WWD articles from April 2006

WWD archives from April 2006

GRAY'S ANATOMY.
April 3, 2006... NEW YORK - The austere gear shown on the fall ready-to-wear runways is also reflected in accessories this season. Here, for example, metal and rubber sunglasses from Nike Eyewear at Marchon, Oscar de la Renta's alligator clutch and a leather...

SEIZING THE MOMENT: BELGIAN DESIGNERS CHART GROWTH PLANS.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Miles Socha ANTWERP, Belgium - No advertising, no celebrity dressing, no handbag push and no pre-collection. That might sound like a recipe for disaster for a fashion company today, but it's working wonders for Ann...

TIME FOR TOURNEAU IN ASIA.(Tourneau Direct Inc. signs contract with Peace Mark (Holdings) Ltd. and International Watch Group to form a joint venture company )
April 3, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Hirshlag, With contributions from Sophia Chabbott, New York BASEL, Switzerland - Tourneau is taking its watch franchise to Asia. The New York-based watch retailer said at a press conference Friday at Baselworld: The...

ESMERIAN BUYS FRED LEIGHTON.(Ralph Esmerian)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Sophia Chabbott NEW YORK - Fred Leighton, purveyor of estate jewels to the rich and famous, has a new owner of its own to chime about. Ralph Esmerian, a fourth-generation fine jewelry dealer, has acquired the 35-year-old...

IN BRIEF: EXTRA CREDIT...A CASSINI SALUTE...GLAM FOR A CAUSE.(Este Lauder's John Demsey to be honored, remembrance celebration for Oleg Cassini )(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... EXTRA CREDIT: Donna Karan is next in line to sit down for a chat with Parsons Dean Paul Goldberger at Parsons The New School for Design on April 20. The school has also lined up other art and design authorities, including Tim McDonald on April...

DESPITE SPLIT, SIMMONSES SAY BUSINESS AS USUAL.(Kimora Lee Simmons Russell Simmons )
April 3, 2006... Byline: Jacob Bernstein, With contributions from Lauren DeCarlo and Julee Greenberg NEW YORK - How will Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons manage to work together now that they've split? "It's going to be awkward," one friend and business...

MEMO PAD: BAZAAR HUBBUB...DISMANTLING CARGO...DAZED IN AUSTRALIA.(Dazed and Confused to launch new magazine)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Sara James, Nina Jones BAZAAR HUBBUB: As Harper's Bazaar editor in chief Glenda Bailey's contract heads toward its expiration date later this year, speculation naturally is growing about her future with the magazine. A Hearst...

TOUCH OF GRAY.
April 3, 2006... NEW YORK - Designers are adjusting their gray scales this season. Somber tones added to bags, furs and jewelry make for stylish accessories that are the perfect complement to any look. Caption(s): Accessories Network's acrylic scarf and...

PLAYBOY HOPS INTO U.S. LINGERIE SCENE.(Playboy Enterprises International Inc. introduces 'Playboy Intimates')
April 3, 2006... Byline: Karyn Monget NEW YORK - There's a lot on Playboy's plate when it comes to lingerie. The icon of lascivious lifestyles will be jumping into the U.S. lingerie market this spring with a new brand called Playboy Intimates...

NEW BIFLEX HAS AGGRESSIVE PLANS; THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF GOOD GROOMING ARE EASY TO GRASP WITH THE NEW SLEW OF MEN'S PRODUCTS.(Biflex Intimates Group)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Karyn Mongret NEW YORK - The Biflex Intimates Group has new owners and is poised to grow its business over the next several years with a two-tiered strategy: acquisitions and licensing ventures. "The real growth of the business...

GLOBAL INTEREST REIGNITES MIPEL.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Luisa Zargani MILAN - There was a renewed interest from American, Japanese and Russian buyers for fall at Mipel, the international leather goods trade fair that took place here last month. Mipel closed here on March 19 with a...

POMELLATO'S JEWELS TAKE AMERICA.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Alessandra Ilari MILAN - Pomellato is riding its strong performance onto U.S. shores, with store openings and two new collections. Net profit at the high-end jewelry company that produces the Pomellato and Dodo brands ballooned...

