WWD articles from June 2004

WWD archives from June 2004

STEFANO'S SAINT LAURENT.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Miles Socha PARIS -- Stefano Pilati is feeling the pressure now. "But I have the age and experience to be able to deal with it," he told WWD at a preview of his first solo effort at Yves Saint Laurent. "Now I have to discover...

BERGDORF GOODMAN FILLS MARKETING SLOT.
June 1, 2004... Byline: David Moin NEW YORK -- Bergdorf Goodman has named Michael Crotty to manage its intensifying marketing efforts. Crotty, 39, vice president of marketing and advertising for NM Direct for the last three and half years, was...

KANEBO TO EXIT FIBERS IN RESTRUCTURING.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Koji Hirano TOKYO -- Heavily indebted Kanebo Ltd. announced its restructuring plan Monday including withdrawal from the natural fiber business and concentration on home products, pharmaceutical goods, foods, and fashion,...

COMING THIS WEEK.(Calendar)
June 1, 2004... Wednesday: Industry 212, New York (through Friday). Luxury Health & Beauty Fair, Paris (through Friday). Neiman Marcus Group reports third-quarter sales and earnings. Thursday: The JCK Show, Las Vegas (through June 8). Dallas...

IN BRIEF: GROWTH AT GUS...SURF'S UP...SANDER SPEAK.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... GROWTH AT GUS: Great Universal Stores plc, the retail and services group and Burberry's parent company, reported an 86.6 percent increase to $850 million, or 500 million pounds, from $455.6 million, or 268 million pounds, in the fiscal year...

PARIS HILTON; SCENT OF A WOMAN.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Byline: Julie Naughton NEW YORK --- Controversial socialite Paris Hilton has consummated her fragrance deal. As reported by WWD on May 5, the hotel heiress had signed a letter of intent in early May with Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based...

TIMING MIGHT BE RIGHT FOR GREEN'S SECOND M&S BID.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON -- For maverick British entrepreneur Philip Green, the second time around might be the charm in his pursuit of Marks & Spencer plc, retail experts say. Green, who has said he intends to bid for the...

FASHION SCOOPS: PARTY LINE...FANTASIA'S FUTURE...THE ANTI-BIG BIGGIE.
June 1, 2004... PARTY LINE: Christophe Girard, director of fashion strategy at LVMH, is getting even more political. Already deputy mayor of Paris since 2001, Girard also is running for the European parliament -- but in central Italy, not France. "If we...

FIRMENICH NAMES RACHMANIS.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Matthew W. Evans NEW YORK -- Daniel Rachmanis has been named president of fine fragrances, Americas for Firmenich, overseeing the company's International Fine Fragrance Center here. He takes over today from Charles Drayson, who...

CARRYING THE TORCH.(Mrs. Tependris just before the Olympic Games in Athens (the triumph of chic))
June 1, 2004... Byline: Marcy Medina LOS ANGELES -- Greek artist Konstantin Kakanias created Mrs. Tependris, a Greek socialite in the manner of Maria Callas meets Jackie O., in 1993, and though she appears in sketches and the occasional book (like...

EYE SCOOP: THE AFFAIR OF THE NECKLACE.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Guests at a Celine-sponsored dinner to celebrate the Doris Duke collection auction at Christie's, which begins tomorrow, were especially smitten by Lot 111, a Belle Epoque diamond and pearl pendant necklace by Cartier, circa 1908. The piece,...

GOING TO TOWN.(Illustration)
June 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- The resort season isn't just about tropical getaways. City goers need something sleeker, with a high-chic quotient and a low level of fuss. At Michael Michael Kors and Ellen Tracy, for example, understated sportiness comes with...

ASIANS JOIN CALL FOR QUOTA EXTENSION.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON -- The coalition of apparel and textile associations calling for a three-year delay of the elimination of quotas at the end of the year has signed up 25 more international associations. Among the new...

