WWD articles from February 2007

WWD archives from February 2007

EDGE OF NIGHT.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Expect metallics to stick around for fall. Designers are updating the shiny stuff with a downtown edge in looks fit for day, night and that cocktail hour in between. Here, photographed at Fast Ashleys Studio, Samantha Treacy's wool shirt and...

AN ALL-AMERICAN MAN: RALPH, PENNEY'S LINK TO CREATE NEW BRAND.(Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. J.C. Penney)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. has the first big customer for its new Global Brand Concepts division: J.C. Penney. The retail chain today will unveil the exclusive American Living lifestyle brand, which, come spring...

IN BRIEF: MODEL LAW...A.S. WATSON DIVISIONAL PRESIDENT OUT...BCBG'S NEW DIGS.(legislation on employment of models and performers under the age of 18)(A.S. Watson president Hugues Witvoet has resigned)(BCBG Max Azria Group closed Fifth Avenue store to open a bigger one)
February 1, 2007... MODEL LAW: Legislation to recommend standards and guidelines for the employment of models and child performers under the age of 18 and prevent eating disorders was introduced in the New York State Assembly Wednesday by Jos Rivera (D., Bronx),...

LIZ'S HIRED GUNN: CEO MCCOMB MAKES EXEC MOVES.(William L. McComb, Liz Claiborne Inc., Tim Gunn)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Whitney Beckett William L. McComb is solidifying his leadership team by making his first major appointments as chief executive officer at Liz Claiborne Inc. McComb has recruited Tim Gunn to join the company as chief creative...

CELINE BOLSTERS MANAGEMENT WITH LEPOIVRE APPOINTMENT.(Pascale Lepoivre)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Miles Socha PARIS - Beefing up management ranks to propel future growth, Celine has appointed a new number two: Pascale Lepoivre, who joined the LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton-owned fashion house from sister brand Louis Vuitton on...

ONE SCOTTSDALE WOOING FASHIONABLE NAMES.(sponsoring Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week)(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK - The developer of One Scottsdale, a 1.8-million-square-foot mixed-use project rising in Scottsdale, Ariz., is sponsoring Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week here in the hope of attracting fashion retailers to its...

ESTE LAUDER 2Q EARNINGS SOAR 39%.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Molly Prior NEW YORK - The Este Lauder Cos., which delivered a 39 percent gain in profits on an 11.6 percent sales increase from continuing operations in its second quarter, is following in consumers' footsteps by peering beyond...

INVESTMENT FUND BUYS BRUNO MAGLI.(Fortelus Capital )
February 1, 2007... Byline: Amanda Kaiser MILAN - Investment fund Fortelus Capital has acquired Bruno Magli SpA, marking a new chapter for the beleaguered footwear company. U.K.-based Fortelus said it bought 100 percent of Bruno Magli from Bulgari...

STELLA MCCARTNEY DEAL TARGETS AUSTRALIA.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON - There's no stopping the deals for Stella McCartney. The designer, who last week inked an agreement to do a collection with LeSportsac, today will unveil another collaboration, with Target stores in...

HUGO BOSS SALES GAIN 14%.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Melissa Drier BERLIN - According to preliminary year-end figures released Wednesday, 2006 net income for the Hugo Boss Group increased 19 percent, to 129 million euros, or $162.1 million. Dollar figures are at average exchange...

OFF AND RUNNING; SEVERAL DESIGNERS GOT A JUMP START ON NEW YORK FASHION WEEK, GIVING THEIR FALL LOOKS PLENTY OF DETAILS AND EMBELLISHMENTS.
February 1, 2007... Rachel Roy: Not one to rest on the laurels of her spring collection's feminine delight, Rachel Roy tried her hand at a more masculine, artsy edge for fall. She followed a sleek, tailored line with architectural pintucks and seams, and toughened...

FASHION SCOOPS: KISS KISS...MODELS GO GREEN...INVITE T'S.
February 1, 2007... KISS KISS: Betsey Johnson, Cynthia Steffe and Alice Roi will be kissing and telling tonight. The designers - along with Donna Karan, Nicole Miller, Dana Buchman, Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss, Nanette Lepore, Monique Lhuillier, Rebecca Moses,...

