WWD articles from January 2007

WWD archives from January 2007

FROCK AROUND THE CLOCK.(clothing of the season)(Brief article)
January 2, 2007... Stores are preparing to roll out spring merchandise, and retailers have placed their bets on the key item of the season: the dress. Around the country, sales floors will be stocked with them in all shapes and styles, such as Oscar de la Renta's...

TOUGH LOVE ON TRADE: NEW CONGRESS' STANCE STIRS INDUSTRY TO ADAPT.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON - Congress returns this week under the control of Democrats for the first time in 12 years and its new agenda is expected to reshape the fashion industry's business and sourcing strategies. The...

ECCO DOMANI TO NAME WINNERS.(Erin Fetherston, Waleed Khairzada and Julia Jentzsch)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK - Ecco Domani is expected to name six emerging designers or labels as recipients of its annual Fashion Foundation awards today. This year's winners are Erin Fetherston, Naum by Waleed Khairzada and...

SPEEDO IN LICENSING DEAL WITH MITSUI & CO.(Brief article)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON - Speedo has formed a new strategic alliance in Japan with Mitsui & Co. Ltd. The London-based sports and swimwear company has granted the master license for Speedo to the Japanese company in a deal beginning...

IN BRIEF: AMERICAN INVASION...NEW DISCOVERY.(American Apparel plans to open stores in United Kingdom)(Maureen Watson appointed at Discovery Commerce )(Brief article)
January 2, 2007... AMERICAN INVASION: American Apparel is planning a British offensive. The Los Angeles-based company, which already has three London stores, is planning three more U.K. openings by the end of this year. The company would not confirm locations,...

MEMO PAD: WHICH IS WHICH AGAIN?...SCIENCE SMACKDOWN...IT'S ONLY ABOUT US.(Star magazine's mistaken identity, Wired magazine's television program, Self magazine's self appreciation)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Irin Carmon, Amy Wicks WHICH IS WHICH AGAIN?: Dedicated watchers of the Olsen twins have no trouble telling the two apart, but apparently the folks at Star do these days. The cover story of the Jan. 8 issue, now on newsstands,...

3LAB DRAFTS BLUEPRINT FOR GROWTH.(3Lab opens stores )
January 2, 2007... Byline: Andrea Arterbery Creators of the prestige skin care line 3Lab are diving more deeply into the U.S. market with a new president, a retail store and an unnamed department store presence. Spencer Kanis, who formerly served in...

JAPANESE RETAILERS LOOK TO GROW WEB PRESENCE.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Tsukasa Furukawa TOKYO - Japanese retailers are getting serious about the Web. Driven by the outlook for significant growth in Internet retailing, including via cell phones, more and more stores are strengthening their online...

GENDER BENDER.(clothing trends)(Brief article)
January 2, 2007... Tomboy or girly girl? These days, there's no need to choose. Just take Penlope Cruz, Cameron Diaz and Cate Blanchett, who moved gracefully between glammed-out gowns and tailored pantsuits as they made the international rounds of awards shows,...

HAIR OF THE DOG.(Leila Fazel)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Elisa Lipsky-Karasz The holiday season can mean a veritable marathon of feasts and fetes. So for those overindulgers vowing to clean up their act, WWD called in an expert: Leila Fazel, a co-founder of the Meatpacking District's...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT.(Skye Gyngell introduces new cookbook- "A Year in My Kitchen")
January 2, 2007... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON - There are few things that rankle Skye Gyngell as much as a blackberry imported from Peru, a farmed salmon or a dinner thrown together in four minutes. The 45-year-old chef has become a crusader for...

VIETNAM MONITORING CAUSES CLAIBORNE TO PULL OUT.(Liz Claiborne Inc.)(imports of clothing in United States)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Evan Clark WASHINGTON - As Liz Claiborne Inc. pulled its sourcing out of Vietnam, U.S. textile lobbyists, importers and the Vietnamese government offered vastly different recommendations to the Bush administration last week on how...

ALL DRESSED UP; WELCOME TO SPRING 2007, THE SEASON OF THE DRESS.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Carolyn Angel and Jessica Iredale Dresses have been gaining momentum for several seasons. Now that spring merch is about to hit the racks, retailers expect the category to soar, and their high hopes have significant foundation. Many...

