WWD articles from February 2009

WWD archives from February 2009

General Growth Debt Deadline Extended.
February 3, 2009... Byline: Evan Clark With contributions from Arnold J. Karr Lenders Lengthened General Growth Properties Inc.'s financial lifeline to March 15, giving the real estate giant six more weeks to cope with debt assumed while it built a portfolio...

WWD Wednesday.(Miuccia Prada fall collection, and Melissa Leo, Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis in the Oscars)(Brief article)
February 4, 2009... Sportswear Women's Wear Daily acents The Retailers' Daily Newspaper acents February 4, 2009 CAPTION(S): Strong Hold For pre-fall, Miuccia Prada assumed a self-assured attitude for Prada, playing with volume in a luxe lineup...

Imploding Retail World: A Struggling Fortunoff Could Be Next To Vanish.(Fortunoff Fine Jewelry and Silverware Inc. bankruptcy)
February 4, 2009... Byline: David Moin Add Fortunoff to the list of well-known retailers that might disappear from the American landscape. Sources said the jewelry and housewares chain, confronted by mounting difficulties on all sides, is set to again...

LVMH Denies Interest In Coach.(Louis Vuitton S.A.)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Miles Socha PARIS LVMH MoA't Hennessy Louis Vuitton has squelched speculation the French luxury giant could acquire Coach, as a spokesman officially denied any interest in the American accessories marketer. As reported,...

Claiborne Cuts Another 725 Positions.(Liz Claiborne Inc.)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Whitney Beckett Cost cuts continued at Liz Claiborne Inc. Tuesday, and Wall Street awarded the moves with a 8.4 percent rise in its stock price. The company, which has already reduced spending by at least $265 million since...

Neiman's Projects Loss As Comps Tumble.(Neiman Marcus Group Inc.)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Evan Clark Neiman Marcus Inc.'s comparable-store sales fell 24.4 percent in January, a slight improvement from December's 27.5 percent decline but more evidence the luxury sector is being hit by the downturn as much as any other....

Daily Quote.(fashion week moving on a new location)(Quotation)(Brief article)
February 4, 2009... "You have to love that fashion week is moving to the site that's already home to the Big Apple Circus. Plus, I'm hoping the rumored additional 25 percent increase in square footage will yield some shoulder wiggle room between seats." ...

Corrections.(Correction notice)
February 4, 2009... In the February 3rd issue of WWDMagic, a pair of leather gloves on page 20 (seen here) was incorrectly credited, the caption should have read, Carolina Amato gloves. Maria Luisa Poumaillou has no business ties with London retailer Dover...

Today On WWD.COM.
February 4, 2009... A look at the past 16 years at the Bryant Park tents Back in Time: Barbie turns 35 More images from what the new faces at the Oscars might be wearing Additional photos of Gucci, Prada and Miu Miu pre-fall WWD Blog: Figuring...

Industry Weighs In On Lincoln Center Move.
February 4, 2009... Byline: WWD Staff NEW YORK Move over, Big Apple Circus: The fashion circus is coming to Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park. And not everyone is excited about the move. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg made the official announcement on...

Avon 4th-Qtr. Net Hits $232.4M.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Molly Prior A gust of economic headwinds at the end of 2008 pressured Avon Products Inc.'s fourth-quarter sales, but the direct seller still managed to boost profits by 80.3 percent. "The story of 2008 is a tale of two...

Moda Milanese.(Brief article)
February 4, 2009... British eccentricity inspired Frida Giannini's pre-fall lineup for Gucci, which featured smartly tailored jackets and pants as well as glittery dresses. Miuccia Prada, meanwhile, channeled the power woman for her Prada collection via rich...

Fashion Scoops.
February 4, 2009... BARBIE'S BIG DAY: Barbie will surely have a stocked closet for her 50th birthday. Mattel is celebrating the legendary doll's birthday this year by commissioning 50 designers to showcase adult-size creations inspired by her. The looks by such...

Saks' New Attitude.(Saks Fifth Avenue )
February 4, 2009... Byline: Jessica Iredale Is there opportunity in the current economic disaster? Saks Fifth Avenue executives are counting on it, at least when it comes to the contemporary arena. Last month, the retailer unveiled a fresh approach to the...

The Chosen Ones.
February 4, 2009... In this economy, there's no room for excess. Here, Joseph Boitano tells WWD why the 15 collections in Saks' new contemporary space are must-haves. Clu: "Through fit and fabric, Clu has raised the bar with their T-shirts." Elizabeth...

QVC To Launch Exclusive Lines On The Catwalk.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK "Runway to reality" is no longer just a catchphrase this fashion week. After testing the concept quietly last September, QVC is moving full steam ahead with its runway show at Mercedes-Benz...

