WWD articles from May 2005

WWD archives from May 2005

FLY BY.(Accessories.)(Advertisement)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Accessories are flying high this fall. At least that's what designers seem to be saying as they bedeck bags, jewelry and hats with feathers, along with avian and plumage motifs. Here, Lulu Guinness' embroidered suede clutch,...

THE FUTURE OF NEIMAN'S: MAINTAIN LUXURY WHILE EXPANDING CHAIN.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- A deal for the acquisition of The Neiman Marcus Group appeared to have been concluded on Sunday, sources said. An announcement is expected today. The Neiman's board met over the weekend and sources...

SAKS INC. LOOKS BEYOND BELK DEAL.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Vicki M. Young, With contributions from David Moin NEW YORK -- Now that Saks Inc. is done selling its southern department store business, it's shopping around its chain of northern-based stores. R. Brad Martin, chairman and...

CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
May 2, 2005... Due to an editing error, results in the Estee Lauder Cos. Inc. story that ran on pages 1 and 16 of WWD on April 29, were attributed to the wrong quarter. The results were for the third quarter ended March 31 and reflected a 6 percent increase...

COMING THIS WEEK.(Calendar)
May 2, 2005... Monday: AccessoriesTheShow and Moda Manhattan, New York (through Wednesday). Accessories and Intimate Apparel market weeks, New York (through Friday). Avon Products reports first-quarter sales and earnings. Wednesday: DNR Menswear...

FASHION BUZZ.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... LOS ANGELES -- Don't drink and dress goes the fashion circle adage, but a touch of wine before a runway show isn't a bad thing, figured Proenza Schouler's Lazaro Hernandez, who, along with partner Jack McCullough, shared the house's fall...

THE CABLE GIRL.(Xan Cassavetes.)(Movie Review)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Marcy Medina LOS ANGELES -- When Xan Cassavetes opens the door to her Hancock Park duplex, she looks like a sophisticated gypsy, gliding through the room barefoot, clad in a charcoal gray cashmere poncho, a turquoise bikini top...

ALL ABOUT THEIR MOTHERS.(The Charm of Charms.)(Book Review)
May 2, 2005... Though Mother's Day isn't until Sunday, the Upper East Side set got a head start on it when a bevy of mother-daughter duos showed up at Berdgorf Goodman Wednesday to fete Jade Albert and Ki Hackney's book, "The Charm of Charms," in which many...

FEATHER FORECAST.
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Birds of a feather flock together. That seems to be the motto of designers this season, as bird prints and patterns, as well as a melange of feathers, are featured on the latest accessories. Caption(s): BCBG's ostrich-feather...

TEMPLE OF PLUME.(Plumassier, Plume and Fancy Feather Co.)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Venessa Lau NEW YORK -- Plu-mas-sier. Plu-mas-sier. No matter how hard it is to pronounce, the term for someone who sells feathers has a certain elegance that's quintessentially French. Mention the trade and references are made...

ALI GIRL.(Gap Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- Gap's fall 2005 collection, shown here on Thursday, featured cable sweaters and belted knits, shrunken jackets, plaid bags, floppy hats and, of course, jeans -- this time in authentic dark shades. Executive vice president of...

ARTISTIC RETAILING.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sharon Edelson NEW YORK -- DKNY on Thursday night was packed with bikers, chicks and art fans for the kickoff of "Madison Avenue: Where Art Meets Fashion." But the bikers were a tame bunch, having ridden in on Vespas rather than...

DYNAMIC DUO `WIN' AT SAKS.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Karyn Monget NEW YORK -- Talk about star power. Fans of Josie Natori lingerie and actress Susan Lucci turned out for a cocktail party Thursday night at the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship here to kick off a national campaign to...

DELTA SCORES NICOLE MILLER.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Karyn Monget NEW YORK -- Nicole Miller will be taking novelty lingerie to an uncharted zone Tuesday when the Nicole Miller Collection of luxe lingerie is unveiled at the Manhattan strip club Scores West. Produced under...

GETTING WARMER.(Accessories.)(Advertisement)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- This fall promises to be particularly cozy, thanks to the plethora of chunky socks and hosiery designed to suit any occasion. Cabled looks have a collegiate air, while fuzzy styles made with thick yarn are perfect to ward off the...

