WWD articles from October 2004

WWD archives from October 2004

FRINGE THEATER.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... MILAN -- It was a big moment. But when Alessandra Facchinetti showed her first collection for Gucci on Thursday, she did what she needed to do -- continue on the course set by Tom Ford. The bold sexuality Gucci is known for was there, and...

CHALLENGE FOR CHIQUET: GROWING CHANEL BRAND AFTER KOPELMAN SUCCESS.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Eric Wilson NEW YORK -- If she were still around, Coco Chanel most likely would approve. As operating reins at Chanel Inc. were officially handed over to Maureen Chiquet this week, a new star has joined the ranks of the...

SHAREHOLDERS SUE HILFIGER.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Vicki M. Young NEW YORK -- Woes worsened Thursday for Tommy Hilfiger Corp. as its shares hit a 52-week low after the apparel firm was slapped with multiple shareholder lawsuits stemming from a federal criminal investigation of...

OSCAR GETS FINANCIAL BOOST.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Vicki M. Young, Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- Oscar de la Renta has new asset-backed financing that the company is earmarking to strengthen its U.S. business. The amount of the loan was not disclosed, but it is a financing...

QUOTE OF THE WEEK.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... "He really just believed in design. He didn't play the game. He didn't do the social thing, which he probably should have done." -- Richard Lambertson of Lambertson Truex on Geoffrey Beene.

IN BRIEF: SHARES SLAMMED... MERCEDES BID.
October 1, 2004... SHARES SLAMMED: Shares of The Talbots Inc. and Ann Taylor Stores Corp. dropped in Thursday trading after both were downgraded by Wall Street analysts. On Wednesday, Talbots warned September same-store sales would be in the negative low single...

GUCCI: LOVE AND DIPLOMACY.
October 1, 2004... MILAN -- Retailers loved it, but editors aren't quite smitten yet. That was the immediate reaction after the debut Gucci collection by Alessandra Facchinetti, who succeeded Tom Ford as the company's ready-to-wear designer. "I could...

THE PLEASURE PRINCIPLE; ALESSANDRA FACCHINETTI CREATED A VERY SEXY GUCCI COLLECTION WITH FORDIAN ELEMENTS... ROSELLA JARDINI'S MOSCHINO HAD PLENTY OF JOIE DE MODE... AND DEAN AND DAN CATEN'S DSQUARED LINE MIXED VIXEN LOOKS WITH SOME GROWN-UP CLOTHES.
October 1, 2004... Gucci: Alessandra Facchinetti did what she had to do. Whatever nerves the newly ascended Gucci designer may have felt in the days and weeks leading up to her maiden performance for the house, backstage on Thursday she seemed utterly cool and in...

LIGHT AND BREEZY DOES IT; MAX MARA AND SPORTMAX OFFERED EASY, CLASSIC SPRING FARE... PIAZZA SEMPIONE'S THEME WAS LIGHTNESS... AND, AT BORBONESE, CLEAN-CUT AND LUXURIOUS LOOKS RULED.
October 1, 2004... Max Mara/Sportmax: Other trends may come and go, but every spring, safari springs eternal. And there's a good reason. The safari jacket is one powerful wardrobe solution. Since Yves Saint Laurent, and later Tom Ford, refined the jacket's...

JIL SANDER SETTLES IN.(Interview)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Amanda Kaiser MILAN -- Just over a year after her return to the fashion fold, Jil Sander has learned something surprising about herself: She's not that different from her former nemesis, Prada chief executive officer Patrizio...

PATHS LESS TRAVELED.(Milanese fashion shows.)
October 1, 2004... In a season that held tightly to feminine wiles, a handful of designers set out to break the prettiness barrier, for better or for worse. From sexy club divas to deconstructed dreamers, Milan's runways had the right attitude to match any...

THE TRIALS OF ROMEO.(Romeo Gigli.)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Luisa Zargani MILAN -- His Peter Pan-like frame squeezed into a pair of striped pants held up by suspenders, and his Milanese apartment filled with New Guinea shields, African tables and Moroccan poufs, Romeo Gigli looks anything...

