WWD articles from June 2007

WWD archives from June 2007

BREAK OUT.(Clinique Laboratories Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... As it nears 40, Clinique is looking to teenage concerns such as acne and the Internet to retain its status as the number-one U.S. department store brand. In July, the new Acne Solutions version of the venerable Three-Step skin care regimen will...

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION: SHOWBIZ MOGULS BECOME FASHION PLAYERS.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Miles Socha, With contributions from Marcy Medina -Welcome to the third stage of fashion's romance with celebrity and entertainment. Designers hiring celebrities as their faces in ad campaigns and on the red carpet was phase...

WAL-MART FOCUSING ON LOW-PRICE ROOTS.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s Claire Watts)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Katherine Bowers ROGERS, Ark. - Despite a flirtation with higher-end merchandise, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.'s top apparel executive on Thursday recommitted the retailer to bargain prices and rollbacks. Claire Watts, executive vice...

STRONG MARGINS BOOST J. CREW.(J. Crew Group Inc.)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Jeanine Poggi J. Crew Group delivered first-quarter earnings Thursday that surged on robust gross margins and strong same-store sales. For the three months ended May 5, net income more than tripled to $24.6 million, or 39 cents...

IN BRIEF: NO MORE TALKS.(Foot Locker Inc. on acquiring shares of Genesco Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... NO MORE TALKS: Foot Locker Inc. on Thursday said it was no longer pursuing a proposal to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Genesco Inc. The announcement followed an earlier statement Thursday morning from Genesco saying that its...

CORRECTIONS.
June 1, 2007... Lisa Kline was incorrectly named as a retailer of Dear Cashmere on page 18 of the May issue of WWD Los Angeles. The line is carried at Horn. Bruce Nordstrom, retired chairman of Nordstrom, did not contribute to Sen. John McCain's...

IN FINE FORM.(fashion design)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Calling all beach babes. Phillip Lim channeled an "eternal seaside picnic" with his 3.1 lineup of fluid, layered dresses and crisp tops and shorts, while Rachel Roy looked to "glass and sand" for her cocktail frocks that feature origami folds...

CLINIQUE OUTLINES ACTION AGENDA FOR BRAND GROWTH.(Clinique Laboratories Inc.)(Company overview)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Julie Naughton Nearing its 40th birthday, Clinique is aiming to grow by returning to its youthful roots and tapping into the power of nontraditional media. The brand was founded in 1968 as a dermatological skin care line and...

EVA GREEN TAPPED AS FACE OF DIOR'S MIDNIGHT POISON.(Christian Dior Perfumes Inc.)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Ellen Groves PARIS - Parfums Christian Dior has added French actress Eva Green to the playbill for Poison's latest act. The LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton-owned beauty business on Wednesday feted Green's selection as the face...

ARCONA THRIVES UNDER NEW THUMBPRINT.(Arcona Devan)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Rachel Brown Arcona Devan gained a celebrity following despite herself. She planted her studio in Valley Village, a freeway ride from most starlets' stomping grounds; treated all customers equally, and argued passionately...

REDKEN, PALAU PARTNER FOR DISPLAY CAMPAIGN.(L'Oreal USA Inc.)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Andrea Nagel NEW YORK - In business, only the end results matter. For Redken, the same goes for hair styling. Redken, one of the leading salon brands under the L'Oral Professional Products Division, is taking a new approach to...

NATURAL PRODUCTS REKINDLE CANDLE SALES.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Faye Brookman NEW YORK - The flame is far from out in America's candle business. Candle sales fired up in the Eighties and Nineties, giving even traditional fragrances a run for holiday gift sales. Retailers flocked to the...

L'ORAL AWARDS FIVE FOR RESEARCH WORK.(L'Oreal Consumer Products Div.)(Jaime Barnes, Sarah Clinton, Julie Huber)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Michelle Edgar L'Oral honored five women for their achievements and contributions to science through groundbreaking research at the fourth annual L'Oral USA Fellowships for Women in Science awards, held last Thursday at the...

