WWD articles from January 2006

WWD archives from January 2006

PIECE WORK.(Flowers of Romance, fashion brand)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2006... NEW YORK -- As the old saying goes, two heads are better than one. And Flowers of Romance, a new label helmed by sisters Maureen and Monica Meyers, is proving just that, with the duo working a deft balance between an arts-and-crafts vibe and...

STOCK MARKET STARS: LUXURY, RETAIL SHARES OUTPACE PEERS.(Industry Overview)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Arthur Zaczkiewicz, With contributions from Amanda Kaiser, Milan; Jennifer Wiel, Paris, and Vicki M. Young, New York NEW YORK -- Luxury and retail titans certainly had plenty to celebrate in 2005 thanks to their booming shares....

BONUS PLAN FOR HILFIGER EXECS.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- Tommy Hilfiger Corp. has set up a retention bonus plan of up to $12 million for key employees, a maneuver to entice them to stay on with the company after its pending merger with Apax Partners,...

ELIE TAHARI SHOP OPENS IN ATLANTA.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- Elie Tahari Ltd. has opened a freestanding store in Atlanta as the first step in its program to roll out a new retail concept. Neighboring such luxe Phipps Plaza retailers as Gucci and Louis...

IN BRIEF: SARA LEE TAPS MOSS...VF NAMES KUSTER.(Richard D. Moss)(Jeff Kuster at VF International Intimates)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2006... SARA LEE TAPS MOSS: Richard D. Moss has been named as treasurer of the Sara Lee Branded Apparel Americas/Asia operation, effective today. Moss reports to chief financial officer E. Lee Wyatt and will be responsible for directing treasury and...

PARIS' NEW RETAIL CROP.(The Avenue Montaigne)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS -- The Avenue Montaigne, home to luxury purveyors from Dior and Prada to Harry Winston and Celine, is welcoming a handful of new stores. Chloe early last month opened a 2,000-square-foot boutique on the...

IN THE COMPANY OF MEN.(French actors)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Chantal Goupil PARIS -- Gerard Depardieu may still be near the top of France's cinematic heap at age 57, but a new wave of audacious young French heartthrobs is giving his likes a run for their money. Consider, for example,...

LADIES WHO LAUNCH.(Dessous, The Avant, Agricult, Flowers of Romance, fashion brands)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Meenal Mistry, Nandini D'Souza, Venessa Lau NEW YORK -- What do an environmentalist, a lingerie designer, two sisters and three Europeans have in common? They're all determined to make their new collections the next big thing....

CAFTA NOT QUITE READY TO ROLL.(Central American Free Trade Agreement)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON -- Implementation of the Central American Free Trade Agreement by all seven signatory countries is up in the air, and the uncertainty has thrown a wrench into sourcing plans for apparel importers and...

SWATCHES: CANTON CONNECTION.(International Apparel Sourcing Fair)(Brief Article)
January 3, 2006... CANTON CONNECTION: Apparel manufacturers from China's Guangdong province want to boost their international profiles at a new trade show. The first International Apparel Sourcing Fair is slated to run March 1-3 in Canton and will coincide...

PANEL DEFINES THE TIES THAT BIND.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- Daunting as it might sound, a handful of designers well-versed in fashion, architecture and industrial design tackled the elusive subject of what makes a design vibrant. Clearly, the subject is...

ECCO DOMANI: AND THEN THERE WERE FIVE.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK -- For the fifth time, wine company Ecco Domani is reaching out to emerging fashion designers by offering them a cash injection through its Ecco Domani Fashion Foundation. The women's wear winners for...

GAIL ELLIOTT'S SHOP AROUND THE CORNER.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Patty Huntington SYDNEY -- The sign might read Little Joe by Gail Elliott New York, but there's nothing Manhattan-esque about the melaleuca and grevillea trees outside the boutique's front door. Gail Elliott has just opened...

