WWD articles from December 2008

WWD archives from December 2008

WWD MONDAY.
December 1, 2008... Accessories/Innerwear/Legwear Women's Wear Daily [euro] The Retailers' Daily Newspaper [euro] December 1, 2008 [euro] $2.00 holiday '08 CAPTION(S): A Sigh of Relief Retailers breathed just a bit easier after Black Friday...

Daily Quote.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... "A markdown you take today is cheaper than a markdown you will take later." -- Brendan Hoffman, ceo of Lord & Taylor, on Black Friday pricing. Page 8.

Lukoff Tapped As Mccartney Ceo.(Frederick Lukoff, Stella McCartney Ltd.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Byline: Miles Socha PARIS -- Stella McCartney has tapped Frederick Lukoff as her new president and chief executive officer, WWD has learned. Lukoff, currently director of business development at Lanvin, will join the London-based...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
December 1, 2008... Christian Lacroix and Bruno Frisoni, pictured at left at the ceremony during which Jean-Jacques Picart was named a chevalier of arts and letters in Paris, were misidentified in a Fashion Scoop photo on page 5, Wednesday. "The Martha...

Today On WWD.COM.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... WWDTrend: This spring, shimmer and iridescence give bags, shoes and baubles a little kick. More photos of Karl Lagerfeld's film tribute to Coco Chanel and Marc Jacobs Stephen Sprouse-inspired collection Global breaking news Daily...

Chanel's Silent Style.
December 1, 2008... Byline: -- Miles Socha, with contributions from Ellen Groves A glamorous, big-budget short film of the silent variety will premiere in Paris this week, and it's all due to Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld, who donned a director's hat and let rip...

Mumbai Attacks Shake Confidence.
December 1, 2008... BANGALORE, India -- In the wake of last week's deadly terror attacks on Mumbai, mall owners vowed to step up security, while international luxury goods executives said the tragedy could slow the market's growth in the short term. ...

Cavalli Cleared In Tax Case.(Roberto Cavallid cleared in tax evasion case)
December 1, 2008... Byline: Luisa Zargani MILAN -- After years of legal debate and media scrutiny, Roberto Cavalli has been fully cleared by Italy's Supreme Court of Cassation of a tax evasion indictment. The country's major court of last resort...

Green Sells Moss Bros Stake.(Philip Green)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Byline: Nina Jones LONDON -- After saying he wouldn't make a bid for men's wear retailer Moss Bros, Sir Philip Green has offloaded his 28 percent stake in the chain. Green released a statement to the London Stock Exchange Friday...

Louis Vuitton Reimagines Sprouse Collaboration.(Stephen Sprouse)
December 1, 2008... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK -- Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton are paying homage to Stephen Sprouse. To show their admiration for the late designer and artist, next month, Jacobs, Vuitton's creative director, is using his hit...

Memo Pad.(A Magazine)
December 1, 2008... VOGUE, THE MOVIE: The films in competition at the next Sundance Film Festival won't be announced until the middle of this week, but insiders are already saying that R.J. Cutler 's documentary about Vogue has a good shot at making the cut....

Sales Up At Margins' Expense.
December 1, 2008... Retailers went into black Friday weekend with low expectations and came out with a sense of relief. The traffic arrived, thanks to unprecedented markdowns that will take a big bite out of fourth-quarter profits. Outlets and discounters,...

Tiffany, Dillard's Trim '09 Expenditure Plans.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Alexandra Steigrad With contributions from Matthew Lynch From upscale jeweler Tiffany & Co. Inc. to mainstream department store Dillard's Inc., the drumbeat of the economic slowdown continued to echo through retailing last week. ...

Fashion Scoops.
December 1, 2008... MOURET MOVE: Roland Mouret 's collection has a new home. Starting next March, the designer will show his RM by Roland Mouret line during Paris Fashion Week, moving from his previous spot during couture week. "The collection is now more...

U.K's Woolworths Files For Administration.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... By Nina Jones LONDON -- In a further indication of the tough retail climate in Britain, Woolworths, the 819-door, 99-year-old U.K. retail chain that sells everything from children's clothing to household goods, last week filed for...

Cosmetix West Launches Own Brand.(Infusion Organique )
December 1, 2008... Byline: -- Rachel Brown Cosmetix West Inc., A manufacturer of beauty products for the likes of Philosophy, Apothia, Tova and Michael Stars, is stepping out from behind the curtain of private label contracts with the unveiling this month of...