Match Point.(Julian Neale's Rena Lange collection )(Brief article)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Antonia Sardone Julian Neale based his fall Rena Lange collection on what he calls "a uniform" the core pieces in a woman's wardrobe. Inspired by the somber beauty of Edward Steichen's photographs, Neale played with soft...

After Board Meeting, IT Holding To Explore Equity Fund Proposal.(IT Holding SpA)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Andrew Roberts MILAN IT Holding SpA might have found a solution to its beleaguered financial situation, although the outcome remains uncertain. Following a lengthy board meeting, the Italian fashion group said Tuesday it...

Pauker Named North America CEO For Custo Barcelona.(Dara Pauker)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Whitney Beckett Custo Barcelona has hired Dara Pauker as chief executive officer of North America, a new position at the estimated $125 million brand. Pauker's responsibilities at the novelty Spanish brand will be to expand the...

Crafting An Image For Hard Times.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Cecily Hall FLASH IS OUT, SUBSTANCE IS IN. Celebrity endorsers won't go the way of dinosaurs in this recession-driven shakeout, but consumers are likely to be seeing more famous faces with a heightened online presence that...

The Next Famous Face For Your Brand.(Brief article)
February 4, 2009... E-Poll Market Research has provided top female celebrities who were ranked first by appeal, then by awareness. Four of them are mothers. Another, Christina Applegate, battled breast cancer last year. And top-ranked Jennifer Aniston, despite...

Memo Pad.
February 4, 2009... GIORGIO'S NEW MAN: Giorgio Armani may finally have found a new head of communications. Fabio Mancone , currently senior vice president, marketing, at Polo Ralph Lauren Europe, is a top candidate to replace Robert Triefus , former executive vice...

Job Cuts Spur Retail Stocks' Rise.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Arnold J. Karr Wall Street on Tuesday registered its approval of recent cost-cutting measures by stores, sending retail shares up 3.3 percent. The Standard & Poor's Retail Index locked in an 8.49 point rise, to 267.66, and its...

Obama Makes Pro-Trade Pick For Commerce.(Barack Obama)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Liza Casabona and Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON President Obama tapped Sen. Judd Gregg as his nominee for commerce secretary on Tuesday, putting a third-term Republican senator with a strong pro-trade record in the thick of the...

G-Iii Reduces Salaries Of Top Executives.(G-III Apparel Group Ltd.)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Matthew Lynch A new round of cost-cutting measures at G-III Apparel Group Ltd. will affect employees from the bottom of the payroll on up. The New York-based outerwear and sportswear marketer said Tuesday it will at least...

Newcomers Navigate Red-Carpet Whirlwind.(Oscar nominees Melissa Leo, Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis and their plans on what to wear in the red carpet)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Marcy Medina LOS ANGELES First-time Oscar nominees Melissa Leo, Taraji P. Henson and Viola Davis are getting a dizzying initiation into the rites of the red carpet. There's nothing quite like it. "I'll let you know...

West Watch.(American Apparel Brands Inc.'s facility closure, Juicy Couture's new store, and Guess? Inc.'s change of name of its clothing line)
February 4, 2009... AMERICAN APPAREL'S PULLBACK: American Apparel Inc. has closed its only U.S. California Select vintage store in Los Angeles' Echo Park neighborhood and plans to fold the concept into existing retail locations. A California Select boutique in...

The Season's 'It' Girl.(Slumdog Millionaire's Freida Pinto )(Brief article)
February 4, 2009... Byline: Marcy Medina "Slumdog Millionaire" starlet Freida Pinto has become the "It" girl of the awards season, even though she isn't an Oscar nominee. It's easy to see why the spotlight has sought her out. The former model, who is...

Workers Set To March To Capitol Hill To Support Employee Free Choice.
February 4, 2009... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON Thousands of workers plan to march to Capitol Hill today to deliver 1.5 million signatures in support of a controversial bill, the Employee Free Choice Act, that would make it easier for workers to form...

A Tough Second Half For Newsstand Sales.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Stephanie D. Smith As the economy tumbled toward the end of the year, so, too, did magazine circulation. For the second half of 2008, nearly every large fashion and lifestyle title saw a steep decline in single-copy sales. ...

Memo Pad.(Drew Schutte to work for Conde Nast Digital, Wall Street Journal downsizes)
February 6, 2009... 4 TIMES SQUARE SHUFFLES: Last week, WWD reported that Drew Schutte , vice president and publisher of The New Yorker, might be moving over to become chief revenue officer of CondA[c] Nast Digital, a new position at the recently reorganized...

An Evolving Bally Opens Web Store.
February 6, 2009... Byline: Cate T. Corcoran BALLY PLANS TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST ONLINE STORE THIS MONTH. "This is becoming very quickly a must for every company that wants to have global exposure and really provide the customer additional alternatives and...