MEMO PAD: FAIR GAINS...RUPERT GOES SECULAR.(Vanity Fair)(Bill O'Reilly)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Sara James, Jeff Bercovici FAIR GAINS: And to think, a year ago some speculated whether Graydon Carter's job could be in jeopardy. After a soft newsstand performance at the end of 2004 and a rough start to 2005, Vanity Fair's...

CANADIAN EXPORTS SLIDE AS CURRENCY STRENGTHENS.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Brian Dunn MONTREAL -- Canadian apparel exports to the U.S. have shown a steady decrease in the last three years as the nation's currency has strengthened against the U.S. dollar and competition from Europe has grown. In...

EXHALE'S EXPANSION STRATEGY CONTINUES.(Exhale Enterprises Inc.)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Marcy Medina SANTA MONICA, Calif. -- Exhale, the fast-growing day spa chain dedicated to mind and body fitness, has opened its seventh location, a 15,000-square-foot space downtown here. Exhale Enterprises Inc., founded in...

WWD STOCK INDEX FINISHES DOWN.(Brief Article)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- The Dow Jones Industrial Average on Friday closed the year with a loss for the first time since 2002, pulling down the WWD Composite Stock Index. WWD's index fell 19.4 points from last week to close...

COLD MOUNTAIN.
January 3, 2006... As the temperature drops, pretty embellished knits and fur-trimmed scarves warm even the iciest of hearts. Caption(s): On the cover: R.J. GRAZIANO's resin bangles and LULU GUINNESS' leather-trimmed cotton-weave bag. Penguin shirt and vest;...

IN THE MIX: LUCKY CHARMS...NEAR AND DEAR...PATTERN BEHAVIOR.(Isabelle Lirakis, jewelry designer, Disney Couture, Avaf, installation artist)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Sophia Chabbott, Jennifer Hirshlag, Ashley Baker LUCKY CHARMS Mood rings, power bracelets and crystal pendants may seem things of the past, but a new generation of designers is proving that jewelry created to communicate with...

LEADER OF THE PACK; KAREN GIBERSON IS LOOKING TO CREATE A BIGGER BUZZ FOR THE INDUSTRY'S ADVOCATE, THE ACCESSORIES COUNCIL.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Sophia Chabbott Flashbulbs popped, microphones buzzed and the press and paparazzi gathered about as Jessica Simpson, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Tom Ford, Oscar de la Renta, Naomi Campbell, Sean "Diddy" Combs and others strolled...

TRIGGER HAPPY; HANDBAG BRAND BOTKIER IS PROVING IT'S MORE THAN A ONE-HIT WONDER.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Hirshlag Monica Botkier is used to being behind the camera. On a recent afternoon, however, the former fashion photographer for publications such as Nylon, Surface, Seventeen and Fitness is poised before the lens, getting...

THE LADY OF THE HOUSE; BETSEY JOHNSON PROVES HER BRAND TO BE A TIMELESS TREASURE WITH ACCESSORIES.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Hirshlag "Someone said the other day, `That's as old as pantyhose,' and you know it really made me laugh because I thought, well, I'm as old as pantyhose," said Betsey Johnson. Age, however, hasn't slowed down the...

WINTER ROMANCE.(Brief Article)
January 3, 2006... Why not take a trip to a mountain lodge for some R and R this winter? Add a rustic rendezvous with cold weather's coziest accessories. Caption(s): On her: crystal-trimmed cashmere hat and scarf and silk-lined gloves, all from Portolano,...

ALL ABOARD; CONTEMPORARY DESIGNERS ARE STAKING A CLAIM IN THE ACCESSORIES ARENA.(Phillip Lim)(Company Profile)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Sophia Chabbott The story of Pamela Skaist-Levy and Gela Nash-Taylor has often been recited. The two founded contemporary brand Juicy Couture based on a love of formfitting T-shirts and terry tracksuits, and in less than a decade...

EARTHLY DELIGHTS.
January 3, 2006... This spring, it's cool to be a little crunchy. Embellished with an array of organic materials, these chic accessories turn the bohemian into a stylish girl-about-town. Caption(s): The Sak's wood-bead bag. / Twinlke by Wenlan's sterling...