STUART TAKES YOUTHFUL APPROACH WITH JILL.(Jill Stuart )
February 1, 2007... Byline: Julee Greenberg NEW YORK - Showgoers may notice a difference when Jill Stuart presents her collection Monday in a runway show at the New York Public Library. That's because the company plans to show select pieces from the new...

MALL DEVELOPER BUILDS EUROPEAN TEAM.(McArthurglen Ltd)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Amanda Kaiser MILAN - Designer outlet mall developer McArthurGlen is bolstering its management team in southern Europe in a bid to grow its Mediterranean presence. The U.K.-based operator has tapped Giovanni Galbiati, a former...

BRANDS GO BEYOND BASICS AT BREAD & BUTTER.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Emilie Marsh BARCELONA - Talk about a contemporary movement: European sportswear brands showing at the recent Bread & Butter trade show here spun out smartened-up styles in the face of fierce competition from fast-fashion chains...

THE DRESSY SIDE OF KIMORA.(Kimora Lee Simmons)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Julee Greenberg NEW YORK - Kimora Lee Simmons is all grown up, and so is her new high-end contemporary sportswear line, called KLS, launching for fall retailing. The creative director of Baby Phat, the junior line that has been...

KOOBA BRAND ADDS APPAREL TO HANDBAGS.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Julee Greenberg NEW YORK - Abby Held has more than just handbags on her mind. Held, the owner and designer of Kooba, is introducing a collection of contemporary tops for fall. Kooba launched in 1998 and now Held said she is...

MEMO PAD: OVERSIGHT...CRIES AND WHISPERS...ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER EDITOR.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Stephanie D. Smith, Irin Carmon, Amy Wicks OVERSIGHT: Bill Wackermann wasn't feeling the love Tuesday night during Cond Nast's annual publisher's meeting in Naples, Fla. After the Glamour vice president and publisher was passed over...

FALL'S MIXED PALETTE ; TOP 10 PANTONE COLORS CHOSEN BY DESIGNERS FOR FALL 2007.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Cecily Hall The palette for designer collections for fall might look like a clash of colors, but the Pantone Color Institute believes the results will be harmonious. "When you see the colors in front of you, you realize that, yes,...

CYNTHIA STEFFE TAPS PRESIDENT.(Stacey DiPersia )(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Julee Greenberg NEW YORK - Stacey DiPersia has joined Cynthia Steffe Inc. as president of the brand. She replaces Richard Roberts, Cynthia Steffe's husband, who left the firm with Steffe in December when the designer parted...

BUSH SEEKS TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY EXTENSION.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Kristi Ellis President Bush asked Congress on Wednesday to extend his ability to make trade deals without amendments from lawmakers, and Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. defended the administration's fiscal and trade...

VICTORIA'S SECRET DIRECT'S NEW PLATFORM FOR GROWTH.(Brief article)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Denise Power Victoria's Secret Direct will adopt a new electronic commerce platform with personalization and interactive features that promise double-digit, top-line sales growth. Sharen Jester Turney, Victoria's Secret...

HUE, TRACY REESE COLLABORATE ON GUEST DESIGNER LINE.
February 1, 2007... Byline: Sophia Chabbott Legwear makers typically find themselves in limbo during fashion week. Even though tights and leggings were a ubiquitous presence on last fall's runways, the brands often go unrecognized. In a bid to get the...

SCREEN TEST.(Fashion week)
February 1, 2007... Fashion week began two days early as hordes of starlets and models descended upon the Tribeca Grand and the Gramercy Park Hotel on Tuesday night for the Cinema Society and Calvin Klein's screening and after party for "Factory Girl." ...

THE UNTOUCHABLE.(David Mamet's works)(Interview)
February 1, 2007... Byline: Jacob Bernstein Over the course of his career, David Mamet has written 24 screenplays, ranging from "The Spanish Prisoner" to "Wag the Dog." What is perhaps less well known is that he's an essayist who has written for Harper's and...