QUOTA WATCH: EYE OUT FOR EMBARGOES.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Importers and retailers are watching rapidly filling quota categories around the world to avoid getting caught in any early embargoes -- the government process for denying goods entry into the country -- during this last year the quota...

CONEY ISLAND'S ART INVASION.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- Coney Island, Brooklyn's fabled but worn mecca of sea, sand and amusements, is getting some airbrushing. Twenty-five artists are redesigning arcade signs, murals and the facades of some...

CASSINI GOES PLATINUM WITH BRIDAL FASHIONS.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- Weddings aren't typically at the forefront of minds of men in their 90s, but Oleg Cassini is consumed with them. This week, the designer adds another layer to his $50 million bridal business by...

GROWING CONFIDENCE LIFTS INDEX.(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2004... Byline: Dan Burrows, Ross Tucker NEW YORK -- The tide of robust first-quarter profits washed away fears about higher oil prices, an interest rate hike and Mideast violence to lift share prices last week to their biggest gains in more...

MEMO PAD: DID BAILEY BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS HER?...THIRTY-DAY SUPPLY...BONNIE'S BOY TOYS.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Sara James, Ellen Burney DID BAILEY BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS HER?: Has the "What It Costs to Be a Socialite?" article in the June issue of Harper's Bazaar cost editor-in-chief Glenda Bailey the good graces of the Hearst family?...

CERRUTI SUITORS?(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... MILAN -- Employees are bracing for job cuts at Cerruti and talk is circulating that men's wear firms like Ermenegildo Zegna and Corneliani are looking to buy the brand from financially troubled Fin.part. Giuseppe Augurusa, a...

INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE.(Council of Fashion Designers of America )
June 1, 2004... One of Peter Arnold's priorities since joining the Council of Fashion Designers of America as its executive director has been to put some teeth into the organization's efforts to support emerging designers, and also some money in their pockets....

2004 CFDA FASHION AWARDS; GENEROUSLY UNDERWRITTEN BY SWAROVSKI...MONDAY, JUNE 2, 2003...THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY.(Council of Fashion Designers of America)(Calendar)
June 1, 2004... THE COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA WOULD LIKE TO THANK SWAROVSKI, THE UNDERWRITER OF THE 2004 CFDA FASHION AWARDS, IN ADDITION TO THE FOLLOWING COMPANIES FOR THEIR GENEROSITY: PATRONS CALVIN KLEIN INC. COACH CONDE...

CFDA MEMBERS.(Council of Fashion Designers of America)
June 1, 2004... Joseph Abboud Amsale Aberra Reem Acra Carey Adina Adolfo Miguel Adrover Linda Allard Jeanne Allen Carolina Amato John Anthony Max Azria Mark Badgley Kara Varian Baker Jeffrey Banks...

UP FOR IT... A LOOK AT THE DESIGNERS NOMINATED FOR THE 2004 AWARDS AND THOSE BEING HONORED BY THE COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Jeff Bercovici, Evan Clark, Nandini D'Souza, Bridget Foley, Julee Greenberg, Marshall Heyman, Emily Holt, Alessandra Ilari, Marc Karimzadeh, Melanie Kletter, Vanessa Lau, Meenal Mistry The Nominees: WomensWear Designer of the Year...

UP FOR IT... (CONTINUED).
June 1, 2004... The Nominees: Accessories Designer Of The Year Edmundo Castillo By nature, Edmundo Castillo is one to break the rules. But designing shoes, he says, is the ultimate act of self-control. "You can make any type of shoe to fit three...

THE AMERICAN OPPORTUNITY; FROM DESIGNER BRANDS BECOMING MORE ACCESSIBLE TO AN INFLUX OF FRESH DESIGN TALENT, AMERICAN FASHION HOUSES -- LIKE THIS YEAR'S CFDA NOMINEES, BELOW -- ARE CAPITALIZING ON THE BUZZ THAT'S RETURNING TO NEW YORK.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Eric Wilson The temptation among American designers right now is to gloat, but history -- and the state of the world today -- has taught them that it is better to make the best of a positive moment, before it has passed. ...