FOOTLOOSE AND FANCY FREE; IN ONE MARKET, BEING A NO-SHOW HAS ITS ADVANTAGES.
January 3, 2006... Byline: Laura Klepacki Savvy legwear designers are enticing women to slip into something more comfortable. As the fashion trend for bare legs caught on with their customers, dismayed marketers got busy brainstorming. What else might...

EAT, DRINK AND BE ACCESSORIZED! RESOLUTIONS FOR THE NEW YEAR FROM SOME OF FASHION'S FINEST.(Brief Article)
January 3, 2006... Byline: Ashley Baker To be more curious. Kate Spade, designer That people will treat their bags like they want to be treated and NOT put them on the floor! Be Inthavong and Steve Dumain, co-founders and designers, Be & D ...

PRETTY BABY.(usage of sleepwear)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2006... LOS ANGELES -- This summer, designers are channeling the old-fashioned nightie, albeit with a sexier edge. Here, Karanina's cotton dress and Rachel Pally's cotton jersey scarf. Marie Chavez necklace.

L'OREAL'S LATEST STAR: JOHANSSON IN $3M DEAL TO BE NEW BRAND'S FACE.(Scarlett Johansson)
January 4, 2006... Byline: Andrea Nagel, With contributions from Faye Brookman NEW YORK -- Scarlett Johansson has another beauty contract. L'Oreal Paris on Tuesday turned up the competitive heat by tapping Johansson to be the face of its new color...

NO FRENZY, BUT STORES MEET PLAN.
January 4, 2006... Byline: David Moin and Sharon Edelson NEW YORK -- After five years of a snowballing rush by consumers to post-Christmas sales, last week saw less fervent demand. But sales still held up enough to enable stores to meet their December...

IN BRIEF: KIDS' CONNECTION.(French Connection Group PLC partners with Children Worldwide Fashion USA)(Brief Article)
January 4, 2006... KIDS' CONNECTION: French Connection, the British-based fashion company, is partnering with New York-based Children Worldwide Fashion USA, a global children's licensing company, to manufacture and distribute a children's collection that will...

SITTING PRETTY.
January 4, 2006... LOS ANGELES -- Old-fashioned nighties, vintage floral prints and delicate detailing make summer's latest crop of dresses and tops the perfect fare for a modern-day play date. Caption(s): Betsey Johnson's cotton dress, Rachel Pally's...

SEVENTH AVENUE'S `APPRENTICE'.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Julee Greenberg NEW YORK -- You might recognize Howie Greenspan from somewhere. Maybe you've seen him in the showroom of his company, Priorities at 231 West 38th Street here, or standing in his booth at the Fashion Coterie, or...

QUEEN'S HONOR FOR PUNK PRINCESS.(Vivienne Westwood honored)
January 4, 2006... Byline: Lucie Greene LONDON -- Just call her Dame Vivienne. Vivienne Westwood, that champion of punk, was named a Dame of the British Empire in Queen Elizabeth II's New Year's honors list. As such, she becomes the most highly...

MEMO PAD: MORNING GLORY...OK STOOPS TO CONQUER...SUBERBIELLE BIDS ADIEU...
January 4, 2006... Byline: Jeff Bercovici, Robert Murphy MORNING GLORY: CBS has been courting Katie Couric to be its new anchor; the network is reportedly prepared to spend $12 million or more a year to lure her away from her job as co-host of NBC's "Today."...

BROWNS MARKS 35 YEARS AT FASHION'S EDGE.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON -- It's teatime and the doyenne of London's fashion retail world, Joan Burstein, was having a glass of pink champagne at Claridge's before the finger sandwiches arrived. And why not? Mrs. B., as she's...

EVOLVING ATLANTA: RETAIL, MIXED-USE PROJECTS MARK NEW STAGE.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Georgia Lee ATLANTA -- Television reporter Kimberly Fettig moved here from New York last year with a bit of dread. She imagined a grueling suburban commute into the city and a limited social life. She was wrong. Fettig,...