FRILLY LILY.(Lily Allen's music and dressing)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Nandini D'Souza NEW YORK - Just 21 years old, Lily Allen is already an interesting study in contrasts. The British singer looks and sounds like an angel, a dewy-eyed ingenue with a lilting soprano voice and a penchant for frothy...

MAXAZRIA: AN UPGRADE IN PALM BEACH.(BCBG Max Azria)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Rebecca Kleinman PALM BEACH, Fla. - Hoping to resonate better with Palm Beach shoppers, the two-year-old BCBG Max Azria boutique has been refashioned as MaxAzria, the company's designer division. Sandwiched between Valentino...

ANNE BARGE ATELIER TAKES BRIDAL STORE TO THE BANK.(store opening)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Georgia Lee ATLANTA - Anne Barge is thinking bigger. The bridal designer will open a new 5,000-square-foot retail space, Anne Barge Atelier, on Jan. 15 to showcase her own collection as well as the bridal line she now designs...

SOCIALITE ISABEL EBERSTADT DIES AT 73.(Obituary)
January 2, 2007... NEW YORK - Journalist, author and socialite Isabel Eberstadt died Dec. 30 in her home here after battling a long illness. She was 73. The daughter of poet Ogden Nash and his wife Frances Leonard, Eberstadt was born in Baltimore on Sept. 30,...

FASHION SCOOP: HIGH BALL.(fashion shows)
January 2, 2007... HIGH BALL: It was all about big furs and big money on Thursday at the St. Regis Resort, Aspen, where approximately 600 of Aspen's finest gathered aprs-ski for the fourth annual Dennis Basso Freestyle fashion show and auction, a benefit for the...

LEGAL BRIEFS.(product counterfeiting petition)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Liza Casabona Liza Casabona An investigation by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, an investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, broke up a smuggling ring shipping counterfeit apparel into the United States,...

RETAIL SHARES CLOSE 2006 ON HIGH NOTE.(Brief article)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK - Wall Street ended the year on a down note in trading Friday after rallying in the final week of 2006 to push the Dow Jones Industrial Average past the 12,500 mark. It was a surprising year for the...

COLD CALL.(Brief article)
January 2, 2007... There's something magical about winter evenings, when soft knit accessories add an appealing warmth. Caption(s): ON THE COVER: V. FRAAS' acrylic hat and CAROLINA AMATO's lambswool and angora gloves. Twinkle by Wenlan coat, Marc by Marc...

IN THE MIX.(jewelry design)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Jennifer Hirshlag, Sophia Chabbott What a Doll! After fall's fixation with wicked symbols like skulls and spiders, jewelry designers are welcoming a little innocence back into their creations. Dolls in particular are charming...

HIDDEN POTENTIAL; A VINTAGE DEALER'S OLD-FASHIONED ACCESSORIES FINDS ARE SURPRISINGLY AU COURANT.(The Way We Wore- retail boutique)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Marcy Medina EVERY WOMAN HAS HER SECRETS. FOR DORIS RAYMOND, owner of The Way We Wore vintage retail boutique in Los Angeles, the stories of the women who once owned the pieces she sells often remain untold. Such is the case with...

BUNNY HIP; THE DUO BEHIND THE PLAYBOY JEWELRY LINE HAS PARTNERED WITH JAY-Z AND WALT DISNEY, AS WELL.(Daniel Landver, Landver Jason, Lucas Design International)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Kavita Daswani Not everyone can take the Playboy bunny motif and make it fashionable, fun and wearable, but the boys at Lucas Design International seem to have managed it. Jason and Daniel Landver, cousins and co-vice...

A BANG-UP JOB; SINCE BEING DISCOVERED BY THE FASHION SET, JEWELRY DESIGNER ANNA SHEFFIELD HAS FORGED AHEAD WITH HER CAREER.(Anna Sheffield)(Interview)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Jennifer Hirshlag Anna Sheffield admits she was a shy teen. But when Marc Jacobs called the 31-year-old designer of fashion jewelry label Bing Bang and asked her to think back on her memories of that awkward age, she was only too...