VBH'S CINDERELLA STORY, SO FAR.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Luisa Zargani FLORENCE -- The saga of VBH sounds almost like a fairy tale, but instead of bad wolves and magic wands, the protagonist battles tough competition with python totes and alligator clutches. A handsome American,...

FINDINGS: SCOOP'S NEW ANGEL...DESIGNER FOR A DAY...JEWELRY GIVES BACK...
May 2, 2005... SCOOP'S NEW ANGEL: Lee Angel's eclectic beaded pieces for spring are sure to be a hit with big specialty stores, but boutique-chain Scoop wanted something a little different. As such, Roxanne Assoulin, creative director, designed a selection of...

SIGERSON MORRISON COMES OF AGE.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Emily Holt NEW YORK -- Before shoe-obsessed Carrie and Miranda from "Sex and the City," there were New York's own real-life Kari (Sigerson) and Miranda (Morrison), the two designers behind the cult shoe brand Sigerson Morrison....

SEEING PAST DOLLAR WOES.(Luxury eyewear.)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sophia Chabbott NEW YORK -- As the euro continues to overpower the dollar, luxury eyewear brands have found ways to cope. Some are raising prices and others are eating costs, but no one is shifting production out of Europe....

A NEW VINTAGE FROM MONET.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sophia Chabbott NEW YORK -- To celebrate its 75 years in the fashion jewelry business, Monet is turning to its archives and taking inspiration from the past with a new brand, Estate by Monet. "We had a great idea to take a...

TUMI TRAVELS TO SOHO.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sophia Chabbott NEW YORK -- Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood, a veritable outdoor mall filled with upscale shoppers, would seem to be a perfect retail location for luggage brand Tumi. "SoHo has been the natural progression where...

U.S. REPORT CALLS FOR ACTION ON INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAWS.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Evan Clark WASHINGTON -- The Bush Administration on Friday called for "tough action" against global piracy and counterfeiting, highlighting a special need for China to strengthen enforcement of intellectual property laws. ...

LUXE BRANDS TAKE CONCERNS OVER COUNTERFEITING TO EU LEADERSHIP.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Ross Tucker NEW YORK -- Representatives of Europe's leading luxury brands took their concerns over the exploding global counterfeit market to European Union president Jose Manuel Barroso last week in Brussels. Frederick...

WAL-MART PROMOTES JOHN FLEMING.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Katherine Bowers BOSTON -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has promoted John Fleming, president of walmart.com and a former Target Corp. executive, to chief marketing officer. Fleming spent 19 years at Target before joining Wal-Mart's...

EUROPE WATCH: BUYING SWISS...UPPING THE STAKE.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Amanda Kaiser BUYING SWISS: Mariella Burani Fashion Group has bought 100 percent of Swiss luxury retailer Bernie's AG for 2.2 million euros, or $2.9 million at current exchange, in cash. Bernie's has a network of 16 stores in...

BEAUTY BEAT: PARIS WELCOMES LA MAISON NATURA...MAYBELLINE AD FEATURES TROY SURRATT.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Brid Costello and Jennifer Joan Lee, Bryn Kenny PARIS -- Natura is blooming in Paris. The Brazilian beauty brand opened its first boutique here in April. The store, located on the city's Left Bank, serves as a test for...

LUXE PANEL: SPECIAL TREATMENT, EVENTS PAR FOR THE COURSE.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Georgia Lee KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. -- Luxury retailers need to be high-tech wizards, event planners, concierge service providers and personal troubleshooters to serve the world's wealthiest and demanding consumers. "The bar is...

LADIES' LUNCH: NEIMAN'S, RIVALS LURE BIG SPENDERS.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Holly Haber DALLAS -- Natalie Chu invited 70 people to lunch at the Neiman Marcus flagship here, personally writing the invitations, planning the menu and helping to pick the fashions for a mini show. Chu doesn't work for...

WWD STOCK INDEX SLIDES 0.16%.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Fahmida Y. Rashid and Dawn S. Kissi NEW YORK -- A late market rally on Friday spurred on by falling crude oil prices and speculation that rising supplies will meet summer gasoline demand helped keep retail stocks somewhat afloat....