QVC'S DARLENE DAGGETT REDEFINES RETIREMENT.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Molly Prior On Tuesday, Darlene Daggett, who recently retired from the executive ranks of QVC, took her first piano lesson in decades. However, if her postretirement project goes as planned, she likely won't have much time to...

ELEMIS BUILDS BRAND AWARENESS IN U.S.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Michelle Edgar British brand Elemis is opening new spas, expanding its retail base and launching a range of products to raise its profile in the U.S. "We'd like to be a major player in the U.S. spa market with our full-concept...

SNIPPETS: DIESEL DETAILS...CASH INFUSION...FEKKAI GROWS...LIVE FROM N.Y.(Diesel's new fragrance)(Frdric Fekkai's contract for locations)(Kelly Ripa and QVC Inc.'s fund-raising event for the ovarian cancer Research fund)
June 1, 2007... DIESEL DETAILS: Diesel chief executive officer Renzo Rosso has high hopes for the fragrance he plans to launch in September with his fragrance licensee, French beauty giant L'Oral. The long-term deal announced in January 2006 entails a launch...

ZELENS LINE HAS SKIN CARE DOWN TO A SCIENCE.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Michell Edgar Skin cancer specialist Marko Lens is applying his research on premature aging to the new skin care line Zelens Skin Science, which is scheduled to launch at Space NK's Soho store this month. Designed to combat...

FIFI WINNERS UNVEILED.(List)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Caroline Tell Stars studded the list of winners and presenters Thursday night at the 35th Annual FiFi Awards, hosted by the Fragrance Foundation in the Winter Garden at the World Financial Center in New York. Sean Combs, Paula...

FURLA'S NEW SPIN ON DESIGN AT 80.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Luisa Zargani MILAN - Furla will mark its 80th anniversary this year with an exhibition at Tokyo's Museum of Contemporary Art, or MOT, in the fall and a project, Retail Design Hub, that chairman and chief executive officer Giovanna...

SLIDE IN SAME-STORE SALES IMPACTS SEARS' EARNINGS.(Sears Holdings Corp.)(Kmart Holding Corp.)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Vicki M. Young Sears Holdings Corp. on Thursday posted first-quarter earnings at the low end of the retailer's estimates, as the company said results were hurt by declining comps at its Sears and Kmart nameplates. First-quarter...

MEMO PAD: DONE DEAL...HOPE FOR US ALL...NEW TALENT.(Hearst Corp. Hearst Magazines Div.'s Cathie Black's income)(Donna Karan signs Catherine McNeil)(Cosmopolitan's annual Fun Fearless Fiction awards)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Stephanie D. Smith, Marc Karimzadeh, Irin Carmon, Alessandra Ilari, Amy Wicks DONE DEAL: As talks for new investors to buy Dennis Publishing near a conclusion, private equity firms continue to snap up other media companies. The...

NETFLIX, QVC LEAD ONLINE SATISFACTION.
June 1, 2007... Byline: Cecily Hall Netflix.com, QVC.com, Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble's bn.com and pet supply e-tailer DrsFosterSmith.com are the top five Web sites in terms of customer satisfaction, according to the latest biannual study by ForeSee...

TIFFANY RAISES GUIDANCE.(Tiffany and Co.'s first quarter results )(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Vicki M. Young Tiffany & Co. on Thursday posted first-quarter results that beat Wall Street's expectations by a penny, and raised full-year earnings per share guidance. The company also said it was going to increase the number...

RECOGNITION COMES TO GROWING 24 SEVEN.(Celeste Gudas, Sheilah Hogan and Stuart Kagel)(ernst and young entrepreneur of the year 2007 award)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Whitney Beckett Fashion industry headhunting firm 24 Seven Inc.'s founders made the finalist cut for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2007 Award in the Metro New York Area. A panel of independent judges selected...

MOVADO EARNINGS SLIDE.(Movado Group Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Liza Casabona In line with its expectations, Movado posted a drop in first-quarter earnings and a slight gain in sales on Thursday. First-quarter earnings fell 15.9 percent to $2.4 million, or 9 cents per diluted share, from...