ACCESSORIES FETISH; THE U.S. HAS NEVER REALLY BEEN KNOWN FOR ITS PROWESS IN THE ACCESSORIES AND SHOE MARKETS, BUT NOW, A NUMBER OF STATESIDE HOUSES ARE GIVING THE EUROPEANS A RUN FOR THEIR MONEY.(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2004... Byline: Emily Holt For years, the tune Americans sang when it came to their shoes was, "We say sneaker, you say stiletto." When it came to heels, much of the buzz revolved around the Europeans, particularly British imports like Jimmy...

GUY TALK; WWD SAT WITH ISAAC MIZRAHI AND DEREK LAM FOR A WIDE-RANGING DISCUSSION ON INSPIRATION AND THE CHALLENGES OF RUNNING A DESIGNER BUSINESS.(Interview)
June 1, 2004... Byline: Bridget Foley Isaac Mizrahi: I had a fashion dream last night -- about Grace Coddington. I dreamt that I was showing her a collection and that I had a teeny, teeny, little Russian icon. I said, "This is my inspiration for the...

CULTIVATING A LUXURY RENAISSANCE; A LUXURY REBOUND IS TAKING HOLD AT DEPARTMENT STORES AND LARGE SPECIALTY RETAILERS, AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF EFFORT BY MAKERS AND MERCHANTS ALIKE.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Anamaria Wilson, David Moin, New York, Kristin Young, Los Angeles, Rusty Williamson, Dallas How long can retailers ride the wave? Amid a strong season for selling designer clothes -- the best since early 2000, when the...

IN BLOOM AGAIN; WITHOUT QUESTION, KATHARINE HEPBURN WAS A NO-NONSENSE WOMAN, AND THE ESTATE SALE OF HER BELONGINGS AT SOTHEBY'S IS A TESTAMENT TO THAT.
June 1, 2004... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg "My greatest strength...common sense. I'm really a standard brand -- like Campbell's Soup or Baker's Chocolate." So said the late Katharine Hepburn, and this month, fans have the chance to buy a piece of...

GRAND GESTURE.(Illustration)
June 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Think big, live large. That's Dennis Basso's motto, and his loyal clientele is more than happy to follow suit. His fall collection was full of the beautifully executed, embellished furs on which he's built his flourishing...

CAROLEE FRIEDLANDER ENDING 30-YEAR RUN.
June 2, 2004... Byline: David Moin NEW YORK -- Carolee Friedlander, founder of Carolee Designs and a very visible jewelry designer who often worked the selling floors of department stores across the country, is calling it quits after 30 years in...

IN BRIEF: SAME DEAL, DIFFERENT DAY...FCBID'S RETAIL PITCH...URBAN SPLITS.(Fashion Center Business Improvement District )(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... SAME DEAL, DIFFERENT DAY: Hudson's Bay Co., Canada's largest and oldest department store chain, has secured a new $650 million credit facility to replace an existing facility of the same amount. The new yearlong asset-based facility is...

WIRMER RESIGNS AS JIL SANDER CFO.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... BERLIN -- The executive shuffle at Jil Sander AG continues with the resignation of the company's chief financial officer, Bernhard Wirmer. Wirmer served as cfo, as well as on the Jil Sander board, since March 2000. A Prada spokeswoman...

CORRECTIONS.(Correction Notice)
June 2, 2004... Michael Crotty is senior vice president of marketing and advertising at Bergdorf Goodman. Due to misinformation from the store, Crotty's title was incorrectly stated in a story that appeared Tuesday on page 2. The guerrilla stores for the...

KAWAKUBO'S DOVER STREET: AN ECLECTIC MIX.(Comme des Garcons )
June 2, 2004... Byline: Miles Socha PARIS -- Trust Rei Kawakubo to build a one-stop emporium for those whose shopping lists might range from, say, a Lanvin frock and a cool CD to a chair by Hedi Slimane. Disclosing fresh details about her...