DESIGNERS HEAD HOME.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Luisa Zargani MILAN - Fashion designers are flocking to the furniture world more than ever. At the Salone del Mobile exhibition, a string of fashion designers are launching collections and staging elaborate sets for some of the...

LAGERFELD, ROSA CLAR SIGN LICENSING DEAL.(Karl Lagerfeld)(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Barbara Barker BARCELONA - Karl Lagerfeld has inked a licensing deal with Spanish bridal manufacturer Rosa Clar to produce and distribute a minimum of 25 styles on a twice-yearly basis under the label Lagerfeld Collection. ...

ALL THE WORLD'S A 'STAGE' AT COSMOPROF.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Stephanie Epiro MILAN - Cosmoprof will inject a bit of entertainment into this year's cosmetics trade show with Beauty On Stage, a theater-like space where at least 10 selective beauty companies will host events. Newcomers to...

ACQUISITIONS AID G-III NET IN '05.(G-III Apparel Group Ltd.)(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK - Even though sales jumped 80 percent, sportswear manufacturer G-III Apparel Group Ltd. posted a fourth-quarter net loss on Thursday that was flat with the prior year's loss. For the full year, however, the...

TARRANT APPAREL GROUP SEES IMPROVED 4TH QTR.(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK - Tarrant Apparel Group reported a significantly narrowed fourth-quarter loss on Thursday, and for the full year swung to a profit from a loss a year ago. Also on Thursday, the company said its chief...

MANAGING THE TRANSITION.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Arnold J. Karr NEW YORK - The apparel and retail industries have become expert at outsourcing their products, but they still haven't quite gotten the knack of importing top management from other industries. The most recent...

CAROLE HOCHMAN ACQUIRES ON GOSSAMER.(Carole Hochman Design Group)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Karyn Monget NEW YORK - The Carole Hochman Design Group signed an agreement Friday to acquire the assets of Miami-based On Gossamer, a maker of contemporary foundations. A purchase price was not disclosed. The Hochman company...

COURT SETS DECISION DATE IN MORGAN STANLEY APPEAL.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Miles Socha, Emilie Marsh PARIS - The appeals court here set June 30 as the date it will deliver its decision as Morgan Stanley seeks to fend off a January 2004 ruling of "gross misconduct" and a 30 million euro, or $36 million,...

HONDURAS, NICARAGUA SET TO ENACT CAFTA.(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Evan Clark WASHINGTON - Honduras and Nicaragua were expected to fully enact the Central American Free Trade Agreement over the weekend, according to U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman. CAFTA, which provides for duty-free...

BARBARA K'S FASHION FIX.(signs licensing agreement with Tharanco Group)
April 3, 2006... Byline: David Moin NEW YORK - Barbara K has a solution for the woman who is handy around the house and wants to look good wielding a hammer. The company, run by entrepreneur and former construction worker Barbara Kavovit, who is known...

NEW SOFTWARE AT CASUAL MALE TO SPEED UP DEVELOPMENT.(Casual Male Retail Group)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Denise Power CHICAGO - Casual Male Retail Group expects to slash by half the time it takes to develop merchandise and get it into stores once the retailer has fully deployed software that tracks activity every step of the way. ...

GO, GO, GO.(rankings of designers)(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... WHAT IT TAKES TO BE A DESIGNER THE TOP 10COLLECTIONS DARIA, GEMMA & CO. FACES OF THE SEASON ALL THE TRENDS DARK VICTORIES BUBBLE SKIRTS PLAIDS AND MORE Caption(s): On the Cover: ALEXANDER MCQUEEN It was, as...

CONTRIBUTORS.
April 3, 2006... For her sixth season covering accessories for WWD The Magazine, Senior Accessories Editor Roxanne Robinson-Escriout found herself awed by the variety of accessories she saw on the runways in New York, Paris and Milan: big bags, small bags,...

HELLO DARKNESS.(fashion )(Editorial)
April 3, 2006... Byline: EDWARD NARDOZA In some Eastern schools of thought, there are four stages of meaning to any phenomenon: 1) Literal; 2) General; 3) Hidden; 4) Ultimate. So let's give this a try. Take the meaning of Yohji Yamamoto's big hat...

