NEIMAN’S NET UP 15.9%/3 UMA’S NEW ADS/3Women’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’ Daily Newspaper • June 2, 2005• $2.00

WWDTHURSDAYSportswear

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Lace AheadMILAN — Miuccia Prada knows a thing or two about girly

looks and she worked in a romantic vein for cruise with

light cottons and wispy silks that made for pretty,

embellished skirts and dresses. It all added up to a rich

understatement. Here, Prada’s ombréd silk lace dress.

For more on cruise, see pages 8 and 9.

U.S. Vacation Destinations

Inside:Pg. 14

TheWWDList

See Sean, Page6

Hopping to a New Beat:P. Diddy Enters Women’sVia Sean by Sean CombsBy Lauren DeCarlo

NEW YORK — Sean Combs’ highlyanticipated women’s collection has finallyarrived, with a name reflecting the morepersonal side of the designer: Sean bySean Combs.

In an exclusive interview at his WestSide apartment here, Combs presentedthe introductory Sean by Sean Combsholiday collection — affectionatelycoined “the appetizer” by the designteam because it offers just a taste ofwhat’s to come.

“I want to be known for a consistentcollection every time I come out,” said

WWD.COM

GENERALBEAT: Sean Combs’ highly anticipated women’s collection has arrived, witha name reflecting the designer’s more personal side: Sean by Sean Combs.

The Neiman Marcus Group’s third-quarter results got a big boost from full-price selling, while showing that the luxury sector is still red hot.

EYE: Some 250 people celebrated the opening of the Edmond J. Safra Lodgeat the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.…Another Eco book.

FASHION: Miuccia Prada is a romantic at heart, and for cruise, the designerrevised feminine elements that have become house staples.

DISH: Smashbox Studios becomes a jeans “Factor”…Peace for Peopleturns to embroidery for something special…Raven stays tailored and sexy.

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● NEW FASHION WEEK: Japan’s fashion industry plans to launcha Tokyo Fashion Week this fall to better promote Japanesebrands worldwide. The week will be supported by Japan’sMinistry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The original TokyoCollections, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year,will join the promotional event and a large tent will be set up inone of the parks in Tokyo for it. The event is scheduled to runduring the last week of October. Economy Minister ShoichiNakagawa presented the plan for the fashion shows at a newsconference here earlier this week and department stores, manu-facturers and others met Wednesday to hear the details.“Japanese designers and their products are popular overseas,”said Nakagawa. “Designs from Japanese motifs such as Japaneseletters are often printed on T-shirts. We will promote fashion de-sign from Japan to the world.”

● WAL-MART CHALLENGE: A group of prominent shareholderson Wednesday urged Wal-Mart to establish a committee of inde-pendent directors to review its legal and regulatory controls aswell as its internal system for ensuring compliance with compa-ny policies and standards. The shareholders include New YorkCity Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr., investment adviser tothe $85 billion city pension fund; Edward M. Smith, chairman ofthe $10.8 billion Illinois State Board of Investment; KarinaLitvack, head of governance and socially responsible investingat F&C Asset Management, with $250 billion under management,and Jason Fletcher, Americas equity manager of the $36 billionU.K. University Superannuation Scheme. The holdings of Wal-Mart common stock have an estimated market value of morethan $545 million. The group cited concerns pertaining to illegalimmigrant workers, child labor law violations and a class-actiongender bias case as well as charges that former vice chairmanThomas Coughlin abused his expense account. Wal-Mart said itreceived the letter and will respond appropriately.

● EBAY GOES SHOPPING: EBay has agreed to acquireShopping.com, a five-year-old comparison shopping Web site, for$21 a share in cash, or $620 million. “The acquisition will allow usto provide even more opportunities for our sellers,” said BillCobb, president, eBay North America, in a statement Wednesday.“Shopping.com’s comparison technology simplifies the onlineshopping experience and the ‘Epinions’ community of reviewersis a great match with our own.”

“EBay will provide our shoppers greater convenience andcomprehensiveness and will help our merchants increasesales,” said Lorrie Norrington, president and ceo ofShopping.com. Epinions has 400,000 reviewers who have gener-ated nearly two million reviews to help consumers make in-formed buying decisions.

In Brief

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WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. COPYRIGHT ©2005FAIRCHILD PUBLICATIONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

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Forty-year-old Mary Ellen has a mother,three sisters, a husband, two children and a bestfriend. So, who ranks as her favorite shoppingpartner among this posse? “Me, myself and I,”laughs the publishing executive. “At the same time,it’s both relaxing and functional. I get time tomyself and I buy what I needquickly and easily.”

According to Cotton Incorporated’sLifestyle Monitor™, 41% of femalerespondents stated that they shopalone when buying apparel. Data from the Monitor furthersuggests that women cultivate this penchant for solo shopping overtime. An ever-increasing percentageof women in advancing age groupsstated that they shop alone, from31% of women aged 16 to 24,38% of those 25 to 34 years, 49%of those 33 to 55 years, and 51%of those aged 55 to 70 years.

“Shopping alone clearly has itsadvantages, and women appearto recognize and appreciate themover time,” offers Kim Kitchings,director of research and strategicplanning for Cotton Incorporated. According toKitchings, those advantages include efficiency, privacy, an opportunity for personal time, and eventhe avoidance of a little friendly competition.“There are women who are afraid that others will steal their fashion ideas,” she explains. “If theyfind something good, they often like to keep thesource a secret for themselves.”

Relates Sari Sloane, head buyer for Intermix, a line of boutiques in New York,“Shopping alone seems obviouswhen today’s look is less abouttrying to mimic everyone else,and more about cultivating a sense of individual style. Our customers know the waythat they want to dress, and they trust themselves to do that. If they want an opinion,they’ll ask a salesperson. Besides,shopping with someone else can often be a distraction; you have to look at what they want to look at.”

“There are functional and emotional sidesto shopping for apparel,” considers WendyLiebman, president of WSL Strategic Retail, a NewYork-based consultancy. “The functionalcondition is mission-oriented: go by yourself, findan outfit and get it done. But, there’s also anemotional side that says shopping is a form ofentertainment and a way to pass the time. Whenthere is time for such emotion, women will shopwith friends or family. In that way, we arebecoming more like men.”

Research from the Monitor likely supportsLiebman’s observations: 42% of men, nearly identical to the percentage of women surveyed,said they shopped alone for apparel. However, menwere far more likely than women to name their spouse as a shopping partner; 38% of male respondents, compared with 13% of their femalecounterparts, took their significant other alongwith them on shopping trips.

“We are still traditional in recognizing womenas the true shoppers in the family,” Liebman notes.

Monitor data supports this claim; 54% of womensurveyed said they like or love shopping comparedto 38% of men.

“Shopping not only needs to be easy, butit should also be exciting and give the consumerideas,” says Lee Antonio, a spokesperson for

Sears. “Women have very littletime, so we want to offer themlooks that have been wardrobedfrom head to toe.”

Saving time is clearly a concernfor today’s female shoppers, butwhat about saving money?

“Aside from the increased tendency to cross-shop a variety ofretailers, there’s a cachet in oursociety to citing how little wespent for a garment. It makes uslook like smart and savvy shoppers,”shares Cotton Incorporated’s

Kitchings. “Some women mayfeel that they’re being judged fortheir choices and their relatedcosts; shopping alone may alleviate that. No matter howmuch or how little they spend,some women want to keep their

financial habits private.” If privacy about spending or even dress size is

a concern, there’s a great way to secure both, saysJoanna Stoner, founder of Edressme.com, a fashionWeb site. “Shopping online allows your experienceto be all your own. You can do it 24/7, bookmarkan item of interest, eliminate the hassle of waitingfor sales assistance or hunting for your size and, bestof all, you can try an item on in your own fitting

room at home.” An ever-increasing number

of women appear to be inagreement. According to theMonitor, one in three femaleconsumers said that theybrowsed the Internet forclothes, which is up significantlyfrom one in 20 a decade ago.

In addition to the Web,women are educating themselves

in a variety of ways which make them better – andhence, more independent – shoppers. Magazines,style shows, celebrities and a host of other factors allinfluence how women develop a sense of fashiontoday. “Women arm themselves with as muchknowledge as possible, and they feel confidentwhen they hit the stores by themselves,” assertsWSL’s Liebman.

But they are also willing to do a little person-to-person research, adds Sears’ Antonio. “I waswith a woman today, and someone ran up and asked where she got her outfit. We were so happy to tell her that the items came from our stores.”

Concludes Sloane from Intermix, “There’sbrowsing and then there’s diehard shopping and,for the latter, you can best accomplish that alone.”

Who do you usually shop with when buying apparel?

(Females 16-70)

No one/I shop alone 41%Friends 19%Children 15%Spouse/Significant Other 13%Parents 8%All Other 3%

A weekly update on consumer attitudes and behavior based on ongoing research from Cotton Incorporated

™

SOLITARY REFINEMENTWomen cultivate a love for shopping solo

“There’s browsing and then there’s diehard shopping and,

for the latter, you can bestaccomplish that alone.”

— Sari Sloane,Intermix

This story is one in a series of articles based on findingsfrom Cotton Incorporated’s Lifestyle Monitor™

tracking research. Appearing Thursdays in these pages,each story will focus on a specific topic as it relates to theAmerican women’s wear consumer and her attitudes and behavior regarding clothing,appearance, fashion, fiber selection andmany other timely, relevant subjects.

WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2005 3WWD.COM

By Vicki M. Young

NEW YORK — The Neiman Marcus Group Inc.’sthird-quarter results got a big boost from full-priceselling, while showing that the luxury sector is stillred hot.

The company also said it expects to close on itsacquisition by private investors in November.

On Wednesday, the retailer posted net income forthe quarter ended April 30 that rose 15.9 percent to$79.8 million, or $1.61 a diluted share, from $68.8 mil-lion, or $1.40, in the same year-ago quarter. Revenueswere up 6.9 percent to $933.4 million from $873.2 mil-lion. Sales at specialty retail stores, which includeNeiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, climbed 6.8percent to $767 million from $718 million, whilesame-store sales gained 6.5 percent. Sales at the di-rect marketing division gained 3.1 percent to $130million from $126 million. The balance of the rev-enues came from the division that includes the oper-ations of Kate Spade and Laura Mercier brands.