FASHION SCOOPS: DRUMROLL PLEASE...HONOR ROLL...HEADING EAST.(Council of Fashion Designers of America)
June 2, 2004... DRUMROLL PLEASE: The ballots for this year's CFDA Fashion Awards are already cast and now the presenters are at the ready for Monday's event at the New York Public Library. And, as usual, some star wattage has been called in to help brighten...

DAVID LAUREN, JEFFREY MORGAN NAMED TO NEW POSTS AT POLO.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Jeff Bercovici, Arthur Zaczkiewicz NEW YORK -- Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. on Tuesday placed David Lauren in charge of all its advertising, marketing and corporate communications and named Jeffrey D. Morgan as president of its product...

SUZY: THE GREAT GEORGE BUSH PARACHUTE JUMP...BRITNEY IN CHINA...THE HERMITAGE IN NEW YORK.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Aileen Mehle They're coming from all over the world to Texas for former President George Bush's 80th birthday celebration party on June 12. Bob Mosbacher, Bush's ex-secretary of commerce, and his wife, Mica, are among the...

THE PLUSH LIFE.(Dennis Basso, fur designer)
June 2, 2004... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg, with contributions from Eric Wilson NEW YORK -- Dennis Basso, probably more than any fur designer, has bridged the divide between Park Avenue socialites and downtown hipsters. With his bellowing voice and bear...

POPULARITY CONTEST: SPORTS BRANDS BEAT OUT MAJOR DESIGNER LABELS.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Valerie Seckler NEW YORK -- Brand clutter actually may have an upside. Clearly, the profusion of fashion names is making it harder than ever for consumers to differentiate one from another. But it also means a growing number...

SUGAR BABY'S FEMININE FOCUS.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Bryn Kenny, Matthew W. Evans NEW YORK -- Beauty brand Sugar Baby is adding a little sweetness to the U.S. beauty market. The line, headed up by Australian-born sisters Nicci and Lizie Clifton, was discovered by the sisters...

GREEN INTEREST, NEW CEO BOOST M&S SHARE VALUE.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON -- Shares of Marks & Spencer plc climbed another 1.7 percent on Tuesday, the first day of trading after the news that Stuart Rose would replace Roger Holmes as the retailer's chief executive. Shares rose...

JACKET APPEAL.(Illustration)
June 2, 2004... NEW YORK -- Designers in the moderate market are channeling Chanel for fall with colorful tweeds and smart boucles. Here, for example, a wool and acrylic jacket and silk top from O Oscar. For more, see pages 12 through 16.

LOOKS FOR LESS.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Evan Clark NEW YORK -- The glitterati might disagree, but fashionable and moderately priced are not mutually exclusive terms. With trends spreading rapidly through the fashion industry from Hollywood to magazines to stores,...

SUITS HER FINE; FROM CUTE SHRUNKEN BLAZERS AND SEXY KNEE-LENGTH SKIRTS TO SOPHISTICATED SUITINGS AND SMART COATS, MODERATE DESIGNERS ARE PAYING HOMAGE TO COCO CHANEL THIS FALL.(Illustration)
June 2, 2004... Sangria's cotton, spandex and acrylic dress. Focus 2000's acrylic, polyrayon and rayon tweed coat; Designers Originals' acrylic cardigan; Jeanstar's cotton, polyester and spandex denim pants. Kikit's rayon and nylon top; Axcess'...

SPRING: IN THE DETAILS.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Rusty Williamson DALLAS -- Spring trends have moved moderate sportswear beyond basics, much to the delight of retailers. A handful of highly salable styles, including ponchos and capris, helped pump up spring business, said...

TJX LOOKS UPSCALE TO INCREASE TRAFFIC.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Katherine Bowers FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Facing sluggish growth at its flagship Marmaxx division, TJX Cos. plans to aggressively roll out larger-sized accessories and fine jewelry departments at TJ Maxx and expanded footwear...