FASHION SCOOPS: DIGGING FOR GOLD...FINAL UNVEILING...HEAD START.(L'Oreal Paris to sign Kate Winslet)(Diane von Furstenberg's new space)(Men's fashion week to kick off)
June 1, 2007... DIGGING FOR GOLD: Reports are circulating in Paris that L'Oral may be close to adding another celebrity to its ranks. The beauty giant is said to be in talks with Kate Winslet over a possible advertising deal with one of its brands. A...

VISA OPENS 'SWAP SHOP' IN LONDON.(Visa EU Ltd.)
June 1, 2007... Byline: Samantha Conti LONDON - Visa, the credit card company that makes a fortune on luxury shopping sprees, has gotten into the secondhand, cut-price fashion game. Visa Europe opened a temporary "swap shop" Thursday on London's...

NOW, VOYAGER.
June 4, 2007... Ready, set, go. Doo-Ri Chung was struck by a bit of wanderlust this resort season. "I see all my pieces worn with suitcases in hand," she said. "There's a real travel feeling." And clothes like her stylish cotton trench for Doo.Ri would have...

THE BIDDING FOR BARNEYS: 2 MIDEAST EQUITY FIRMS SAID DRIVING UP THE PRICE.(Qatar Investment Authority and Istithmar )
June 4, 2007... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK - The bidding war for Barneys New York could come down to who blinks first. Two Middle Eastern investment entities are said to be in keen competition to buy the designer retailer - one, the Qatar...

PERMIRA EYES REMAINDER OF VALENTINO.(acquisitions)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Luisa Zargani MILAN - Permira plans to launch a bid for control of all of Valentino Fashion Group after the Italian equity fund increased its stake in VFG to 53.6 percent. If successful, the acquisition will cost the fund about...

WAL-MART CUTS BOOST SHARES.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Katherine Bowers FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. got Wall Street's attention by touting less as more. The world's largest retailer once reveled in opening stores as fast as it could. But the company has scaled down...

IN BRIEF: SNEAKERS AND THE CITY.(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... SNEAKERS AND THE CITY: Twenty 3-by-5-foot running shoe statues will be on the sidewalks of Manhattan beginning today, coinciding with 2007 Blue Planet Run. Heatherette, the New York Giants, Courteney Cox, Rosie O'Donnell and Rachael Ray, among...

ESTE LAUDER SAID MULLING MURAD DEAL.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Molly Prior Another nich, dermatological brand may have found a new home. Talk surfaced Friday that the Este Lauder Cos. is considering an acquisition of Murad Inc., the eponymous skin care brand founded in 1989 by El Segundo,...

RIELAND TAPPED TO SUCCEED MENDELSON AT JONES APPAREL.(Susan Rieland, Jones Apparel Group, Mark Mendelson)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Whitney Beckett NEW YORK - Susan Rieland, president of casual design at Jones Apparel Group, has been promoted to chief merchandising officer of bridge and lifestyle sportswear brands. She succeeds Mark Mendelson, who is...

PAYLESS TEAMS WITH ALICE + OLIVIA.(Payless ShoeSource Inc.)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Caroline Tell As part of its ongoing effort to offer designer styles at affordable prices, footwear retailer Payless ShoeSource has set its third collaboration, this time with Stacey Bendet of Alice + Olivia. The collection,...

INVESTMENT GROUP BUYS EVERLAST FOR $146M.(Hidary Group, Everlast Worldwide Inc.)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Jeanine Poggi Boxing and sporting goods manufacturer Everlast Worldwide Inc. has inked a deal to be acquired by a New York-based investment consortium for more than $146 million in cash. The Hidary Group, the lead sponsor, will...

KEEP ON RUNNING.(exhibition by Richard Serra)
June 4, 2007... The social season returned to its Energizer Bunny state last week - it just kept going and going and going. The first major stop was the LVMH-sponsored opening of the Richard Serra retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, which drew in about...

WAR ZONE.(Hunter Barnes)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Derek Blasberg After joining a Lowriders posse in Espaola, N.M.; a band of bikers in Harlem, and a gang of Bloods in St. Louis - all in the name of documentary photography - Hunter Barnes has perfected the art of fitting into...