“We maintained our focus on full-price selling,which contributed to higher-than-originally anticipat-ed sales for the quarter. In addition, our inventory re-mains in excellent shape due to our disciplined in-ventory management. The combination of these ef-forts led to both record operating earnings and oper-ating margin for the quarter,” said Burt Tansky, presi-dent and chief executive officer, in a statement.

The company posted results after market, anddid not host a conference call.

As reported, the high-end firm said on May 2 thatit will be sold for $5.1 billion to an investment groupconsisting of Texas Pacific Group and WarburgPincus LLC. Under the terms of the purchase agree-ment, the two investment firms will acquire all of theoutstanding Class A and Class B shares of the retailerfor $100 a share in cash. It is expected that each ofthe investors will own equal stakes in the companyupon completion of the transaction.

Still up for sale is its credit card business, whichis expected to fetch about $500 million. AmericanExpress and Citibank have reportedly put in bids.

Separately, the retailer reported monthly sales.For May, revenues rose 10.2 percent to $269 millionfrom $245 million, while same-store sales rose 11percent. “Revenue growth trends were the strongestin the company’s stores in the Southeast, West andNortheast, [while] the merchandise categories inthe specialty retail stores segment that performedthe strongest included jewelry, women’s contempo-rary sportswear and fine apparel, designer hand-bags, accessories and men’s,” the company said.

The retailer operates two Bergdorf Goodmanstores in Manhattan as well as Neiman Marcusstores throughout the country. The company said itsdeal to sell to the investment group is expected toclose in November.

For the nine-month period, net earnings jumped16.4 percent to $214.5 million, or $4.34 a dilutedshare, from $184.2 million, or $3.78, in the same year-ago period. Revenues rose 8.4 percent to $2.97 bil-lion from $2.74 billion. Revenues at the specialtystore division increased 9.1 percent to $2.42 billionfrom $2.21 billion, while direct marketing sales rose3.1 percent to $459 million from $445 million.

By Miles Socha

PARIS — It looks like Uma Thurman’s relationshipwith Louis Vuitton is getting even more serious.

While shooting the forthcoming fall-winter cam-paign in March, her second for the French luxurybrand, talk on the set turned to the possibility of reunit-ing for a third time, for the spring-summer 2006 season.

“I did mention it,” Marc Jacobs, Vuitton’s creativedirector, said on Wednesday. “We all talked about itduring the shoot. It just sort of feels like it works.”

And how.While reporting record 2004 net profits of $1.26 bil-

lion at LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in March,chairman Bernard Arnault quipped that celebrities inadvertising practically guarantee success. Along withthe likes of Brad Pitt, Tiger Woods and MariaSharapova, Thurman also stars in ads for LVMH’swatch brand Tag Heuer.

For his part, Jacobs heard favorable reactions fromall quarters, from his friends to colleagues at Vuittonheadquarters. “It was quite nice to give the people whatthey wanted,” he said. “I think [Uma] is gorgeous. Menfind her gorgeous, and women want to look like her.She’s exciting, glamorous and sophisticated.”

Still, the campaign, slated to break in August maga-zine issues worldwide, has a different mood from thespring spots.

“There’s a bit more mystery, a bit more sultrinessand more of a fashion edge,” Jacobs said during an ex-clusive preview. “It sends out a very strong atmosphere.I love the mood of it.”

Jacobs also had special praise for the men’s portion ofthe campaign featuring a trio of models — ChristianJorgensen, Jeremy Dufour and Chris Faroux — and a strik-ing carpet-print weekend bag.

Vuitton regulars Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott pho-tographed the cast on a colorful set composed of lac-quer tables, plush banquettes and orchids galore.

Jacobs has taken the celebrity route for several sea-

sons at Vuitton, thanks to a blockbuster reception to thefall 2003 campaign featuring Jennifer Lopez. ScarlettJohansson, Chloë Sevigny, Christina Ricci and DianeKruger have also modeled for the brand.

In fact, Jacobs said the celebrity-versus-model questionnow seems moot. “I do think people respond to celebritiesat the moment, and it’s been like that for the past couple ofyears,” he said. “There aren’t many models around whohave a larger-than-life, star quality.”

What’s more, he said Thurman “seems to be a greatface for this brand. It’s difficult to find a good match.”

The budget for the campaign was not disclosed, butis believed to have increased given double-digit salesmomentum at Vuitton. Analysts estimate Vuittonspends about 6 percent of sales annually on advertis-ing, which would amount to about 186 million euros, or$230 million at current exchange.

BOOK DRIVE: Putting books in the window of a fashionboutique is nothing new in Paris’ Saint Germaindistrict, given its glorious literary roots. Still, someeyebrows were raised this week at the sight of copies of“Front Row,” the unauthorized and often unflatteringbiography of Anna Wintour, displayed at EmporioArmani. But an Armani spokesman said Wednesdaythat there’s no mystery or hidden message: A visualmerchandiser just “thought it was a book aboutfashion.” Meanwhile, across the river, an EmporioArmani unit is making waves for another reason: It isslated to go dark at the end of July. The spokesman said the locationat 25 Place Vendôme is being shuttered because the area is notthe fashion destination it once was. “This was a clear businessdecision as traffic flows have changed across that neighborhoodover the last few years,” he said. There are no immediate plansto open a replacement unit; however, the spokesman did notrule out a second Paris Emporio location in the future.

SELL IT LIKE BECKHAM: The morning after making his New Yorksoccer debut, David Beckham kicked off his new men’s footwearand apparel line at the Adidas flagship in SoHo on Wednesdayamid a throng of paparazzi. Beckham, sporting a shaggy hairdo,was introduced by pounding drums and an enormous paperdragon, keeping in step with his Asian-inspired collection, calledPredator. The soccer icon, who is well-known for his style off the

field, wore the new Dragon Predator Pulse bootsTuesday night when his England National teamdefeated Colombia in a friendly game at GiantsStadium in East Rutherford, N.J. The game alsomarked Beckham’s first time playing in the U.S.,and some loyal fans wonder if he’ll move herepermanently. “One day, maybe that will happen,”said Beckham Wednesday. “You know, I’ll come toNew York and finish my career here.”

Beckham’s performance and lifestyle productsinclude sneakers, boots, hooded jackets, jerseys andpants. They were developed in conjunction withAdidas. Each piece has an embroidered Asian-inspired dragon design. When asked if his new youth

footwear would help kids “bend it like Beckham,” the Adidas-sponsored athlete said with a laugh: “With practice, yes.”

SHARP DRESSED MEN: Though most eyes at Monday night’s CFDAFashion Awards will undoubtedly be focused on the young starletand socialite red-carpet parade, a few male presenters will maketheir bids for the paparazzi’s lens. The CFDA said Wednesday thatAnderson Cooper will present to Diane von Furstenberg the LifetimeAchievement Award, Liev Schreiber will dole out the MenswearDesigner of the Year Award and David Bowie will bestow the awardfor Fashion Influence on Kate Moss. Will Schreiber sport duds byone of the three nominees — Ralph Lauren, John Bartlett and JohnVarvatos? Will Bowie pledge allegiance in Tommy Hilfiger? WillCooper broadcast his designer preferences? Yet more questions tobe answered come Monday.

By Julee Greenberg

NEW YORK — Just one more week, and TommyHilfiger will be a reality TV star.

The designer’s new show, “The Cut,” airing for thefirst time in a 90-minute episode on CBS on June 9 at 8p.m., will be “full of surprises,” Hilfiger promised in anhour-long conference call on Wednesday.

Like any designer before revealing a collection,Hilfiger was careful not to divulge too many detailswhile teasing with a preview. He said the show’s 16contestants exceeded his expectations in meeting theirtough challenges and the participants — who includeda fashion stylist from Chicago, a Los Angeles-basedprofessional skateboarder, a St. Louis housewife and a

Brooklyn graphic designer — all surprised him withtheir talents. He didn’t, of course, say what those were.

“Expect the unexpected with this show. This is not‘The Apprentice’ or ‘Project Runway,’ ” he said, men-tioning the two hit shows to which “The Cut” has beencompared. “It is truly something unique.”

The taping lasted 14 weeks and followed Hilfigerand the contestants from the SoHo loft where all theparticipants lived to the streets of New York City to thedesign room as they all competed for the ultimate prizeof landing a chance to design a collection under theTommy Hilfiger label. The winner will receive a$250,000 salary — not bad when most fledgling design-ers barely make a third of that — and a one-year con-tract with the design house.

“We will put the collection out in the stores and letthe public judge,” Hilfiger said.

In choosing the winner, he said he looked for some-

one who not only had talent in fashion design but hadbusiness savvy, proper social skills and a clear under-standing of popular culture, which includes fashion,art, music and entertainment, or what Hilfiger calls“FAME.” He didn’t say how many major designerswould have passed the test.

“Running a multibillion dollar brand is not justabout knowing fashion design, so you will see them gothrough tasks that will include things outside of fashiondesign. I really pushed them to the limits to allow me tosee if they are capable of joining my company,” he said.

The premiere will be the first of four Thursday nightepisodes. The remaining nine episodes will air on a dif-ferent day throughout the summer months. “The Cut” isproduced by Lions Gate Television in association withPilgrim Films and Television. Craig Piligian is executiveproducer, along with Peter Connolly, president of world-wide marketing at Hilfiger.

Neiman’s Rolls On:Income Up 15.9%

Hilfiger Drumming Up Buzz

Uma Returns for Vuitton

Uma Thurman’s sultry look in Louis Vuitton’s fall campaign.

Fashion Scoops

David Beckham in the

SoHo Adidas store.

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A veritable slew of bigwigs tore themselves awayfrom their cedar-shingled manses Saturday nightand helped kick off the Hamptons social seasonat a party for Kelly Klein’s newest photographytome, “Emotion.”

Barry Diller, Ross Bleckner, PatrickDemarchelier, Mario Sorrenti, Donna Karan, Steven Klein andSandy Gallin filed into Glenn Horowitz Bookseller to greet aluminous Klein. “I rode my horse this morning to clear myhead,” she said. Pal Diller generously bought up an entirearmful of books (at several hundred dollars a pop), theproceeds of which will go to God’s Love We Deliver.

Francisco Costa drove in from his home in Bellport to pay his respects, while Helen and Tim Schifter had a moreleisurely drive from Sagaponack. “I sat by the pool thisafternoon and got some sun,” admitted Tim. “It’s my last vice.”

Afterward, an intimate few including Tony Melillo, Calvinand Marci Klein, Sam Shahid and Doug Lloyd, continued on toKelly Klein’s home for a casual dinner.