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE; AFTER YEARS AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE JEWELRY BUSINESS, KENNETH JAY LANE IS BRINGING HIS EXTRAVAGANT TOUCH TO BAGS AND BELTS.(Brief biography)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Sophia Chabbott Kenneth Jay Lane likes to dish. Lane, who has been in the fashion jewelry business since the early Sixties, was and remains privy to fashion's inner sanctum. The designer and his clients - from legends Diana...

BROOKLYN BABES; COLD WEATHER TAKES TO THE STREETS...OF WILLIAMSBURG, THAT IS. MILITARY LOOKS WITH A TOUCH OF PREPPINESS GIVE WINTER ACCESSORIES THE RIGHT DOSE OF ATTITUDE.(Brief article)
January 2, 2007... Opposite: V. FRAAS' acrylic hat and CAROLINA AMATO's lambswool and angora gloves. Twinkle by Wenlan coat, Marc by Marc Jacobs cardigan, Cynthia Rowley dress, Miss Sixty sweater and Via Spiga tights. This page: ACCESSORY NETWORK's acrylic hat...

A TEXTURED PAST; IN THE TRANSITIONAL MONTHS, FINISHES ARE WHAT SEPARATE THE WINNERS FROM THE REST OF THE PACK. FABRICS, LEATHERS AND SKINS WITH A BIT OF SHINE ARE SURE TO TAKE THE LEAD.(Brief article)
January 2, 2007... From top: ANNA SUI's patent leather bag at Ballin Project-Venetian Fashion Group, MAXX NEW YORK's leather bag, TOM BINNS DESIGN's oxidized sterling silver cuffs, LEIBER's whipsnake and Austrian crystal clutch and CHAN LUU's rayon dori,...

HOT ENOUGH FOR YA? FASHION AND NOVELTY HAVE HEATED UP SALES OF COLD-WEATHER ITEMS DESPITE TEMPERATURES THAT REFUSED TO DROP.
January 2, 2007... Byline: Laura Klepacki WHEN TEMPERATURES ON BLACK FRIDAY registered 58 degrees in New York, it might have sent a shiver down retailers' spines. After all, holiday sales are thought to be inextricably linked to the whims of Mother Nature,...

HIP, HIP, BERET! DESIGNER EUGENIA KIM APPLAUDS A MILLINERY BASIC.(Interview)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Jennifer Hirshlag TRAPPER HATS MAY STILL BE WARMING the ears of fashionable uptown girls in New York this winter, but the downtown set is experimenting with another silhouette as the temperatures begin to drop. Taking their cue...

PHYSICIANS FORMULA DRAFTS PLAN TO DITCH NICHE STATUS, GO GLOBAL.(Physicians Formula Cosmetics Inc.)
January 2, 2007... Byline: Molly Prior NEW YORK - The world doesn't need a another mauve lipstick. That decree is frequently heard from the lips of Physicians Formula's new chief executive officer, Ingrid Jackel, who since 1997 has ushered the mass...

WHAT A YARN.(knitwear trends)(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... Designers are taking a more dramatic approach to knitwear for pre-fall, balancing voluminous and sometimes exaggerated shapes with a palette of subdued neutral tones. Here, Ujein's knitted wool dress worn over James Perse's cotton dress with...

SAVING THE YULE SEASON: HOLIDAY TARGETS IN SIGHT AFTER UPTICK AT RETAIL.
January 3, 2007... Byline: David Moin, With contributions from Emili Vesilind, Sharon Edelson, Holly Haber and Georgia Lee Retailers just had a mood swing. After a much-needed lift in sales last week, industry executives are now mildly optimistic about...

PINAULT SAID MULLING UTILITIES BID.(Franois Pinault on Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux S.A.)(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS - Franois Pinault, the French billionaire who controls PPR and Gucci Group, on Tuesday said he had yet to decide whether to make a play for France's Suez utilities business. In a terse statement, Pinault...

LOUIS VUITTON MALLETIER SELLS LE TANNEUR STAKE.(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS - Louis Vuitton Malletier, the fashion and leather goods brand owned by LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton, has shed its stake in French leather goods business Le Tanneur. A spokeswoman for Louis Vuitton...