WILD FLOWERS; THIS SEASON BROUGHT A TUNNEL AT THE END OF THE LIGHT, USHERING IN A WELCOME, SOBER CHANGE FROM FASHION'S RECENT GIDDY RIDE.(Prada)
April 3, 2006... A lush, overgrown rain forest lures with the promise of adventure and likely danger. Every so often huge, vibrant jungle flowers sprout out of nowhere, shocks of colorful respite from the dense darkness. Then, a blur here and there, and this...

DEFINING MOMENTS; EVERY FASHION SEASON HAS ITS SHARE OF FAMOUS AND INFAMOUS BENCHMARKS-AND SOME OF THEM EVEN HAPPEN ON RUNWAYS. HERE ARE SOME OF FALL'S ESCAPADES.
April 3, 2006... Fall Season It's every model's worst nightmare: the runway wipeout. But Jessica Stam handled her fall at Chlo with aplomb. Stam picked herself up, dusted herself off and, with a c'est-la-vie shrug, soldiered on as the audience cheered. ...

BODY LANGUAGE.(reports of body-language)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg Designers may prefer to let their runway shows speak for themselves, but that final bow may offer the last word. WWD asked Cheryl King, a body-language expert who coaches actors, to view hours of videotape and...

THE TRENDS; FALL PLAYS TO CHARACTERS OF ALL STRIPES, FROM SHADOWY VAMPS TO GRANDES DAMES.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Antonia Sardone, Meenal Mistry DARKNESS FALLS Moody, broody and ever so chic, fall embraces a new sobriety. HERALD SQUARES Check this out: Prince-of-Wales, window-pane, tartan, houndstooth and more jigged joyfully in...

IN THE FLASH.
April 3, 2006... From tabloid queens to genuine stars, New York fashion week never fails to draw from Hollywood and points beyond. Caption(s): Anne Slater at Heatherette / Claire Danes at the Versace party / Joel Madden and Hilary Duff at Anna Sui / Ciara...

IN THE FLASH.
April 3, 2006... In Milan and Paris, the mood on the runway may have been somber, but beyond the catwalk it was anything but. Caption(s): Kate Moss at Burberry / Backstage at Dolce & Gabbana / Prada / D&G / Lanvin / Balenciaga / Maggie Cheung at Balenciaga...

THE REAL MCQUEEN; THE FORMER BAD BOY OF FASHION MAY BE QUIETER THESE DAYS, BUT HE'S HARDLY TAMED. AND HIS BRILLIANT FALL COLLECTION, EXHIBITING A GROWING CONFIDENCE AND TECHNICAL PROWESS, SHOWS JUST HOW FAR HE'S COME FROM THE BUMSTERS OF YORE.(Alexander McQueen)
April 3, 2006... Byline: Miles Socha Like some fashion Wordsworth, Alexander McQueen felt the world was too much with us when he was creating his spectacular fall-winter collection. He sought escape and solace in the remote and rugged Scottish...

CAN YOU HANDLE IT? THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT DESIGNERS SPEND ALL DAY SKETCHING IN THEIR ATELIERS SHOULD RECONSIDER. IT TAKES A MOUNTAIN AND THEN SOME FOR DESIGNERS TO CONVEY THEIR MESSAGE.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh, With contributions from Miles Socha, Paris, and Alessandra Ilari, Milan Be good-looking, media-savvy, aware of global issues and clever enough to bottle all this into a brand identity that speaks to the consumer....

LIKE MINDS; ONCE IS AN ACCIDENT. TWICE, A COINCIDENCE. THREE TIMES, A TREND. WHICH MEANS THERE WAS A LOT OF COINCIDENCE AT PLAY THROUGHOUT THE FALL COLLECTIONS. HOW ELSE TO EXPLAIN THE RECURRENCE OF LANTERN-SLEEVED IVORY DRESSES OR LITTLE WHITE FURS WITH MEGA COLLARS?
April 3, 2006... Byline: Venessa Lau GOTH GODDESSES At Alexander McQueen (left) and Haider Ackermann (above) SNOW ANGELS At Tuleh (below) and Louis Vuitton (right) COLD COMFORT COMBOS At Roberto Cavalli (far left)and Carlo Tivoli...