And while it may seem like almost everybody in New Yorkhas been to the Hamptons at least once, Mandy Moore had not.That same night, as one of 200 guests at Reed and DelphineKrakoff’s home in Southampton for the Parrish Art MuseumMidsummer Gala Benefit, Moore admitted it was her first timein that neck of the woods. But she wasn’t about to stay long —she was off the next day to the One & Only Palmilla resort inLos Cabos, Mexico. Summer regulars such as Gilles and KellyBensimon, Rita Schrager, Debbie Bancroft, Arnold Scaasi andRichard Meier also launched the season at the Krakoffs.

NEW YORK — Reading Umberto Eco’s latest novel,“The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana,” is likebeing submerged in a vast sea of cultural references,philosophical musings and literary witticisms. Inother words, it’s like every other Eco novel.

So it should come as no surprise that Eco’sconversational repartee is equally playful. “I trynever to speak about the personal story of mycharacters because if I could do that in a few words,I would have sent a telegram instead of writing anovel,” he quips in response to a question on theprovenance of his protagonist’s identity.

Thankfully, Eco resisted the telegram. Aninternationally respected semiotics professor at theUniversity of Bologna in Italy, Eco, 73, first made thejump into fiction-writing in 1980 with “The Name ofthe Rose,” a complex mystery set in the Middle Agesthat indulged his knowledge of medieval aesthetics.In his following books, like “Foucault’s Pendulum”and “Baudolino,” Eco continued to turn outmultilayered and largely historical narratives thatdisplayed his sweeping knowledge of literature,language and philosophy.

On the surface, “The Mysterious Flame of QueenLoana,” his fifth novel (out from Harcourt on Friday),

seems a departure from hisearlier works. Set inpresent-day Italy, it tells thetale of the middle-aged,rare book dealerGiambattista ‘Yambo’Bodoni, who at the book’soutset wakes up from acoma to find he has lost anymemory of his personallife. But his encyclopedicmental catalogue of thebooks and images he hasabsorbed is fully, and attimes, frustratingly intact.Yambo sets out on a questto rediscover his identity,

returning to his childhood home of Solara to dig throughcrates of his old books, records and magazines.

Though this is arguably Eco’s most personalbook, as many of Yambo’s childhood experiencescoincide with his own, it should not be mistaken fora memoir. “I think that as everybody gets older theywould like to write the stories of his or herchildhood,” says Eco by telephone from Milan. “I gotthe idea, not to write the book about my personalchildhood, but about my generation’s childhood.”

In constructing this collective memorial, Ecorelied on pictorial artifacts, interspersing imagesthroughout the book. “All the memories I had of thenovels I read in my youth were illustrated books,”he says. “Certainly this is a book born from nostalgiaand I had in my mind all those images.”

Figuring heavily in this visual quilt are picturesfrom old comic books, predominantly American,which Eco juxtaposed with Fascist posters and songsto demonstrate that “comic books were thecounterpart of Fascist education.” Even the book’stitle and recurring “mysterious flame” motif comefrom a comic of the same name, albeit one whose plotbarely registers. “I was fascinated by this title,” recallsEco. “I discovered it was a mutual fascination forother people of my generation…sort of a magic spell.”

It is no coincidence the title still evokes such awein Eco and his contemporaries. “Maybe I am tooProustian, but I think the adult life is sort of acontinuous retrieving and rediscovery of ourchildhood,” says Eco. “It does not mean that we arenot creating new things, events. But the veryimportant point is to in a way succeed in returningto your childhood.”

— Vanessa Lawrence

SAFRA’S CHOICE: “Forget about the humidity,’’ said landscapearchitect Madison Cox, whose design of boxwood, rose andherbaceous borders was just being installed at the new Edmond J.Safra Lodge at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md. “Itwas the 27 levels of bureaucracy that got to us.’’

Cox was one of 250 guests at the Library of Congress dinner lastweek celebrating the opening of the 34-room residential facility forfamilies of patients admitted to the U.S. Congress’ most well-endowed

research and medicalfacility, which was fundedwith a $5 million donationfrom Lily Safra. Otherguests included EthelKennedy; Lucky Roosevelt;Leonard and Evelyn Lauder;Deeda and WilliamMcCormick Blair; Lynn andOscar Wyatt; Peggy Noonan; Marvin and Terry Hamlisch, and Cecile andEzra Zilkha. Safra also invited a trio of favorite grandkids, includingAriel, Lily and Samuel Elia.

Cox, meanwhile, said the whole project made him realize that workingfor the Agnelli family, for whom he’s also designed gardens, is mucheasier. “They govern by autocracy,” he said, “which is far more efficientthan a bureaucracy when it comes to getting work done on time.’

WWD.COM

Memory Lane

Evelyn Lauder

and Lily Safra

Evelyn Lauder

and Lily Safra

The book’s cover. Top: Art

Deco images from the book.

Buffy Cafritz

and Deeda Blair

Buffy Cafritz

and Deeda Blair

Donna

Karan

Donna

Karan

Barry Diller and Kelly KleinBarry Diller and Kelly Klein

eye®

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Combs, seated on a cream suede couch in his living roomoverlooking Central Park. Most rooms — from the kitchento the bedroom — boasted floor-to-ceiling windows, butCombs immediately declared the apartment “preconstruc-tion.” To set the mood, Combs, dressed in Sean John jeansand a blazer, played music from Prince’s “Purple Rain.”

Combs said his intention was to offer a full collectionto the consumer — one she could wear head-to-toe if shepleased.

“I want women to come into my world,” he said. “Iwant to show the diversity of this young, fun, sexy, so-phisticated woman. This is the woman we aspire tohave. This is the woman the Sean John man wants.”

Combs has proclaimed and then canceled hiswomen’s line roughly three times even as his men’s wearline has continued to grow and he won the MenswearDesigner of the Year award from the Council of FashionDesigners of America in 2004. Meanwhile, several other

women’s collections aimed at the “urban” customer havebeen launched, from Jennifer Lopez to Rachel Roy.

While Combs’ line contains some basics, every piece— from the low-cut cashmere hoodie to the croppedleather jacket — has a distinctly sexy flair. “Our founda-tion is sexy, but it’s not so sexy that you don’t feel com-fortable wearing it,” Combs said. “We want to bring a bitof edge, but we’re not afraid to be sophisticated. Sean isfor the girl who, when she leaves the house in the morn-ing for work, may have a date after and the night mightcontinue on so that she’s having drinks at a lounge. Wehave pieces that look beautiful in the morning, but asthe sun goes down, the clothes start to get sexier.”

Combs is remaining tight-lipped about upcoming adver-tising campaigns, but first on his agenda is introducing thecollection’s name. “Only the people that are very close tome call me Sean,” he said. “Sean is different from SeanJohn, and men are very different from women. When I de-sign for men, I design under the personality of Sean John.When I’m doing this line, it’s another part of my personali-ty. It’s been very intimate and very romantic in a way be-cause I just want to please women. The reason I kept can-celing this [collection] was because I didn’t want to comeout and let women down. I feel very proud about this line.”

The 150-piece holiday collection consists of threegroups: Natural Born Killers, a sexy, stealthy group driv-en by colors such as black and cobalt; Caramel Kiss, adreamy, flirty segment rich in cream, chocolate brownand camel shades, and Monaco, the resort collection tak- “It’s been very intimate and very romantic in a way

Sean Combs ReveThe Beat

WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2005

Continued from page oneSilk and spandex

charmeuse extended

cuff blouse and

cotton and spandex

stretch cotton pique

pencil skirt.

Sean Combs at his Manhattan home on Wednesday.

6

WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2005

ing its inspiration from the ocean and focusing on colorssuch as Mediterranean blue, tangerine, khaki and white.

The holiday line was primarily designed by Combs andMax Wilson, who resigned in April. He was succeeded byJenny La Fata, former creative director at La Rok, whowas named vice president of design for Sean John’swomen’s apparel. La Fata had limited input with the holi-day collection, but will design the spring line with Combs.

The collection extends from basic pieces, such as racer-back tanks and cotton blouses, to elegant outerwear pieces,including a cashmere coat with a coyote-fur collar and a re-versible rabbit vest. Wholesale prices range from $62.50 to$99 for three styles of jeans (named Jezebel, Hustler andTease); dresses that wholesale between $125 and $162.50;sweatsuits that range between $75 and $125, and outerwearthat will wholesale from $97.50 for an embroidered jacketto $847.50 for a cashmere coat with coyote fur collar.

“There’s a lot of over-the-top outerwear pieces,” saidWendy Chivian, senior vice president of Sean Johnwomen’s apparel. Chivian said the collection will hangin large stores such as Bergdorf Goodman andBloomingdale’s, as well as specialty boutiques such asBig Drop and Intermix. “We’ve been working on this fora long time,” she said. “We’ve edited it down to the truevision. We want to make sure the consumer can take anypiece in any delivery and put it together.”

“Price-wise, we’re extremely competitive,” Combssaid. “We’re sitting next to Diane von Furstenberg,Vince and Theory. To be honest, some of our prices arebetter than our counterparts. If anything, you can get abetter bargain with our stuff.”

While the firm declined to give projections, thewomen’s line is expected to generate between $45 mil-lion and $60 million in wholesale volume in its first year.

Combs said he’ll begin a detailed and strategic mar-keting plan he calls “part two.” This segment will takethree years and will include an ad campaign and “uniqueeditorial stories,” he said. “When it’s launched, peoplewill know about it, and it will have unprecedented sup-port and will be done in a strategic, classy way.”

Licensing negotiations are under way to expand thecollection to include shoes, handbags and eyewear, butCombs admitted he’s not in any rush. “I have a great repu-tation for taking my time and preserving my brand. I’mdoing the licenses at the best time with the best licensees.We’re building this thing from the ground up,” he said.

Kal Ruttenstein, senior vice president of fashion di-rection at Bloomingdale’s, has previewed the collectionand said he was “surprised and delighted” by the results.

“I thought it was a very strong collection,”Ruttenstein said. “I was extremely pleased with it. It’snot logo-heavy and it’s not celebrity-driven. It’s for girlswho want to sparkle at night.”

The only pieces in the collection that flaunt verbiageare the “Daddy’s Rich” and “Daddy’s Girl” Ts. “The col-lection really doesn’t look like anything else out there,”Ruttenstein said.

