WWD articles from December 2003

WWD archives from December 2003

THE MATCH GAME.(fasion designers make clothing for Barbie doll)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- When it comes to coordinating outfits, there's nobody quite like Barbie. And this season, designers are following the lead of the iconic, 11 1/2-inch fashion doll, blurring the lines that usually divide accessories and clothes....

POST-THANKSGIVING TALLY: HOLIDAY SHOPPING LIFTOFF FUELS 4TH-QTR. OPTIMISM.(Industry Overview)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- There's a different ring to Christmas this year and retailers like the sound of it. No one characterized the post-Thanksgiving weekend as a bonanza and retailers remain cautious. But after Friday's and Saturday's business,...

MORGAN STANLEY 'CAUTIOUS' ABOUT LUXE.(Industry Overview)
December 1, 2003... PARIS -- Adding a skeptical voice to rumblings of a near- to midterm luxury rebound, Morgan Stanley has lowered its view on the sector to "cautious" from "in-line," warning that stock values are looking "excessive" with limited upside...

FED: ECONOMY IMPROVING.
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- A Federal Reserve report issued Wednesday added another sign that the economy is back in the pink and emphasized that "improvements appeared to be reasonably broadly based." The Beige Book, the Fed's periodic snapshot of...

TOM BURNS BACK AS SVP AT DONEGER.(returns as senior vice president at The Doneger Group)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- In two top management changes at The Doneger Group, Tom Burns has returned as senior vice president and Kathy Bradley-Riley has been promoted to senior vice president of merchandising. Once again, Burns reports to Abbey...

COMING THIS WEEK.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Monday: Chicago Fabric & Trim Show (through Tuesday). Manhattan Vintage Clothing Show, New York (through Tuesday). Tuesday: Chico's FAS and Movado report third-quarter earnings. Wednesday: Neiman Marcus Group reports first-quarter...

IN BRIEF: NEW SHOES FOR GUCCI...SHORT BREAK.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW SHOES FOR GUCCI: As the fashion world continues to ponder the future of Gucci sans president and chief executive Domenico De Sole and creative director Tom Ford, the Italian luxury goods giant is bolstering its manufacturing base with an...

MASTER MAX.
December 1, 2003... Though Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany are garnering most of the attention for their performances as a ship captain and his doctor, respectively, in "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World," Max Pirkis, 14, also makes a startlingly...

AMERICAN DREAMS.
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- The past, one might say, is in the mind of the beholder. So when director Jim Sheridan and two of his daughters, Naomi, 30, and Kirsten, 27, began writing three separate scripts for a film based on their family's emigration from...

GROUP THERAPY.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... LONDON -- If you can have a nightclub in a church, why not a cultural conglomerate in a hospital? Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics and Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen have just opened the Hospital, a 60,000-square-foot multifunctional center on...

MISS MATCH.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Once upon a time, "matchy-matchy" used to be a derisive term. But not anymore. It's no longer enough to have the perfect handbag to complement an outfit; this season, the bag should match the clothes. As accessories designers...

IT'S TIME FOR SHINE TO RETURN.(Industry Overview)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- The sparkle should be back in 2004. SARS, a worldwide travel slump and conflicts in the Middle East and other regions have made this year particularly challenging for the $43 billion fine jewelry and watch sector, but many...

NEW FACETS FOR THE DIAMOND INDUSTRY.
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- The diamond industry is in the midst of tremendous change as manufacturers of all stripes look to brand themselves and the De Beers Group loses its firm grip on the world's diamond supply. This was the focus of two recent...

A RISING TIDE FOR A CROWDED POOL.(Industry Overview)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Citing an improved economic climate and salable trends, firms throughout the accessories sector are planning for a better year in 2004. Fall sales have been above plan at many chains, leading some stores to increase their...

FURLA UNFURLS MANHATTAN FLAGSHIP.
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Furla is embarking on a fresh creative direction and it's starting with its new store on Madison Avenue here. The Italian accessories company has just opened a sleek and airy 2,500-square-foot flagship on Madison and East 57th...

STEPS TO TRIGGER THE CYCLE.(Industry Overview)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- The outlook for legwear isn't as bleak as previous seasons, but after years of steady sales declines, makers and retailers aren't being lulled into a false sense of security. While many anticipate a stronger-than-usual holiday...