ON THE VERGE; EVERY SEASON, DOZENS OF BUDDING DESIGNERS APPEAR ON THE SCENE, BUT ONLY A FEW GAIN ENOUGH NOTICE-WHETHER IN THEIR FIRST SEASON OR SIXTH-TO SUGGEST A PROMISING FUTURE. HERE, NINE THAT ARE WELL ON THEIR WAY.
April 3, 2006... Byline: Robert Murphy, Meenal Mistry, Nandini D'Souza TAO COMME DES GARCONS A protg of Comme des Garons' Rei Kawakubo, fledgling designer Tao Kurihara has wowed audiences with her own conceptual confections for three seasons now. Like...

THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL; FASHION IS ALL ABOUT REINVENTION-AND NOWHERE WAS THIS MORE EVIDENT THAN ON THE FALL RUNWAYS, WHERE PERSONAS RANGED FROM VEGAS WIFE TO UPTOWN SOCIALITE.(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... GlAMAZONIA Call it rock 'n' roll runway-complete with strong eyes and plenty of glitter. RUBY LIPPERS Scarlet-lipped women came in sweet and tart varieties this season. FRIDA"S BANDITAS Kahlo's famous brows-or at least an...

FALL 2006 ; THE TOP TEN COLLECTIONS.(rankings)(Brief article)
April 3, 2006... The best of Fall embraced the season's elegant sobriety, with a hint of giddy delight. ALEXANDER McQUEEN BURBERRY PRORSUM HERMES MARC JACOBS PRADA ROCHAS STELLA McCARTNEY TULEH VERSACE VIKTOR &...

LET IT SNOW.
April 3, 2006... In a season dominated by ponderous, somber looks, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana offered the ultimate counterpoint. At the close of their D&G show in Milan, they brought a colorful, campy Christmas to life, replete with snow, St. Nick and...

THE MIDAS TOUCH.(Brief article)
April 4, 2006... NEW YORK - There's a frenzy for metallics this season, whether they're in bronze, silver or gold. Designers are opting for luxurious and shimmering fabrics to create fall's dramatic evening looks. Here, Joanna Mastroianni's silk matelasse gown...

SURPRISE AT ST. JOHN: CEO COHEN DEPARTS, PHILIP MILLER TO FILL IN.
April 4, 2006... Byline: Lisa Lockwood, With contributions from Marcy Medina and Emili Vesilind, Los Angeles, and Holly Haber, Dallas NEW YORK - Richard Cohen, chief executive officer of St. John for the past 18 months, has left the company. Cohen, 51,...

GRAFF CREATES NEW YORK HEADQUARTERS.(Brief article)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Sophia Chabbott NEW YORK - Graff is getting larger digs. The London-based diamond jewelry company is marking its fifth anniversary in the U.S. this month with the opening of a 12,000-square-foot headquarters here at 46 East...

REP. THOMAS: DOHA TALKS BEYOND REPAIR.(Bill Thomas)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON - House Ways and Means committee chairman Bill Thomas (R., Calif.) threw cold water Monday on the global round of trade talks, declaring that the U.S. and European Union have reached "irreconcilable...

IN BRIEF: PRADA'S SOCCER STATEMENT...CLOSING IN...TARTAN WEEK.(Tommy Hilfiger Corp., Thistle and Broom)
April 4, 2006... PRADA'S SOCCER STATEMENT: To coincide with the upcoming World Cup in Germany, Prada is launching a collection of T-shirts for spring designed by French artist HNT and dedicated to soccer. The T-shirts are available at Prada and multibrand...

ICONIX ACQUIRES MUDD, MOSSIMO.
April 4, 2006... Byline: Vicki M. Young, With contributions from Ross Tucker NEW YORK - Add two more to Iconix Brand Group Inc.'s growing stable of brands: Mudd and Mossimo. On Monday, the New York-based firm signed two separate acquisition agreements...

SIGN LANGUAGE.(Dennis Hopper)(Interview)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Rose Apodaca LOS ANGELES - For Dennis Hopper, seeing his photographs of his artist pals finally realized as billboard-sized paintings (at 14 by 22 feet) is no small miracle. "And right here along Miracle Mile," he laughs, referring...

