WWD articles from March 2006

WWD archives from March 2006

GHOST WORLD.
March 1, 2006... PARIS - The terrific fall collection Jean Paul Gaultier showed on Tuesday was a tale from the crypt. His corpse brides wore beautifully evocative clothes, in a dark palette and featuring high texture. Caption(s): Here, an Empire balloon...

ATTACKING COUNTERFEITS: MAJOR RING BROKEN UP BY POLO AND NORTH FACE.(Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.)(North Face Inc.)
March 1, 2006... Byline: Ross Tucker NEW YORK - The North Face and Polo Ralph Lauren have broken up an alleged counterfeit ring that generated sales of up to $8 million a year by copying dozens of major apparel brands. In addition to North Face and...

LONG-TERM OUTLOOK WEIGHS ON CONFIDENCE.
March 1, 2006... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK - Consumers lost their confidence last month as short-term concerns over the job market and a growing pessimism in the longer-term outlook weighed them down. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence...

PACSUN HAS RECORD-SETTING 4TH QUARTER.
March 1, 2006... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK - Pacific Sunwear of California Inc. turned in record profits for the holiday fourth quarter, meeting Wall Street's expectations, helped by a 12 percent increase in revenues. The retailer said in its...

IN BRIEF: HUDSON'S BAY BOUGHT...TOMMY DEAL APPROVED.(South Carolina businessman Jerry Zucker buys shares of Hudson's Bay Co.)(Tommy Hilfiger Corp. is acquired by Apax Partners)
March 1, 2006... HUDSON'S BAY BOUGHT: South Carolina businessman Jerry Zucker succeeded in his buyout of Hudson's Bay Co., after shareholders tendered 63 percent of the department store's outstanding stock to his $957 million offer. With his existing HBC...

CORRECTIONS.
March 1, 2006... The photo of Jennifer Lopez at the Dolce & Gabbana show in Fashion Scoops was taken by Giovanni Giannoni. The photo credit was incorrect on page 8, Friday. The designer of the new Michael Kors store in Dallas is Michael Neumann of Michael...

REVIVAL MEETING; THE PARIS RUNWAYS FEATURED DIVERGENT TACKS FOR FALL, FROM BROODING, ROMANTIC TALES FROM THE DARK SIDE TO SHARP, CLEAN RETRO FARE FROM THE ARCHIVES.
March 1, 2006... Balenciaga: Since assuming his current position, Nicolas Ghesquire has refused to bend on creative matters when challenged by the various suits at the helm of his house - as it turns out, wisely so. But for fall, he turned to putty under the...

ON THEIR MARKS; DESIGNERS KEPT TRUE TO THEIR SIGNATURE STYLES, WHETHER DARK OR PUNKY, CURIOUS OR COWBOY.
March 1, 2006... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh Ann Demeulemeester: With dark romance and layering one of the season's main messages, it seemed logical for Ann Demeulemeester, the Belgian who has plied the look so expertly in the past, to cash in. And she did,...

GOTH ON BY.(celebrities clothing)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Loulou de la Falaise: "It's a bit Gothic, with dark and muted colors," explained Loulou de la Falaise as she presented her fall collection in her Left Bank boutique. "It's sleek, with some medieval-looking pieces." That meant a musketeer-like...

QUICK PICKS.(celebrities clothing)(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Bernhard Willhelm: Forget commercial; German designer Bernhard Willhelm's presentation was downright comical. In a selection of installations, models sprouted out of cardboard boxes dressed in deconstructed knitwear in one corner or were molded...

WHERE'S MARGIELA?(Martin Margiela )(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Martin Margiela is fashion's Greta Garbo and J.D. Salinger rolled into one. He's ducked the press for years, refusing to be interviewed or photographed, and has led a life shrouded in mystery. It hasn't prevented him from building an impressive...

FASHION SCOOPS: SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT...SHINING STAR...BLUE NOTE.
March 1, 2006... Byline: Alessandra Ilari SMELLS LIKE TEAM SPIRIT: Aerin Lauder took in the Balenciaga show on Tuesday morning, saying she is a big fan of designer Nicolas Ghesquire. "I love his eveningwear for this season, and the pants are always...