EDDIE BAUER DEAL PROGRESSING.(Eddie Bauer to be sold to Eddie B Holding Corp.)(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... Byline: Liza Casabona NEW YORK - The regulatory, antitrust waiting period for the proposed sale of Eddie Bauer to Eddie B Holding Corp., a company owned by Sun Capital Partners Inc. and Golden Gate Capital affiliates, ended Tuesday. ...

IN BRIEF: U.K. COMMITTEE TO QUIZ BURBERRY.(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... U.K. COMMITTEE TO QUIZ BURBERRY: A U.K. parliamentary committee plans to ask Burberry executives to defend the proposed closure of the company's polo shirt factory in Wales this month. The Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry, called "Globalization...

CORRECTIONS.(Correction notice)
January 3, 2007... The location credit was inadvertently omitted from the page one image, and pages 4 and 5 on Dec. 27. The shoot took place at the Hudson Bar at the Hudson Hotel in New York. Pantina is not sold at Walgreens. This was incorrect in a story on...

MEMO PAD: START SPREADING THE NEWS...FAIR TREATMENT...THE HONEYMOON IS OVER.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Irin Carmon, Amy Wicks, Stephanie D. Smith START SPREADING THE NEWS: The British takeover of New York media is by now a fairly timeworn tale, but The Independent of London still found it fresh enough to ring in the New Year with a...

SHISEIDO CLOSES INVESTMENT UNIT.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Koji Hirano, Ellen Groves, Stephanie Eprio TOKYO - Shiseido said it plans to dissolve its subsidiary, Shiseido Investment Co. Ltd., and the funds it managed. Shiseido incorporated the investment subsidiary in 2000 with the aim...

COOL COMFORTS.(clothing trends)(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... Nothing eases a girl into fall like cozy knitwear. Luckily, designers have whipped up a range of wonderfully wearable options for the season. Caption(s): Ports 1961's cotton and wool dress and Park Vogel's wool and cashmere pants. / Amo &...

VENDORS SEEK NEW WAYS TO GROW IN '07.(clothing stores to grow)
January 3, 2007... Byline: Whitney Beckett It's a sign of the times. Following a year of retail consolidation and mounting consumer demand for destination brands and fast fashion, midsize vendors of moderate and better labels resolve in 2007 to increase...

FASHION SCOOPS: NO MARRIAGE FOR MOSS...ROYAL REWARDS...NEW CREW.(Kate Moss, Pete Doherty)(Eliot Spitzer's office ceremony)(Nasher Sculpture Center's new year eve)
January 3, 2007... NO MARRIAGE FOR MOSS: While the British press may be giddily reporting that Kate Moss and Pete Doherty got hitched on a Thai beach on New Year's Day, Moss' spokesman insisted Tuesday that "no wedding, or any kind of ceremony" took place. ...

POLO NAMES KENNEDY AS DRESSES PRESIDENT.(Barbara Kennedy appointed at Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.)(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... NEW YORK - Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. named Barbara Kennedy president of dresses, a new post. Kennedy joined Polo from Jones Apparel Group, where she spent 15 years, most recently as president of the better and moderate dress divisions....

A DAY IN THE LIFE AT ZARA.(Alicia Framis)(Interview)
January 3, 2007... Byline: Barbara Barker MADRID - Like most avant-garde artists, Alicia Framis wants to change the world - or at least a small piece of it. "My work is always about social issues, like feminism, and daily life," says Framis. "I really...

CREDIT INDEX SLUMPS IN DEC.(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... SLOWED GDP GROWTH OVER the past two quarters, weakness in the labor sector and "modest holiday sales" add up to a soft economic picture, according to the Credit Manager's Index, which dropped for the fifth consecutive month. The CMI fell...

INTERNET SPENDING JUMPS 26%.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Sharon Edelson Call it the holiday of the Web. Holiday 2006 proved to be a banner season for the Internet. All the buying and selling contributed to a 26 percent increase in online spending over 2005 to $26.1 billion for the...

GOING FOR GOLD: RED-CARPET ROLLOUT.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Marcy Medina, Rachel Brown LOS ANGELES - Fasten your seat belts. The countdown has begun for the 2007 awards season. The entertainment industry will anoint actresses, actors, directors, singers, composers and costume designers,...

TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL.(clothing trends for summer)(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... Light, airy and ethereal - that's the direction designers are headed for summer, with sweet, romantic looks that are a dream come true. Caption(s): On The Cover: Morphine Generation's cotton dress. Alex Woo earrings.

MARKET CALENDAR; LOS ANGELES MARKET WEEK, JAN. 12-16, 2007, AT THE CALIFORNIA MARKET CENTER, NEW MART, COOPER BUILDING AND GERRY BUILDING.
January 3, 2007... The Gerry Building 910 South Los Angeles Street Market hours: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. The Cooper Building 860 South Los Angeles Street Market hours: Jan. 12-15, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Jan. 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. California Market Center...

STOP AND SHOP; NICHE BUSINESSES ABOUND AT THE EAGLE ROCK MARKETPLACE.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Nola Sarkisian-Miller From action sportswear to pottery, the Eagle Rock marketplace has gained critical mass since the Swork coffee caf opened in 1999. Home to Occidental College, this freeway-adjacent community often gets passed up...

CENTER STAGE.(Edgar Degas style)(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... What do you get when you combine the Impressionist style of Edgar Degas with summer's dancer-inspired shapes? Light-as-air looks in the form of sheer tunics, billowy skirts and little wrap sweaters. Yoana Baraschi's silk voile dress and...

GOOD SHEER.(clothings for the season)(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... It's the season of the blouse. Designers are giving the piece an extra-girly touch for summer with floaty, gauzy fabrics, topped off with everything from delicate collars and ties to ornate ruffles and lace. ABS by Allen Schwartz's cotton...

NEW LINES; A LOOK AT THE LATEST RESOURCES TO HIT THE LOS ANGELES MARKETS.(Zozo's contemporary styles)(kaj ani)(Rebecca Ciccio)
January 3, 2007... Byline: Genny Chang CALIFORNIA MARKET CENTER JULIE WALLS AND CASSIE SPEACE/ CRAIG NADEAU SHOWROOM, Suite A392 Zozo Zozo is an updated misses' collection comprising item-driven contemporary styles geared toward 35- to...

HERE AND THERE; SHOWROOM SEVEN BRINGS NEW YORK SAVVY TO LOS ANGELES' COOPER BUILDING.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Kavita Daswani When Karen Erickson and Jean-Marc Flack decided to open a Los Angeles branch of their noted New York showroom, they knew Showroom Seven L.A. should have a very Manhattan point of view. This meant that the...

GOING GREEN; INCREASED ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS LEADS TO A RISE IN ORGANIC CLOTHING LINES.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Kavita Daswani Whether they are supporting workers in Peru and Africa, sourcing Amazon seeds from the Brazilian rain forest or using "peace silk" from worms that are allowed to live out their life cycle, a growing number of fashion...

STAKING A CLAIM; LOS ANGELES-BASED HAT AND BAG COMPANIES ARE BECOMING BIG PLAYERS IN THE ACCESSORIES CATEGORY.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Rachel Brown Los Angeles may not be the first city that comes to a handbag and hat hound's mind when asked where the season's go-to accessories are designed. But the anonymity of local accessories brands is fading quickly. Their...

PARTY HARDY.(Randolph Duke's 'The Look Book: A Guide to Dressing From the Inside Out')(Little Black Dress celebrates fifth anniversary)(Lucky Brand Dungarees Inc. raised funds for children's charities)
January 3, 2007... Byline: Ana La O', Khanh T.L. Tran, Marcy Medina, Emili Vesilind Duke of Girls Randolph Duke introduced his first publication, "The Look Book: A Guide to Dressing From the Inside Out," to his female subjects from a white carved throne...

SIGN OF THE SHINE; CLUTCHES ARE MUST-HAVES FOR SUMMER, AND THIS SEASON DESIGNERS ARE GIVING THEM A DOSE OF DISCO WITH STUDS, METALLICS AND SPARKLES.(Brief article)
January 3, 2007... Chinese Laundry's PVC clutch. Surly Girl's leather and snakeskin clutch. Alexis Hudson's snakeskin and leather clutch at Brighte. Saylor Sage's leather clutch. Joanna Louca's wool, Lurex, wood and leather clutch at Style...