UNION RULES.(European Union, restaurant )(Brief article)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Emily Holt NEW YORK - It takes a certain brand of moxie to open a gastro pub without the pub element. And yet that's exactly what restaurateurs Jason Hennings and Bob Giraldi will do when they open their long-anticipated East...

STAND-UP GIRL.(Sandra Bernhard)(Interview)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Elisa Lipsky-Karasz NEW YORK - Sandra Bernhard, maternal icon? In the few years that she's been off the New York stage, it seems a few things changed. The woman known for her big mouth, rocky relationship with Madonna and...

ARMANI RETURNS TO SHANGHAI.(Giorgio Armani)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Lisa Movius SHANGHAI - Giorgio Armani is becoming a Shanghai regular. After visiting the city two years ago to launch his flagship store at Three on the Bund, the designer returned last weekend for the Shanghai opening of...

MEMO PAD: FIRST LADY CHIC...PEACE OUT.(Candace Bushnell, Brian Farnham join Time Out, periodical)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Jeff Bercovici FIRST LADY CHIC: Having extended her twentysomething lifestyle a couple of decades past its expiration date, Candace Bushnell has apparently decided it's time to grow up - and how. The "Sex and the City" author...

BEAUTY BEAT: STARS ABOUND AT FIFI AWARDS...DIDDY DOESN'T ANSWER BELL.
April 4, 2006... Byline: Julie Naughton Stars Abound at FiFi Awards NEW YORK - The 34th annual FiFi Awards, held by the Fragrance Foundation on Monday night at the Hammerstein Ballroom here, had plenty of star power - with the mistress of ceremonies,...

FUR EVER YOUNG.
April 4, 2006... NEW YORK - The romance of fall's gowns gets an added touch of glamour and luxury with shimmering metallics, floating layers of chiffon and dramatically embellished waistlines. And, in case a gal just wants to get a bit more gussied up, there...

A GOOD STRETCH.
April 4, 2006... NEW YORK - Forget plain-Jane materials. When it comes to stretch fabrics for spring 2007, it's all about rich and subtle textures. Highlights include seersuckers - in plaids and stripes - as well as tonal looks with dobby constructions or...

FILO REBOUNDS IN 25TH EDITION.
April 4, 2006... Byline: Stephanie Epiro MILAN - The textile industry's renewed focus on technically constructed yarns is spurring interest at the Filo yarn fair. The show's 25th edition here March 22-23 attracted 55 exhibitors and 2,132 visitors, an...

SOUTH KOREA AND TAIWAN GEAR UP TO TAKE ON CHINA.(Interstoff Asia show)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Constance Haisma-Kwok HONG KONG - South Korean and Taiwanese firms stepped up their efforts to present themselves as viable alternatives to China at this year's Interstoff Asia show. A total of 276 companies from 12 countries...

PROENZA SCHOULER'S NEXT STEP.(fashion industry)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK - Proenza Schouler is staffing up. Four years after founding the label, 27-year-old designers Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough are boosting their team to position the label for further growth. The...

TARGET SETS UP CAMP AT COOPER-HEWITT.
April 4, 2006... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK - Target, which has been unabashed about pitching design to the masses, now has a more stately bully pulpit at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum. At the end of the month, the Target National...

LIGHTS, CAMERA: PATRICIA FIELD HEADLINES NEW STORE.
April 4, 2006... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK - Patricia Field wasn't in the mood for techno rock. "You need to lower that music," Field told an employee at her new store at 302 Bowery. "It's too early in the morning." It was, in fact, 11:30...

FERRETTI UNVEILS NEW RUSSIAN FLAGSHIP.(Alberta Ferretti)(Brief article)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Luisa Zargani MILAN - Alberta Ferretti has opened its second Russian flagship, in Kaliningrad, the former Konigsberg, which is shaping up as one of Russia's new shopping havens. The one-story, 918-square-foot boutique also...

OPPOSITES ATTRACT.(Sarah Chuldenko, Jenna Gribbon)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK - Sarah Chuldenko and Jenna Gribbon have two things in common: Jeff Koons and Album Co.'s upcoming art salon. Both women worked for Koons. Gribbon spent a year painting for the artist; Chuldenko now logs...