MARTIN + OSA MALL BOUND: SIGNS FIRST FOUR LEASES.
March 1, 2006... Byline: David Moin NEW YORK - American Eagle Outfitters' new Martin + Osa division has signed leases for its first four stores. The units, each 6,500 square feet to 7,500 square feet, will be in Tysons Corner Center, McLean, Va.;...

CALVIN KLEIN CREATES A BETTER PLAN.
March 1, 2006... Byline: Julee Greenberg NEW YORK - The better department will get to know the iconic Calvin Klein brand once again come fall. Calvin Klein Inc., whose products bearing the Calvin Klein name generate sales of $4 billion a year at...

CHALLENGE AND CHANGE IN FOCUS AT AAFA MEETING.
March 1, 2006... Byline: Evan Clark AVENTURA, Fla. - Intense competition among fashion labels, electronics and other brands for the disposable income of consumers has compelled companies to develop faster ways to deliver better fashion at lower prices. ...

MEMO PAD: GOODBYE STUFF, HELLO THINGS...EMAP FRANCE ON THE BLOCK...SELFRIDGES GOES POP.
March 1, 2006... Byline: Jeff Bercovici, Samantha Conti, Nina Jones GOODBYE STUFF, HELLO THINGS: Martha Stewart's company may be back in growth mode - it recently reported its first profitable quarter in two years - but that doesn't mean all of its...

L'ORAL ACQUIRES SKIN TISSUE PRODUCER.(Sue Hochman)
March 1, 2006... Byline: Julie Naughton, Melissa Drier PARIS - L'Oral has acquired SkinEthic, a tissue engineering company, based in Nice, France, to further develop its alternative methods for ingredient safety evaluation and research. Financial terms...

MAGIC FEATURES OLD RELIABLES AND A DASH OF NEWNESS.(Brief article)
March 1, 2006... Byline: Khanh T.L. Tran, Emili Vesilind, With contributions from Martine Bury LAS VEGAS - Retailers said they were looking for fresh styles at the MAGIC trade show, but found vendors offering many standbys such as bohemian looks and...

DUNDAS READY FOR UNGARO SPOTLIGHT.
March 1, 2006... Byline: Miles Socha PARIS - Asked how he felt working behind the scenes all these years at celebrated houses such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Christian Lacroix, Peter Dundas demurred, "I'm shy." But this strapping, energetic Norwegian...

MULBERRY SET TO JOIN BLEECKER CROWD.
March 1, 2006... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK - Mulberry, the British apparel and accessories firm, has found a jewel box-size - 500-square-foot - space in lower Manhattan for its first U.S. store, a person close to the transaction said. The unit is at...

JOAN VASS BRAND SOLD TO GLOBAL DESIGN.(Global Sourcing and Design Inc)
March 1, 2006... Byline: Marc Karmizadeh NEW YORK - Joan Vass is knitting herself a new direction. The New York sales and marketing firm Global Sourcing and Design Inc. has purchased the Joan Vass brand. It plans to launch the Joan Vass Signature and...

SHADOW PLAY.
March 2, 2006... PARIS - It's a Goth, Goth, Goth, Goth world, after all. For fall, John Galliano worked a whiff of disaffected angst into his clever, glamorous lineup for Christian Dior. But that's not to say the collection was all attitude and no substance. In...

SAKS' WOES CONTINUE: WEAK SFA AND CHARGES DRAG RETAILER INTO RED.(Saks Fifth Avenue dragged its parent, Saks Inc. to a $2.2 million loss)
March 2, 2006... Byline: David Moin NEW YORK - Will Saks Fifth Avenue ever be righted? The luxury chain, struggling for years and dogged by speculation that it's destined to be sold, posted huge declines in operating income Wednesday, which dragged its...

IN BRIEF: LANCEL'S NEW CEO...VF CORP. NAMES COO.(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... LANCEL'S NEW CEO: Richemont named Marc Lelandais to be president and chief executive officer of Lancel, replacing Isabelle Guichot, who left for Gucci Group last year. Guichot had been ceo and president of Van Cleef & Arpels and Lancel....