FASHION SCOOPS: DIEGO'S PLATFORM...THE AIR UP THERE...PRINCESS DIARIES...PURSUING PARKER.(Sarah Jessica Parker followed by the London paparazzi, 2007 CFDA Fashion Awards, Tod's Diego Della Valle speaks at the Italy's footwear association conference )
June 4, 2007... DIEGO'S PLATFORM: Tod's Diego Della Valle once again showed he's not afraid to speak up about issues that are close to his heart. During a conference organized by Italy's footwear association, ANCI, in Milan on Friday, Della Valle urged the...

FLUID MECHANICS.
June 4, 2007... Flowing draped shapes with distinctive details are an important part of the resort equation, showing up in a wide variety of collections. They play a key role at Doo.Ri, for instance, which isn't surprising, because designer Doo-Ri Chung's...

A FASHIONABLE TRYST BETWEEN THE SHEETS.(Layla L'obatti's lingerie show)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Karyn Monget NEW YORK - A dash of fashion, fantasy and underground-edge lingerie set the stage for the recent Between the Sheets runway show that pulled in an eclectic mix of industry executives, student designers and...

FOGAL EXPANDS UNITS IN NEW YORK.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Karyn Monget Luxury lingerie, bodywear and legwear brand Fogal of Switzerland will be expanding its presence in the U.S. this fall with a second store on New York's Madison Avenue. Plans are also in the works to open a third...

XOXO BUILDS INTIMATE LIAISONS.(Global Brand Holdings and SaraMax Apparel Group agreement)
June 4, 2007... Global Brand Holdings, owner of the XOXO brand, signed a licensing deal with SaraMax Apparel Group to introduce a line of constructed and daywear bras, undies, daywear items and bustiers bearing the XOXO name. The collection, which is aimed...

PLAYING DOUBLES.(fashion trends)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Michell Edgar NEW YORK - After seasons of devil-may-care mixing and matching, designers are taking a simpler, more straightforward approach to sleepwear, showing cropped pajama bottoms and matching, easy tops. Caption(s):...

DE BEERS BEGINS MINING THE WEB.(e-commerce)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Sophia Chabbott De Beers and its diamonds are entering cyberspace. This month, De Beers Diamond Jewelers, the joint venture between South African mining firm De Beers SA and luxury conglomerate LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton,...

FINDINGS: SMALL CHANGE...THE SURREAL LIFE.(jeweler Pipa Small teamed with Made)
June 4, 2007... SMALL CHANGE: Pippa Small, the London jeweler known for adorning her fine jewelry with diamonds and turquoise shells that are close to their natural, unpolished state, has joined the designers' march to the high street, but she's made sure her...

LEGAL BRIEFS.(American Eagle Outfitters and Retail Royalty Co. v. Tala Brothers Corp.)(Timberland Co. v. Salim Sadagheh and Shoe Town Inc.)(Cartier v. GL Web Enterprises and Leda Malaga)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Liza Casabona NEW YORK - American Eagle Outfitters and Retail Royalty Co. got a permanent injunction and consent judgment against Tala Brothers Corp., which does business as Low and Sweet, as well as David Talasazan and other...

FAST STATS.(Brief article)(Statistical data)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Wicks How much consumers spent online last year on home furnishings goods: $10 billion Percentage of consumers who said they would give either a gift card or cash as a graduation gift: 90 percent Estimated percentage of...

SHOPPING CENTERS CHASE LUXURY AT ICSC.(International Council of Shopping Centers' spring convention)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Sharon Edelson LAS VEGAS - The sight along the Strip of cranes hovering over towers in various stages of completion was a sign of optimism not lost on the 50,000 real estate and retail professionals attending the International...

ADAPTING TO WORKPLACES AND LIFESTYLES.(Brad Smith of C-Suite Inc.)(Interview)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Vicki M. Young Corporate cultures vary from company to company, and also from one part of the country to another. Here Brad Smith, senior consultant at executive search firm C-Suite Inc., which has offices in Boston and New York,...