ANALYSTS SEE SOLID COMPS IN DECEMBER.(retail stores)
January 4, 2006... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK -- Despite softer sales from Wal-Mart Stores Inc., analysts say appropriate promotional levels and pent-up demand for gifts close to Christmas will result in solid December same-store sales across the...

FASHION SCOOP: THE NEXT BIG TARGET.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2006... THE NEXT BIG TARGET: Could Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez be Target's next design stars? The fashion duo is said to have held talks with the Minneapolis-based chain about creating an exclusive lower-priced line. A deal...

MONROE, ICONS LEND SPARKLE TO JEM LINES.(Marilyn Monroe)
January 4, 2006... Byline: Tasha Nita Adams, Emily Bryson York LOS ANGELES -- Jem Sportswear is getting help from Marilyn Monroe and iconic images of Americana to kick off two new T-shirt lines. The vintage T-shirts depicting Monroe coincide with the...

WEST WATCH: QUIRKY COMMUTE...UP FROM DOWN UNDER.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Khanh T.L. Tran QUIRKY COMMUTE: Talk about spinning your wheels. Paul Frank Industries Inc., based in Costa Mesa, Calif., has given new meaning to the phrase. It's not unusual for employees to ride their company-branded...

ROSY RIVETED.
January 4, 2006... Easy does it. That's the message designers are delivering, with shapes that are soft and flowing and shades that are pale and pretty. Caption(s): On the cover: J.P. & Mattie's cotton voile tank and rayon shrug from Twelfth Street by...

STREET FLAIR; FAIRFAX AVENUE'S NEWEST STORES BID FAREWELL TO THE THOROUGHFARE'S BAGEL BELT IMAGE.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Andrew Griffith Among the Jewish senior centers, the tchotchke shops and vegetable minimarkets, a new wave of Fairfax Avenue storefronts is altering this highly trafficked stretch between Melrose Avenue's boutiques and Beverly...

THE NATURALS; THIS SEASON, DESIGNERS GO AU NATUREL, TAKING A TURN TOWARD THE LIGHTER SIDE WITH PALE AND EARTHY TONES THAT MAINTAIN A BREEZY, CASUAL SIMPLICITY.(Brief Article)
January 4, 2006... Hengst's linen jacket at D&A and n.fem's Modal rayon and Lycra spandex tunic at Belle. Cali's cotton top at Cathy Walker. Lauren Moffatt's cotton and linen vest, Tart's cotton tank at Ginny Wong and Anthony Franco's linen pants. XCVI...

NEW LINES; A ROUNDUP OF THE LATEST RESOURCES TO ARRIVE IN LOS ANGELES SHOWROOMS.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Genny Chang CALIFORNIA MARKET CENTER BRYAN WILSON Suite B513 Kut...from the Kloth A division of Swat-Fame Inc., Los Angeles-based Kut is a new contemporary denim- and Tencel-based line that launched last October....

SIZING UP THE MARKET; PREMIUM DENIM LINES ARE EXPANDING THEIR REACH BY MEETING THE NEEDS OF FULLER-FIGURED WOMEN.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Nola Sarkisian-Miller The five-years-strong premium denim market is bursting at the seams with competitors, most of whom are targeting the same customer: lithe young things who already have a sea of clothing options. Such...

SCANTILY CLAD; A STYLISH LOUNGEWEAR LINE IS GETTING PLAY AROUND THE HOUSE AND ON THE STREET.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Kavita Daswani It took a triple bypass for Mickey Sills to start doing something different with Scanty. Three years ago, the surfing aficionado and fashion veteran launched Scanty as a line of T-shirt and panty sets featuring...

READING THE MARKET; SEE DICK & JAYNE APPEAL TO THE MODERN WOMAN.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Kavita Daswani Although her label has been successful since its inception six years ago and sales were up 50 percent in 2005, Jayne Torres still isn't sure into which category her line falls. "It would have been considered...