Robert Burke, Bergdorf Goodman’s senior vice presi-dent of fashion office and public relations, also praisedthe collection. “I was happy to see that he [Combs] was fo-cused on making it a contemporary line that was sophisti-cated, glamorous and sexy,” said Burke. “He certainly puta lot of thought in it and really focused on who his targetcustomer was.”

Burke noted that Bergdorf Goodman will carry theline on its fifth floor with other contemporary brands.He was particularly fond of the jersey knit dresses andfur bomber jackets.

Sean by Sean Combs is launching as debate rages overthe future growth of urban fashion in men’s wear andwomen’s wear. But for Combs, his new women’s line issimply another means of redefining the “urban” category.

“For people to put a designer or a person of color ina box and label him as an ‘urban designer’ is somethingI feel like we went through when we were doing SeanJohn. We turned it around and made it a positive: OK,you want to call us urban. We’ll show you what urbancan do and we’ll outsell everybody and break records inall of the stores that all of the other brands are in. Andwe’ll do it in a short time. Period.

“I think that Sean is going to break down those barriers.I’m never going to run from who I am or what the color ofmy skin is, but I think when you have work that speaks foritself, it outshines the labels people try to put on you.”

because I just want to please women.” — Sean Combs

als His Softer Side WWD.COM

Wool, cashmere

and angora coat

with double

coyote collar,

cotton and silk

tuxedo shirt and

cotton and

spandex velvet

pants with inset

charmeuse and

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Leather

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WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 20058

MIUCCIA PRADA IS A ROMANTICat heart, and, for cruise, the

designer revised feminine elementsthat have become house staples.Case in point: an ombréddebutante lace dress or nylonused for a cocktail skirt andadorned with metal andrhinestones. All along, Pradaworked with the lightest ofcottons and the wispiest ofsilks to deliver an array of I-

feel-pretty dresses. That samefeeling trickled down to MiuMiu, a collection that isbased on elegant

understatement. Sequins,for example, are matterather than shiny, andare sprinkled oncotton muslin, a

relatively frugalfabric that is

printed with faded stencil motifs.Meanwhile, in Paris, Sonia

Rykiel sneaked straight into thecaptain’s closet for inspiration.“The collection remained veryliteral this season,” Rykiel says,listing sailors’ uniforms,Fifties’ cruise liners andstripes as the maininspirations behind the season’s look.Colors were marine mainstays, too: red,white and blue. Highlights included Rykiel’scoquettish button-down officer dress, hervoluminous, pocketed apron dress in heavy silktaffeta and her signature billowing sailor pants.And, true to Rykiel’s Gallic origins, the beret —topped with a giant wooly pom-pom — was thecollection’s leitmotif.

A Feminine Air

Miu MiuMiu Miu

Miu MiuMiu Miu

Sonia

Rykiel

▲

Sonia

Rykiel

▲

9WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2005WWD.COM

Miu MiuMiu Miu

PradaPrada PradaPrada

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WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 200512WWD.COM

Denim Dish

People For Peace, a Los Angeles-based denim collec-tion that launched in February, is taking the embroi-dered denim trend to the max.

“Of course, we follow the trends,” said Charlie Am-zallag, founder and designer of People For Peace,referring to the current demand for colorful, embroi-dered denim styles. “But this is something different.”

The People For Peace collection consists mostly ofhand-embroidered jeans, with a bit of patchworkrounding out the mix. There are some 30 to 40 stylesin the collection, ranging from five-pocket boot cuts tosleeker, straight-leg styles. Each pair is made fromJapanese or Italian denim and is washed with puri-fied water.

“It’s the treatments that make us a little different,”Amzallag said.

The line wholesales from $129 to $169. People ForPeace is sold in more than 300 specialty boutiquesand department stores worldwide. In the U.S., the col-lection is available at Intermix and Atrium in NewYork; Fred Segal, 818 Freight and M. Frederic in LosAngeles; Lulu and Foley in Miami, and E StreetDenim in Chicago.

“They’re doing the novelty thing with embroidery,”said Thomas George, owner of E Street Denim.“Everyone’s got good washes right now, but the con-sumer is reacting to their unique embellishment.”

People For Peace also is sold in Italy, France,Spain, the U.K. and Japan. Amzallag said he predictsthe company’s wholesale volume will reach $6 millionto $8 million worldwide in its first year.

As for the name, Amzallag said: “We’re sending amessage out that peace in the world is a good thing.People seem to like it.”

— Lauren DeCarlo

When Raven Tailored launched in 2004, Erez Zarur, co-founder anddesigner, set out to create a contemporary pants collection that com-bined two styles he felt women craved: tailored and sexy.

Now, Zarur, along with his brother, Eyal, is applying that philosophyto Raven Denim, which will take tailored, yet sexy, bodies and give thema slightly vintage aesthetic. A capsule collection will launch for summer,with a full rollout planned in the fall.

The pants in the collection feature an unhemmed inseam of 35 inch-es, 2.5 inches longer than the industry average.

“There are a lot of people doing vintage denim styles, but they aren’tsexy,” said Erez Zarur. “I wanted to create jeans that were both sexy andvintage — to combine tailored looks and vintage styles.”

Raven Denim will consist of three styles that will wholesale for $79 to$98. Styles include the classic five-pocket with a 19-inch leg, a five-pock-et with a slimmer 15-inch leg and a trouser style that is a take on theRaven Tailored Hipster, one of Raven Tailored’s bestsellers. RavenDenim will launch with 12 washes that range from a deep indigo to arugged, distressed look. The Zarur brothers said the number of washesfor the next delivery will depend on customer feedback.

The company expects the denim collection to reach a wholesale vol-ume of $3 million in its first year. Raven Tailored, which wholesales inthe range of $89 to $98, is in stores such as Big Drop, Atrium and BergdorfGoodman in New York, and in Bloomingdale’s, Barneys New York andSaks Fifth Avenue units. The denim collection will target specialty bou-tiques for distribution.

Raven is backed financially by Milk Studios, a cultural center support-ing creativity in fine arts, music and design that occupies 45,000 squarefeet in the New Media Arts Center in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood.Milk offers equipment rental for location shoots, full production and cast-ing, as well as gallery space and seven full-service photographic studios.This is the first time Milk has ever gotten behind a fashion company.

“We were impressed by Raven’s focus,” said Mazdack Rassi, managingdirector of Milk Studios. “Milk was always assessing new creative busi-nesses to support and we weren’t looking for a fashion company, but we feltwe could give them a shortcut to knowing what future styles would be. Ourgoal is to not just do bottoms. We want to do a full line and dress a girl up.”

— L.D.

Smashbox Studios has added another focus to itsgrowing roster of business segments.

The Culver City, Calif.-based photography studiobegun by brothers Dean and Davis Factor, the great-grandsons of makeup marvel Max Factor, haslaunched a clothing line under license to Los Angeles-based designer David Park. Denim and tops are theinitial pieces for Smashbox SLS, which will later ex-pand into knits and handbags.

“There’s a glut of denim on the market, we know,but that doesn’t say people aren’t buying denim,” saidDean Factor, chief executive officer of Smashbox. “It’sthe lifestyle. I wear jeans every day. They happen tobe Levi’s, but they’re the lifestyle Davis and I follow.”

Since Smashbox opened in 1991, it has attractedhigh-profile photographers such as Annie Leibovitz,Patrick Demarchelier and Herb Ritts. Five years later,they introduced the Smashbox Cosmetics line, whichis carried in better stores such as Bloomingdale’s,Marshall Field and Sephora and generates $75 millionin retail sales.

Last year, they cemented their fashion presencewhen they partnered with IMG/7th on Sixth to playhost to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week twice a year attheir studios. Dean Factor, who said he’s been “dyingto create a clothing line,” also is plugged into the in-dustry through his director’s seat on the board ofInnovo Group, makers of Joe’s Jeans.

The opportunity to work with the Factors providedmotivation for Park, who has designed clothing forjuniors’ and contemporary customers since theNineties. Park participated in fashion week in 2003 atSmashbox prior to the venue’s partnership with IMGand later presented a clothing idea to the brothers.Logistics prevented the development of the line at thetime, except for black, form-fitting T-shirts that soldout on the QVC home shopping network.

“I liked the feel of Smashbox, its vibe and how weall really got along,” Park said.

The new line of Italian stretch denim jeans consistsof five styles — a slim-fitting trouser, a straight-leg, aboot cut, a gaucho look and jeans with flap pockets.

Gold zippers and buttons engraved with SmashboxSLS and washes favoring a raw, darker look are distin-guishing details, but otherwise, the aim is to keep itsimple. Wholesale prices range from about $75 to $150.

“Everybody seems to be caught in the struggle ofwho can put more things on the jeans, so we went for amore basic but glamorous feel,” he said.

The line, which also features T-shirts made of supi-ma cotton and Modal in subdued tones of cabernet,smoke and harvest gold, kicked off quietly atIntermezzo in New York last month. The collectionpicked up orders from about eight boutiques, includ-ing the Lounge and Cantaloup in New York. Nextweek, it will bow during the Los Angeles market and itwill ship in July. First-year sales are expected to hit $1million, said Dean Factor.

Retailers said they appreciated the collection’ssimplicity.

“It’s the best basic we’ve seen,” said Heleyne Tamir,owner and buyer for Cantaloup. “It’s very sleek, and beingfrom Smashbox, it has that studio-esque…cool factor.”

— Nola Sarkisian-Miller

A look from the

new Smashbox

SLS clothing line.

Women’s apparel manufacturer Cygne Designs Inc. isgetting into denim. The New York-based companysaid last week it had signed a letter of intent toacquire the denim clothing supply business ofCommerce Clothing Co., a privately held companyowned by Hubert Guez.

As part of the purchase agreement, Cygne will giveCommerce Clothing 12 million of its common sharesand has agreed to an eight-year, $47.5 million promis-sory note.

Terms of the deal also include a supply agreementwith AZT International, a subsidiary of AztecaProduction International, in which Guez holds 48 per-cent ownership. According to the supply agreement,AZT will manufacture all branded and private labelCommerce denim apparel for Cygne for five years.

Commerce had net sales of about $13.4 million inthe first quarter of 2005, according to a statementfrom the company.

In 2004, Cygne reported earnings of $313,000, or 3cents a diluted share, and sales of $29 million.

— Ross Tucker

Peace Through Embroidery

People For Peace focuses on embellished denim.