FASHION SCOOPS: FIRST LADY... HAUTE OR NOT... BIG IN JAPAN...
October 1, 2004... FIRST LADY: It wasn't the first fashion show for Gucci chief executive officer Robert Polet, but it was for his wife, Caroline. Together, the fashion novices schmoozed with the style set, chatting it up with Mario Testino after the show....

COTY BEAUTY ADDS MISS SIXTY LICENSE.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Brid Costello PARIS -- Coty Beauty has just won itself a new license -- Italian denim and fashion brand Miss Sixty. The long-term global beauty deal was inked last week, just days after Coty Inc., Coty Beauty's parent...

BENEFIT FOUNDATION SPEAKS VOLUMES.(Cosmetics.)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Jackie Cooperman NEW YORK -- With the launch of their first-ever foundation, Benefit founders Jean and Jane Ford are celebrating the company's 30th anniversary by looking back to the future. "We've always loved authentic,...

MEN'S FRAGRANCE: THE NEXT CELEBRITY FRAY?
October 1, 2004... Byline: Matthew W. Evans NEW YORK -- While celebrity mania has gripped the women's side of the fragrance business, industry observers are speculating as to whether the noise of celebrity launches on the men's side will reach the same...

HITTING THE BOOKS.(Books as packaging.)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Jackie Cooperman NEW YORK -- Spurred on by pouty pinups, artists' sketchbooks and just plain convenience, makeup companies are hitting the books for holiday packaging, selling multipurpose palettes with narrative covers and...

SUPPORTING BEAUTY'S BRIGHTEST.(The Back to School and All That Jazz cocktail party.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Bryn Kenny NEW YORK -- The beauty industry really jazzed it up on Tuesday night. Some of beauty's biggest names turned up for the Cosmopolitan Cosmetics and Cartier-sponsored "Back to School and All That Jazz" cocktail party...

MASS BEAUTY'S NEWCOMERS FOR '05.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Andrea Nagel NEW YORK -- In a quest to pump up sales within the sagging hair and bath categories, several of mass beauty's smaller players are making some big changes to their product portfolios for 2005. Even skin care players,...

HURRICANE FORCES ECRM TO OPT FOR RAIN CHECK.(Enterprise Customer Relationship Management trade show.)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Molly Prior NEW YORK -- The threat of Hurricane Jeanne, the fourth hurricane to pummel Florida this season, prompted ECRM show organizers to cancel its Hair Care Conference, scheduled to take place earlier this week in Miami. ...

L'OREAL TO HOST LEGENDS GALA.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Molly Prior NEW YORK -- L'Oreal Paris is gathering together members of the beauty, fashion and publishing industries at the Legends Gala to mark the 10th anniversary of the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, a not-for-profit...

TOPNOTES: WAL-MART'S CAMEO... NEW NAIL HEAD... COOL HUNTING.
October 1, 2004... WAL-MART'S CAME0: ABC's blockbuster soap "All My Children" and Wal-Mart toasted the launch of Enchantment perfume at a cocktail party, held Sept. 22, at the rooftop lounge of the Gansevoort Hotel in New York City's Meatpacking District. The...

HBA DEBUTS LATEST INDUSTRY TRENDS.(HBA Health & Beauty America trade show)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Faye Brookman NEW YORK -- With an eye on finding a competitive edge, more than 16,000 beauty industry executives assembled at the HBA Health & Beauty America trade show this week. The event, held at the Jacob K. Javits...

BEAUTY PANEL SHARES SUCCESS STORIES.(HBA Health & Beauty America trade show)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Faye Brookman NEW YORK -- Four industry entrepreneurs discussed the trials of the beauty business during the Movers and Shakers session at the HBA Health & Beauty America trade show on Wednesday. Grant Berry, creator of...