Amid Turmoil, Trust Factor Prevails.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Karyn Monget With economic turbulence far from over, lingerie executives are bracing for how buying patterns and traditional marketing rules will be affected. For now, executives believe practicality will prevail. The...

Escapism Softens Blow Of Harsh Economy.
December 1, 2008... Byline: -- Karyn Monget After the sept. 11 terrorist attacks, President Bush said, "It's back to business, but it's not business as usual." In the current climate, consumers are being traumatized in a different way. Instead of a fear...

Animal Magnetism.(animal prints)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Lingerie designers are going wild with zebra, snake and cat prints for day or night. CAPTION(S): A silk chiffon robe, cami and briefs from Lisa's Folly Luxe. La Perla's silk and elastane robe and slip.

Watch And Jewelry Firms Take The Online Route.(internet marketing)
December 1, 2008... Byline: Sophia Chabbott Watchmakers and jewelers are finding a new avenue to sell their wares -- and it's not Madison. Even before the financial crisis, brands began to cultivate online selling. De Beers, Bulgari and Boucheron are just...

Step It Up.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... From zip-up leather pieces to complicated sheer confections, edgy legwear designs popped up all over the designer market for spring. If these styles catch on, traditional manufacturers will have plenty of fodder for innovation in future...

WWD Trend: Let It Shine.
December 1, 2008... This spring, shimmer and iridescence give bags, shoes and baubles a little kick. For more, see WWD.com. CAPTION(S): Stuart Weitzman Coach Burberry Prorsum Aris Geldis

French Connection Sales Rise, But Firm Lowers Expectations.(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Byline: Nina Jones LONDON -- British retailer French Connection saw an uptick in its U.K. and European retail sales, but the company is taking a cautious view of the coming months. In the 16 weeks ending Nov. 25, retail sales in...

WWD Jewelry & Watch Report.(Photograph)
December 1, 2008... COOL CONTRASTS FOR HOLIDAY, DESIGNERS FAVOR BOLD, CRISP, WHITE WATCHES THAT PERFECTLY SET OFF THE SEASON'S GRAPHIC BLACK-AND-WHITE JEWELRY. CAPTION(S): From top: Faraone Mennella by R.F.M.A.S.'s white jade, diamond and onyx...

High-Flying Jewelers Deal With New Reality.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Sophia Chabbott PUSH HAS COME TO SHOVE. After years of booming sales, fierce expansion and blowout advertising campaigns, the fiscal crisis has caused fine jewelry brands to rethink their strategies for 2009. While many brands...

Luxe Brands Count On Collectors.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS -- As economies nosedive and stock markets crumble, major watch brands are hoping their most expensive collectable pieces will help cushion the financial blow. Executives are counting on the top end to...

Wild Things.(jewelers takes inspiration from wild creatures)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Byline: -- TALYA COUSINS LIZARDS AND SPIDERS AND DRAGONFLIES, OH MY! JEWELERS ARE TAKING INSPIRATION FROM TROPICAL RAIN FORESTS AND ENCHANTED GARDENS, CREATING WHIMSICAL CREATURES AND EXOTIC FLORA. CAPTION(S): Clockwise from top:...

Forward Thinking.(new watch and jewelry brands )
December 1, 2008... Taking inspiration from physics to architecture, these new watch and jewelry brands are making their mark on the industry. JEROME DEWITT Three years after creating his brand, Jerome DeWitt continues to build his firm with quality and...

Retro Active.
December 1, 2008... Byline: -- WWD Staff From classics to cult favorites, retailers across the globe divulge hot items for holiday. MORGAN'S JEWELERS, TWO STORES IN PALOS VERDES AND TORRANCE, CALIF. "The usage of precious gemstones that have been...

No Gem For Jewelers This Season.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Alexandra Steigrad Jewelers are likely to get a lump of coal for Christmas as consumers continue to pull back on luxury purchases. In the face of rising unemployment, unstable financial and housing markets, high food prices and...

Credit Crunch Causing Consolidation.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Matthew Lynch In what has been a painful year for jewelers, there probably aren't many observers with a finger closer to the pulse of the market than the firms that specialize in jewelry liquidations. As consumers have found it...

Learning Curve.
December 1, 2008... Now is not just a buyer's market for jewelry, it's an aficionado's dream. Here is a listing of new books and exhibits for those who are "just looking." FEELING BLUE Tiffany & Co. knows a thing or two about style. What started as a...