CHINA QUOTAS CHALLENGE LINGERIE FIRMS.
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Innerwear firms are facing a major dilemma as 2004 looms. Makers of intimate apparel, a $12.2 billion business at retail, are being rocked by what a majority see as the single biggest challenge of the past decade: the Bush...

MEASURING THE MARKET; TOTAL INTIMATE APPAREL BUSINESS IN THE U.S. FOR THE 12 MONTHS ENDED OCTOBER 2003.(Industry Overview)
December 1, 2003... Total Volume Dollars: $12.2 billion, up 4.3 percent. Total Volume Units: 1.7 billion, up 6 percent. Bra sales up 1.5 percent, totaling $4.36 billion. Bra units up 3.5 percent, totaling $395 million. Panty sales up 7.3 percent,...

L&T FLAGSHIP HOUSES NARS COUNTER.
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Nars has launched its first separate counter in the U.S. at Lord & Taylor's Fifth Avenue flagship here. The counter claims 154 square feet of prime real estate at the front of the store leading into the beauty department, which is...

FASHION SCOOPS: MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN...MADE IN MANHATTAN...DOODLING DO-GOODERS.(meshed briefs)
December 1, 2003... MORE HUMAN THAN HUMAN: What is it about Nicole Kidman that wins her Oscars and a spot on Tom Ford's arm? Beauty? Talent? Her utter lack of empathy? The latter caught Lars von Trier's eye. That quality led the Danish director/provocateur to cast...

MINING COMPANY TO BUY WINSTON.(Harry Winston expected to be acquired by Aber Diamond Corp.)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Harry Winston seems to have found a buyer at last. In a brief interview with WWD, Ronald Winston confirmed the impending sale of his family's company, saying, "It's a great opportunity." According to sources familiar with...

CHARRON NETS $2M IN STOCK OPTIONS.(Paul Charron, chairman and chief executive officer of Liz Claiborne Inc., has acquired more than $2 million from stock options)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Paul Charron, chairman and chief executive officer of Liz Claiborne Inc., netted more than $2 million from stock options last week. According to a Form 4 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission last Wednesday,...

NORDSTROM FAMILY GROUP TO SELL SHARES.(Elmer and Katharine Nordstrom Family Interest LP to sell up to 5.4 million shares of Nordstrom common stock)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Upscale department store operator Nordstrom Inc. said a Nordstrom family shareholder group will register with the Security and Exchange Commission to sell up to 5.4 million shares of Nordstrom common stock. Elmer and...

STRONG QUARTER FOR ROSS, AS STEIN MART LOSS GROWS.
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- A healthy back-to-school season helped lift Ross Stores Inc. to double-digit increases in sales and earnings in the third quarter. Elsewhere in the world of mass retailing, ShopKo generated a 9.9 percent increase in net...

EUROPE WATCH: BLUE CHRISTMAS...LIGHT BRIGHT...SINGH'S CHRISTMAS BREAK.
December 1, 2003... BLUE CHRISTMAS: There will be fewer gifts under European Christmas trees this year, according to a study by the Deloitte & Touche consulting firm in Paris. Holiday spending is expected to be weakest in France, where those polled said they would...

ATMI PUSHES REPEAL EFFORT.
December 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- A congressional effort to repeal a U.S. export subsidy and stave off retaliatory tariffs from the European Union starting Jan. 1 has gained a key backer: the American Textile Manufacturers Institute. But additional support...

ARMANI TO KEYNOTE IHT PARLEY.(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Giorgio Armani will deliver the opening address at the International Herald Tribune's third annual fashion and luxury conference titled "Fashion 2003: Luxury in a Cool Climate" Dec. 4 at the Four Seasons Hotel George V in Paris....

COLDWATER CREEK NET UP 16%.
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Led by strength in its retail stores, Coldwater Creek Inc. posted healthy bottom- and top-line gains in the third quarter. For the three months ended Nov. 1, the Sandpoint, Idaho-based multichannel retailer said net earnings...