N.J. COLLEGE OFFERS RETAIL TRAINING PROGRAM.(Atlantic Cape Community College in New Jersey teams with the National Retail Federation)
June 4, 2007... Byline: Jeanine Poggi NEW YORK - Attracting qualified candidates and keeping them in the retail and service industry is not an easy task for employers in a sector that has one of the highest employee turnover rates. Atlantic Cape...

JOB CUTBACKS AT GAP, KELLWOOD.(closure of distribution center)
June 4, 2007... Byline: David Moin and Whitney Beckett Gap Inc. on Thursday pulled the trigger on a round of layoffs, which are happening in waves, domestically and internationally, sources said Friday. Gap declined to disclose the extent of the layoffs....

BERGDORF'S GOES TO THE ANIMALS.(Bergdorf Goodman)(Brief article)
June 4, 2007... Byline: David Moin Bergdorf Goodman has a different take on taxidermy that should please animal lovers. It's a lively collection of papier-mch sculptures of animal heads by Anne Freisz and Laurent Poumarat, an imaginative and free-spirited...

MEMO PAD: LOVE FROM AFRICA...BRUCE ALMIGHTY.(Graydon Carter of Bono and Vanity Fair )
June 4, 2007... Byline: Stephanie D. Smith, Miles Socha LOVE FROM AFRICA: Bono and Vanity Fair editor in chief Graydon Carter clearly are thinking big when it comes to the magazine's Africa-themed July issue, which is being guest edited by the rock...

INDUSTRY JOBS TAKE HIT IN MAY.
June 4, 2007... Byline: Evan Clark WASHINGTON - U.S. textile and apparel producers and department stores cut payrolls in May, bucking the broader trend that added 157,000 jobs across the economy. Unemployment stayed at 4.5 percent. Compared with...

CLEAR SKIES.(Brief article)
June 5, 2007... NEW YORK - As if on cue, the rain ended just in time for guests to arrive at the 2007 Council of Fashion Designers of America Fashion Awards Monday night. Though a few traipsed in late, Kate Bosworth arrived promptly, looking light as a feather...

MINIMUM WAGE HIKE RATTLES RETAILERS, TEEN SECTOR VULNERABLE.
June 5, 2007... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON - Facing the first increase in the federal minimum wage rate in a decade, retailers are scrambling to manage the impact on payroll costs and profits. And it could be substantial. The teen retail segment...

TREROTOLA TAPPED TO HEAD INVISTA APPAREL.(Dave Trerotola )(Brief article)
June 5, 2007... Byline: Karyn Monget Invista Apparel, the largest synthetic fiber maker in the world, has named company executive Dave Trerotola president. Trerotola, former global president of Invista's performance materials business, succeeds Bill...

ALTAGAMMA, DEVELOPER SET TRAVEL RETAIL DEAL.(McArthur Glen)
June 5, 2007... Byline: Luisa Zargani MILAN - Retail developer McArthur Glen and Italy's luxury goods association Altagamma will today unveil a joint venture to penetrate developing markets and explore travel retail in an upscale new format. McArthur Glen...

IN BRIEF: BURBERRY COUNTERFEIT ARRESTS...GREEN TO HANG ON TO BHS...YMA AND BEENE TEAM.(Burberry Ltd. product counterfeiters were arrested)(Topshop owner Sir Philip Green denies sale of his British Home Stores chain)(YMA Geoffrey Beene Fashion Scholarship Fund)(Interview)
June 5, 2007... BURBERRY COUNTERFEIT ARRESTS: Three luxury goods counterfeiters were arrested in Japan last week for violating the country's trademark laws. According to a statement from Burberry, a representative of the Japanese retailer K.K. Alfa and two...

IT'S SHOWTIME.(Brief article)
June 5, 2007... The resort dilemma: cough up the bucks for a real show, or present no frills in the showroom? More and more designers are swinging toward the former option. As we see it, that makes perfect sense - with a caveat. Though the season's...