VIACOM NAMES FRESTON, MOONVES CO-CEOS.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Jeff Bercovici NEW YORK -- Viacom Inc. filled the vacuum created by the abrupt resignation Tuesday of Mel Karmazin, the company's president and chief executive officer, by promoting Tom Freston and Leslie Moonves to new positions...

REISS ENTERS U.S. WITH SOHO OPENING.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Sharon Edelson, With contributions from Ellen Burney, London NEW YORK -- The British retailer Reiss has chosen SoHo to plant its flag in the U.S. market in a major way, with plans to open in a 5,100-square-foot space with 55...

`ATTENTION' KMART SHOPPERS.(Brief Article)
June 2, 2004... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- Kmart is looking to expand its brand appeal in apparel, starting with a new line in September, called Attention. Attention is described by a Kmart spokeswoman as contemporary careerwear, targeting...

WEST WATCH: OP DOES DISNEY...VEGAS SHOWTIME...GOING IN STYLE.(Op fashion brand)
June 2, 2004... Byline: Rose Apodoca Jones OP DOES DISNEY: What does a fashion brand do when it gets back its cool and grows six-fold to $250 million in wholesale volume? It goes to Disneyland, of course. Op, which has repositioned itself from its surf...

EMPIRE BUILDING: RETAIL RISES FOR L.A. RIVAL.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Kristin Young LOS ANGELES -- Southern California's Inland Empire, the "golden hill" region southeast of Los Angeles that once was considered a retail wallflower, is poised to turn heads. About 4.3 million square feet of retail...

ANALYSTS STAND BEHIND TIFFANY.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Jeanine Poggi NEW YORK - Tiffany & Co.'s weak performance in Japan at the end of the first quarter should not necessarily shake investors' faith in the potential value of the luxury retailer's shares, according to two research...

BANKRUPT BALMAIN GETS SIX MONTHS.
June 2, 2004... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS -- Balmain, the French fragrance and fashion house that last month filed for the French equivalent of Chapter 11 debt protection, has been granted six months to pull itself out of the red. The Tribunal of...

THE FEMININE MYSTIQUE.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 3, 2004... PARIS -- Trust John Galliano to put a romantic spin on his first cruise collection for his own label. Girly and fresh, with just a touch of Eliza Doolittle, the looks are full of feminine details, from cocktail jackets with tiny chiffon bows...

IN BRIEF: WHITEHALL VP...ROCKY ROAD...STILL TAXING.
June 3, 2004... WHITEHALL VP: Whitehall Jewellers, Inc. has named Debbie Nicodemus-Volker as executive vice president of merchandising. Prior to joining Whitehall, she was vice president of merchandising and planning for Donna Karan International in New York....

MADONNA ENDORSES KABBALAH'S LIGHT.(Company Profile)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Jenny B. Fine NEW YORK -- Madonna is clearly serious about Kabbalah -- so much so that she's helped develop and is endorsing a line of Kabbalah candles. And so are Kabbalah devotees Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher. The...

REPORT: LOW-WAGE NATIONS IMPORT SHARE TO SURGE.(Industry Overview)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Scott Malone NEW YORK -- The world's 58 lowest-wage nations will hold a 67 percent share of the U.S. garment market by 2011, growing from the current 41 percent, according to a new study. The report, called "Facing the...

LARK DE TRIOMPHE.(Marie-Amelie Seigner )(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS -- On a recent rainy evening, in a tiny candlelit cellar, Marie-Amelie Seigner ended a monthlong gig, singing for a hushed, standing-room-only audience of 35. That night, the audience called her back three...

COINS FOR THE FOUNTAIN.(The American Friends of Versailles)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Jessica Kerwin PARIS -- A shortage of American tourists has left shopkeepers and hoteliers up and down the Rue Saint-Honore a bit bereft. But one group of visitors who share a love of luxury and all things French might make up...