OBITUARY: MARJORIE SCHLESINGER DEANE, TOBE HEAD.(chairman of weekly merchandising publication and consulting service The Tobe Report)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Marjorie Schlesinger Deane, chairman of weekly merchandising publication and consulting service The Tobe Report, died on Saturday of complications from Alzheimer's Disease. She was 80. In Deane's 60 years in the fashion...

OBITUARY: AMES STEVENS, TEXTILE EXECUTIVE, 74.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
December 1, 2003... NEW YORK -- Ames Stevens, a retired textile executive from Gloucester, Mass., died Saturday on his way home from a football game. He was 74. According to his son, who is also named Ames Stevens, the cause of death was heart failure. ...

TULLE RUNNING.
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Things are heating up for spring with unexpectedly sultry white dresses. While the shade certainly suggests an angelic quality, designers are tempering that attribute with sex appeal. Here, Badgley Mischka's tulle dress. For more,...

SEARCHING FOR A CURE: AILING LEVI STRAUSS & CO. HIRES CORPORATE DOCTOR.(is hiring consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal to help it find new ways of reducing debt and cutting costs)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Is Levi's raising a red flag? In a move seen as an acknowledgement that its continuing turnaround efforts are failing to pan out, Levi Strauss & Co. on Monday said it was hiring the consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal to help it...

KMART FILLS EXECUTIVE GAP.(John Goodman named senior vice president and chief apparel officer)
December 2, 2003... BOSTON -- Kmart has tapped another former Gap executive in its quest to fill its top management ranks. John Goodman, 39, will start in January as senior vice president and chief apparel officer, a new position, reporting to Kmart...

IDENTIFYING THE FIELD: WHO'S NEXT AT GUCCI?(Gucci Guccio S.p.A.)
December 2, 2003... PARIS -- Domenico De Sole's Gucci loafers are big shoes to fill. That's the word from executive search firms, branding experts and other industry observers in Europe. They say Pinault-Printemps-Redoute has its work cut out for it to find...

FASHION WATCHERS PROVIDE INSIGHT FOR FORD'S FUTURE.
December 2, 2003... MILAN -- Tom Ford, May 1 is the first day of the rest of your life. As the designer maintains a low profile following last month's stunning announcement that he and Domenico De Sole would leave Gucci in April, the entire fashion world...

IN BRIEF: ANOTHER TOUCH OF CLASS...MAGLI'S MAN...DONE DEALS.(meshed briefs)
December 2, 2003... ANOTHER TOUCH OF CLASS: One shareholder class-action lawsuit involving Warnaco may have been settled, but the remaining legal battle needs a new lead plaintiff. The law firm of Lovell Stewart Halebian is seeking candidates to act on behalf of...

CLARIFICATION.(Correction Notice)
December 2, 2003... Paul Charron, chairman and chief executive officer of Liz Claiborne Inc., recently agreed to a new employment contract that runs until Dec. 31, 2006. The expiration date in a story on page 17, Monday, referred to his previous agreement.

BLANKETING THE BEACH.
December 2, 2003... Just in time to offer an escape from New York, Andre Balazs is relaunching the Raleigh Hotel in Miami Beach, where Eric Ripert, the chef of Le Bernardin, will serve as the hotel's "directeur de cuisine." The hotel's main restaurant won't open...

MIAMI NIGHTS.
December 2, 2003... MIAMI BEACH -- Location, location, location is the New York restaurateur's mantra. But as Miami hits another style wave, the likes of which haven't been seen since the mid-Nineties, landing a prime piece of South Florida real estate has...

FRENCH TWIST.
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Though she's a star in France and has paparazzi bulbs there flashing overtime, Chiara Mastroianni glides among the late morning cappuccino drinkers in the lobby of the Hudson Hotel causing little more than a passing glance. ...

WHITE AT NIGHT.(pure white is a trend for dresses, Spring 2004)(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- White isn't just for brides and debutantes, as spring's dress lineup proves. In fact, it's the simple juxtaposition of pure white and body-conscious silhouettes or bad-girl hemlines that make these looks so appealing.

PLANNING FOR A NEW TRADE GAME.(Industry Overview)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Next year is shaping up to be one of the most dramatic that the textile industry has seen in decades. As the last months tick away until the planned 2005 phaseout of quotas on fabrics and garments among World Trade...