PORTMAN FACES CHALLENGES AS US TRADE REPRESENTATIVE.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON -- The Senate approved Rep. Rob Portman (R., Ohio) as U.S. Trade Representative Friday after a round of deal-making, paving the way for the top trade chief to attend an international meeting this week in...

FASHION SCOOPS: MODEL CITIZEN...FALLING IN GLOVE...OVER THE RAINBOW.
May 2, 2005... MODEL CITIZEN: Marc Jacobs, who has populated quirky ad campaigns for his signature collection with artists and actresses, is planning to go back to a model for his upcoming fall effort. Mind you, it's a "very special" model: Kristen McMenamy....

APPAREL VENTURES' KOPLIN STEPS DOWN AS PRESIDENT.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Marcy Medina LOS ANGELES -- Lynne Koplin has stepped down as president of Apparel Ventures Inc., one of California's largest swim companies. Marvin Goodman, chief executive officer, said he will likely name Howard Greller as...

YURMAN TURNS 25.(Brief Article)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- David Yurman is ringing in its 25th anniversary with a fresh crop of bold rings, bracelets and necklaces, all rich with gemstones. The designer's chunky rings and fun "mosaic" collection burst with color -- citrine, topaz and...

THROUGH THE YEARS.(David and Sybil Yurman.)
May 2, 2005... Oct. 12, 1942: David Yurman is born. 1959: At 17, David sells his first piece, a sculpture of a hand, to a fellow student in the cafeteria at Great Neck High School in Great Neck, N.Y. 1961: David moves from New York to Big Sur, Calif....

SOMETHING BOLD.(David Yurman Inc.)(Advertisement)
May 2, 2005... NEW YORK -- As David Yurman marks his 25th anniversary in business, the jeweler is in sync with the current passion for bold, colorful jewels. Rich, rust-toned citrines get added sparkle from glittering diamonds, while silver chains are...

MARRIED...WITH JEWELRY.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Emily Holt For some people, sustaining a healthy marriage for more than 25 years is challenge enough. Imagine sustaining that marriage while running a successful business and working together every day for all of that time. ...

THE CROWN JEWEL OF AMERICAN RETAIL.(David Yurman Inc.)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sophia Chabbott David Yurman is arguably the cash cow of American jewelry retailing. With solid brand recognition and a dedicated base of consumers who avidly collect the pieces, the American designer has helped create the...

ROMANCING THE STONES.(Jewelry.)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sara James There was a time when David Yurman jewelry conjured up ad images of cable bracelets sitting beside artichokes and autumn leaves. But today the brand relies on moody, black-and-white stills of top models wearing a variety...

A MANIFEST DESTINY FOR COMPANY STORES.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Sophia Chabbott Browsing in a David Yurman boutique at any given time, it isn't difficult to find a man completing a suite for his wife, a diehard fan adding a silver helix cable bracelet to her collection or an aspirational...

IMITATION: IT'S NOT FLATTERY, IT'S ILLEGAL.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Emily Holt, With contributions from Ross Tucker New jewelers often approach editors and buyers claiming they want to be "the next David Yurman." They can't be blamed -- after all, the company is an estimated $500 million business....

CHARITABLE GIVING: A DIVERSIFIED EFFORT.
May 2, 2005... Byline: Ashley Baker In Great Neck, N.Y., during the early Sixties, a well-intentioned high school track-and-field coach required his runners to engage in community service. As such, David Yurman found himself spending most Saturdays at an...

THE SUSHI FACTOR.(David Yurman Inc.)
May 2, 2005... Byline: Marc Karimzadeh NEW YORK -- "Did you see Sushi at David Yurman?" When someone poses the question at a trade show, don't go running to the Yurman booth expecting to lunch on raw fish, ginger and wasabi. The Sushi in question...

THE BIG TICKET.(Fashion shows.)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2005... NEW YORK -- What's a little rain to the fashion faithful? Absolutely nothing. Fashion and Hollywood's best and brightest turned out for the Met's Costume Institute gala despite May showers. Nicole Kidman, in a Chanel gown made especially for...