RETRO REIGNS IN SPAIN.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Barbara Barker MADRID -- At Pasarela Cibeles, the SIMM-sponsored runway presentations held last week at the fairgrounds here, veteran designers generally played it safe while younger talents took the chances. The...

IMPORTERS, RETAILERS REBUT TEXTILE INDUSTRY.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Kristi Ellis WASHINGTON -- U.S. importers and retailers clashed with the textile sector on Thursday over limiting China's imports next year, one day after the disclosure that the industry next week plans to file safeguard...

KENNETH COLE: MAKING CREATIVITY SELL.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK -- "Nobody needs what we sell," said Kenneth Cole. "Our job is to make them think they do." Consumers have closets full of clothing and shoes, so why should retailers expect them to buy more, said...

H&M EARNINGS JUMP 18% ON STRONG SALES.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS -- Hennes & Mauritz, the Swedish fast-fashion giant, on Thursday reported strong third-quarter profits and buoyant U.S. sales. The firm said profits in the three months ended Aug. 31 climbed 18 percent to...

MADE IN THE U.S.A.: EVANS ON PIONEERS.(Interview)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Jeff Bercovici NEW YORK -- When Harold Evans thinks about American history, he thinks big. His latest book, "They Made America: From the Steam Engine to the Search Engine, Two Centuries of Innovators," is a survey of the...

MEMO PAD: HAVE ENVELOPE, WILL TRAVEL... EAST OF EDUN.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Sara James, Jeff Bercovici HAVE ENVELOPE, WILL TRAVEL: Conde Nast Traveler has found a successful strategy for luring celebrities to present at its annual Readers' Choice Awards -- send them packing. "[Editor in chief] Tom...

HOW SUITE IT IS: WANG TAKES STYLE TO HAWAII.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- Apparently, it's not enough to wear a Vera Wang wedding dress. Soon newlyweds can sleep in a Vera Wang-designed suite, too. Through a deal with the Halekulani resort in Honolulu, the designer...

PARTY GIRLS.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... NEW YORK -- Tracy Reese hosted a swanky cocktail soiree Wednesday evening to show off her spring lineup for Plenty. She showed fun little dresses printed in bright colors and a beautiful vintage-looking lace group that featured a blouse and...

GOV'T WON'T AID KARSTADT.(German department store and mail order group KarstadtQuelle)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Melissa Drier BERLIN -- German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said Thursday the German government would not take steps to bail out the KarstadtQuelle department store and mail order group, which earlier this week revealed a $1.7...

CRADLE CEO TOUTS EXPANSION.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Matthew W. Evans NEW YORK -- Despite multiple reshufflings of executives at the company since the summer, Cradle Holdings' chief executive officer Ralph S. Mason claims the firm is poised for growth. It operates three beauty...

FCBID AIMS TO GET VOTE IN STYLE.(The Fashion Center Business Improvement District)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Byline: Scott Malone NEW YORK -- The Fashion Center Business Improvement District, seeking to make voting stylish, sent a letter this week calling on designers to help with a get-out-the-vote drive. Barbara Blair Randall, executive...

SUZY: GODDAUGHTER OF YENTL... BENNIFER, THE SEQUEL... FLOCKHART AND FORD.
October 1, 2004... Byline: Aileen Mehle Caleigh Peters, the 16-year-old daughter of producers Jon Peters and Christine Peters, has become a special correspondent for the entertainment news show "Extra." The blonde, blue-eyed beauty has already taped...

SNAKE CHARMER.(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... MILAN -- Ever since the days of Adam and Eve, snakes have been credited with an irresistible charm. And Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana borrowed some of it for the fabulous Dolce & Gabbana spring collection they showed on Friday, using...

RUSSIA'S LUXURY MANIA: STORES GRAB REAL ESTATE TO BUILD NEW EMPIRES.(Industry Overview)
October 4, 2004... Byline: Natasha Singer MOSCOW -- When the going gets tough, Russians go luxury shopping -- and right now there are just a handful of major retailers snapping up all the brands. "During the big financial crash a few years ago when...