CLAIBORNE NET SLIPS, MORE STORES PLANNED.
March 2, 2006... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK - Liz Claiborne Inc. on Wednesday posted a decline in fourth-quarter profits partly due to stock-option expenses and lower wholesale sales, and said it would significantly expand its retail store count to at...

UNGARO'S DE SPIRT EXPECTED TO RESIGN.(Paolo De Spirt is expected to resign form Emanuel Ungaro Paris)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Alessandra Ilari MILAN - Change is still in the air at Ungaro. Following the arrival of a new owner and a new designer, the latest transformation at the French fashion house is the departure of Paolo De Spirt, its president and...

J. CREW EXTENDS TENDER OFFER ON NOTES.(J. Crew Group Inc.)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK - J. Crew on Wednesday said it is extending its tender offer and consent solicitation. The offer, in connection with its 9 3/4 percent senior subordinated notes due 2014, will expire at 9 a.m., Eastern...

ARTS AND SCIENCES.
March 2, 2006... NEW YORK - "I'm not a stage person, I've never acted in a play, I don't even go to the theater much," Jonathan Rhys Meyers confided Tuesday night at BAM's Hedda Gabler Benefit, which was sponsored by Gucci. But Rhys Meyers was among the stars...

ROLLING STONE.(Irina Lazareanu's career)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Derek Blasberg NEW YORK - Five years ago, the thought of stomping down a mirrored black runway in a vampy purple mini and several coatings of azure eye shadow at a Versace show would never have crossed Irina Lazareanu's mind. But...

CAROL PHILLIPS, 84, CLINIQUE FOUNDER.(Obituary)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Matthew W. Evans NEW YORK - Carol Phillips, who founded Clinique skin care and helped build it into the best-selling U.S. department store cosmetics brand, died Wednesday at her home in North Haven, N.Y., after a brief illness. She...

REVLON 4Q NET SOARS 39%.
March 2, 2006... Byline: Molly Prior NEW YORK - Revlon is beginning to reap the rewards of a more robust product pipeline. "Our strategy to reenergize important franchises while simultaneously developing new products is working," said Revlon president...

SENATORS PRESS FOR OVERSIGHT OF PORT DEAL.(Arab-owned company to control operations at major U.S. ports )
March 2, 2006... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators pressed their leadership on Wednesday to support Congress' authority to quash a deal that would transfer control of operations at major U.S. ports to an Arab-owned company....

DARK BEAUTY; THE CITY OF LIGHT TOOK A SOBER TURN FOR FALL WITH GOTHIC GLAM AND TOUGH-GIRL CHIC. ADD A TOUCH OF SELF-ASSURED SOPHISTICATION, AND ALTOGETHER IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.
March 2, 2006... Christian Dior: Punk, "Matrix," off-with-their-heads revolutionary France - all are neighborhoods on fashion's dark side that John Galliano has trolled in the past. So how could he resist taking a leading role in fall's sober sojourn? In the...

THE SHAPE OF THINGS.(fashion designers display their creations)
March 2, 2006... Costume National: While Ennio Capasa gave his fall Costume National collection a plenty-pretentious handle - "The Informal Metamorphosis of the Rock Chick" - he kept the clothes interesting without overdoing it. And thankfully, though that rock...

DRAMA CLASS; DESIGNERS IN PARIS STAGED QUITE A SPECTACLE, WITH EVERYTHING FROM TOMBOYISH SUITS TO FORTIES-ESQUE LACE DRESSES PLAYING STARRING ROLES.
March 2, 2006... Veronique Branquinho: The alternative Belgian duo of Gregory Frateur and Nicolas Rombouts of the band Dez Mona have inspired audience reactions that range from disgust to admiration for their unique take on gospels and spirituals. And their...

BIBA'S BACK.(British boutique label introduced its first ready-to-wear collection )
March 2, 2006... Biba, that hot British boutique label from the swinging Sixties and early Seventies, introduced its first ready-to-wear collection here this week. But while the original brand produced lines made from cheap and cheerful fabrics, this comeback...

SHOW BY SHOW.(show of Bless' conceptual design )(An Vandevorst and Filip Arickx focused on a feminine silhouette )( Dice Kayek's show of summer collections )(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Bless: The usual sartorial subversion from Bless' conceptual design duo Desiree Heiss and Ines Kaag was on display in a gallery walk-through of residential sets combining live props and photo backdrops. Models lounged in cozy getups of moon...