FIBER FIRMS FEEL THE PRICE SQUEEZE.(Industry Overview)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- For manufacturers and marketers of natural and synthetic fibers, one of the key challenges in 2004 will be how to manage their rising raw material costs at a time when deflationary pressures are continuing to squeeze margins...

DUPONT SETS PLAN FOR DOWNSIZING AFTER INVISTA SALE.
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- As DuPont prepares for the sale of its textiles business, which last year represented 23.6 percent of its total sales, the Wilmington, Del.-based company is planning some major restructuring moves. The company on Monday said...

MOROCCO'S HISTORY: STITCH BY STITCH.(book; "Moroccan Textile Embroidery")(Book Review)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Author Isabelle Denamur takes readers on a virtual tour of a North African cultural melting pot in her new book "Moroccan Textile Embroidery" (Editions Flammarion). Denamur, an ethnologist who is researching her thesis on the art...

FASHION SCOOPS: MON AMI SAPERSTEIN...FOUR-WHEEL DISCOUNT...CAT IN THE PINK.(meshed briefs)
December 2, 2003... MON AMI SAPERSTEIN: "You are great friends of France," eulogized couturier Pierre Cardin Wednesday evening as he decorated Suzanne and David Saperstein chevaliers of the arts and letters for their "services rendered to the image of France."...

WITH DEAL IN WORKS, WINSTON THINKS BIG.
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- The deal to sell Harry Winston to Aber Diamond Corp. is at least a month away from closing, but chairman Ronald Winston already has some major plans. "In order for this business to grow, we can't do it with six stores,"...

SEAN JOHN CLEARED BY HONDURAN GOV'T.(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- P. Diddy seems to be off the hook, sweatshop-wise. According to a spokesman for Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, the hip-hop mogul has been cleared of sweatshop allegations against his apparel company, Sean John. As reported on Oct. 29,...

TAKING A NOVEL APPRAOCH.
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- This spring, novelty styles are expected to be top performers. Although their styles differ significantly, Lela Rose and Trelise Cooper are two designers who consider novelty a part of their aesthetic. Whether it's a heavily...

IMPROVING THE CAREER OUTLOOK.(Industry Overview)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Hands down, this spring is about the suit, and fortunately for ready-to-wear firms, the dress isn't too far behind. Vendors are expecting a strong spring season, with most suit and dress companies forecasting double-digit...

BARBOUR STORMS UP MADISON.
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- The Upper East Side of Manhattan is a far cry from the docks of northeast England, but that's where J. Barbour & Sons Ltd., a century-old British brand that catered to seafaring men in its early years, has planted a store to sell...

SPRING TRIGGERS INGENUITY.(Industry Overview)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- In the weather-dependent outerwear sector, companies have learned to exercise flexibility. Given the tentative nature of spring retailing for the category -- a season that typically generates 10 to 20 percent of annual sales...

MEMO PAD: COME ON IN, THE PARTY IS JUST STARTING...A&F TRILATERALLY...PAPER WEIGHT.
December 2, 2003... COME ON IN, THE PARTY IS JUST STARTING: The New York Magazine road show seems to be pretty much over, sources said. As of now, Mort Zuckerman is at the head of one table, holding discussions with a consortium of rich guys that includes ad man...

MAC EFFORT RAISING AIDS AWARENESS.
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- MAC has long been devoted to raising funds and awareness for AIDS research -- and the company's president, John Demsey, spent Monday supporting the cause. The day started off with a breakfast at Gracie Mansion with Mayor...

ASIA WATCH: UPPING THE ANTE...RIDING IN...UP AT LAST.
December 2, 2003... UPPING THE ANTE: The Japanese government has finalized a list of 310 products -- including 43 textile- and apparel-related items -- on which tariffs will be raised in the event of a refusal by the U.S. to withdraw its safeguard restrictions...

BERTELLI TO RACE AGAIN?(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... MILAN -- Prada Group's chief Patrizio Bertelli is ready to set sail again. Just as one thought that Bertelli had thrown in the towel following Luna Rossa's elimination from the Louis Vuitton Cup in New Zealand last January, it looks like...