The Smashbox Factor

Raven: Tailored to Be Sexy

Raven Denim pairs tailored styles with

vintage washes.

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Cygne Designs in DealWith Commerce Clothing

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HORSING AROUND: Off-Track Betting isn’tusually associatedwith designer

fashions. But in a quest to freshen its image and reach ayounger audience, OTB is hosting its first equestrian-themed fashion show at 7 p.m. next Tuesday, days beforethe Belmont Stakes, the final race in the Triple Crown, onJune 11. Among the firms slated to show their wares areIceberg, Rubin Chapelle, Seize Sur Vingt, Fred Perry,Earnest Sewn, Dave Denis, House of Diehl, Surface 2 Airand United Nude. The show will be at the Drive-In Studioson West 18th Street in Manhattan.

MALIA MILLS EXPANDS:Swimwear retailer Malia Millshas opened its third store, atWest 70th Street and ColumbusAvenue in Manhattan. The storehas taken over a 300-square-footspot that was occupied by aflower shop.

“We had a lot of customersuptown who were asking us for astore,” said Mills, who foundedthe company in 1991.

Top sellers this seasoninclude tankinis, low-risebottoms and brightly colored tops in orange and pink. Mostof its separates sell for about $95, and can be mixed andmatched.

The firm’s other boutiques are on Mulberry Street, and74th Street and Lexington Avenue. Jason Pruger, managingdirector at Newmark Retail, which brokered the deal, said:“This is a growing neighborhood for women’s fashion. Barneysand Theory are close by, and we are seeing more interest fromsalons and other stores who want to come to this area.”

HURLEY STEPS UP: Converse is making footwear for Hurleythat will launch in the spring 2006season. Both companies, whichare subsidiaries of Nike,are collaborating ondesigns and brandstrategies to developthe line, which willinclude beach sandals,skate shoes and casualstyles, as well as a specialHurley-designed limited-edition Converse ChuckTaylor All Star style. Wholesale prices will range from $8 forsandals up to $35 for skate and dress shoes.

Active LifestyleXWWD.COM

WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2005 13

By Marianne Hayes

NEW YORK — Prana, a fast-growing maker of technicalyoga and rock-climbing apparel, has been adding morefashion-forward items to its offerings,and fall marks its most significantlifestyle collection yet.

About 60 percent of thecompany’s fall collection islifestyle-oriented, includingitems made of materialssuch as cotton velour, braidedwool, hemp and denim.

“We’re introducing thingsthat look natural at the gymor running errands or havinga quick lunch with a friend,”said Beaver Theodosakis,who founded Prana in 1992.“We are adding more streetappeal.”

The company, based inVista, Calif., has developed astrong following among yoga devotees and rockclimbers, although the label is largely unknownto those outside the activewear arena.

Theodosakis, a rock climber and yoga en-thusiast, started the company out of his garage,where he and his wife, Pam, dyed fabrics in their wash-ing machine and made their labels out of recyclednewspapers. Since then, the company has had double-digit growth and distributed more than one million gar-ments last year. Theodosakis declined to give sales fig-ures, but sources estimate that the company has an an-

nual volume of about $30 million.Prana apparel and accessories are available in 1,100

doors in the U.S., including yoga centers, high-end spas,women’s boutiques and sport specialty stores. The com-pany’s biggest customer is outdoor retailer REI.

Prana likes to retain an air of mystery about itsbusiness. Growth has come largely through word ofmouth and advertisements in niche publicationssuch as Rock and Ice and Breathe magazines, andthrough prominent yoga instructors who promoteand wear the brand.

Theodosakis has no immediate plans to extendthe line into department stores, and

isn’t interested in opening stores ofhis own. The family-owned busi-

ness has about 60 full-time em-ployees. Theodosakis overseesthe design direction of themen’s line, while Pam designsthe women’s line.

By putting a fashion spinon the fall collection,Theodosakis hopes to bridgethe gap between performanceofferings and fashion, a trendmany active companies havesought in recent years, in-cluding Nike and UnderArmour. The brand competeswith outdoor apparel firms

such as The North Face, as well as yoga brandsMarika, Lulu Lemon and Hugger Mugger.

The functional elements of Prana’s previous col-lections, such as the use of nonrestrictive and breath-

able materials, remain in its technical offerings, butthese pieces have been updated with new color palettesand fashion touches such as climbing pants with a low-

rise waist. Prana’s lifestyle-oriented tops andbottoms for fall range from about $16 to$37.50 wholesale, while its performancepieces sell in the range of $25 to $60.

Among the new offerings are the Zoejacket, which puts a new twist on the trackjacket. With a wholesale price of $37.50, theform-fitting zip-up features a tapered ribbedhem, collar and cuffs, and puckers in thefront, giving the piece added femininity.

Theodosakis has traveled to Nepal to de-sign signature hand-knit sweaters. Andwhile he recognizes that pieces like thesearen’t going to be the number-one sellers,they play a major role in identifying and dis-tinguishing the brand.

Prana also is releasing an eclectic collec-tion of stylish yoga essentials and acces-sories, including brightly colored yoga mats,along with embroidered leather checkbooksand hemp wallets. Another item is the Suryayoga towel, an absorbent chamois designedto cover a yoga mat while it soaks up perspi-ration. The towel, which wholesales for $19,also doubles as a meditation shawl.

Next on Prana’s agenda is to continue ex-panding its accessories business. The companyis working on a handbag collection for spring2006 that will feature hemp bags infused withsilk. Theodosakis also plans on doing more

cool-weather pieces for outdoorwear and climbing.

By Melanie Kletter

NEW YORK — Activewear firms Marika Group, UnderArmour and Nike’s Exeter Brands Group have madeexecutive changes and new hires.

Norm Zwail has stepped down as president of yogaand fitness company The Marika Group Inc., and com-pany vice president Shelley Marks has been promotedto that position.

“I have wanted a new challenge in my life for awhile,” said Zwail, who was based at the firm’s head-quarters in San Diego.

Marks, 49, was hired as vice presi-dent last October and is based atMarika’s new showroom on West 23rdStreet here. Before working atMarika, Marks was an executive atJacques Moret. She also has held ex-ecutive positions at Adidas andSpeedo. Marks said she will have anoffice at the company’s San Diegoheadquarters and travel there often.

Marika makes yoga apparel andactivewear under brands such asMarika, Shiva Shakti, The BalanceCollection and Icontmg. Zwail co-founded the company in 1982, andleft in 1995 to pursue other interests.The company was eventually sold toan investor group led by DonSchumacher.

Zwail returned as president in2001, and has overseen expansion inrecent years as the firm addedbrands and began selling to retailerssuch as Dick’s Sporting Goods andMacy’s West. Zwail, who will still be on the compa-ny’s board, said he is seeking a new position, and islooking both within the apparel industry and inother sectors.

Meanwhile, Under Armour has brought on four ex-ecutives to facilitate its growth. Scott Gilbertson hasbeen named senior vice president, Mark MacKay isvice president of international sales, Matt Mirchin isvice president of U.S. sales and Jody Giles is chief in-formation officer.

The four each have a long track record in the in-

dustry. Gilbertson was most recently chief operatingofficer at J. Crew Group and served as acting presi-dent in 2002. Prior to J. Crew, he was a principal atbuyout firm Texas Pacific Group. At Under Armour, hewill assist in formulating overall corporate strategy.

MacKay was vice president of international salesfor And1 and has also held executive positions atReebok. At Under Armour, he will oversee the brand’sexpansion internationally.

Mirchin was most recently a sales executive atSara Lee Corp.’s Champion division and has also heldexecutive positions at Russell Athletic. Mirchin will

support senior vice president ofsales Ryan Wood in managing thecompany’s domestic accounts. Giles,who was most recently vice presi-dent and chief information officer atVans Inc., will oversee the company’scomputer systems and technology in-frastructure.

The Baltimore-based company,which has annual sales of some $200million, has been expanding rapidlyand has been aggressively buildingup its women’s business. It is one ofthe fastest-growing companies in theactivewear industry and is creditedwith helping pump up interest incompression wear and technical per-formance apparel. The nine-year-oldfirm now makes a range of innerwearand sportswear products for sportssuch as football, running, skiing andlacrosse.

At Nike’s Exeter Group division,Todd Blumenthal was appointed to

the newly created position of vice president and gen-eral manager of product and design. He will overseethe group’s portfolio of brands, including the Starter,Team Starter, Asphalt, Shaq and Dunkman brands,and will report to Exeter Brands president MaryGleason.

Blumenthal, 41, was most recently global merchan-dising director for Nike footwear, and has also helddesign positions at The Limited, Gap and Polo RalphLauren Corp. Nike created Exeter Brands Group lastAugust when it purchased Official Starter Properties.

Active Firms Make Executive Shifts

Prana Adds Fashion to Function

SIDELINES

Shelley Marks is the new president

at Marika Group.

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Malia Mills’ new store.

Nylon and

Lycra pants.

A bouclé

lifestyle jacket.

A Prana

performance top.

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Hurley is introducing footwear.

TheWWDListWWD.COM

Getaway AmericaU.S. destinations travelers would most like to visit this summer.

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NEW YORKPercent who want to visit: 14 percentNew York really is the heart of it all, especially when one can visit the City, the Atlantic Ocean, the Catskill Mountains and Niagara Falls — all inone fantastic road trip. Manhattan’s Times Square and Empire State Building both draw out-of-towners year-round. Macy’s at Herald Square,which proclaims itself the world’s largest department store, is also a must-see, not to mention the array of shops that Fifth and Madison Avenueshave to offer. Central Park is alive with wildlife, lakes, gardens and other attractions, including a zoo, a Victorian castle and the legendaryrestaurant, Tavern on the Green.

COLORADOPercent who want to visit: 11 percentFor individuals and families who are craving the great outdoors, Colorado is waiting. Though well-known for its skiing in the winter, Colorado is anentirely different land in the summer. Outdoor activities abound, including hiking, fishing, biking and more. One of the main attractions to the state is,of course, the Rocky Mountains, which provides a scenic backdrop during intense white-water rafting trips along Colorado’s many rivers.

HAWAIIPercent who want to visit: 13 percentArguably the most exotic state, many travelers put this tropical hot spot on their wish lists, hoping to one day see its beauty. Traveling to Hawaii maynot be simple, but once there, tourists can take part in hikes, scuba diving, surfing, even volcano and waterfall explorations. Hotel prices are lowestbetween April and mid-December, according to Lonely Planet. For visitors who are eager to hit the malls, Honolulu’s Ala Moana Center is the place tobe: The mall boasts more than 260 stores and venues in a combined indoor-outdoor environment.