CLOCKWATCHERS.(Council of Fashion Designers of America awards)(Conference news)
June 5, 2007... NEW YORK - CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg was determined to kick off the council's 25th anniversary awards ceremony on time. And she kept things moving despite some tardy hiccups: Oprah Winfrey, Uma Thurman and Ellen Barkin, who was the...

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE.(Council of Fashion Designers of America fashion award)
June 5, 2007... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg Stormy weather on a Sunday night is usually a foolproof escape plan, but designers were out in force for the Top of the Rock dinner celebrating this year's Council of Fashion Designers of America fashion award...

CLOTHES-SWAPPING CATCHES ON IN LONDON.
June 5, 2007... Byline: Nina Jones LONDON - While Britain's fashion retailers scramble to respond to consumers' growing demand for eco-conscious and ethically produced clothing, a small band of Londoners is taking matters into its own hands. Instead of...

FIT MUSEUM LOOKS AT YEARS OF LUXURY.
June 5, 2007... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK - Contrary to public opinion, luxury is far from a new phenomenon, and an exhibition at the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology is testimony to that. From a European-made 1735 brocaded...

MARKET BASKET: MIAMI TRANSFER...THE MAN IN PINSTRIPES...LIFE IS A CABARET.(Mary McFadden never fai)(Johnny Damon visits the Louis Boston)(Estaban Cortazar in Manhattan)
June 5, 2007... MIAMI TRANSFER: Estaban Cortazar has picked up stakes in Miami and relocated to Manhattan, where he is working out of his Battery Park apartment. "I'm young and my business is young, so I thought now was a good time," he said. Before...

N.Y. BILL PROTECTS INTERNET CONSUMERS.
June 5, 2007... Byline: Jessica Best ALBANY - Consumers in New York State who purchase clothing, shoes and accessories on the Internet will be protected for the first time under bipartisan legislation that has unanimously passed both houses. The...

FETING 20 YEARS OF LACROIX ONSTAGE.
June 5, 2007... Byline: Miles Socha MOULINS-SUR-ALLIER, France - Even from across the room, Christian Lacroix's striking drawing of a costume for "Don Giovanni" - a black cloak, hat and mask - broadcasts mystery and intrigue. According to the...

JEWELRY AND FINE ART MIX IN BOSTON.
June 5, 2007... Byline: Katherine Bowers BOSTON - Kelly L'Ecuyer, decorative arts and sculpture curator at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, remembers the first time she saw Daphne Farago's jewelry collection. The Rhode Island philanthropist pulled...

MEMO PAD: ROCK ON, RICHARD...SO LONG, FAREWELL, ADIEU, AUF WIEDERSEHEN...HI, I'M HILLARY...HEART STOPPER...RAISING RATES.(Cond Nast Media Group future plans)(The Sopranos television program reviews)(rise in rates of Us Weekly)
June 5, 2007... Byline: Irin Carmon, Amy Wicks ROCK ON, RICHARD: The effort to build the Cond Nast Media Group into a group-buy powerhouse has found another stage - literally. The long-buzzed-about "Movies Rock" will be a cinematic version of the...

LISA HOFFMAN EXPANDS LINE WITH SPA SELECTION.
June 5, 2007... Byline: Rachel Brown Lisa Hoffman has a new destination: bath and body care. Less than a year after releasing Night and Day 24 Hour Skincare, Hoffman is expanding the antiaging line with a spa body collection - divided into bath and...

ANALYSTS WARY OF MAY COMPS.
June 5, 2007... Byline: Jeanine Poggi and Arthur Zaczkiewicz Higher fuel costs, a soft housing market and stagnant wage growth could result in bleak May same-store sales, analysts said Monday. The figures will be released Thursday. With favorable...

BRUNELLO CUCINELLI FINDS PLACE IN HAMPTONS SUN.
June 5, 2007... Byline: David Moin Brunello Cucinelli opened a boutique at 39 Newtown Lane in East Hampton, N.Y., late last month, demonstrating that in a village tight for commercial space and filled with big brands, sometimes there's room for a smaller...

