Italian-language release, "I'm Not Scared," at the Lighthouse International last week was meant to be "hosted by Italians for Italians." But the guests who showed up for dinner at Le Cirque,...

Jersey girls.(there was jersey, jersey everywhere at the L.A. fashion shows)
April 5, 2004... At the weekend, some designers let their imaginations run wild, whether in response to the beat of a military drum, the call of the African wild or the chorus of a gaggle of flirts. There was jersey, jersey everywhere. Perhaps it's the...

Vintage vamps and dancing divas; as the L.A. shows come to a close, Corey Lynn Calter served up a cocktail of Parisian-inspired looks, while Louis Verdad struck high-glam poses a la old Hollywood and Richard Tyler perfected fifties sweetness for Tyler.
April 5, 2004... Corey Lynn Calter: Expectations ran high for Corey Lynn Calter, whose previous L.A. shows were among the strongest and most cohesive the Left Coast has ever seen. And she proved herself worthy of all the attention, sending out a stunning...

Europe watch: Burberry to the rescue...Going for baroque...Easy does it.(Burberry has purchased the Yorkshire factory that specializes in making its trenches, coats and outerwear)(Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana last week christened their first Dolce & Gabbana boutique in Madrid)(Germany's stringent shopping laws have been somewhat relaxed by nixing regulated end-of-season clearance sales)(German women's wear trade shows are sprouting up)(Adidas-Salomon has extended its association with Real Madrid)(Pringle of Scotland has teamed up with one of the country's other hottest properties, Ewan McGregor, to raise money and awareness for a Scottish children's charity)
April 5, 2004... BURBERRY TO THE RESCUE: Burberry has purchased the Yorkshire factory that specializes in making its trenches, coats and outerwear. The company said in a statement Friday it purchased the 24,000-square-foot facility in Rotherham from S.R. Gent,...

MARKS & SPENCER PLANS TO LAY OFF UP TO 1,000 STAFF.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... LONDON -- Marks & Spencer plc said Friday it might lay off a total of 1,000 members of its head office staff over the next two years as part of an ongoing plan to slim down the business and improve efficiency. The company said in a...

CHANGING LANDSCAPES.(Brief Article)
April 5, 2004... The nation may be saturated with malls, strip centers and power centers, but developers aren't slowing down. They're shifting more into redeveloping and remerchandising their existing properties, seeking acquisitions and even exploring overseas...

PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE.(Industry Overview)
April 5, 2004... Though the nation is overstored and major mall development has slowed to a trickle, there's still plenty of construction activity to generate retail growth. Developers are getting creative, finding opportunities to build in neglected downtown...

RATIONALIZING BIG-BOX REALTY.(Industry Overview)
April 5, 2004... NEW YORK -- Water, water, everywhere, nor any drop to drink. The irony in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's poem "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" parallels a critical expansion issue facing many big-box retailers: space, space, everywhere, but...