Citigroup Accused In Aeo Lawsuit.(American Eagle Outfitters Inc., Citigroup Global Markets )(Brief article)
February 9, 2009... Byline: Vicki M. Young American Eagle Outfitters Inc. last week filed a lawsuit against Citigroup Global Markets alleging that Citigroup "induced" the specialty chain to buy $258 million worth of auction rate securities that turned sour....

Specialty Store Spin-Offs Face Uphill Climb In Struggling Sector.
February 9, 2009... Byline: Alexandra Steigrad IT'S NEVER BEEN HARDER TO BE A STEPCHILD. In a sequence of store closings, layoffs, huge promotions, inventory reductions and stalled expansion plans, specialty retailers hoping to survive the economic crisis...

Weekly Stocks.
February 9, 2009... 52-WEEK**********VOLUME*****AMT High*****Low*****Companies*****P/E**********Last*****Change 82.06*****13.66*****Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF)*****4.3*****20168366*****20.96*****3.11 26.78*****9.04*****Acadia...

Baugur Subsidiary In Bankruptcy.
February 9, 2009... Byline: Nina Jones LONDON BG Holding ehf, a subsidiary of the troubled Icelandic retail investment firm Baugur Group, was put into administration in the U.K. on Friday by the Icelandic bank Landsbanki, one of Baugur's creditors. ...

Safilo Talks Said At Stalemate.(Safilo Group SpA)(Brief article)
February 9, 2009... Byline: Andrew Roberts MILAN Safilo Group SpA's plans to remedy its financial ills by bringing in private equity investment may have hit a snag. Sources said Safilo majority shareholder 3T SpA met with funds speculation has...

Knitpick.(cardigans)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Cardigans are the season's sweater of choice, adaptable as a layering piece or outerwear alternative, in styles ranging from V-necks to shawl collars. "I'm seeing a lot of cardigans for fall. This season, designers are playing with the...

Rough It Up.(denim)(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Distressed denim is a hit. "Distressed denim is important right now. It's funny how that worked the really distressed look was in for a while then faded away for cleaner denim looks in 2008, but it's back stronger than ever before." ...

Second Skin.(leather jackets )(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Subtle washed leather jackets offer a new take on the fashion staple. "I'm still selling expensive merchandise, like a $3,000 leather jacket. But it has to be really washed and special, a Rick Owens-type industrial, edgy, avant-garde look...

What A Gem.(jewel tones )(Brief article)
February 12, 2009... Jewel tones rock. "I'm looking for jewel tones in skirts and particularly dresses. I'm looking for skirts and dresses because they blow out for us, and right now that's the kind of merchandise we need. " Sarah Sands, manager, Akira...

New And Noteworthy.
February 12, 2009... Byline: Andrew Harmon and Khanh T.L. Tran While browsing the aisles at the Mandalay Bay, check out these new brands offering trend-right product for fall. CIVIL SOCIETY Los Angeles-based Civil Society, owned by Urgent Gear, is a...

Administrators Appointed For Ittierre.(Ittierre SpA)
February 13, 2009... Byline: Andrew Roberts MILAN Italy named three administrators for IT Holding SpA's production and licensing unit Ittierre SpA on Thursday and tasked them with safeguarding the future of the company. Italy's Minister of Economic...

Memo Pad.(Walter Anderson to retire from Parade Publications)(Beth Ditto as cover girl for Conde Nast UK)(Time Style & Design for New York Fashion Week)
February 13, 2009... STEPPING DOWN: Walter Anderson , chairman and chief executive officer of Parade Publications, is retiring. Anderson, 64, has spent 31 years at Parade, where, during his tenure, circulation for the paper increased to 33 million from 21.6...

Polished, Commercial Looks Highlight Berlin Fashion Week.
February 13, 2009... Byline: Melissa Drier With contributions from Damien McGuinness PHOTOS BY DAN AND CORINA LECCA BERLIN Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Berlin found German designer labels countering recessionary worries with an extra dose of fashion for...

In Brief.(Fabrizio Dosi to work for Giorgio Armani Hong Kong Ltd.)(Brief article)
February 13, 2009... ARMANI TAPS DOSI: Giorgio Armani SpA has appointed Fabrizio Dosi as chief executive officer of Giorgio Armani Hong Kong Ltd. Dosi, who was previously general manager of the company's Asia-Pacific region, assumed his new post on Feb. 5. Dosi's...

Stocks Seesaw As Investors Weigh News.
February 13, 2009... Byline: Evan Clark Investors struggled to find their footing Thursday and pushed retail shares down 0.1 percent as concerns about Washington's bailout for banks outweighed news that January retail and food service sales rose a seasonally...