FASHION SCOOPS: GOOD JEANS...FORD DRIVE...GETTING POLITICAL.(Stella McCartney and Notify donate to animal welfare charities)(Jane Shepherdson joins People Tree)(Tom Ford and Stella McCartney alliance)
June 5, 2007... GOOD JEANS: Stella McCartney and Notify have teamed up for a good cause - and created some great jeans in the process. For pre-spring, the designer tapped the denim house and its technology to create two new jeans styles - a rubberized-feeling...

AIRY TALE.
June 6, 2007... NEW YORK - It's a breeze. That's the word from Stella McCartney, who delivered a resort lineup full of easy, delicate creations. To wit: this laser-cut silk dress. For more, see pages 4 and 5. Caption(s): Stella McCartney laser-cut silk...

GUESS STEPS ON THE GAS:OVERSEAS DRIVE HELPS COMPANY'S GROWTH SOAR.(Financial report)
June 6, 2007... Byline: Vicki M. Young Guess Inc. is now a global brand - and it wants to be even more of one. With an established North American presence, an expanding European operation and more businesses throughout Asia, growth at Guess is on...

NORDSTROM BOOSTS KALINSKY'S ROLE.(Jeffrey Kalinsky)
June 6, 2007... Byline: Sharon Edelson Nordstrom wants the fashion industry to know how serious it is about the designer business. Two years ago, the Seattle-based retailer hired Jeffrey Kalinsky, founder of Jeffrey New York and Jeffrey Atlanta, as a...

HERMS READIES FOR ENTRY INTO INDIA.(Conference news)
June 6, 2007... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS - Herms may offer turbans fit for a maharajah soon. At a general shareholders meeting here on Tuesday, the French luxury company said it had established a joint company to open stores in India, with a first...

IN BRIEF: JUDGMENT VS. IMPOSTERS...GEORGE FELDENKREIS WAY.(John Hardy Ltd. v. Real Imposters)(Perry Ellis International Inc.'s 40th anniversary, George Feldenkreis gets road named after him)(Brief article)
June 6, 2007... JUDGMENT VS. IMPOSTERS: Jewelry retailer John Hardy Ltd. won a consent judgment for a permanent injunction and other relief against Real Imposters. The judgment includes an award of $1.3 million, as well as attorney's fees and costs. Jay...

CORRECTION.
June 6, 2007... Karl Lagerfeld was the CFDA's first International Designer award winner. This was incorrect in a story on page 9, Tuesday

GAP'S FISHER MAPS KEY GOALS.
June 6, 2007... Byline: Joanna Ramey SAN FRANCISCO - Acknowledging the challenges facing Gap Inc., interim president and chief executive officer Robert Fisher sought to reassure shareholders Tuesday that the specialty retailer was taking steps to turn...

WHITNEY PUTS ARTISTS' TOUCHES TO BCBG LOGO.(Whitney Museum of American Art )(Brief article)
June 6, 2007... Byline: Julee Greenberg NEW YORK - When Max and Lubov Azria decided to launch a new logo for BCBG, they didn't want to do it quietly. That's why the company has teamed up with the Whitney Museum of American Art to commission three...

FASHION SCOOPS: CFDA'S NEXT TARGET...WEAR AND TEAR...HOT WHEELS...GO, GO, GO FETHERSTON.(House of Chanel hires Rinko Kikuchi for its campaigns)(Diego Della Valle and Andrea Della Valle buy stakes in Piaggio e Compagnia S.p.A.)(Erin Fetherston to design clothes for Target Stores Inc.)
June 6, 2007... CFDA'S NEXT TARGET: The Council of Fashion Designers of America will renew its efforts for Fashion Targets Breast Cancer this fall, and it has turned to Net-a-porter.com to help make the initiative a worldwide vehicle. The two have signed a...

DELL'ACQUA, ALLISON SIGN EYEWEAR DEAL.(Alessandro Dell'Acqua)
June 6, 2007... Byline: Luisa Zargani MILAN - Alessandro Dell'Acqua has signed a five-year licensing agreement with Allison SpA for the production and distribution of a branded eyewear collection. The agreement is in line with the strategy to expand...