FASHION SCOOPS: TABLE HOPPING...NUMBER CRUNCHER...PAIR OF MCQUEENS.(presentations by fashion designers)
March 2, 2006... TABLE HOPPING: Laprouse, one of the oldest and most atmospheric restaurants in Paris, will be the location for the Miu Miu show on Sunday, WWD has learned. Invitations for the hotly anticipated show are expected to be delivered starting today....

DENIM DISH: ICONIX BRAND INCOME RISES...PRADA PILES ON THE DENIM...SILVER JEANS ADDS ON TOPS.(Iconix Brand Group, Miuccia Prada )
March 2, 2006... Byline: Vicki M. Young, Courtney Colavita, Milan, and Miles Socha and Robert Murphy, Paris, Ross Tucker, Lauren DeCarlo Iconix Brand Income Rises Iconix Brand Group said Wednesday that it posted fourth-quarter and full-year profits for...

DRESSING THE PART.(Graham & Spencer launches T-shirt driven collection this fall)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Lauren DeCarlo NEW YORK - The designers of Velvet, a Los Angeles-based T-shirt-driven collection, are dressing up for fall. Graham & Spencer, the line founded and designed by Jenny Graham and Toni Spencer, co-designers of...

ALL TORN UP.
March 2, 2006... Byline: Lauren DeCarlo NEW YORK - When women look to go the casual route, some are torn between wearing what they really want to wear (sweatsuits) and what they think they should wear (jeans). Ronny Kobo is designing Torn, her casual...

AEO SALES TOP $2B.(American Eagle Outfitters Inc.)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK - American Eagle Outfitters Inc. posted slightly higher, better-than-expected - though below the company's own plan - net earnings in the holiday fourth quarter, thanks to a tight stance on promotions and...

GILDAN ACTIVEWEAR PLOTS EXPANSION.
March 2, 2006... Byline: Brian Dunn MONTREAL - Gildan Activewear, one of Canada's largest apparel firms, is embarking on a strategy to more than double sales to $1.5 billion by 2010. The company is expanding internationally, adding production capacity...

SIDELINES: NEW ATSCO EXECS...YOGA FORCE APPAREL SET...MIDDLETON TEAMS WITH TANG.(Atsco Brands appoints John Kelly, Joel Kaplan, Angela Petropoulos, Bill Bratton, Yoga Force inks deal with Sand-n-Steel, Louise Middleton teams with Shanghai Tang )
March 2, 2006... NEW ATSCO EXECS: Atsco Brands, which owns and distributes labels including Ellesse and KangaRoos, has named new executives to its team. John Kelly was named chief financial officer, Joel Kaplan is the new vice president and director of...

FOR ACADEMY CONSIDERATION; THIS YEAR'S OSCAR NOMINEES FOR BEST ACTRESS AND BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, RANKED BY THEIR FILMS' BOX OFFICE REVENUES.
March 2, 2006... Byline: Cecily Hall A film's box office revenues can often be a good indicator of which one will pick up the coveted Academy Award for best picture. Think "Titanic," "Gladiator" and "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King." Can the same be...

HERRERA SALUTED BY AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY.(Carolina Herrera)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK - For Carolina Herrera, the honor of being named Mother of the Year by the American Cancer Society is about family - and more. "I am doubly proud of this," she said before receiving the award during...

PARSONS TO HONOR DE LA RENTA.(Oscar de la Renta, Parsons School of Design)(Brief article)
March 2, 2006... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK - Oscar de la Renta will be feted by Parsons the New School for Design in May. The designer is to be honored at Parsons' 58th Annual Benefit and Fashion Show on May 8 at Pier Sixty at the Chelsea Piers....

MEMO PAD: NET 'SCAPE...REMINISCING, PART ONE...REMINISCING, PART TWO.
March 2, 2006... Byline: Sara James, Jeff Bercovici NET 'SCAPE: Could there be a day when vogue.com is independent of style.com? Perhaps. While Cond Nast continues to expand its destination sites - style.com, mens.style.com, epicurious.com and...