GET IN LINE.(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... Railroad-striped denim has been a staple since the 19th century, but for pre-fall, designers are finding new, ingenious ways to use it. To wit: 10 Feet's cotton denim overalls, shown here with Original Penguin's cotton tank top. Bracelet from...

WEB'S EXPANDING REACH: AMAZON LAUNCHES SITE FOR SHOES, ACCESSORIES.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Cate T. Corcoran Add Amazon to the list of companies aiming to tap into the growth of accessories. The Web giant on Wednesday opened its second online store, Endless.com, which sells footwear and accessories. The site offers...

IN BRIEF: ARNAULT HONORS...GOLD MINED...FAMILY AFFAIRS.(Bernard Arnault promoted, Welsh Gold PLC)(Tobias Forster sells shares of Forster Rohner to his brother Ueli Forster)
January 4, 2007... Byline: JEAN E. PALMIERI ARNAULT HONORS: LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton chief Bernard Arnault has been elevated to Commander of the Legion of Honor by France's ministry of economy, finance and industry for service to his country. The...

CORRECTIONS.(Correction notice)
January 4, 2007... The Accessories Circuit trade show at the Show Piers in New York runs Jan. 9 to 11. The dates were incorrect in the Coming This Week calendar on page 2, Tuesday. Anne Barge is the licensee for Badgley Mischka Bridal, which is designed by...

U.S. AND BRAZILIAN OFFICIALS LOOK TO REVIVE DOHA TALKS.(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Whitney Beckett NEW YORK - Top government officials from the U.S. and Brazil said on Wednesday that they remain committed to reopening the stalled World Trade Organization-sponsored Doha talks. U.S. Trade Representative Susan...

JUST CAVALLI TO OPEN ON FIFTH AVE.(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK - Just Cavalli, the younger diffusion line designed by Roberto Cavalli, is launching its first company-owned store in the U.S. on Fifth Avenue here. The 2,850-square-foot flagship is to open in August at...

FASHION SCOOPS: AMERICAN BEAUTY...GOOD AS GOLD.(Raquel Welch in Paris couture week, Nasher Sculpture Center )(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... AMERICAN BEAUTY: The glamour quotient is expected to ramp up a few notches during Paris couture week: Raquel Welch is coming to town. The actress, who was recently named to headline MAC Cosmetics' MAC Beauty Icon series, could be one of the...

RETAIL TRADES STRONGLY ON OPENING DAY 2007.
January 4, 2007... Byline: WWD Staff Declining oil prices and the realization that holiday sales might turn out better than expected buoyed retail stocks Wednesday - the first day of trading of 2007. Analysts were mostly bullish, at least in their...

LADIES' NIGHT.(poker)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Elisa Lipsky-Karasz, with contributions from Emily Holt It's 8 o'clock on a Wednesday night just before the holidays and a crowd of chic, impeccably coiffed women is filtering into Lotus. Nothing unusual about that, but at the door,...

GREEN BACKER.(David de Rothschild opens art gallery)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Nina Jones LONDON - Move over, Zac Goldsmith - there's a new gentleman ecologist in town. David de Rothschild saw firsthand the results of climate change during his trek last year across the increasingly watery Arctic. Now he...

EYE SCOOP: GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK.(The Double Seven shuts its doors)(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK: There is never a dearth of parties during fashion week, but this season there will be one less venue to book. As of Jan. 13, The Double Seven will wind up its velvet rope and shutter its doors - at least temporarily....

EXPRESS RIDES.(clothing trends)(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... Designers are taking aboard train-inspired patterns this season with striped denim looks that are cool, chic and a far cry from anything meant for working on the railroad. Caption(s): Rampage's cotton denim and leather handbag. /...

DIESEL TURNS UP THE HEAT FOR SUMMER AD CAMPAIGN.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Ross Tucker Less-than-subtle sexual suggestion and innuendo have been the defining characteristics of Diesel ad campaigns for the last several years. For the summer 2007 campaign, however, sex will give way to a bit of social...