GOLDEN STATE WARRIOR; A TRADE ASSOCIATION VETERAN TAKES ON POLITICIANS AND ORGANIZED LABOR TO BENEFIT CALIFORNIA RETAILERS.(Bill Dombrowski)(Interview)
January 4, 2006... Byline: Michelle Dalton Tyree For Bill Dombrowski, president and chief executive officer of the California Retailers Association, navigating the volatile retail landscape and its vicissitudes has become second nature. Dombrowski is a...

IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION; RETAILERS' PREFERENCES FOR LATER BUYS HAS PUT VENDORS IN A BIND.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Khanh T.L. Tran In the middle of a snowstorm last February, Shari Bender showed the fall offerings from a knit line called Duna at The Fashion Coterie in Manhattan. Duna is known for jewel-neck sleeveless shells, jackets enhanced...

GARDEN CLUB; MIMICKING THE COLORS OF A BRILLIANT SPRING GARDEN, THIS SEASON'S ACCESSORIES POP IN VIBRANT REDS, SUN-KISSED YELLOWS AND VERY HOT PINKS, MAKING THEM ANYTHING BUT WALLFLOWERS.
January 4, 2006... Michelle Roy's silk and Swarovski crystal pins and barrettes with pearl, jade and turquoise bracelets. Carlos Falchi's leather purse at Deborah USA Sales. Marcello Toschi's leather shoes at D&A. Bacara's suede purse at Daren Kirk...

THE PINK PALACE; TAKE A PEEK INSIDE PAUL SMITH'S NEW TRAFFIC-STOPPING -- AND SCENE-STEALING -- MELROSE AVENUE STORE.
January 4, 2006... Byline: Alice Suh SPOTLIGHT ON: Paul Smith, 821 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles WHAT: A 5,000-square-foot, unabashedly pink shoe-box-shaped store that is the first in the United States to carry the complete range of Paul Smith products --...

PREP'S RALLY.
January 5, 2006... NEW YORK -- Boarding school never looked like this. Designers mark prep's comeback by twisting the classic tony American motif every which way. To that end, houses that don't normally cater to Muffy and Biff are beginning to do so. Take...

BIG CHANGE AT CHLOE: PHOEBE PHILO TO QUIT AS BRAND'S DESIGNER.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Miles Socha PARIS -- Phoebe Philo's reign at Chloe is over. The designer, who helped catapult the growth of the Parisian brand with coveted handbag designs and feminine frocks, today will announce she is resigning from the...

IN BRIEF: U.K.'S KOOKAI CRUMBLES...SMART MOVE...HAGGAR TAPS HARRIS.(SmartBargains Inc. appointed Barton Litvin)
January 5, 2006... U.K.'S KOOKAI CRUMBLES: Kookai's business in the U.K. is on the block. The fast-fashion chain's activity in the country, where it was franchised through an agreement with Forminster plc that expired on Dec. 31, is in "administration," a British...

VERA WANG LIFESTYLE BEGINS IN HAWAII.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- Having designed a suite for the Halekulani resort last year, Vera Wang is marking the start of 2006 by opening her first lifestyle boutique at the Hawaiian resort. Beginning Friday, shoppers...

BERNER SUBMITS RESIGNATION FROM CONDE NAST PUBLICATIONS.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Sara James NEW YORK -- Mary Berner resigned on Wednesday as group president of the Conde Nast Publications division that includes WWD, W, Jane, Details and other magazines. Many of her duties will be assumed by Mitchell B....

MEMO PAD: HACKETT JOB.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Sara James HACKETT JOB: They grow up so fast. In October 2004, on its "Ones to Watch" list, WWD picked People's then-executive editor, Larry Hackett, as the likely successor to managing editor Martha Nelson, if and when she ever...

IN HER SHOES.(Scarlett Johansson)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2006... What with the poufy frocks and pageant hair, many young actresses at black-tie to-dos often seem like they raided their mother's closets (rather than their stylist's). Scarlett Johansson, on the other hand, has always seemed self-assured enough...