STYLE AND GRACE.(Grace Kelly's wedding dress' exhibition at Philadelphia Museum of Art )
April 4, 2006... Byline: Daniela Gilbert PHILADELPHIA - It was a dress only a princess could wear. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of hometown girl Grace Kelly's marriage to Prince Rainier of Monaco on April 19, 1956, the Philadelphia Museum of Art...

GEORGE'S MUST HAVES.(ASDA Group Ltd.'s new collection)
April 4, 2006... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON - George, the clothing and accessories line from Wal-Mart subsidiary Asda, is sharpening its fashion focus with a new line called Must Haves. The new collection, which recently bowed in all Asda stores...

VF'S NAPAPIJRI BRAND ON RETAIL VOYAGE TO U.S., BEYOND.(new store opened)
April 4, 2006... Byline: David Moin NEW YORK - Napapijri is bringing its rugged, outdoor appeal, Italian flair and aura of exotic travel to the U.S. with stores in SoHo here and South Beach, Fla. Napapijri envisions 55 stores by 2010, expanding from...

ALL OVER...(Reed Krakoff to honour Terry Lundgren)(Brief article)
April 4, 2006... Coach's president and executive creative director, Reed Krakoff, at the kickoff party for the Whitney American Art Award the night of March 28 at his Upper East Side town house, where Lew Frankfort and Kenneth Cole stopped by to congratulate...

LEVI'S EXPANDS RFID TESTING.(Levi Strauss & Co.)
April 5, 2006... Byline: Denise Power CHICAGO - Levi Strauss & Co. plans to expand tests of radio frequency identification technology in U.S. and Mexico stores this year. Glen Bradley, information technology director, U.S. supply chain, for Levi's,...

BITS & BYTES.(Fele Holding Corp.'s shoes come with a GPS homing device, Synnove Fredericks's Music Interrupted Doffing Headphones)(Brief article)
April 5, 2006... Byline: Cate T. Corcoran Lost and Found These sneaks can't sneak away, because they come with a GPS homing device embedded in their soles. The global positioning system chip transmits its location via satellite to a cell phone, laptop...

L.A. MARKET: NEW FALL TRENDS AND PROTEST MARCH.
April 5, 2006... Byline: Emili Vesilind, Khanh T.L. Tran LOS ANGELES - The fall market here, marked by an immigration law protest downtown that drew almost half a million people, featured short dresses, oversize sweaters, fur and an Eighties-inspired...

WEST WATCH: BRANCHING OUT...DOLLED UP.(Jerry Leigh Inc. rolls out T-shirts decorated with foil prints, Kaviar and Kind opens showroom at Sunset Boulevard)
April 5, 2006... Byline: Marcy Medina, Khanh T.L. Tran BRANCHING OUT: Kaviar and Kind, a directional jewelry and accessories retailer in West Hollywood's Sunset Plaza, has opened at 900-square-foot showroom next door at 8533 Sunset Boulevard. Owners...

SEATTLE BOUND.(Brief article)
April 5, 2006... NEW YORK - Grunge is back. But this time, a girl can work more polish by exercising a bit of control while piling layers. Here, Vince's cashmere cardigan and belt; Ports 1961's cotton lace dress, cashmere leggings and crochet hat; Weekend by...

SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST: MODERATE VENDORS RUSH TO ADAPT TO NEW WORLD.
April 5, 2006... Byline: Julee Greenberg, With contributions from Vicki M. Young and David Moin NEW YORK - Reinvention or extinction. That is the challenge facing major moderate brands as they come under increasing pressure from America's shifting...

ARNAULT'S SON JOINS BOARD AT LVMH.(Bernard Arnault, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A.)(Brief article)
April 5, 2006... PARIS - Bernard Arnault is adding more young blood, not to mention some of his own, to the board of LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton. An LVMH spokesman confirmed Tuesday that Arnault's son, Antoine Arnault, would be asked to join the board....

WAL-MART TO LAUNCH URBAN INITIATIVE.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
April 5, 2006... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Tuesday that it will open more than 50 stores in economically struggling urban neighborhoods during the next two years, creating 15,000 to 25,000 jobs. The world's largest...