NEVADAPercent who want to visit: 15 percentIt’s all about Vegas, baby. Hotels and their casinos remain huge attractions, and many are catching onto the idea of attaching some serious retail realestate to their properties. The latest buzz on the strip is the new Wynn Las Vegas, which opened in April. The Wynn Esplanade “raised the curtain on75,000 square feet of tony retail shops from Dior and Graff to Oscar de la Renta and Manolo Blahnik,” WWD said in May. The Venetian has GrandCanal Shoppes, an indoor shopping area featuring a reproduced setting of Venice for its customers, while Via Bellagio, part of the extravagant BellagioHotel and Casino, houses upscale shops such as Prada, Chanel and Tiffany & Co.

ARIZONAPercent who want to visit: 9 percentThe Grand Canyon, which stretches across more than 1.2 million acres of land, is considered one of the most impressive sights in the world. Recreationvisits to the national park in Arizona totaled 4.3 million people last year. It’s worth the trip, especially since the location offers great views and outdooractivities, such as hikes, boat trips and bike rides. Another frequent destination is Phoenix, Arizona’s capital. WWD noted in March that one of thehottest locales in Arizona was Biltmore Fashion Park in Phoenix: “It is known as the premier upscale shopping center of Phoenix.”

TEXASPercent who want to visit: 12 percentThere’s quite a bit of history bundled up in the second-largest state in the nation. Texas is loaded with historic destinations, from the Alamo in SanAntonio to the Texas School Book Depository in Dallas, where tourists visit the site of President Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. For some down time,the state boasts attractions such as Six Flags, Sea World and Busch Gardens, all of which keep the kids’ interests piqued. And right off the southern tipof Texas is South Padre Island — offering tourists beautiful stretches of beach, deep-sea fishing, bird-watching, scuba diving and golfing.

CALIFORNIAPercent who want to visit: 22 percentOn the other side of the country is California, whose climate might be a touch better year-round, but its distance doesn’t cater as easily to familiesfrom the Midwest, looking to drive to the beaches for their family vacations. Still, destinations such as the San Diego Zoo and Disneyland (this year,celebrating its 50th anniversary) are prime features for kids, while hot spots such as Los Angeles and Ontario Mills, southern California’s largestshopping mall (which holds name brand discount retailers and entertainment venues), offer plenty of activities for adults.

FLORIDAPercent who want to visit: 34 percentThe Sunshine State can get a little steamy during the summer months, but it can get a whole lot cheaper, as well. Despite the onslaught of hurricaneslast summer, tourism spending hit record levels last year as it reached $57 billion, up almost 11 percent from 2003. Disney World’s Magic Kingdom wasonce again the most-visited theme park in the world in 2004, with estimated attendance of more than 15.1 million guests. From January through Marchthis year, Florida hosted 23.8 million visitors, an increase of 11.5 percent over the same period last year.

TENNESSEEPercent who want to visit: 8 percent“Location is key for this state,” noted Cathy Keefe, of the Travel Industry Association. “There’s a huge portion of the population that, if you’re withindriving distance, you’ll come and tour the entire state as your vacation.” Both Dollywood, whose hours are extended for most of June and July, andGraceland, which provides guided tours of Elvis’ famed mansion from March through October, are popular destinations, along with a whopping 54 state parks and four national parks.

SOUTH CAROLINAPercent who want to visit: 8 percentIt’s a golfer’s paradise. South Carolina has more than 300 public and private golf courses, located along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. In fact, SouthCarolina owns a piece of golf history: The sport was first played in the U.S. in Charleston. The Country Club of Charleston was formed in 1786, whichwas the first golf club in the country and was known then as the South Carolina Golf Club. The beaches that stretch along the coast also draw innumerous visitors who aren’t willing to travel as far south as others. South Carolina attracts approximately 30 million visitors each year.

SOURCE: TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION. *INDICATES A TIE.

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WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 200514

It’s that time of year again: time to hit the roads or head to the airport to tourAmerica. The Travel Industry Association has provided its Summer 2005 WishList: a ranking of the top 10 travel destinations in the U.S. that people wish tovisit this summer. The TIA surveyed a sample of 1,300 travelers who plan ontaking a trip over the next three months. “In terms of volume, Americans willtake 328 million trips this summer, 2.3 percent higher than last summer,” saidCathy Keefe, TIA’s spokesperson. Some of America’s hottest locales can be foundamong the top 10. “These states are all making the Wish List, because of theirsavvy outreach marketing. Vegas advertising has been strong, and SouthCarolina’s ads are more visible — even Tennessee’s marketing for the SmokyMountains is really in full force,” Keefe noted. — Cecily Hall

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WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2005 15

By Joanna Ramey

SAN FRANCISCO — U.S. ports, railroads and highways are ill-equipped to handle increasing demand to transport goods arriv-ing by ship on the West Coast, according to a new report pre-pared by leading consumer-goods importers.

The alliance, known as the Waterfront Coalition, includes re-tailers such as Target Corp., J.C. Penney Co. and The Limited. Itsreport, “A Call to Action,” urges creation of a national policy fo-cused on more efficiently moving imported freight from portsonto trucks and railroads en route to their final destinations.

“The promise of continued economic prosperity dependsmore than ever on the ability of business to reach internationalmarkets while receiving finished goods and raw materials fromabroad,” the report said.

The group also concluded that the U.S. has an “imbalanced”situation where 40 percent of all imported freight shipped in con-tainers from Asia arrives at the side-by-side ports of Los Angelesand Long Beach. Among the coalition’s recommendations areways to more evenly spread trade from the Far East among otherWest Coast ports.

The Los Angeles-Long Beach ports combined are by far thelargest port facility in the nation in terms of value and volume offreight cargo. For the fashion industry, they are also a key gate-way for merchandise, last year handling about 88 percent of allapparel imported from Asia in terms of wholesale value, or$13.52 billion, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Asiasupplies about 43 percent of all apparel sold in the U.S.

The 49-page report from the coalition, which also counts GapInc., Nike, Liz Claiborne, Payless, Best Buy, Toyota and Sony asmembers, was released as the anniversary approaches of lastyear’s July to October cargo backups — as importers anticipatedquotas being filled — at the Los Angeles-Long Beach ports thatcaused delivery delays and in some cases empty store shelves.

Some changes have been made at the ports and importers aresomewhat optimistic there won’t be a repeat of last year’s cargocalamity. One key change is the use of PierPass, a program thataims to improve the flow of goods through the ports. Starting latenext month, goods can be picked up free of charge during off-peak hours, but otherwise face an $80-per-container fee.

Manpower at the twin Southern California docks also has beenincreased. In addition, importers in some cases have been doingtheir part to ease port congestion by sending cargo to other WestCoast ports when possible and shipping nonseasonal goods early.

However, these are just short-term fixes, the importer coali-tion argues.

“Even if we don’t have the same problems again this year,you’re fooling yourself that we don’t have a capacity issue long-range” for transporting goods domestically, said coalition execu-tive director Robin Lanier.

The coalition’s recommendations include:● Reducing the time cargo containers are allowed to stay on

docks once they’re unloaded and creating truck cargo pick-upand delivery appointments.

● Bolstering business at ports in Oakland, Calif., Portland,Ore., and Tacoma/Seattle, Wash., with federal tax breaks as in-centives for privately run railroads to move faster to expand rail-to-port service.

● Collaborating between importers and ocean carriers tochange foreign manufacturing and shipping schedules.

● Measuring capacity and productivity at ports and cargo ter-minals.

● Creating a federal freight-transportation funding policy forports, railroads and highways.

Lanier said the report marks the first cohesive effort on thepart of importers to study the scope of U.S. freight transportationneeds. The coalition will now use the document to help shapetransportation priorities in California and elsewhere, both pub-lic and private.

The region surrounding the Los Angeles-Long Beach ports isresisting a call for cargo to be shifted to other West Coast ports. A$10.5 billion project — the West Coast National Freight GatewayArea — has been proposed to move goods from the ports inlandby light rail and improve highways for trucks.

“We would like to see trade in Southern California grow,” saidJack Kyser, chief economist with the Los Angeles EconomicDevelopment Corp.

Kyser criticized several of the importer coalition’s proposalsas “pie in the sky,” like its call for the Panama Canal to be ex-panded to enable Asian trade to more easily reach other parts ofthe U.S.

Steve Hennessey, chief operating officer with the PacificMaritime Association, which represents marine terminal opera-tors, was more complimentary of the coalition’s report, but ques-tioned the value of diverting traffic.

He said his biggest West Coast cargo concern is whether therailroads and highways “will keep up” with ports processingcargo.

Report: West Coast PortsOverburdened With Goods

By Jennifer Weil

PARIS — Shiseido has pulled the plug on itsStephane Marais beauty line, it was learned.

According to reports circulating in the market,most of the brand’s employees have been given apink slip, and many retailers car-rying the celebrity makeup artist’scollection have already been con-tacted with news that the line is tobe discontinued by November.

However, the Japanese beauty giant that owns thethree-year-old brand maintains it’s business as usual.

Said a Shiseido spokesman: “As a usual busi-ness process, we are reviewing the performance ofthe SMB brand [referring to Surprising My Beauty,Shiseido’s Paris-based subsidiary that launchedthe Stephane Marais line in 2002] and taking neces-sary management steps, which we always do inevery business. All we can say at this stage is thatbusiness of the SMB brand keeps going for the mo-ment, and business considerations prevent us fromcommenting in any more detail.”

Meanwhile, numerous retailers have confirmedthat they have received official word of the brand’sdemise. “It’s a pity; they’re great products and veryfun,” said Didier Pinier, owner of the Taizo per-fumery in Cannes, France.

Another retailer, who requested anonymity, as-serted the line had “great potential.”

Indeed, the 260-stockkeeping-unit StephaneMarais collection has built up a steady — albeitniche — following. Consumers are drawn to thebrand’s highly graphic, funky packaging decoratedwith offbeat phrasing, drawings and photographs,as well as the products themselves. Even profes-sional makeup artists frequently use the StephaneMarais-branded color cosmetics to paint faces ofmodels backstage at fashion shows.