Saks Fifth Avenue to close 11 units.
October 4, 2004... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK -- Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises, a unit of Saks Inc., said Friday it will close eight Saks Fifth Avenue stores and three Off 5th stores by early 2005 -- reducing the unit's total square footage by 7...

ARMANI OPERATING EARNINGS JUMP 23%.
October 4, 2004... Byline: Amanda Kaiser MILAN -- Giorgio Armani saw rising first-half profits and revenue in the second quarter, but witnessed a slowdown in U.S. retail sales. Earnings before interest and taxes for the six months ended June 30 rose 23...

COMING THIS WEEK.(Calendar)
October 4, 2004... Monday: Paris Ready-to-Wear Collections (through Oct. 12). Tuesday: International Fashion Fabric Exhibition, New York (through Thursday). Burlington Coat Factory reports first-quarter sales and earnings. Wednesday: Interstoff Asia...

IN BRIEF: SEEING PRETTY... ONBOARD OAKLEY.(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... SEEING PRETTY: BCBG Max Azria has signed a licensing deal with New York-based ClearVision Optical for a line of eyewear for women with an option to launch men's. ClearVision replaces Eyespace, whose licensing contract expired in December. The...

School night.(Frick Museum hosts Young Fellows evening; Vera Wang raises money for the Fund for Public Schools)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... Sarah Jessica Parker, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, Katie Couric, Marisa Tomei, Regis and Joy Philbin and Marlo Thomas ventured to Vera Wang's Park Avenue apartment last Thursday night to kick off Real Simple's "Get Organized New York" event, a...

Another country.(French writer Christine Orban's new memoir, "One Day My Sister Disappeared" )
October 4, 2004... Byline: Robert Murphy PARIS -- Lounging on a plush velvet divan in her Left Bank apartment, a strappy black Manolo Blahnik dangling from her manicured toe, French writer Christine Orban is the picture of blithe luxury. She's married to a...

Ye olde taverne.(bordello chic the fashion in New York restaurants)
October 4, 2004... Byline: Marshall Heyman NEW YORK -- Bordello chic seems to be cropping up all over New York. Jean-Georges Vongerichten's V Steakhouse at the Time Warner Center is decorated in plush maroon tones and appears to have sprouted out of a...

OBITUARY: ICONIC IMAGE MAKER RICHARD AVEDON.(Obituary)
October 4, 2004... Byline: Sara James, with contributions from Jeff Bercovici NEW YORK -- "I'm not a snob about fashion....Who knows what a fine photograph is? In 50 years, it might be a fashion photograph that provides the clue to this time and this life."...

In their own fashion.(Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana; Jil Sander; Miu Miu; Versace)
October 4, 2004... Doing what comes naturally can pay off handsomely, as it did for Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana in their sultry, luxe and snake-happy Dolce & Gabbana collection... and for Jil Sander, with a relaxed, softened line based on a man's shirt...

CIRCLING THE GLOBE; ROBERTO CAVALLI'S TUSCAN WOMAN GOES TO IBIZA, SAINT TROPEZ AND MUSTIQUE... GIANFRANCO FERRE EMBRACES THE BIKER BABE.. INDIA AND AFRICA ARE INSPIRATIONS AT ETRO... MOSCHINO CHEAP & CHIC HEADS TO HAWAII.
October 4, 2004... Roberto Cavalli: Instead of overindulging his wolfish appetite for hypersexed fashion -- the kind his audience meets with an "Oh, Roberto," and a roll of the eyes -- Roberto Cavalli tried something a little different this season. So, here's...

FASHION SCOOPS: ALL SHOOK UP... DRAMA MAJOR... GALAXY QUEST...
October 4, 2004... ALL SHOOK UP: A traffic bottleneck prevented Priscilla Presley, her daughter, Lisa Marie, and granddaughter, Riley Keough, from gracing the front row at the Dolce & Gabbana show on Friday. Instead, the trio of Presley women watched the last...