JAYSON NAMED CEO OF ANDREW MARC.
April 5, 2006... Byline: Lisa Lockwood NEW YORK - Charles M. Jayson has been named president and chief executive officer of Andrew Marc, the designer women's and men's leather and cloth outerwear manufacturer. Andrew Marc Schwartz, the 47-year-old...

IN BRIEF: LEPORE IN LONDON...SEARS RAISES.(Nanette Lepore opens first European storein London, Sears Holdings Corp. securities raises)(Brief article)
April 5, 2006... LEPORE IN LONDON: Nanette Lepore is set to open her first European store, in London's Westbourne Grove. The store, which spans 2,200 square feet over three levels, is housed in a former Italian restaurant and is set to open on June 1. Her...

PILE IT ON.(Brief article)
April 5, 2006... NEW YORK - Layered looks ruled the runways with a healthy nod to grunge. This time, designers worked luxurious fabrics into bubble sweaters, slouchy coats, shorts and leggings. Caption(s): Rozae Nichols' cotton fleece jacket and silk...

CORRECTION.
April 5, 2006... Paul Charron succeeded Jerry Chazen as chief executive officer of Liz Claiborne Inc. in 1989. This was incorrect in a story on page 14, Monday.

BOTTEGA, VERSACE LAUNCH AT SALONE DEL MOBILE.(Bottega Veneta Inc., Gianni Versace S.p.A., Salone Internazionale del Mobile)
April 5, 2006... Byline: Alessandra Ilari, Luisa Zargani MILAN - From the living room to the sky, Italian designers are rolling out their furniture collections at the Salone del Mobile show here. Bottega Veneta will launch creative director Tomas...

MEMO PAD: CRUNCH TIME...GIRL TROUBLE.(Ellegirl cease publication, American Media Inc. restructures )
April 5, 2006... Byline: Jeff Bercovici, Jacob Bernstein, Sara James CRUNCH TIME: Under escalating pressure from its creditors, American Media Inc. put the brakes on its expansion efforts Tuesday, folding three money-losing new magazines and undoing its...

GIRLSHOP REDESIGN SEEKS NEW DYNAMIC.
April 5, 2006... Byline: Cate T. Corcoran NEW YORK - Famous for its whimsical look, Girlshop, one of the earliest online boutiques, is getting its first redesign since it launched in 1998. Company president Todd Richter said he hopes easier navigation will...

BOBBI BROWN AND THE 'CHOCOLATE' FACTORY.
April 5, 2006... Byline: Michelle Edgar NEW YORK - Bobbi Brown's limited-edition fall color collection has an edible twist. The makeup guru has designed a dark milk chocolate Beauty Bar with Vosges Haut Chocolat to complement her fall makeup line, which...

FASHION SCOOPS: VUITTON SUPES...SHADES OF KARL...IN THE BAG.(Louis Vuitton N.A. Inc. advertising, Karl Lagerfeld to close licensing deal )
April 5, 2006... VUITTON SUPES: Naomi Campbell may have been charged with second-degree assault for striking her housekeeper with a cell phone last week, but such legal problems don't seem to have an impact on her modeling career. Word has it that Campbell is...

BETTER DRESS FORMS THROUGH SCAN DATA.(AlvaProducts Inc)
April 5, 2006... Byline: Holly Haber DALLAS - Mannequin form maker AlvaProducts Inc. has created a new fit consulting division led by Ed Gibben, the co-inventor of the Intellifit body scanner and former president of Intellifit Corp. As director of...

TURNING POINT.(Richie Rich and Traver Rains launch children's collection)(Brief article)
April 6, 2006... NEW YORK - Club-kid kitsch hits retail this summer. Heatherette designers Richie Rich and Traver Rains are gearing up for the launch of their new junior collection, to bow in 75 Federated stores and 25 specialty stores nationwide. The line...

BEAUTY DEAL UNTANGLES: ALBERTO-CULVER, REGIS CALL OFF $2.6B MERGER.
April 6, 2006... Byline: Molly Prior NEW YORK - The proposed $2.6 billion beauty deal between Alberto-Culver and Regis Corp. ended in an ugly fashion. Alberto-Culver's plans to spin off its Sally Beauty and Beauty Systems Group to Regis came to an...