PULLING STRINGS.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS -- Already a star on the European concert circuit, Siberian cellist Tatjana Vassiljeva is setting her sights on the United States. "I'm ready for new challenges," she says. "I'm seeking engagements there now."...

SPLIT PERSONALITY.(A Taxonomy of Barnacles)
January 5, 2006... Byline: Vanessa Lawrence NEW YORK -- As anyone will tell you, family matters, and perhaps never more so than when it comes to a first novel. Consider writer and producer Galt Niederhoffer's new book, "A Taxonomy of Barnacles," out now...

THE ICONS.
January 5, 2006... Who's the ultimate prepster? WWD asked a few industry insiders to name some famous figures -- past and present -- who set the cableknit standard. East Coast Brahmins Katharine Hepburn and John F. Kennedy topped the list. And a few...

PREP'S RALLY.(Nandini D'Souza)
January 5, 2006... Byline: Nandini D'Souza NEW YORK -- Every spring, many private school seniors go through one very important rite of passage: tossing their much-loathed prep uniform in the garbage or shipping it to the local Good Will. It's odd to them...

SCREAMING FOR A STYLE OF ITS OWN.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Lauren DeCarlo Screaming Mimi's, the vintage boutique on Lafayette Street in Manhattan's East Village, is known by stylists and connoisseurs as the go-to place for vintage tops, dresses and coats. But Laura Wills, the boutique's...

A DIESEL SPRING ON BOND STREET.(Italian denim label)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2006... Byline: Nina Jones Diesel is taking denim to Bond Street, the retail area that's synonymous with luxury in London. The Italian denim label is set to open a two-floor, 550-square-foot store on the corner of New Bond and Grosvenor...

FANNING THE FLAMES.(Fire Jeans)(Heidhues)
January 5, 2006... Byline: Ross Tucker The heat is rising for Fire Jeans. Sales of the Los Angeles-based junior denim line have gained momentum since launching in 2004 as part of an expansion of the moderate-priced Fire sportswear brand. With its...

TEENS GET REPAIRED.(575 Denim launches Repaired line of clothing)
January 5, 2006... Byline: Khanh T.L. Tran Budget-conscious teens who crave the styling of designer dungarees without the high cost will get their fix with Repaired. Los Angeles-based premium line 575 Denim will launch Repaired this spring with capris,...

A SPLENDID CAUSE.(Liveawear brings new tanks)
January 5, 2006... Byline: Lauren DeCarlo NEW YORK -- Splendid, the contemporary T-shirt line, is trying to change the fashion vernacular. The brand has teamed with Liveawear, the not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring social consciousness...

ANDO AND BENETTON TEAM UP TO TAKE CHANCES.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- How Tadao Ando gave up a boxing career to become a self-taught architect is a story in itself, but the fact that he has found steady work through the ever-edgy Benetton Group SpA seems to tie the...

NICHE BRANDS BREAKING IN.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Marcy Medina, Melanie Kletter A NUMBER OF SMALL, FASHION-FORWARD swimwear brands with reputations founded on success in specialty stores are breaking into the big time. "Bigger retailers we never had in the past are now giving...

SIDELINES: END OF SUPER SHOW...FILA SELLS ONLINE...BISHOP NAMED AT MOONSTONE.(Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association)(Moonstone Mountain Equipment hires Brent Bishop)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2006... END OF SUPER SHOW: The Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association is ending the Super Show after the upcoming edition in Orlando, Fla., later this month and instead will offer two regional shows. The new shows are timed to coincide with...

NAME-DROPPING; BRANDS MENTIONED MOST OFTEN IN BILLBOARD'S TOP 20 SINGLES CHARTS IN 2005.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Cecily Hall Name-dropping is just part of the game in pop music, particularly hip-hop. Agenda Inc.'s annual "American Brandstand" study reveals which brands are the most mentioned each year, by analyzing songs from Billboard's Top...