FACETS OF FEMININITY; ALESSANDRO DELL'ACQUA CREATED A VICTORIAN JUNGLE QUEEN... LUISA BECCARIA'S LOOKS, AS EVER, WERE GENTLE AND FEMININE... AND ANTONIO BERARDI'S COLLECTION WOULD HAVE PLEASED MARIE ANTOINETTE.(Alessandro Dell'Acqua, Luisa Beccaria, Antonio Berardi, Stephen Fairchild, Blugirl, Cividini)
October 4, 2004... Alessandro Dell'Acqua: A cascade of exotic flowers and palm leaves and a towering crystal chandelier were the two contrasting elements that set the pace for Dell'Acqua's Victorian-style jungle queen. The designer fused the two worlds by...

A little romance.(fashion's romantic side still on display on Milan runways)
October 4, 2004... Though safari, tribal and ethnic flourishes ruled the Milan runways for spring, some designers continued to embrace fashion's romantic side. But by working with high-tech fabrics, furs and denim, they took the girly notion beyond tissue-thin...

A theory of evolution.(companies try to put more fashion sensibility into their collections)
October 4, 2004... Wonderful fabrications but boring silhouettes do not a fashion house make. This point was taken by a series of super-luxurious companies that, for spring, attempted to inject more fashion sensibility into their collections. Think evolution not...

RETAILERS LIKE MILAN'S STYLISH MIX.
October 4, 2004... MILAN -- Italian designers are dreaming of romantic getaways to Africa and India, and retailers are happy to go along for the ride. Calling it a solid Milan season, buyers said they're upbeat for spring, and they're embracing such looks as...

STEPPING INTO SPRING.(Accessories )
October 4, 2004... Accessories designers are revving things up for spring with mile-high wedges, jewel-embellished bags and heels and safari-inspired pieces. Although the looks are still feminine, the mood is much more relaxed and bohemian. At Tod's, the...

CULT CARGO.(vintage fashion)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... "I feel like a drug mule." With that pronouncement Vogue's Sally Singer plunked down a shopping bag -- her allowed carry-on -- on a seat at the back of the airport bus at Charles de Gaulle after arriving from Milan on Air France Flight 1213....

La Perla's new luxurious presence.(Gruppo La Perla unveils new flagship and looks for new CEO)
October 4, 2004... Byline: Karyn Monget NEW YORK -- Two significant developments are expected to impact the $250 million lingerie specialist Gruppo La Perla this year: It unveiled a multimillion dollar flagship and headquarters on Madison Avenue here last...

INTIMATE NOTES: GETTING INVOLVED.(Breast Cancer Awareness Month)(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... The Curvation bra brand at VF Intimates will be participating in October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month with a Limited Edition Queen Latifah Signature Series line of four pink ribbon bras and one shaper. Queen Latifah is the spokeswoman for...

ITSI BITSY'S TEENY-WEENY BAG BIZ.(Edwin "Itsi Bitsy" Atkins)
October 4, 2004... Byline: Scott Malone NEW YORK -- During the recent Republican National Convention and last month's New York Fashion Week, an intrepid handbag designer and a pack of models took to the streets of Manhattan with a series of guerrilla...

SCOTT MALLORY UNBUCKLES SOHO STORE.
October 4, 2004... Byline: Emily Holt NEW YORK -- Yet another high-end fashion retailer has moved into SoHo but this time around, it's not an international luxury house. Last month, new belt firm Scott Mallory set up shop in what was half of shoemaker...

FINDINGS: GOLDEN ADS... NEW SALES AND MARKETING EXEC AT SHARON G.... THE BUZZ ABOUT TOWN.(Brief Article)
October 4, 2004... GOLDEN ADS: The World Gold Council wants to see the metal on the tip of everyone's tongue and at the top of everyone's mind. The organization's new advertising campaign, Speak Gold, takes an emotional approach to marketing gold and features...