THE BEAUTY OF FASHION: BRANDS STORM SHOWS TO BOOST PROFILES.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Julie Naughton and Pete Born The lines between fashion and beauty, art and commerce, continue to blur. Today marks the official start of New York Fashion Week, and for many top beauty companies, it represents the chance to highlight...

TOP SHELF.(Tom Ford to launch 12 unisex fragrances)(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... Leave it to Tom Ford to launch not one, not two, but 12 high-end fragrances simultaneously, in a collection called Private Blend. The unisex scents will be sold in just five stores in the U.S. - including Ford's new Manhattan flagship - and...

GAP TAPS NORTH AMERICAN UNIT HEAD.(Marka Hansen)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Marka Hansen More change swept through Gap Inc. on Thursday when company veteran Marka Hansen was named to replace Cynthia Harriss as president of the Gap North America division. The switch came less than two weeks after the...

NORDSTROM MULLS SALE OF FAONNABLE.
February 2, 2007... Byline: David Moin Faonnable, the upscale French brand owned by Nordstrom, could get sold. In an statement Thursday, Nordstrom said it is "exploring strategic options that would benefit both Nordstrom and Faonnable, including a...

IN BRIEF: AKRIS HIRE...KORS IN L.A.(Akris hired Emilie Rubinfeld)(Michael Kors to launch a lifestyle store in Dallas)(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... Byline: JEAN SCHEIDNES AKRIS HIRE: Emilie Rubinfeld will join Akris on Monday as vice president of marketing and communications for the U.S. In this new position, Rubinfeld will oversee advertising, marketing, special events and public...

CORRECTION.
February 2, 2007... Legwear styles were incorrect in a photo on page 15, Thursday. These are the Hue by Tracy Reese styles.

GROUNDHOG DAZE.(fashion trends)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Jessica Iredale and Venessa Lau Don't be surprised if the collections seem a tad familiar - and not because you were there just five months ago. Here, some oft-repeated themes of the past decade. Animal Houses With animals...

SIXTIES SOMETHING.(fashion trends)(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... Elie Tahari: Eschewing last season's Baroque frippery, Elie Tahari decked his mannequins in structured fall togs with more than a hint of the Sixties - both the racy, shoulder-baring and the prim, covered-up kind. The designer whipped up...

FASHION SCOOPS: GOOSE BUMPS...BREAKFAST AT BARNEYS...THE SKINNY ON MODELS.(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' volunteers protest against opening Oscar de la Renta store)(Ecco Domani's breakfast at Fred's)(Natalia Vodianova to speak at Council of Fashion Designers of America panel on beauty and health in the fashion industry)
February 2, 2007... GOOSE BUMPS: Three naked female PETA volunteers stood on the corner of Melrose Place and Orlando Avenue in Los Angeles on Thursday - wrapped only in a PETA banner - to protest the opening of the Oscar de la Renta store on Melrose Place. The...

SAVVY CONSUMERS FOCUS IN FIGHT ON COUNTERFEITS.(Anticounterfeiting Summit 2007 )
February 2, 2007... Byline: Liza Casabona NEW YORK - Consumer education and public/private cooperation are essential to effectively combat counterfeiting, experts at the Harper's Bazaar Anticounterfeiting Summit 2007 said Thursday. And anyone who...

WILSON'S FIRST FORAY AT BUCHMAN.(Max Wilson, Dana Buchman)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK - Max Wilson, Dana Buchman's creative director, isn't the classic career dresser. On Monday, he put the finishing touches on his first collection for the label wearing an ecru cashmere sweater, corduroy...

PROENZA SCHOULER'S TARGET COLLECTION POPS UP AT OPENING CEREMONY.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK - Proenza Schouler has a new downtown target. Opening Ceremony, a hip boutique on Howard Street known for highlighting fashion from a different foreign country every season or so, will be transformed into a...