DALLAS SEES OPPORTUNITY IN ONCE MORIBUND DOWNTOWN.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Holly Haber DALLAS -- The population of downtown Dallas in 1988 was just 300 and homeless people slept around bonfires on City Hall Plaza in scenes that evoked a "Mad Max" movie. The deterioration of the district was swift...

SEARS TO ANNOUNCE LAYOFFS FOR KMART.(Sears Holdings Corp.)(Brief Article)
January 5, 2006... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- Sears Holdings Corp. is expected to announce to its Kmart employees sometime this week that it will lay off workers. A spokesman at Sears Holdings, Kmart's parent, said Wednesday that there will be...

VOG OPENS REDKEN SALON.
January 5, 2006... Byline: Ellen Groves PARIS -- French salon chain Vog and L'Oreal-owned hair care brand Redken have unveiled a new concept in the Beaubourg district here. In a first for Vog, whose 180 French salons offer and use a range of L'Oreal...

AND THEN THERE WERE EIGHT.(Johnny Was keeps launching new lines)
January 5, 2006... Byline: Holly Haber DALLAS -- There seems to be no end to the number of labels and collections that the Dallas-based contemporary firm Johnny Was can produce. This month at the Designers & Agents show in New York, the contemporary...

BERGDORF'S TAPS FARGO AS FASHION HEAD.(Bergdorf Goodman Inc. appoints Linda Fargo)
January 6, 2006... Byline: David Moin NEW YORK -- Linda Fargo, Bergdorf Goodman's highly regarded visual executive, has become the store's new women's fashion director. She succeeds Robert Burke, who is officially leaving on Jan. 15 to start his own...

PHILO TO FOCUS ON FAMILY.(Phoebe Philo to spend more time with her new born baby)
January 6, 2006... Byline: Miles Socha PARIS -- Phoebe Philo is trading fashion fame for motherhood -- at least for now. As expected, the designer on Thursday confirmed her exit from Chloe, saying, "My decision to resign is for personal reasons,...

QUOTE OF THE WEEK.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2006... "The best part about the business is discovering -- and loving. And to be the first; the first to discover." Joan Burstein, co-founder of Browns

IN BRIEF: TEFRON POSTPONES AUCTION...TWO NEW KENNETH COLE HIRES.(Kenneth Cole Productions Inc. appoints Richard S. Olicker, and Henrik Madsen)(clothing company's public offering plans)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2006... TEFRON POSTPONES AUCTION: Tefron Ltd. postponed its public auction in Israel Thursday relating to the company's planned underwritten public offering following news of the massive stroke suffered Wednesday by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Tefron,...

RETAILERS OPTIMISTIC AFTER MODEST GAINS.
January 6, 2006... Byline: Julie Naughton and Matthew W. Evans NEW YORK -- Prestige beauty retailers weren't exactly breaking out the celebratory champagne this week, but most said the beauty business performed "decently" in December, translating into low...

HERMES PARFUMS' EARTHLY DELIGHT.(launch of Terre d'Hermes)
January 6, 2006... Byline: Jennifer Weil, with contributions from Matthew W.Evans and Ellen Groves PARIS -- Terre d'Hermes, due out in March, is meant to be an olfactive embodiment of man. "He is an alchemist, who lives standing with his feet in the...

CHAINS SAVED BY POST-HOLIDAY RUSH.(retail trade survey)
January 6, 2006... Byline: Faye Brookman and Molly Prior NEW YORK -- A surge of bargain hunters armed with gift cards the week after Christmas was just enough to redeem a lackluster holiday season for mass retail. Early sales estimates indicate that...

PUREBEAUTY GETS REVAMP INSIDE AND OUT.(beauty salons redesign)
January 6, 2006... Byline: Leslie Gornstein LOS ANGELES -- Even after spending nine months revamping nearly every aspect of his cosmetics chain, Jim Petty, the new chief executive officer of PureBeauty, isn't stopping to rest. He has embarked on an...