REBA'S LATEST DUET: FASHION WITH DILLARD'S.
October 4, 2004... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- Having grown up in hand-me-downs, Reba McEntire now has a whole collection to call her own. The country music singer and TV star has teamed up with Dillard's -- her favorite place to shop when...

BECKHAM SPICING UP DENIM.
October 4, 2004... Byline: Nola Sarkisian-Miller LOS ANGELES -- Victoria Beckham, the former Spice Girl, is getting her groove on again in a design partnership with denim label Rock & Republic. Beckham, who is married to soccer superstar David Beckham,...

WWD STOCK INDEX INCHES UP.
October 4, 2004... Byline: Dan Burrows NEW YORK -- The WWD Stock Index advanced for the first time in a month, gaining 0.3 percent to 1,083.65 from 1,080.33 a week ago. Among the broader indices, the S&P 500 shook off record-high oil prices to rally...

Next up: LVMH sues Wet Seal.(LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton accuses Wet Seal of selling copies of its bags)
October 4, 2004... Byline: Ross Tucker NEW YORK -- A month after failing to win an injunction against Dooney & Bourke for allegedly copying its Murakami handbag design, LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton is back on the offensive, this time against Wet Seal....

IFF taps Dunsdon for new position.(International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. promotes James H. Dunsdon to chief operating officer)
October 4, 2004... Byline: Molly Prior NEW YORK -- International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. said Friday it has promoted James H. Dunsdon to the newly created role of chief operating officer of the company. In his role, Dunsdon will have global...

EUROPE WATCH: FASHION DIPLOMACY... HEADING EAST... GALERIES GOING...
October 4, 2004... Byline: Courtney Sutton, Tsukasa Furukawa, Robert Murphy, Emilie Marsh FASHION DIPLOMACY: Last year China sent six up-and-coming designers to show on the runway in Paris. Now the City of Light is reciprocating by dispatching its talent to...

CRISPLY CLEAN.(Jil Sander's spring collection based on man's shirt)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2004... MILAN -- A wave of exotic looks swept Milan for spring, but Jil Sander wasn't part of it. Instead, her serene, stunningly self-assured collection, built around the look of a man's shirt, provided a chic alternative. Sander opened her show...

PRADA INCREASES STAKE IN HELMUT LANG TO 100% TO SPEED BRAND'S GROWTH.
October 5, 2004... Byline: Amanda Kaiser, With contributions from Miles Socha, Robert Murphy, Paris MILAN -- For Prada, minimalism is out at Helmut Lang. Prada has agreed to increase its stake in the brand's holding company, Helmut Lang S.a.r.l., to...

NEIMAN'S SERVICE AT PRESS OF A BUTTON.(Hotel Victor in Miami, Florida)(Brief Article)
October 5, 2004... Byline: Rosemary Feitelberg NEW YORK -- When the Hotel Victor throws open its doors next month in Miami, guests won't have to leave their rooms to get the latest from Neiman Marcus. Through a new partnership, the luxury retailer is...

OUTLOOK BULLISH FOR RETAIL SHARES.
October 5, 2004... Byline: Meredith Derby NEW YORK -- Retail stocks, including J.C. Penney Co. and Kohl's Corp., are poised to rally in the next two months because of anticipated strong October same-store sales boosted by seasonal purchases, Merrill Lynch...

IN BRIEF: KARSTADTQUELLE STOCK DROP... HIGH COURT CREDIT.
October 5, 2004... KARSTADTQUELLE STOCK DROP: Shares of KarstadtQuelle hit a two-year low on Monday in reaction to comments about a possible bankruptcy made by the vice chairman of the crisis-ridden retail and catalogue group's supervisory board, Wolfgang...

CORRECTION.(Correction Notice)
October 5, 2004... The classmate from flying school who introduced retiring Chanel Inc. president Arie Kopelman to stand-up comedy was Bill Harrah of Harrah's Casino in Reno. The name was incorrect in a story that started on page 1 on Friday.