DENIM DESIGN LAB EXPANDS HANDBOOK.(Denim design lab's 'Denim Design Lab LE' in coffee table format)(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Ross Tucker Denim design lab's do-it-yourself denim styling kit, launched almost a year ago, included a handbook that was part denim encyclopedia and part how-to guide. This year, DDL is bringing the book back in an expanded...

ICONIX TAPS MINNILLO FOR BONGO BLITZ.(Vanessa Minnillo endorses)(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Julee Greenberg Iconix Brand Group's Bongo brand is looking to get its fire back with a new face, Vanessa Minnillo. Best known as an "Entertainment Tonight" correspondent and most recently seen on the arm of pop star Nick...

SHOPBOP BUILDS ON EXCLUSIVES.(Shopbop.com)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Julee Greenberg Shopbop.com has some exclusive ideas. The online contemporary retailer has picked up steam since being acquired by Amazon.com last February. It has increased its offerings of sportswear and will be the exclusive...

MANHATTAN RETAILER CATERS TO TEENS' FICKLE SIDE.(Infinity's Liza Ball on childrens clothing)(Interview)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Lauren Benet Stephenson NEW YORK - "I think like a kid," said Liza Ball, owner of Infinity, an Upper East Side boutique that has become a fashionable teen haven during Ball's 14-year tenure. "I know what the kids want and I try to...

HOLIDAY SITE SEEING; THE LEADING E-COMMERCE SITES OVER THE HOLIDAYS BASED ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.(Company rankings)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Cecily Hall Online was the hot venue this holiday. According to ComScore Networks, online spending (excluding travel purchases) from Nov. 1 to Dec. 26 hit $23.1 billion, a 26 percent increase from the same period in 2005. But what...

KORS TO OPEN SOHO STORE.(Michael Kors )
January 4, 2007... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK - Michael Kors is joining SoHo's ever-expanding fashion scene. The designer will open a lifestyle store at 101 Prince Street in spring 2008 in a space that's been occupied by Jerry's restaurant, a...

HILFIGER NAMES TWO SENIOR V.P.S.(Marybeth Schmitt and Vivien Kronengold appointed at Tommy Hilfiger Corp.)(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Lisa Lockwood NEW YORK - Tommy Hilfiger Corp. has named two executives to its marketing and communications teams. Marybeth Schmitt has been appointed senior vice president of communications for Tommy Hilfiger USA, a new post....

LAVANILA LAUNCHES TRIO OF FRAGRANCES.(Lavanila Laboratories)(Karen Smith-Pilkington appointed at Tess Skincare Inc.)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Michelle Edgar NEW YORK - A new beauty marketer called Lavanila Laboratories is introducing three vanilla-inspired fragrances with a twist - they're designed not just to have a pleasing aroma but to offer skin care benefits. ...

SHOPPERS SQUEAMISH AMID UNREST IN BANGKOK.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Joyce Barrett BANGKOK - Retail traffic plunged as much as 40 percent and retailers sought to boost safety with undercover police patrols and searches of shoppers' packages after eight bombs tore through downtown Bangkok on New...

MEMO PAD: SHOKET IN AT SEVENTEEN...BURBERRY'S SILVER STREAK.(Hearst Magazines Div. names Ann Shoket)(advertising campaign)
January 4, 2007... Byline: Irin Carmon, Samantha Conti SHOKET IN AT SEVENTEEN: When Hearst Magazines named Cosmogirl executive editor Ann Shoket as the editor in chief of Seventeen magazine Wednesday, it ended a period of speculation of whether the company...

DENIM ON FILE '07.(Denim Directory)(Brief article)
January 4, 2007... A Directory of Who's Who In The Denim Market Brands, Trade Shows, Textiles What's Inside: Welcome to WWD's first-ever multimedia edition of the Denim Directory. Inside, you'll find the definitive guide to who's who and what's...

DENIM ON FILE '07.(Directory)
January 4, 2007... Brands, Trade Shows, Textiles !it Jeans Jamie Devour 910 South Los Angeles Street Suite 701 Los Angeles, CA 90015 USA T: 213.747.2272 1921 Michele Bedrick 555 Logan Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3A0S4...