FISH TALES.
June 3, 2004... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON -- Thierry Despont spends his days designing interiors for museums and moguls (including Bill Gates, Millard Drexler and Calvin Klein), but when he wants a break, he grabs his waders -- and paintbrushes...

A VIVID IMAGINATION.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... PARIS -- Aloha! John Galliano is lei-ing on the Polynesian spirit at Dior -- with a touch of Janis Joplin and Helmut Newton, too. In a diverse and joyful cruise collection, Galliano lets loose with color and prints in looks that have just...

THROUGH THE AGES WITH MARY MCFADDEN.
June 3, 2004... Byline: Eric Wilson NEW YORK -- Mary McFadden's home is an ordinary place, at least for her. The historically inspired designer has converted an Upper East Side one-bedroom apartment into an ornate tribute to a Byzantine palace, its...

SQUEEZE REVAMPS.(Company Profile)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Scott Malone Junior denim brand Squeeze has updated its image and is planning a consumer advertising campaign to show off its new look. Over the past year, since the departure of designer Stephen Hardy, his successor, Angela...

'21 LINE ROARS ABROAD.(Company Profile)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Julee Greenberg The 1921 jeans line, a spin-off of Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Silver Jeans, has set its sights on international expansion. Michael Silver, president of Silver Jeans, said the firm has signed deals with three...

DALLAS DESTINATION.(Company Profile)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Rusty Williamson Armhole, a fledgling Dallas denim boutique, is becoming a destination for edgy jeans and fashion items such as tops, jewelry and shoes. The jewel-box-size, 650-square-foot space in the Lakewood Shopping Center...

YING-LI'S WEARABLE ART.(Ying Li-Oshrin )
June 3, 2004... Byline: Holly Haber DALLAS -- When Ying Li-Oshrin calls retailers and asks if she can show them her hand-painted silks, the response is often, "We're not interested in that." The folksy image of "wearable art" is hard to shake --...

SIEGEL-MAGNESS GOES SO LOW.(Sarah Siegel-Magness)(Company Profile)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Jennifer Laing LOS ANGELES -- Not everyone can take a niche concept like low-rise underwear and turn it into a full-blown contemporary wear brand in just 30 months. But then not everyone has the entrepreneurial spirit of So Low...

SPORT CHAINS SPRING AHEAD.(Industry Overview)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Melanie Kletter, With contributions from Ross Tucker NEW YORK -- Sport retailers are in the midst of one of their most successful recent seasons, though many industry analysts are wondering how long the hot streak can go on. ...

PUMA'S LUXURY HOME.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Melanie Kletter NEW YORK -- Puma's luxury sport division has a new home to call its own. Futurenet, the international sales agency for Puma's higher-end brands, has opened a showroom in the Meat-packing District here on West...

THE WWD LIST: LIFESTYLES OF THE SUPER WEALTHY; STORES WHERE RESPONDENTS WITH AN AVERAGE ANNUAL INCOME OF $359,000 SHOPPED THIS SPRING.(Industry Overview)
June 3, 2004... It seems the rich aren't that different after all. According to a survey by the American Affluence Research Center of the wealthiest 10 percent of the population, the super rich like a good bargain just as much as the rest of us and maybe even...

ANOTHER LAP OF LUXURY: NEIMAN NET SOARS 67% AND PACE STRONG FOR FALL.(Company Profile)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- Neiman Marcus Group blew out the lights in the third quarter. The specialty retailer on Wednesday posted a 67.4 percent jump in income for the three months ended May 1, along with an 80.4 percent...

EBEL ACQUISITION CUTS MOVADO NET AS SALES GAIN 23.3% IN 1ST QUARTER.
June 3, 2004... Byline: Ross Tucker NEW YORK -- The beginnings of a campaign to restructure and revitalize recently acquired Ebel tempered double-digit sales gains and weighed down earnings for Movado Group Inc. during the first quarter. For the...