TEXTILE CHIEFS INTENSIFY DRIVE FOR VOTES IN N.C.
October 5, 2004... Byline: Joanna Ramey WASHINGTON -- Textile executives are stepping up efforts to influence voting in North Carolina, where the presidential contest and a pivotal U.S. Senate race are considered too close to call. The National Council...

MEMO PAD: QUITE THE SCENE... EVERYBODY'S A CRITIC... GIVE ME AIRE.
October 5, 2004... Byline: Jeff Bercovici, Sara James QUITE THE SCENE: Salman Rushdie, Lorrie Moore, Martin Amis, Jonathan Franzen, Steve Martin, Dave Eggers and Jhumpa Lahiri were among the writers at Pace Friday night for the kickoff of the fifth annual New...

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.(three-month exhibition "Fifty Designers/Fifty Costumes: Concept to Character," in Beverly Hills, Calif.)
October 5, 2004... Byline: Marcy Medina BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Cinephiles can get up close and personal with Austin Powers, Elle Woods and Spider-Man with the three-month exhibition "Fifty Designers/Fifty Costumes: Concept to Character," at the Academy...

STAGE BOOTY.
October 5, 2004... Byline: Jamie Rosen NEW YORK -- Bargain shoppers are a dime a dozen these days, but costume designer Tobin Ost takes that category to another level. To outfit the cast of "Brooklyn," a new Broadway musical whose five characters are...

EYE SCOOP: JUST DESSERTS... NOTHING LIKE A DAME.
October 5, 2004... JUST DESSERTS: Lara Shriftman hosted a sweet surprise party for tennis ace Serena Williams' 23rd birthday at her Sunset Plaza pad on Saturday. "The idea started in New York when I took her to Serendipity for the first time," the hostess said....

FOREIGN AFFAIRS.(photo caption)
October 5, 2004... MILAN -- It was an exotic spring season. Designers were inspired by places in sub-Saharan Africa and North Africa such as the Serengeti and the souks of Marrakech, and the results ranged from leopard-patterned skirts to dresses with mirror...

IMAGE BANK: THE MILAN COLLECTIONS.
October 5, 2004... Antonio Marras Victoria Beckham Missoni Jil Sander Prada Giorgio Armani Pucci Prada's video mural by Rem Koolhaas Kate Moss at Burberry Dolce & Gabbana Moschino Cheap & Chic Giorgio Armani ...

FASHION SCOOPS: SCENT DOWN THE RUNWAY... YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE... RIGHT AWAY...
October 5, 2004... SCENT DOWN THE RUNWAY: Anyone looking for a Viktor & Rolf fragrance party on the Paris Fashion Week calendar is straining their eyes needlessly. Word has it that Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren will unveil their debut scent on the runway...

THE VISION THING.
October 5, 2004... PARIS -- There are many faces of fashion, and they'll all be on display this week in Paris as designers unveil their spring collections. Inspirations this season range from dreams to gypsy women to spaceships. Unidentified Fashion Objects,...

MCGRATH'S MANTRA: SPEED TO MARKET.
October 5, 2004... Byline: Rusty Williamson DALLAS -- "Change or die" is the sobering advice from Peter McGrath, president of the purchasing division at J.C. Penney Co., as stores, vendors and textile mills scramble to shift their sourcing paradigms and...

SHIPPING NOTES: CARRIERS WARN OF RISING COSTS... N.J. PORT VOLUME RISES... NAFTA TRADE UP.
October 5, 2004... CARRIERS WARN OF RISING COSTS: Top executives of the 13 steamship companies that make up the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement warned after a meeting in Dubai last month that they expected to face continued congestion in the coming year....

TIMBERLAND GIVES BOOT TO TIME-CONSUMING E-MAILS.
October 5, 2004... Byline: Cate T. Corcoran NEW YORK -- Sometimes new technology can have surprising side effects. When The Timberland Co., known for its wheat-colored boots and rugged outerwear, launched its first Web site in 1999, it wasn't...