MEN'S SKIN CARE - WITH A TOUCH OF COLOR.(Power Bronze facial treatment products from Biotherm Homme)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Matthew W. Evans NEW YORK - Duckie Brown's fashion show today will double as a staging area for two new Biotherm Homme tinted skin care products - so-called "instant skin enhancement for men." Just don't call it makeup, or...

TOM FORD'S LIBRARY OF SCENTS.(Interview)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Julie Naughton Launching a dozen fragrances at once isn't exactly routine behavior. But Tom Ford has built his career on going his own way. Ford - who is readying the launch of his new Private Blend fragrance collection, a...

DEMSEY HEADLINES AMONG AMFAR STARS.(American Foundation for AIDS Research)(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... Take Woody Allen, Natasha Richardson, Whoopi Goldberg and Tracy Chapman and put them at Cipriani 42nd Street, and you've got a recipe for a rollicking gala -not to mention a $3 million payday for amfAR, the American Foundation for AIDS...

MUSTELA EXEC EYEING 20% SALES, DISTRIBUTION GROWTH IN 2007.(Judy Carlo )(Interview)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Crystal Martin In September, Expanscience Laboratories, an estimated $246 million Paris-based pharmaceutical company, appointed former La Roche Posay marketing vice president Judy Carlo to head Mustela, a baby and mother-to-be skin...

COVER GIRL SEEKS REAL WOMEN FOR QUEEN ADS.(Queen Collection from Cover Girl)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Michelle Edgar When Queen Latifah talks, people listen. The actress, singer and spokesmodel for Cover Girl's Queen Collection, a makeup line designed for women of color, attracted more than 2,000 women at Manhattan's B.B. King...

ST. IVES ENTERS BOOMING GLOW BIZ WITH HEALTHY BRILLIANCE LAUNCH.(St. Ives Laboratories Inc.)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Michelle Edgar St. Ives is getting in on the popular sunless tanning trend in skin care by expanding its franchise with Healthy Brilliance, a line of moisturizers designed to tan the skin gradually while renewing, protecting and...

SIMPLY BEE TO FILL GAP IN LOW-PRICED NATURAL SEGMENT.(from Skaffles)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Faye Brookman NEW YORK - Burt no longer has the only bees in town. Based on the phenomenal success of Burt's Bees in mass channels, other marketers are looking to the hive for new naturally positioned brands. Skaffles, a...

OBAGI OPENS SKIN HEALTH INSTITUTE.(Dr. Zein Obagi )
February 2, 2007... Byline: Kavita Daswani, With contributions from Evan Clark BEVERLY HILLS - In an atmosphere that emotes part Grecian spa, part Beverly Hills glitz, noted dermatologist Dr. Zein Obagi unveiled the Obagi Skin Health Institute on 270 North...

EXTRACTS TRAFFIC SOARS WITH SHOW TRIO.(New York International Gift Fair, New York Home Textiles Show, New York's Newest )
February 2, 2007... Byline: Michelle Edgar Extracts boosted its profile this month, as it ran concurrently with the New York International Gift Fair, New York Home Textiles Show and New York's Newest. By running in tandem with the other shows at the...

MASS SCENTS DRIVE ARDEN SALES.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Molly Prior NEW YORK - Bolstered by its mass market fragrance business, Elizabeth Arden Inc. reported sales growth of about 19 percent in the second quarter. "Our business truly benefitted from our diversified business model,"...

SNIPPETS: HIGH HONOR...MATRIX MAKES ITS MARK...BAREX ITALIANA MINIS.(L'Oreal S.A.'s Jean-Paul Agon wins Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur)(Matrix takes Mark Townsend as spokesperson)(Barex Italiana is downsizing)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Lorna R. Francis HIGH HONOR: Jean-Paul Agon, chief executive officer of L'Oral, was made a Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur in Paris on Wednesday. Agon was presented France's most prestigious award by Thierry Breton, the French...