THE NEIMAN'S CHALLENGE: STAYING AT TOP OF LUXURY UNDER TWO NEW OWNERS.
May 3, 2005... Byline: David Moin, With contributions from Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- The new owners of Neiman Marcus have a tough act to follow. The top U.S. luxury chain on Monday announced a definitive agreement to be sold to two private equity...

ADIDAS IN DEAL TO SELL SALOMON.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Emilie Marsh PARIS -- Adidas-Salomon AG is shedding its hyphenated half. In a move to focus on more profitable sectors such as apparel, footwear and the golf category, Adidas-Salomon AG said Monday it has agreed to sell the...

WAL-MART SHUTTERS UNIONIZED CANADA UNIT.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Brian Dunn MONTREAL -- Wal-Mart Canada has closed its only unionized store in Canada, in Jonquiere, Quebec, ahead of schedule. Instead of waiting for the scheduled May 6 closing date, Wal-Mart shut the 130,000-square-foot...

IN BRIEF: BUSH PUSHES CAFTA...JEWELED KISS...MALL BUYING.(Central American Free Trade Agreement,)(Brief Article)
May 3, 2005... BUSH PUSHES CAFTA: President Bush will meet with the leaders of Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic on May 12 as he begins a major push for the Central American Free Trade Agreement, which faces...

CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
May 3, 2005... Several photo credits were omitted in the WWD Media In Depth section published Friday. The photos appeared on the cover as well as on pages 10 and 11. They are as follows: Jon Stewart by Jamie McCarthy/WireImage; Sean Combs and Paula Froelich...

MEMO PAD: KRATOCHVIL OUT AT IN STYLE...SMART AND SMARTER...THANKS A BILLION.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Sara James, Jeff Bercovici KRATOCHVIL OUT AT IN STYLE: John Korpics has been In Style's creative director for less than three months, but already he's brought about one of the most talked-about staffing changes in the magazine's...

A WYNN-ING WEEKEND IN VEGAS.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Michelle Dalton Tyree LAS VEGAS -- It was bling at its brightest in Las Vegas this past weekend as the who's who of fashion and beauty turned out to help celebrate the official opening of the wing of retail shops at the new $2.7...

EU BEGINS TO ENFORCE TARIFFS ON SOME U.S.-MADE APPAREL.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Evan Clark and Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON -- The European Union began charging a 15 percent tariff Sunday on imports of 10 kinds of U.S.-made apparel after Congress failed to rescind the Byrd Amendment, which was ruled illegal by the...

BEAUTY BEAT: SEPHORA OPENS SHOP IN SHANGHAI.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Betsy Lowther SHANGHAI -- It's easy to find the way to this city's brand new Sephora shop: Just look for the little black-and-white bags. Only weeks after the store's mid-April opening on Huaihai Central Road, a...

AVON NET UP 16% IN QUARTER.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Amy S. Choi NEW YORK -- Despite softer sales in key markets, Avon Products Inc. delivered a 16 percent increase in net income for the first quarter on sales that rose 7 percent. Avon posted net earnings of $172 million, or 36...

MET FETE.
May 3, 2005... NEW YORK -- Karl Lagerfeld can make a lot of things happen. He can convince Nicole Kidman to personally greet hundreds of guests and create, what he calls, the "perfect exhibit," at last night's Costume Institute gala at the Metropolitan...

INDUSTRY: IF IT'S NOT BROKE, DON'T FIX IT.
May 3, 2005... Byline: WWD Staff NEW YORK -- It's a good company. Don't mess with it. That was the general reaction of vendors and designers on Monday to the purchase of The Neiman Marcus Group Inc. by Texas Pacific Group and Warburg Pincus. While...

TEXAS PACIFIC M.O.: TO DIVERSIFY BRANDS.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- With the acquisition of the Neiman Marcus Group by Texas Pacific Group and Warburg Pincus, the spotlight again shifts to the financial players, their motives and plans for their retail and fashion...

ITALIANS ADD A DASH OF FASHION TO FUR.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Alessandra Ilari MILAN -- Fur has come full circle in the fashion cycle and has been transformed along the way. After becoming a coveted status symbol over the years, fur coats dropped off the fashion runways in the Nineties...