PIECE MOVEMENT.(Stella McCartney's fall collection)(Brief article)
March 3, 2006... PARIS - The fall collection Stella McCartney showed on Thursday was her best yet, since she injected her personal style into chic sportswear. As the daughter of rock royals, and in her own haute bohemian right as a designer, she knows a thing...

A BUBBLY '05 FOR LVMH: NET LEAPS 21 PERCENT, ARNAULT SEES NO PEERS.(LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton S.A., Bernard Arnault )
March 3, 2006... Byline: Miles Socha, With contributions from Jennifer Weil PARIS - Boasting that LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton is "light years ahead of the competition," Bernard Arnault announced a 21 percent jump in 2005 net profits to 1.44 billion...

COACH UNVEILS STORE DEAL WITH SIMON.(Simon Property Group Inc.)
March 3, 2006... Byline: David Moin NEW YORK - In an unusually large multiple store deal, Coach Inc. will open 20 stores and expand 10 others inside malls owned by Simon Property Group over a two-year period. "The locations are designated and the...

ANDREW YOUNG GOES TO BAT FOR WAL-MART.(Wal-Mart Stores Inc.)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK - Andrew Young, the former Atlanta mayor and U.N. ambassador who is the public face of a group backed by Wal-Mart, went on the offensive Thursday, saying the company had revitalized the South's economy...

IN BRIEF: LOBBYING FOR TEXTILES...MACY'S AND UNION TO SETTLE.(Wholesale and Department Store Union)(Brief article)
March 3, 2006... LOBBYING FOR TEXTILES: European and U.S. textile and apparel industry groups completed a lobbying blitz in Geneva Wednesday, urging trade diplomats involved in the World Trade Organization-sponsored Doha trade talks to treat the sector...

WINTERY WEATHER COOLS COMPS IN FEB.
March 3, 2006... Byline: Meredith Derby, With contributions from Liza Casabona NEW YORK - Warm weather in January made retail sales hot, but the snow and cold of February created a chill in stores. The shortest month of the year brought retailers some...

COOLS RUSH IN; DARK, SOMBER LOOKS AREN'T THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN. THINK CHIC, SOPHISTICATED, REAL-LIFE CLOTHES AND AIRILY BEAUTIFUL ONES, FOR INSTANCE.
March 3, 2006... Yves Saint Laurent: On the one hand, defiant alternatives to overt trend mongering are essential, and Stefano Pilati deserves praise for picking up that mantle. His still-in-development vision for Yves Saint Laurent is that of a house dedicated...

THE BALANCE THEME; DARKER TONES WERE MAKING NEWS, OF COURSE, BUT THERE WERE STILL PLENTY OF TOUCHES OF COLOR AND SHINE.
March 3, 2006... Emanuel Ungaro: Clearly, Emanuel Ungaro's new designer Peter Dundas is a hard worker. He was toiling for Roberto Cavalli in Milan as late as Saturday, and that he managed to send out a first collection at all is something of a feat. His Ungaro...

MIU MIU COMES INTO ITS OWN.
March 3, 2006... Byline: Amanda Kaiser MILAN - Miu Miu is having her moment. And with her trademark spunkiness, she's having it at a Parisian restaurant that served luminaries like Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo and Emile Zola and offered secluded spots for...

FASHION SCOOPS: LOVE SONG...GATHERING MOSS...FAIR GAME.(Courtney Love and her songs)(Kate Moss is back )(Roger Vivier relaunched)
March 3, 2006... LOVE SONG: "I'm a Lady Who Lunches now," Courtney Love said at Stella McCartney Thursday morning. But she has a competitive streak. "I heard Madonna was doing Coachella [Music Festival], which piqud my interest as I was thinking about doing it,...

FASHION SCOOPS: GYPSY KING.(Joaqun Corts performs on Jean Paul Gaultier)(Brief article)
March 3, 2006... GYPSY KING When it comes to seducing an audience, Joaqun Corts has it in spades. The dancer took center stage at Jean Paul Gaultier's headquarters Wednesday night, stomping, strutting and showing off his fancy footwork - and...