MEMO PAD: WASTING NO TIME...EXPANDING WORLD...TEAMING UP.(Time Inc.'s Sports Illustrated Group acquired FanNation.com from Sports Technologies Inc.)(Bottega Veneta's expansion)(Andr Leon Talley and Allyson Waterman to cohost "Road to the Oscars" for American Broadcasting Companies Inc.)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Amy Wicks, Luisa Zargani, Stephanie D. Smith WASTING NO TIME: Just a few days ago, Dick Parsons, the chairman and chief executive officer of Time Warner, was talking about enhancing the company's digital strategy - and it looks like...

SENATE PASSES WAGE BILL, WITH TAX BREAKS.
February 2, 2007... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON - The Senate passed the first minimum wage increase in a decade Thursday, but prospects for a compromise with the House were uncertain because of differences over tying a boost to tax breaks for small...

WAL-MART'S GREEN PLAN: RENEWABLE RESOURCES.(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Katherine Bowers Wal-Mart unveiled a wide-ranging environmental initiative Thursday, dubbed Sustainability 360, that will push suppliers to rethink business practices in packaging, product development and carbon emissions. ...

MARY JOAN GLYNN, 85, BLOOMINGDALE'S EXEC.(Obituary)(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... NEW YORK - Mary Joan Glynn, a former Bloomingdale's executive, died Jan. 21 at the Nathaniel Witherell nursing home in Greenwich, Conn., after a long illness. She was 85. Glynn had a full rsum of fashion, retailing and advertising jobs by...

NORTH FACE GETS $7M IN COUNTERFEIT SUIT.(against TGI Industries Inc., T. Glenn International Corp., Shanghai Apparel Group Inc. and Bestvalue International Inc.)(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Liza Casabona NEW YORK - The North Face Apparel Corp. was granted a summary judgment and $7 million in damages in a counterfeit lawsuit on Jan. 30. The suit, filed in Los Angeles federal court, alleged that Michael Chu, TGI...

HL GROUP OPENS WEST COAST UNIT.(Brief article)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Marcy Medina BEVERLY HILLS - HL Group, the New York-based marketing and communications agency, is expanding its reach westward with the opening of HL LA LLC here today. Karine Joret, a founder of the Warner Bros. Consumer...

BILL DONOHUE: THE CATHOLIC LEAGUE'S ATTACK DOG.(William Donohue)
February 2, 2007... Byline: Jacob Bernstein In December 2005, a reporter from the Washington Post asked the Catholic League's president, William Donohue, if he was offended that President Bush's season's greetings card did not specifically mention Christmas....

DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY.
February 3, 2007... It's baaaaaack. New York Fashion Week is upon us, and while some may associate the event with blood, sweat and tears, others plow through the collections with nothing less than a smile. Take, for instance, Michael Kors, who couldn't be more...

SAKS PROMOTES FRASCH, KEY EXECS.(Ron Frasch promoted to president and chief merchandising officer, many other executives' roles redefined)
February 3, 2007... Byline: David Moin NEW YORK - Buoyed by improving sales trends, Saks Inc. on Friday promoted Ron Frasch to president and chief merchandising officer of Saks Fifth Avenue and rewarded other key executives. Two top merchants under Frasch...

DROP RED GORGEOUS.(Red Dress fashion show )
February 3, 2007... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK - "I haven't been yelled at this much since I was four," declared a Donna Karan-clad Rachael Ray as one handler massaged glittery lotion on the celebrity chef's chest and another primped her hair...

IN BRIEF: TEAM LOEHMANN'S...FEEL-GOOD FACTOR...BURBERRY DONATION.(executives appointed and promoted at Loehmann's Inc.)(H&M Hennes & Mauritz AB to introduce women's and children's clothing made from organic cotton)(Burberrys Ltd. to donate its factory premises to Welsh community)
February 3, 2007... TEAM LOEHMANN'S: Loehmann's, which in mid-April will open a second Manhattan store, has made several moves to position itself for continued growth. Anthony D'Annibale, who joined Loehmann's in 1989, was named senior vice president and general...