BERGDORF GOODMAN PACKS THE HOUSE.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2005... NEW YORK -- Spring is in the air, but winter was on the minds of many of the women shopping at the J. Mendel trunk show at Bergdorf Goodman here on Thursday. Designer Gilles Mendel, who received a strong reception to his fall runway...

HEARTY TURNOUT PLANNED FOR MONTREAL FUR FAIR.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Brian Dunn MONTREAL -- Interest in fur is going strong and this month's North American Fur and Fashion Exhibition in Montreal is virtually sold out. The event, scheduled for May 8-11 at Place Bonaventure, is nearing its...

IFFE TRENDS: STRETCH, VINTAGE.
May 3, 2005... Byline: Ross Tucker and Daniela Gilbert NEW YORK -- Textile firms exhibiting at the recent International Fashion Fabric Exhibition said buyers had a taste for stretch fabrics and vintage prints. The three-day show at the Jacob K....

BIRKS AND MAYOR'S SIGN MERGER DEAL.(Brief Article)
May 3, 2005... Byline: Brian Dunn MONTREAL -- Henry Birks & Sons and its majority-owned Mayor's Jewelers Inc. of Sunrise, Fla., have signed a definitive merger agreement to combine their operations. Birks, based here, paid $15 million for about 70...

THE AUTUMN CROP.(Trends.)(Advertisement)
May 4, 2005... NEW YORK -- Those summer staples, shorts, are getting a chic makeover for fall. Designers are cutting all manner of shorts and cropped pants in crisp autumn fabrics. Here, a cotton top and wool shorts from Lover for Elizabeth Charles with a...

FIGHTING THE SQUEEZE: VENDORS DIG IN HEELS AGAINST CHARGEBACKS.
May 4, 2005... Byline: David Moin and Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- As consolidation continues to sweep the retail landscape, vendors are becoming increasingly concerned about getting caught in a chargebacks squeeze. And they're beginning to fight back....

BUSH GETS HEAT ON CAFTA ISSUES.(Central American Free Trade Agreement.)
May 4, 2005... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration "suppressed" a report highlighting labor violations in Central America as the President is poised to seek Congressional approval of a key trade pact the U.S. has signed with those...

SARA LEE TO LAY OFF 350 WORKERS.
May 4, 2005... NEW YORK -- Sara Lee Corp. said it will cut about 350 jobs in its Winston-Salem, N.C.-based branded apparel division, which includes Champion, Bali, Playtex, L'eggs, Hanes, Wonderbra, Barely There and Just My Size. The moves come as the...

IN BRIEF: TRADING PLACES...JUICY PICKS PINTO...FASHION FORWARD.
May 4, 2005... TRADING PLACES: Revillon, the Paris fur brand designed by Los Angeles transplant Rick Owens, is ditching its boutique on the upscale Avenue Montaigne. Chloe plans to take over the choice corner unit, just down the street from Christian Dior and...

STRONG REVENUES HELP BLUEFLY NARROW LOSS.(Brief Article)
May 4, 2005... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK -- Healthy full-priced selling and increases in both customer transactions and average order size propelled Bluefly Inc.'s revenues to a 21.5 percent increase in the first quarter, helping the company to...

SUZY: THE COSTUME INSTITUTE'S FRAGRANT EVENING.(Column)
May 4, 2005... Byline: Aileen Mehle Can the multitude, 750-strong, at the Costume Institute's party of the year at the Metropolitan Museum say they came away humming from the gardenia-glutted, topiary-cluttered scenery? Of course they can. The museum was...

MET SCOOPS: VENI VEDI VICI.
May 4, 2005... VENI VEDI VICI: Walking into the Costume Institute Ball alone Monday night, Catalina Sandino Moreno, in Michael Kors, found a bevy of suitors. After dinner, she was spotted hand-in-hand with Ian Somerhalder, a will-of-a-wisp formerly of the ABC...

I WANT DANDY.(ads)(Advertisement)
May 4, 2005... NEW YORK -- Fall's shorts and cropped pants look tomboy-ishly sweet when set off by foppish frock coats and ruffled blouses. Caption(s): Alice Roi's wool cardigan, cotton shirt and cashmere shorts. / Sportmax's silk top and wool shorts....