So what went wrong?Industry sources say the brand — whose whole-

sale volume in 2003 was an estimated 6.5 million

euros, or $7.9 million at current exchange rates —has been steadily losing money.

Retailers also lament it didn’t bring out any newproducts since the fall’s color collection. Such amove could easily put a brand in jeopardy in today’sfast-moving beauty market, which is increasingly

driven by launches and newness. Frank Schnitzler, owner of the

two Schnitzler perfumeries inDüsseldorf, believes the

Stephane Marais brand’s main downfall was lackof support.

“They thought they could just run the businessout of Paris, that a visit to Germany once a year wassufficient. But it doesn’t work without customer sup-port,” he said. “You need POS materials, trainingfor the personnel, communication on a regularbasis and press work to get the name known.”

He added Stephane Marais never reallyreached the right level of distribution, and that thebrand’s prices were high, particularly in today’sprice-conscious Germany.

Signs of trouble at Stephane Marais surfacedwhen its flagship on Paris’ Rue Saint-Honoré wasshuttered last March. At that time, industry sourcessaid it was a money-losing venture not core to thebrand’s expansion plans.

More recently, industry sources say Shiseidotried to sell the Stephane Marais brand, but therewere no takers; then, a management buyout wasconsidered, although that, too, failed.

Given the woes of the Stephane Marais line, ex-ecutives question whether Iunx — a beauty collec-tion and minimalist boutique by that name thatShiseido has been backing in Paris for two years —will carry on for the long term.

The makeup artist Stephane Marais could notbe reached for comment Wednesday. He remainsa mainstay at Shiseido, where he is also the colorcreator of its Clé de Peau brand.— With contributions from Pete Born, New York,

Brid Costello and Melissa Drier, Berlin

Shiseido Said Closing Marais CollectionWWD.COM

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16 WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2005

NEW YORK — Dillard’s Inc. is the subject of a discrimination law-suit filed by an African-American woman alleging that pricescharged by the retailer for a salon “wash and set” were higherthan the prices charged to Caucasian women for the same service.

The lawsuit, filed by Debbie Deavers Sturvisant in a federal dis-trict court in Birmingham, Ala., seeks class-action status. It was ini-tially filed on Feb. 9, 2005, then amended on Feb. 15, according tocourt records.

Sturvisant’s lawsuit included charges of racial discrimination,misrepresentation and unjust enrichment. She alleged in court doc-uments that she was charged $35 for “ethnic” hair, while the chargefor the same service for Caucasian women was only $20. She alsonoted in her lawsuit several other cases filed against Dillard’s as ex-amples “suggesting a corporate culture of discrimination.”

The plaintiff is seeking unspecified compensatory and puni-tive damages.

Dillard’s filed its answer to the amended lawsuit on March 3. Inits response, Dillard’s denied that the plaintiff is entitled to any re-lief, and added several defenses including that the “services provid-ed to plaintiff were based upon legitimate, nondiscriminatory fac-tors and were not based upon the plaintiff's race.”

— Vicki M. Young

Dillard’s Suit AllegesRacial Discrimination

NEW YORK — Gottschalks Inc.trimmed its loss in the first quar-ter in the face of a tougher year-over-year sales comparison.

The Fresno, Calif.-based retail-er on Wednesday reported a netloss of $2 million, or 15 cents a di-luted share, for the quarter endedApril 30, which compares with aloss of $2.2 million, or 17 cents, inthe previous year on total salesthat dropped 0.3 percent to $144.1million from $144.5 million.

Same-store sales for the quar-ter showed a decline of 0.6 per-cent. Total revenue, which in-cludes sales, credit revenue andleased department revenue,dropped 0.3 percent to $145.6million from $146.1 million.

Jim Famalette, president andchief executive officer of Gotts-chalks, said in a statement thatresults “were in line with expec-tations and we are pleased with

our bottom-line improvement.”He added, “We were able to

drive sales and increase our bot-tom line for the quarter despitethe more difficult comparisonagainst the first quarter of 2004when we launched our 100th-year anniversary promotions.”

Famalette said the companyopened a store in Oregon,“which contributed to our totalsales for the quarter andstrengthens our presence in thenorthern West Coast markets.”

By segment, the home store di-vision was a strong performer inthe quarter, Famalette said,adding that the retailer will main-tain its previously stated guid-ance that calls for 2005 earningsof 59 cents to 65 cents, on a same-store sales gain of 2 percent.Separately, the retailer said Maysame-store sales rose 4.2 percent.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz

Gottschalks Narrows Loss

PARIS — Designer Kenzo Takada reached an 11th-hour, out-of-court settlement Wednesday with LVMH Moët Hennessy LouisVuitton in connection with a dispute over the rights to the use ofthe Kenzo Takada name.

The civil court here had been due to render its decisionWednesday. “A settlement has been reached between both par-ties, but the terms of the agreement are confidential,” said JoëlleAknin, attorney for LVMH.

The Japanese designer filed a lawsuit with the civil court herein February alleging that LVMH, owner of Kenzo SA since 1993,had no right to use the brand name Kenzo Takada in any lan-guage. In December 2000, Takada tried to copyright the nameKenzo Takada in Chinese characters in Japan, but couldn’t, asKenzo SA had already used the name on several of its productsthere. Kenzo Takada claimed that the right to use his first andlast names had reverted to him in 1996.

However, LVMH maintained that Takada had only been giventhe right to use his full name in Latin letters under particularcircumstances.

Takada attorney Celine Degoulet confirmed a settlement hadbeen reached, but declined to comment on the terms of theagreement.

Four years ago, Takada retired from his namesake house onlyto return last year with a fashion and lifestyle label called GokanKobo. Since its launch, the designer added swimwear to the col-lection and teamed up with French mail-order giant 3 Suisses todesign an affordable Gokan Kobo line. Plans to open the firstGokan Kobo boutique on the Rue Saint-Honoré are in the works.

— Emilie Marsh

Kenzo, LVMH Reach DealBy Rose Apodaca

LOS ANGELES — The feminine,razor-tailored tweed suits shownwith flowery blousons, and theprinted, billowy dresses look everybit the right combination of retrochic and eclectic mix the market-place can’t get enough of now.

The collection hadn’t beenseen on a runway — much lessby the public — in three decades.No matter. The clothes MarilynLewis designed under theCardinali label resonated amongthe 400-plus fans at a benefitluncheon here last month.

Lewis’ archives had withstoodtime. And Cameron Silver, theowner of vintage store Decades— responsible for reviving inter-est in Loris Azzaro, Holly Harpand Ossie Clark — is banking onit. A party tonight kicks off thesale of some 90 Cardinali looks athis Melrose Avenue store, part ofa retrospective through June 17to benefit PBS affiliate KCET.

“The clothes are wonderful,”Silver said. “But for me, thisevent is twofold: I’m fascinatedby Marilyn the personality andher contribution to Los Angeles’social scene.”

Cardinali, which Lewis closedafter a successful nine-year runin 1974, was among the tightCalifornia fashion club that in-cluded designers James Galanosand Jean Louis. Saks Fifth Av-enue, Bergdorf Goodman and

other stores bought the line.Among Cardinali’s clients wereNancy Reagan, Betsy Bloom-ingdale and Dyan Cannon. Allkept tabs with Lewis after she nolonger dressed them, as didMarlo Thomas, whose characterin “That Girl” was defined by herCardinali wardrobe.

Fashion design wasn’t theonly course on her plate.

Lewis was hands-on with hus-band Harry in the HamburgerHamlet restaurant empire, over-seeing the business the two start-ed in Hollywood in 1952.

After Hamlet grew into afamily chain and went public in1969, Lewis was made chief ex-ecutive officer.

Lewis began Cardinali be-cause she always wanted to de-sign. The Cleveland native madeup the name to refer to her ab-sentee father. But the four packs

of cigarettes she went throughdaily convinced her the dual ca-reer wasn’t working.

The original Hamlet on Sun-set Boulevard was a hub forHollywood folk. The Lewisesopened it not long after theirfirst date, when Harry, an actor,revealed his dream to have sucha place. Neither had restaurantexperience, and Harry thoughtMarilyn could cook.

She didn’t know anythingabout sewing either. But shecould drape her way into an out-fit, she said. “I knew quality.”

Lewis also quickly learned —and taught the staff — the nu-ances of catering to Hollywood,such as maintaining customers’privacy when it came to inquisi-tive columnists.

Silver recalled how KateMantilini, a Beverly Hills dininginstitution the Lewises openedin 1987 (named for Marilyn’suncle’s mistress), was where heand other teens sipped theirfirst cappuccinos.

After the family sold theHamlet chain (including KateMantilini and Gardens onGlendon) in 1987 for $33 million,they bought back the Gardensand Mantilini restaurants andopened another Mantilini inWoodland Hills. Lewis also ven-tured into film producing

“My friends keep asking mewhat’s next,” said Lewis, 73. “MaybeI’ll finally take it easy. Maybe.”

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administrative side but grow into acreative role. View site for details.

Assistant DesignerBetter updated ladies sportswear seeksexperienced Assistant Designer. 3-5 yrs.experience required. Ability to flat sketch,spec, approve lab dips & communicatewith overseas offices. Attention to detail

a must. Proficient on Micrographics Designer & Excel, CAD experience a +.

Please fax resume withsalary requirements to: (212) 213-1160

Asst. to Design DirectorMinumum 2 years exp. in Women’sApparel. Must be proficient in Illustrator& PhotoShop, have excellent commu-nication skills, be able to sketch, andmake presentation boards; multi-taskinga must. E-mail res-ume & salary to:

temp@randykemper.com

CAD ARTISTExperienced CAD artist to use Mac,Photoshop, & Illustrator. Ability tocreate own novelty prints & repeats.Children & contemporary missy.

Please email resume:acahill@jaclynapparel.com

Designer $100-120K. Current exp in bet-ter updated dresses. Must hang w/Anne Klein, Tahari, BCBG, Unger, etc.7th Ave. in 30’s. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy

DESIGNEROpportunity of a lifetime for someonew/min. 2 yrs. work exp., and who is readyto move from "associate" to "Designer".Must be comfortable w/both knits &wovens, and be able to to do knit 1stspecs. Proficiency in sketching both flats/illustrations req’d. If you’re a self-starter,quick study, and possess focus, drive,and ambition, you will have an opportu-nity to exp. it all in a fast-paced, growingco. Fax resume to Amy at: 212-398-1228

EDI COORDINATORWarehouse in Long Island lookingfor an organized team player. Will

be responsible for daily processing ofall in-bound/out-bound transactions,

allocations. Must be familiar withUCC 128 labeling and willing to

help in other duties.