REPORT: HOLIDAY SPENDING TO FALL IN 2003.
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Not everyone is bullish about the holiday shopping season. Despite an opening weekend that left retailers relatively cheerful, consultants Retail Forward on Monday forecast that Americans plan to curtail their holiday gift...

MAY CO. SALES DECLINE.( May Department Stores Co. )(Brief Article)
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- May Department Stores Co. said November same-store sales dipped 1.7 percent, but that was better than most analysts' estimates, which ranged from minus 2 to minus 4 percent, and better than the year-ago plunge of 7.9 percent....

APPAREL PACES ATHLETIC RETAILERS.
December 2, 2003... NEW YORK -- Sporting goods retailers controlled their expenses and regained their footing with apparel margins during the third quarter, lifting most to healthy gains in net income and sales. The exception that proved the rule, perhaps,...

CHARMED.(clothing trends)(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- Designers often look to the past for inspiration, and this season the easy and elegant looks from the Fifties and Sixties have won them over. From floral-print dresses to sleek suits, these clean-cut styles recall a time when...

TEXTILES IN AN ELECTION YEAR: INDUSTRY EXECS DESCEND ON D.C.
December 3, 2003... WASHINGTON -- The battle between free trade and protectionism has a reached a fever pitch and might have found a chief mediator. Industrialist Wilbur Ross is maneuvering to help reach a compromise between importers and the domestic...

KELLWOOD PROMOTES SKINNER TO PRESIDENT.(Robert C. Skinner Jr.)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- Kellwood Co. promoted Robert C. Skinner Jr. to the post of president and chief operating officer, the company said Tuesday, making him the number-two executive at the St. Louis-based company and putting him in line for the top...

CHICO'S COMPS RISE.(Chico's FAS)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- Chico's FAS proved yet again to be the little retailer that could as profits and overall and comparable-store sales in the third quarter rose by double digits. The Fort Myers, Fla.-based retailer, which operates 548 stores,...

OP'S TURNAROUND SURF BRAND SEES SALES OF $350M.(Company Profile)
December 3, 2003... LOS ANGELES -- Richard Baker likes to tell listeners that in the action sports industry, where executives really do show up to meetings in shorts, he's known as The Suit. Never mind that the Op chief, known as Dick, resuscitated one of...

IN BRIEF: GUCCI'S CREDIT FACILITY...FASHION COUCIL REDUX...LEVI'S DOWNGRADE.
December 3, 2003... GUCCI'S CREDIT FACILITY: Gucci Group NV said it has signed a revolving credit facility for $550.99 million, or 460 million euros at current exchange rates. Citigroup and The Royal Bank of Scotland plc coordinated the facility and Unicredito...

SUZY: ZETA-JONES: BOND GIRL...PALTROW: JEWEL THIEF...DIANDRA DOUGLAS: BLUSHING BRIDE.
December 3, 2003... Gwyneth Paltrow came to town Monday night dripping in diamonds to host a gala at Lincoln Center where she told friends that she's thrilled about the role she just landed playing a glamorous jewel thief. Madonna wanted the part, too, but come...

CHARMED.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- Remember Audrey Hepburn in 1953's "Roman Holiday" and 1954's "Sabrina" -- or Jackie Kennedy in her dazzling White House years? Designers certainly do, because they're turning on the charm with looks inspired by these style...

THE BIG FISH SHOULD KEEP BITING.(consolidation trends in sportswear industry)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- It doesn't take a crystal ball to predict continued consolidation in the moderate and better sportswear scene next year. The better-priced segment will also see intense competition from a recent spate of brand launches. At...

BONEPARTH'S ACQUISITION BENCHMARK: $100M IN SALES.(Jones New York CEO Peter Boneparth)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- The title of a recent American Apparel & Footwear Association seminar, "It's All About Consolidation -- Merge, Acquire, Liquidate," neatly summed up one of the most important trends in the fashion business. The big...

IN DESIGNER, THE CONSTANT IS CHANGE.(Industry Overview)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- As business picks up, so does the action. Retailers and designers are going into the holiday season with high hopes of an economic revival, which they believe will portend big business for designer fashion throughout 2004....