COX, KINERASE RENEW PARTNERSHIP.(Courteney Cox endorsing Valeant Pharmaceuticals International's Kinerase)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Julie Naughton NEW YORK - She may just be the best friend Kinerase ever had. Courteney Cox, who signed with Valeant Pharmaceuticals International in March 2005 to be the face of its high-end Kinerase skin care brand, has inked...

THE LATEST MASKS OF SK-II.(Procter & Gamble Co. introduced Signs Eye Mask and Whitening Source Intensive Mask )
March 3, 2006... Byline: Julie Naughton NEW YORK - What's behind the mask? Brighter skin, if SK-II has anything to say about it. The upscale skin care line, owned by Procter & Gamble, is bringing two new masks - Signs Eye Mask and Whitening Source...

LAUDER POWERS PERFECTIONIST.(Este Lauder introduced Perfectionist Power Correcting Patch)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Julie Naughton NEW YORK - Este Lauder's newest skin care product, Perfectionist Power Correcting Patch, harnesses the benefits of the brand's Perfectionist anti-aging lineup and delivers them with a little added power - literally....

COTY COURTS 'HOUSEWIVES' AND KOSE.
March 3, 2006... Byline: Julie Naughton, Pete Born NEW YORK - Is there a whiff of Wisteria in the air? Certainly if it's up to Coty Inc. The beauty company has signed a license for a "Desperate Housewives" fragrance with Touchstone Television, which...

CIANCIOTTO TO PAINT THE TOWN WITH NAIL COLOR LINE.(Carolyn Cianciotto )
March 3, 2006... Byline: Crystal Martin NEW YORK - Veteran nail technician Carolyn Cianciotto thinks she has the manicure business nailed - and she's prepared to prove it this April when she launches her first product collection. "I love this...

FIVE FIFI AWARDS GIVEN AT BREAKFAST.(by Fragrance Foundation)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Michelle Edgar NEW YORK - The Fragrance Foundation named five FiFi Award winners in the editorial excellence and technological breakthrough categories at its annual Finalist's Breakfast Tuesday, a first for the organization. The...

RETAILERS' BIG SPACE SQUEEZE.
March 3, 2006... Byline: Faye Brookman NEW YORK - A jigsaw puzzle with too many pieces: That's how retailers described their cosmetics wall planograms. With a plethora of new initiatives, including Almay and Vital Radiance from Revlon and L'Oral Paris'...

PRINCIPESSA'S U.S. EXPANSION.
March 3, 2006... Byline: Molly Prior NEW YORK - In the race to charm discerning beauty consumers, specialty retailers are scrambling to add niche brands to their assortments. Their attraction to little-known lines has given visibility to fledging companies...

L.A. EXPO DRAWS INTERNATIONAL CROWD.(Spa & Resort Expo & Conference )
March 3, 2006... Byline: Kavita Daswani LOS ANGELES - In its third year here, the Spa & Resort Expo & Conference sold out exhibitor space - at 225, the number of booths was up 45 percent over last year. That's because a growing number of national and...

JAMAL HAMMADI ALIGNS WITH PUREBEAUTY.
March 3, 2006... Byline: Kavita Daswani LOS ANGELES - He regularly styles the hair of Linda Evangelista and Heather Graham and has a capsule collection of hair care products that have so far been available in about 70 stores around the country. But in a...

U.S. TRADE GROUPS CONCERNED OVER PORT DEAL REPERCUSSIONS.
March 3, 2006... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON - The presidents of seven U.S. business trade and lobbying groups are worried about a backlash against U.S. investment abroad because of attempts by Congress to block, or have final approval over, a proposed...

CHICO'S MISSES ESTIMATES.(Chico's FAS Inc. company earnings and shares)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK - Chico's FAS Inc. reported an uncharacteristic quarterly financial performance Wednesday after the close of the stock market, saying earnings per share missed analysts' estimates. The company attributed...

OSCARS' GAME: NO RULES.(hotels and clothing industry)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Rose Apodaca, Marcy Medina LOS ANGELES - With the countdown to Sunday's 78th annual Academy Awards almost complete, a consensus has emerged in the precariously high-stakes business of dressing for Oscar - the game has changed. ...