MEAN GIRL.(Ugly Betty star Becki Newton )
February 3, 2007... Byline: Jamie Rosen To play Amanda, the delightfully bitchy, binge-eating receptionist on "Ugly Betty," Becki Newton didn't have to look far for inspiration. "I'm pretty much imitating all the girls I have to audition against in waiting...

FRONT PAIGE.(Paige Howard's stage debut)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Emily Holt One look at Paige Howard's glossy, straight red hair and it comes as no surprise she's Opie's kid. This week, she officially enters the family business, making her professional stage debut in J.M. Barrie's "Mary Rose" at...

COMIC RELIEF.(Amy Poehler)(Interview)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Elisa Lipsky-Karasz It might be a no-no for the models on the runways to crack a smile, but that doesn't mean the rest of us must deprive ourselves of the pleasure. Let it out at Amy Poehler's live improv show, ASSSSCAT 3000, at...

PARTY ON AND ON AND ON.(Brief article)
February 3, 2007... PARTY ON AND ON AND ON: Outside observers might think that in fashion land, every night is party night with pricy Champagne and girls in pretty dresses. And this week, at least, they'd be right. The fun begins at Milk Studios Saturday night...

JUST FOR STARTERS.(fashion shows of young designers)
February 3, 2007... On Thursday night, Glamour helped kick off fashion week with its "Fashion Gives Back" party, enlisting six young female designer labels - Jenni Kayne, Rachel Roy, Rodarte, Sari Gueron, Vena Cava and Thread Social - to create limited-edition...

FILM BUFFS.(Lights, Camera, Action: Artists' Films for the Cinema, a movie screening event by Whitney Museum of American Art)(Brief article)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Vanessa Lawrence Hollywood and fashion are inseparable bedmates - as all the A- to Z-list celebs in the front rows this coming week will prove. But for those looking to have a more highbrow experience with the film medium (and its...

BAD BEHAVIOR.(Secrets of the Model Dorm, a book by Amanda Kerlin and Phil Oh on fashion models)(Brief article)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Vanessa Lawrence The models strutting down the catwalks this week may be decked out in the latest, hottest designs and made up to perfection, but it will come as no surprise their nonrunway lives are far from glamorous. Anyone...

LEAN CUISINE.(Mappetite, a guide to New York restaurants)(Brief article)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Emily Holt Now that models are being encouraged to pack on a few pounds, it may be helpful to know the name of a good restaurant during fashion week. Mappetite, a new fold-out guide to New York's top eateries, is organized by...

HIGH FIDELITY.(playlists of fashion designers)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Tara Bonet-Black The art of the mixed tape is now considered old hat, but those customized soundtracks had an unmistakable personal stamp. The iPod has made that once-daunting task a breeze, and nobody appreciates it more than...

GOUDE TIMES.(Jean-Paul Goude)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Elisa Lipsky-Karasz The feminine ideal is something many in the fashion industry admire, but perhaps none more so than Jean-Paul Goude, the French photographer, artist and Svengali extraordinaire. The photographs currently on...

FASHION A GO-GO.(fashion designers and fashion shows)(Brief article)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Venessa Lau After five years of showing in New York, Jeremy Scott is heading back to Paris, where the designer first launched his collection back in 1997. "Everyone was telling me, 'Come back, we miss you,'" he says. "And why not?...

FASHION LA CARTE.
February 3, 2007... Stark minimalism, nonchalant layers and a soupon of shine - designers served it all up on the New York runways. Yeohlee: Yeohlee Teng stuck with her signature architectural vein, citing Antoni Gaud as a major influence. However, the famed...

FASHION SCOOPS: MILLER TIME...THE OTHER FACTORY GIRL...DANCING QUEEN.(Nicole Miller celebrates 25th anniversary)(Meredith Ostrom at Marc Bouwer's show)(designer Donna Karan at DKNY Jeans' party)
February 3, 2007... MILLER TIME: Dennis Basso, Joseph Abboud and Carmen Marc Valvo turned up Friday to help Nicole Miller celebrate her silver anniversary. "We're looking for ideas," Basso joked. "I'm following samples," Valvo offered. But seriously, Abboud said:...