'It's Always Summer Somewhere'.(Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau)
December 2, 2008... Byline: Sarah Haight Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau's accidental business was as much about a resort spirit as about clothes. Long before "lifestyle dressing" was de rigueur, before Ralph and before Tory, there was an eyeliner-loving,...

Color My World.(Lilly Pulitzer's cheerful designs)(Photograph)
December 2, 2008... No matter the year or season, Lilly Pulitzer's calling card is cheerful designs. CAPTION(S): Lilly Pulitzer surrounded by prints, circa the Seventies. Lilly in a seashell dress. Spring 2007 The Jubilee collection. ...

The Design Room.(Lilly Pulitzer )
December 2, 2008... Byline: -- Julee Kaplan Coming up with new riffs on the famous prints. It's friday afternoon at the Lilly Pulitzer headquarters in King of Prussia, Pa., and a group of five young designers is gathered around a table with piles of...

Do The Bright Thing.(Lilly Pulitzer supporting celebrity moms to raise funds and awareness for epidermolysis bullosa)(Brief article)
December 2, 2008... Byline: -- Julee Kaplan Lilly Pulitzer has teamed up with a series of celebrities to launch a Colorful Cause: Celebrity Designer Program. Lilly-supporting celebrity moms -- Gwyneth Paltrow, Brooke Shields, Debra Messing, Marcia Cross,...

The Whole Package.(Company overview)
December 2, 2008... Byline: Cecily Hall Staying on-message in Lilly Pulitzer stores. There's no such thing as a crisis in Lilly Pulitzer's world. With a brand as bright and colorful as this, what could possibly shake things up? A global financial...

All The Details.(Lilly Pulitzer )
December 2, 2008... Byline: Julie Naughton With contributions from Dianne M. Pogoda Lots of categories keep building the Lilly lifestyle. Brand extension is a significant part of the growth strategy for Lilly Pulitzer as it begins its second half-century....

They Are Saying: 'Lilly's The Real Deal'.
December 2, 2008... It's often said that there's very little that's truly original in fashion these days. But when Lilly Pulitzer first offered her sunny prints, there wasn't much like them anywhere, and they turned into a fashion and lifestyle brand. Here, in...

All Together Now.(New York trade shows )(Brief article)
December 3, 2008... Byline: Whitney Beckett New York shows unify dates to attract more traffic. NEW YORK -- What a difference a year makes. Although the tanking economy has created challenges for trade shows in 2009, the radical economic conditions...

Fashion Scoops.(Hollywould, Paris' architecture museum, Dolce and Gabbana shopping party)
December 12, 2008... FADE OUT?: Could Hollywould be out of business? The brand, founded by creative director Holly Dunlap , has been looking for a buyer since October, when its parent, Kellwood Co., put the company up for sale. But speculation has been swirling...

Mike & Chris Inks Deal With Green Mochi.(Green Mochi LLC)
December 12, 2008... Byline: Khanh T.L. Tran LOS ANGELES Mike & Chris, a contemporary brand that helped transform the casual hoodie into an edgy fashion item, hopes to weather the recession without sacrificing design through a licensing agreement with...

Mulberry Warns But Not Cutting Back.(Mulberry Group PLC)
December 12, 2008... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON Accessories brand Mulberry Group plc is responding to tough times with old-fashioned British grit and forging ahead with planned investments in marketing and retail. On Thursday, the company issued a...

What's Clicking.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Originally reported by Jennie Bell, Footwear News The top 20 shoe brands most searched for online during the month of September. Footwear brands, like most other categories, faced a challenging selling environment, but a number...

Street Stuff.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Cecily Hall Urban contemporary retailers ranked by number of stores.* Urban contemporary specialty stores are facing a tough challenge as department stores such as Macy's and Dillard's flex their larger muscles. Three years...

They Said It.
December 15, 2008... Byline: Compiled by Dianne M. Pogoda Fashion's highly quotable crowd was at it again. "I live by astrology. I am a Libra. I can't make up my mind. We never find a balance. We like it all." Donna Karan, discussing her...

Miley's Minions.(Miley Cyrus)(Brief article)
December 15, 2008... Miley Cyrus, aka Hannah Montana, gave a free concert in New York's Bryant Park on a hot Friday morning in July. Thousands of tweens clad in HotPants, sequins and all manner of Miley style (and their parents) jammed the park. Here's what some of...

For Whom Do Women Dress?(Brief article)
December 15, 2008... WWD asked this provocative question of showgoers during New York's collections in February. Here are some of their responses: Anne Hathaway: "Most women dress for their most fashionable friend." Isabel Toledo: "Women dress for men. I...