FOLLOW THE OSCAR MONEY.(Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.'s estimation of the revenue)(Brief article)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Marcy Medina Jack Keyser, chief economist at the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp., estimated that the Oscars generate $122.5 million in revenue for Los Angeles. The money breaks down this way: ads sold to run...

MEMO PAD: ELLE SETS SITES ON STYLE.COM...NEW DEAL FOR MAXIM MAN...THAT'S RICH.(Wall Street Journal introducing style magazine)(Rob Gregory joined Dennis Publishing)(Elle Online Group)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Jeff Bercovici, Nina Jones ELLE SETS SITES ON STYLE.COM: Elle has long lagged behind Vogue in the online arena but it's finally starting to play some catch-up - by perhaps taking a page from its larger rival. Traffic to elle.com was...

TWO GETTYS DRILL A FASHION WELL.(Jacqui and Rosetta Getty designed dress for Patricia Arquette)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Rose Apodaca HOLLYWOOD - It was one of Patricia Arquette's finer red-carpet moments. So it's not surprising the designers behind the one-shoulder, black chiffon goddess gown the "Medium" star wore to the recent Screen Actor's Guild...

STRONG COMPS BOOST TALBOTS 4Q EARNINGS.
March 3, 2006... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK - Talbots Inc. posted a better-than-expected 28.6 percent increase in fourth-quarter earnings, driven by strong same-store sales and successful inventory management. For the three months ended Jan. 28,...

WET SEAL'S JENNIFER PRITCHARD RESIGNS.
March 3, 2006... Byline: Emili Vesilind LOS ANGELES - Teen specialty retailer Wet Seal Inc. said Jennifer Pritchard, president of the company's Arden B. division since January 2004, has resigned. Pritchard's departure is likely linked to Arden B.'s...

LELONG'S WORK CELEBRATED AT FIT MUSEUM.(Lucien Lelong )
March 3, 2006... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK - The couturier Lucien Lelong trailblazed the way for generations of designers with his double "L" logo, fragrances, accessories, self-promoting ads and socialite clientele. In 1918, he transformed...

J.C. PENNEY EXPERIENCE POPS WITH TECHNOLOGY.(J.C. Penney Corporation Inc.'s online store)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Denise Power NEW YORK - The J.C. Penney Experience pop-up store that opens today at 1 Times Square is as much a showcase for technology as it is for the company's branding campaign. Twenty-two Internet kiosks throughout the...

CORNELL TRADING EXITS THE U.S.(closes 79 stores)(Brief article)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Brian Dunn MONTREAL - Cornell Trading here has closed its U.S. operations and shut 79 stores that operated under the April Cornell banner. The private company blamed mounting debts for the decision and is expected to file for...

DOMINIQUE WATINE-ARNAULT, 56.(of Fred jewelry house )(Obituary)(Brief article)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS - Dominique Watine-Arnault, the president of the Fred jewelry house and sister of LVMH Mot Hennessy Louis Vuitton chairman and chief executive Bernard Arnault, died here on Monday. A Fred spokeswoman said...

NU SKIN FOCUSES ON REULTS WITH PRODERM.(Nu Skin Enterprises Inc. introduced ProDerm Skin Analyzer)
March 3, 2006... Byline: Michelle Edgar New York - Nu Skin Enterprises is giving new meaning to personalized skin care with its ProDerm Skin Analyzer, a device used to measue facial tissue. Sales representives will use the portable unit to analyze...

REESE'S REVENGE.(Reese Witherspoon bought dress from Christian Dior for Academy Awards)(Brief Article)
March 6, 2006... HOLLYWOOD - Reese Witherspoon glowed at the Academy Awards on Sunday night, but she just can't seem to get away from red-carpet controversy. Fresh off the Chanel brouhaha at the Golden Globes, the actress turned up in a 1955 gown by its...

THE APPLE OF HIS EYE: RYAN BERMAN TAPPED AS U.S. CEO OF ARMANI.(chief executive officer)(Giorgio Armani S.p.A. appoints Bridget Ryan Berman)
March 6, 2006... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK - Giorgio Armani has his new American chief. WWD has learned that Giorgio Armani SpA has named Bridget Ryan Berman as chief executive officer of its U.S. subsidiary, effective April 10. The appointment...