MORE FROM THE SHOWS...(fashion design)(Brief article)
February 3, 2007... Morphine Generation: Erik Hart's Morphine Generation was an urban-chic hit, featuring exceptionally well-tailored jackets and skinny trousers with a military-glam bent in wools and waxed linens - a great showing for his New York runway debut....

ALL IN THE FAMILY.(new bag cololection by Kara Ross)(Brief article)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Shoshanna Fischhoff Following up on her premier handbag collection that sold out of Bergdorf Goodman in one week, Kara Ross unveiled her fall lineup on Friday. This season, the designer concentrated on the clutch, but also added a...

READY, SET, SHOW.
February 3, 2007... What does it take to put together a collection? A whole lot of inspiration and determination - not to mention strong coffee, countless fittings and a few little dogs to scare away the copycats. Caption(s): Mike on duty at Derek Lam. / Tia...

CHEAT SHEET.(new designer collections, fashion shows)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Vronique Hyland This year's first-timers come to us from all over: points of origin include Australia, China, Japan and, oh yeah, New York's West Village. Here, WWD catches up with all of them. CHRIS HAN: Saturday, Feb. 3, 10...

RETAILERS: GET READY TO GO GLAM.(Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week)
February 3, 2007... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK - Some retailers are pragmatic, others take an apocalyptic view. Some are even enthusiastic about Mercedes-Benz New York Fashion Week, when one would fully expect them to be jaded after the endless cycle of...

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK; SHOW CALENDAR.
February 3, 2007... Following is the schedule for ready-to-wear collections. Times and locations are accurate as of press time, but attendees are encouraged to confirm information. Listings are courtesy of Ruth Finley's Fashion Calendar. Photos are some memorable...

ON BALANCE.(Diane von Furstenberg's collection)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... NEW YORK - A little discretion can go a long way - just ask Diane von Furstenberg. In the collection she showed on Sunday, she turned a Spanish motif into a toned-down, sophisticated balancing act that often contrasted sturdy and delicate...

STEPPING UP AT COACH: ACCESSORIES JUGGERNAUT AIMS HIGHER WITH LEGACY.
February 5, 2007... Byline: Sophia Chabbott Look out Bernard Arnault: Coach has another act up its sleeve. The $2.4 billion American brand is accelerating its Legacy collection of higher-priced handbags, footwear and accessories with plans to open two...

JIMMY CHOO SOLD TO PRIVATE EQUITY FIRM.(TowerBrook Capital Partners LP)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON - Jimmy Choo has been sold to TowerBrook Capital Partners LP, an international private equity firm. The sale comes more than two years after Lion Capital, formerly Hicks Muse, acquired a majority stake in...

RICHEMONT BACKS FASHION INVESTMENT FUND.(Compagnie Financire Richemont SA, The Atelier Fund)
February 5, 2007... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON - Fashion designers have two new fairy godmothers - and they're backed by Compagnie Financire Richemont SA. Marty Wikstrom and Dawn Mello have joined forces to create an investment fund, called The Atelier...

IN BRIEF: WAL-MART RESULTS...ROSSIGNOL TAPS GARCIA.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc. earnings)(Jose M. Garcia joined Quiksilver Inc. as general manager for Rossignol soft goods for North America)(Brief article)
February 5, 2007... WAL-MART RESULTS: Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Saturday released its estimates for January, saying same-store sales at U.S. stores rose 2.2 percent as shoppers cashed in their holiday gift cards. Results for the five-week period from Dec. 30 through...

VIVE LA FEMME; ONE PART SAVVY PLUS ANOTHER PART FEMININE POLISH - WITH JUST A DASH OF QUIRKINESS - WAS A WINNING FASHION RECIPE.
February 5, 2007... Diane von Furstenberg: Luckily, Diane von Furstenberg isn't one to crack under pressure. Between settling into her already proactive CFDA presidency and the fact that she's knee-deep in the delayed renovation of her new headquarters, she's had...