ANTITRUST ISSUE LOOMS AT M&S.(Company Profile)
June 3, 2004... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON -- Retail entrepreneur Philip Green could face a major antitrust hurdle if his proposed bid for Marks & Spencer plc -- the details of which he's expected to reveal today -- is successful. Meanwhile,...

FASHION SCOOP: RALPH AND CARY.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... RALPH AND CARY: Everyone knows Donna Karan and Barbra Streisand are bosom buddies, but did you know Ralph Lauren and Cary Grant played the ponies together? Lauren was featured Tuesday night in the Turner Classic Movies' documentary, "Cary...

MAIDENFORM NAMES WARD CHAIRMAN.(Brief Article)
June 3, 2004... NEW YORK -- Tom Ward, who has served as president and chief executive officer of Maidenform Inc. since July 2001, has been appointed chairman. Ward will continue as ceo, but will be succeeded as president by Maurice Reznik, former...

BEAUTY'S NEXT WAVE.(WWD Beauty CEO Summit)(Women's Wear Daily)(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... MIAMI -- Top leaders of the beauty industry met at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel here from May 12 to 14 for the fifth WWD Beauty CEO Summit to hammer out the most vexing questions facing the business. And the star-studded lineup of speakers...

THREE'S COMPANY.(fashion designers new frangrances)(Donna Karan, Kenneth COle and Oscar de la Renta)(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... NEW YORK -- On the eve of Monday's CFDA Awards, as well as Wednesday's FiFi trophy bash, American designers are stepping out with their other fall collections: fragrances. Front and center is Donna Karan's new DKNY scent, Be Delicious -- an...

SOKOL SAID HEADING TO SEAN JOHN.(Susan Sokol will be named senior vp of Sean John)(Brief Article)
June 4, 2004... NEW YORK -- Susan Sokol is expected to be named senior vice president of Sean John Women's, according to industry sources. A Sean John spokesman declined comment Thursday, while Sokol could not be reached. But sources close to the company...

M&S NIXES GREEN'S $16.6B BID.(Marks and Spencer PLC)(Philip Green's Revival Acquisitions Ltd.)
June 4, 2004... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON -- Marks & Spencer plc Thursday rejected an offer potentially worth up to 9 billion pounds, or $16.56 billion at current exchange, from U.K. retail and real estate tycoon Philip Green. Green's Revival...

IN BRIEF: LEVI'S TO SHUT SPAIN PLANTS...SWEETER DEAL...BLING.COM.(company news)(Levi Strauss and Co.)(Luxottica S.p.A buy out of Cole National Corp.)(Bling.com launched by Jacob Arabo)(Walt Disney Co. and Children's Place Retail Stores Inc)
June 4, 2004... LEVI'S TO SHUT SPAIN PLANTS: Levi Strauss & Co. said Thursday it will shutter two factories in Spain -- the San Francisco jeans giant's last production facilities in Western Europe. Levi's said 453 people are employed in the sewing plants in...

NEIMAN'S PROMOTES EXEC TRIO.(Neiman Marcus Co.)
June 4, 2004... NEW YORK -- Neiman Marcus Stores promoted three of its top merchants Thursday, including naming Ann Stordahl as executive vice president for all women's categories and the luxury chain's New York-based fashion office. Also, Jonathan...

SUZY: WILLIS AND SCHWIMMER: BACK ON THE SCENE...THE HOUSE ZETA-JONES BUILT...THE TONY BRIGADE.(celebrity news)
June 4, 2004... Even Gwyneth Paltrow thinks there's always room for improvement, so she's spending more than $7,000 to have her smile perfected. The pretty star will wear invisible braces 24 hours a day for the next year or so, just popping them out for...

MAY COMP SALES FLOWER.(retail same store sales for May 2004)
June 4, 2004... NEW YORK -- Consumers cast aside worries over record-high gas prices and a looming interest rate increase by splurging at high-end department and specialty stores in May. In turn, retailers delivered solid comparable-store sales for the...