SEXUALITY'S NEW SUBTLE APPEAL.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Valerie Seckler NEW YORK -- Have sexually charged messages grown less appetizing for a younger generation hungry for new connections with the brands they consume? What once was the staple has morphed into a complex question...

SUE WONG'S NEW LINE, TV GIG.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Nola Sarkisian-Miller LOS ANGELES -- Designer Sue Wong, known for her dress collections, is branching out with a new line of tops for the holiday season and plans to seek broader appeal on the Home Shopping Network. The...

CARTOON ICON SEEKS FASHION FUTURE.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Nola Sarkisian-Miller LOS ANGELES -- Tweety Bird, the endearing cartoon character that has made a career of tormenting Sylvester the cat, is trying to spread those tiny wings into fashion. Capitalizing on Tweety's appeal to...

WEST WATCH: CFDA [COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS] IN L.A....ELMO'S DUDS...ALL FOR OTIS.
May 4, 2005... CFDA IN L.A.: A party at Diane von Furstenberg's Beverly Hills home Thursday night to introduce the Council of Fashion Designers of America to the Los Angeles fashion community may be the hottest ticket in town. Among the estimated 150 guests:...

BEAUTY BEAT: GUINOT'S SUN CARE CODE.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Karen James NEW YORK -- Guinot is out to protect against sun damage with its reformulated collection of self-tanners, sunscreens and after-sun products called Nucleic Defense. The French brand claims the 12-item collection is...

JUST CAVALLI GAINING PRESENCE IN U.S.
May 4, 2005... Byline: Rebecca Kleinman MIAMI -- It's always about la dolce vita here. Perhaps that's why Italian designers like Roberto Cavalli have such a grasp on the Miami market. Last Wednesday, Cavalli hosted a late-night fete for 400 of the...

KNITTED BLISS.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2005... NEW YORK -- While most newlyweds celebrate their first anniversary with something made of paper, Amy Krofchick and Brett Perkins are marking the occasion with something cashmere -- their Amo & Bretti line, to be exact. The launch collection...

SARIS AND LOUIS VUITTON: LUXURY BRANDS EYEING INDIA FOR FUTURE GROWTH.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Betsy Lowther NEW DELHI -- The woman in the crimson sari is making a beeline for the cherry bags. Immediately upon stepping into this city's sole Louis Vuitton store, a quiet boutique in the lobby of the lavish Oberoi hotel,...

IN BRIEF: ESCADA HIRE...FACTORING IN ATLANTA...SURF & TURF...
May 5, 2005... ESCADA HIRE: Cynthia Srednicki has been named director of public relations at Escada USA. She succeeds Laura Henson, who left the firm. Most recently, Srednicki was the owner of Vision PR, which represented clients such as Silhouette and Daniel...

PRADA SAYS SANDER IN RED, CONSIDERING LANG SALE.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Amanda Kaiser MILAN -- Prada Holding NV said Wednesday that its Jil Sander unit stayed in the red in 2004, even as it saw double-digit sales growth. The news came as Prada confirmed widespread speculation it is pondering the...

EUROPEAN SALES BOOST GUESS.(strong euro helps company )
May 5, 2005... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK -- Strong demand for accessories and denim in Europe drove an eye-popping 980 percent surge in first-quarter profits and a 40.6 percent jump in revenues at Guess Inc. For the three months ended April...

CHERTOFF VOWS TO FILL CUSTOMS POSTS.
May 5, 2005... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON -- Two years after Congress approved funding, U.S. Customs & Border Protection has just hung out the "for hire" sign for 72 textile specialists and investigators to fight violations such as transshipments....

MIXED REPERTOIRE.
May 5, 2005... LOS ANGELES -- At American Ballet Theater's One Night Only gala last Thursday, the mostly teenaged company performed to Tchaikovsky in tutus and tights, then changed into their party clothes -- which ranged from miniskirts to Uggs -- to...

NIELSEN'S RATING.(Connie Neilsen talks)
May 5, 2005... Byline: Anamaria Wilson NEW YORK -- There's something about Connie Nielsen's austere Scandinavian beauty and cool self-possession that doesn't lend itself to playing comic heroines or witless bimbos. Instead, the Danish actress tends to...