DATA ENTRY/ORDER PROCESSING

Seeking detailed and hard workingperson, data entry, allocations.

Strong follow-up skills, MicrosoftOffice, Excel knowledge a must.

Please fax resume to: (516) 501-0416or E-mail: job55@asapship.com

Executive Sales AssistantComputer literate, analytical mind

needed to input information & workwith president of company to keep reports up to date. Will entertain

beginner with right qualifications.Please fax resume to: (201) 617-0051

FAST GROWING LICENSED APPAREL COMPANY SEEKSQUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS TO FILL THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:

VP of PRODUCTION(5+) years of related experience. Manage staff of 8-12 people; overseeproduct development, technical and production.

SALES MANAGER(3) years experience managing sales and merchandising for large Boys /Girls Division. Must possess good management, retail and people skills.

PLANNER(2) years experience with retail or manufacturing planning with Mid-Tier and Mass Market retailers (Walmart/Target/Kmart). Must bedetail oriented and have great communication skills.

SALES ASSISTANTEntry level position, Seeking organized person to coordinateorders and assist Account Executive. Computer skills are a must.

DESIGNER(3) years experience in Girls (4-16 years) and/or Junior Market.Manage design, product development and merchandising process.Must have a strong sense of color and trend.

GRAPHIC ARTISTCreative individual with (2+) years in licensed and novelty design.

CONTROLLERSeasoned professional with consumer good experience. The companyis looking to upgrade systems, improve reporting and develop staff.CPA designation a plus.

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE/CHARGEBACKS(2+) years experience in the apparel industry. Expertise in chargebackmanagement and customer service. Excellent communication, computerand organizational skills.

Please send resume referencing job position withsalary requirements to: E-mail: resumenyc@gmail.com

Sales AssistantWe are seeking a Sales Assistant for our women’s wholesaledivision. Individual must be a team player who is very outgoing,well organized, and able to prioritize assigned tasks.Previous wholesale experience and 4-Year college degree isrequired. Must possess excellent communication and computerskills (Excel, Word, QRS, Outlook, EDI). Salary is commensuratewith experience.

Please submit resume and salary requirements to:HR@lacoste-usa.com.

Indicate position on Subject Line

FABRIC SOURCINGMajor textile co seeks a person withknowledge of Asian Textile Markets w/merchandising & design exp. Able towork with clients & sales staff inpromoting product. Co. paid medicalbenefits. Salary commensurate w/exp.

Pls fax resume: 212-397-2202

FACTORY MANAGER Person with strong operational andmanufacturing skills needed for facilityin NY. Must have min. 5 yrs apparel oraccessory exp, strong leadership skillsto oversee staff of 40, be computerliterate, highly organized. Must haveexperience preparing large shipmentsfor department stores.Email resume w/salary requirements to:

accjobs@aol.com

FASHION OPPORTUNITIESArtists - Designers - Merchandisers -Production - Sales - Technical - Etc.

Call Barbara Murphy (212) 643-8090 (agcy)

HR Manager to $100K5-10 yrs exp generalist HR systems etc.

Allen*Just Mgmt* 800-544-5878Allen@justmgt.com

INVENTORYCONTROLLER

For high-fashion co. Knowledge of RetailPro Needs to be organized & have exp.in shipping & distribution. Pls email:

Lcasabal@morganelefay.com

•MERCHANDISER•SENIOR DESIGNERWest Coast Mfr. of Sportswear for Men& Women, specializing in the OutdoorSegment, is currently interviewing candi-dates for these 2 positions. Must have aminimum of 5 years experience in thissegment and be self-motivated, with akeen understanding of natural fabrics,colors, garment dyeing and fit. Musthave appropriate computer skills and becapable of communications with overseasfactories. Both positions require well-organized, strong individuals who areteam players with the ability to maintainseasonal calendars. We offer competitivesalary & benefits package, and excep-tional work environment. E-mail resumesto: harrisonwwd@yahoo.com Only thoseresumes complete with salary historywill be considered.

PATTERNMAKERGERBER SILHOUETTE

Seeking 1st through productionPatternmaker well versed on the

Gerber Silhouette software to makeall categories of Missy, Petite & PlusSize clothing. Candidate must be an

independent worker & work well withtechnical staff. Please fax resume &

salary requirements to: (212) 629-9272

Production AssistantComputer literate, Tech/Cad knowledge ,flat sketching. Product pack on customerrequirements, knowledge of Adobe andPhotoshop. Experience is a plus.Please fax resume to: (201) 617-0051

Production AssistantIMPORT-Looking for production Asst.in ladies apparel. Min 5 years exp.Computer knowledge is a must.

Please fax resume to: 212-398-3520

TECHNICAL DESIGNERWell known Jrs. & Young Men’sCo. seeks a Tech. Designer w/3+years exp. in Ladies’, Jrs. & YoungMen’s Apparel. Duties will includeissuing initial specs, creating &maintaining complete tech-packs,conducting fittings, and coordinat-ing corrections with factories.(patternmaking exp. a +)

Computer skills including Excel &Word a must; CAD skills a big +.Salary based on exp. Send resume:Fax: 646-619-4629E-mail: desmersfg@yahoo.com

Freelance Designer/Cad Artist

Apparel company seekingdesigner/cad artist for juniorapparel/accessories. Needsomeone current, contempo-rary and edgy with a back-ground in the JUNIOR mar-ket. Must be able to sketchand have comprehension inPhotoshop and Illustrator.Please email resumes toacahill@jaclynapparel.com

PRODUCTION MGRFast paced Ladies Imp. Co. seeksvery organized, hard working per-son w/ min. 5 yrs. exp. w/ imp.out of India/China. Must be ableto coordinate all aspects of prod.from sampling to final dlvry bothwoven and knits. Excellent Commskills a must! We offer greatSalary & Benefits. Fax Resume:

212-921-1492

Production Asst. - LADIES’Private Label Co. seeks Prod’n. Asst. forLadies’ Casual Sportswear team. Dutiesinclude follow-up w/factory on PP items,TOP samples, garment specs, shipmenttracking, sourcing trims, develop trimpackages for factory, checking gradedspecs. Also responsible for basic officeduties: design/prod’n. info filing, fabric/magazine organization, tracking samples.2 years in the business req’d. w/exp. inladies’ casual sportswear. EXCELLENTcommunication skills a must & must bean independent worker. E-mail resumes /cover letter to: jobs@gstarnewyork.com

PRODUCTION COORDContemp design firm seeks detailoriented, highly motivated prod’ncoord to work for fast paced prod’ndept. Min 4 yrs exp w/ overseas prod’n;must be strong in excel, be very organized& communicate well by e-mail. Managestrict T&A cal. Pls e-mail resume to:

resumeRT@gmail.comor fax: 212.302.3482 attn:DRD

PRODUCTION COORDINATORMajor import co seeks person w /knowledge of garment prod in China& India. Liaison between garmentfactories & customers. Knowledge ofwoven, printed & solids, able to handlerelated approvals of specs, fit & pre-production. Have excellent communi-cation skills & be computer literate.Co. pd medical ben. Fax 212-397-2202

PRODUCTIONCOORDINATORS

Major sportswear co. seeks ProductionCoordinators for wovens bottoms andsweater/knits. Min. 4 yrs. exp. in importsfrom Asia. Liase with sales/buyers andheavy follow-up with overseas vendors.Good computer skills very important.

Please fax resume to: (212) 391-2821

WWD, THURSDAY, JUNE 2, 2005 19

By Cate T. Corcoran and Denise Power

CHICAGO — Merchandising and allocation systemswere top of mind for many retailers and exhibitors at-tending Retail Systems in Chicago last week.

Pacific Sunwear of California is gearing up to find— and implement, in 2006 — an advanced suite of plan-ning software, said Ron Ehlers, vice president, infor-mation services. The tool could prove particularlyvaluable as Pacific Sunwear tests new product cate-gories such as bedding, lamps, luggage and other acces-sories for its young customers.

Barneys New York is rolling out a new merchandis-ing program and distribution system to accommodateanticipated growth, now that the company has beenbought by Jones Apparel Group. The luxury retailer’splans were detailed by Jones president and chief exec-utive officer Peter Boneparth in the keynote speechthat opened the show.

Boneparth also gave attendees an overview of the$4.65 billion Jones business, which is focused on the cus-tomer and giving her what she wants, he said. To keeppace, some of Jones’ key technology initiatives include:

● Electronic data interchange with retailers (via theQRS Tradeweave online catalogue).

● Systems that allow the company to test items andquickly react to results.

● Product life cycle management software fromUGS Corp.

The company has finished phase one of its three-part rollout of the PLM software, according to QPS.Boneparth also described areas of growth for the com-pany, which include expansion into China; growingwhat he called the mass market end of the Anne Kleinbusiness, AK Anne Klein; buying boutique brandssuch as Bridget Shuster shoes, and opening new retailformats, such as the recently introduced Trezon plus-size stores.

Among exhibitors, one of the new companies at theconference, Apex Decisions of Savage, Minn., showedoff its forthcoming allocation service, which automati-cally redistributes sizes, colors and styles of merchan-dise between individual stores based on the first twoweeks of sales.

In his keynote the next day, Best Buy executive vicepresident of operations Bob Willett detailed the $27.4 bil-

lion chain’s plan to simplify technology behind the scenes.The consumer electronics retailer uses five soft-

ware packages to automate the process of schedulinglabor. Also in use are seven order management sys-tems, three tax applications and four separate ware-house management systems.

“This is commonly referred to as a ‘hair ball,’”Willett said. A great number of technologies that do notinterconnect well can choke processes and stall deci-sion-making.

“Today, you have no time to make very complex de-cisions and that [means] you need a different operatingmodel,” he said.

Best Buy’s new model, which puts its weighty tech-nology infrastructure on a diet, is projected to reduceinformation technology cost to 1.5 percent of sales fromthe 2.1 percent of sales it represents today, Willett said.

When the transformation is complete in two years,Best Buy expects the 800 technologies that create ahair ball of complexity will be scaled back to just 240technologies.

“The whole message here is simplicity,” Willett saidof the new infrastructure plan.

Merchandising in Focus at Retail SystemsWWD.COM

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