FLOU SEASON.(fashion industry forecasts healthy spring season)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- It's pretty and it sells. Based on early trunk show results, retailers are feeling positive that fashion's big feminine trend for spring will drive customers back into stores for designer apparel, maybe even at full price. ...

MADNESS UNCOVERED.('Madness Visible: A Memoir of War')(Interview)
December 3, 2003... LONDON -- A life of bullet-dodging, staring into mass graves and hanging around with jittery, pimply soldiers was not part of Janine di Giovanni's original career plan. It wasn't exactly part of her mother, Cat's plan either. "My mother...

FASHION SCOOPS: SEX AND THE CITY OF LIGHT...HALL OF FAMES...BEST FOOT FORWARD.
December 3, 2003... SEX AND THE CITY OF LIGHT: It looks like Sarah Jessica Parker and her "Sex and the City" crew are in the mood for a little change of scenery. Word has it that the HBO series is scouting locations in Paris to shoot an upcoming episode soon. Our...

SHOWCASING THE WORLD OF DISPLAY.(Storexpo trade show)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- It's time for those makers of mannequins, forms, fixturing systems and lighting -- a shrinking, yet integral assemblage of suppliers to retailers -- to put on their best face. Hundreds of store designers and visual...

ANN TAYLOR UNVEILS REDESIGNED DECOR.
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- Ann Taylor, battling back to recapture the cache and obtain higher sales productivity, has opened a prototype store at the Mall at Short Hills in New Jersey. The 10,000-square-foot unit, with 7,945 square feet of selling...

MILLENNIAL MIND-SET.
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- You can't judge a generation's spending proclivities by its wallet. That's the bottom line in new research on today's tweens, teens and young adults, a group spending 13 percent more this year than they did in 2002, even as...

MARKETING INTELLIGENCE.(Industry Overview)
December 3, 2003... PRINT APPEAL: Asian-Americans may read the same number of magazines per month, on average, as Americans overall (nine), but they're a significantly more affluent and better-educated audience, making them prime pickings for media marketers,...

RAISING LIPSTICK SEALER PROFILE.(Colorsave Products)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- Lipstick sealers offer an alternative to sometimes-drying, long-wear lip colors. However, half of American lipstick consumers have never heard of a sealer, even though they've been available in salons for more than 10 years,...

NEW YORK MAGAZINE, DAILY UPDATE.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... The second round of bids on New York Magazine are due Dec. 11. In the latest development, a source said at press time that investment banker Bruce Wasserstein had sent a group of representatives into a meeting with Primedia about the title. ...

SAKS COULD SCORE FAO SCHWARZ TRADEMARK.(Brief Article)
December 3, 2003... NEW YORK -- FAO Inc.'s second visit to Chapter 11, expected later this week, could pave the way for a purchase of the FAO Schwarz trademark by Saks Inc. As reported, Saks inked a deal earlier this year for a minority stake in the firm...

RUFFLE ABOUT.(Brief Article)
December 4, 2003... NEW YORK -- Whether it's the tropical isles or the island of Manhattan, DKNY is prepared for both this summer. The collection works frills in a palette of hot pastels mixed with chic neutrals in an eclectic array of looks that works from the...

A NEW LUXURY STANDARD: $50M ASPREY FLAGSHIP LANDS ON FIFTH AVENUE.
December 4, 2003... NEW YORK -- The Asprey push has begun. The venerable English brand has invested an estimated $50 million in its new 20,000-square-foot flagship at 723 Fifth Avenue here, which opened its doors quietly on Tuesday. The three-floor store is...

IN BRIEF: MADISON AVENUE GIVES...ALL IN THE FAMILY...FRIEDMAN'S NEW TEAM.
December 4, 2003... MADISON AVENUE GIVES: This Sunday marks the 17th annual Miracle on Madison Avenue event, where 150 Madison Avenue-based retailers, restaurants and galleries donate 20 percent of the day's sales to The Children's Aid Society, a health-care...

INDUSTRY MEETING TERMED 'SUCCESS'.
December 4, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Industrialist Wilbur Ross, in his new role as a mediator, has taken a step forward in building a consensus among a small group of high-level executives divided over critical issues in the Central America Free Trade Agreement....