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Tuesday, 30 April 2019
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Holt Renfrew’s Mario Grauso Talks Growth

After sitting back and watching competitors enter its territory, Canada’s Holt Renfrew is renovating, modernizing and embracing the creme de la creme of the luxury market. “Catching up is really the way to say it,” Mario Grauso, the president of Holt Renfrew, told WWD. “We were a little behind for a certain amount of time. Now we are getting to the place we should have been a few years ago.” For the Toronto-based Holt Renfrew, “catching up” means investing in the business — $400 million Canadian for a spectrum of brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, omnichannel and technology projects that began in 2017 and conclude in 2020. It also means defending the home turf. Long the only upscale department store in Canada, the 182-year-old Holt Renfrew has since the Nineties witnessed luxury retailers from Tiffany to Prada trickling into downtown Vancouver and onto Bloor Street and Yorkville Avenue in Toronto, and in the past four years, Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue have planted stores in Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa and Vancouver. In Canada, Nordstrom has six stores and Saks has three. Asked about the impact of Nordstrom and Saks, Grauso replied: “Our volume has only gone up. We have heavily differentiated in this market. That is our approach. It

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Today’s Consumer: Cash Strapped, Loaded With Debt, Living Beyond Their Means

As last week’s GDP data came in better than expected, several top economists said they don’t expect the engine to run at high RPMs for the rest of the year. Still, it was notable. And when coupled with retail sales (up 1.6 percent in March) and consumer confidence (up in North America, according to the Conference Board), the overall picture is bright for the retail industry. Or is it? The 35-day government shutdown that ended in late January exposed a vulnerability of U.S. consumers: About 80 percent of all U.S. families, which includes minimum wage earners to those classified as upper middle class, are living paycheck to paycheck — meaning they don’t have enough savings to pay bills, their rent or buy food. This data is based on a 2017 survey by CareerBuilder, and later backed up with additional, more recent data from Bankrate and the Federal Reserve. During the shutdown, Wilbur Ross, U.S. secretary of commerce, suggested government workers get personal loans to help make ends meet while other policymakers told them to take on second jobs. Due to a variety of factors, today’s consumers are simply cash-strapped and saddled with debt. And while politicians have used “income inequality” as a rallying

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Hugo Names U.K. Singer Liam Payne as Brand Ambassador

Hugo has found its man. Hugo Boss has tapped former One Direction singer Liam Payne to be the first brand ambassador for its younger-skewed label starting this summer. As part of the deal, Payne, who is now a solo artist and songwriter, will work with brand and creative director Peter Deirowski to design a capsule and also be the face of its bodywear collection. The U.K. singer will appear in campaigns for both the Hugo x Liam Payne capsule collection for fall 2019, and the bodywear campaign for cruise/resort 2020. The campaigns will be shot by fashion photographers Mert & Marcus. Payne said the brand reached out to him after seeing him wear the collection to a few events and asked if he’d consider becoming an ambassador. He was initially surprised, but then flattered, and agreed to come on board. Payne said he’s always enjoyed looking good and has recently begun paying more attention to the fashion world. “Fashion has slowly crept up on me,” he told WWD. “I knew if I wanted to do something in fashion it should be with Hugo,” he added. “They design clothes that guys like me want to wear. Fashion started out as a hobby for me, but I’m loving

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Candice Lambert: The Woman Behind Kelly Clarkson’s Designer Makeover

It’s a far cry from the battlefields of Iraq to a fashion red carpet, but that’s the path Candice Lambert has taken. The Los Angeles-based celebrity stylist is a retired lieutenant of the U.S. Coast Guard and it was during her nearly decade-long active deployment in Iraq that she started thinking about what she wanted to do with her life when her duty came to an end. “When I came back from Iraq, I had a different perspective on things,” she said with a wry laugh. “I kept saying, ‘What’s my dream?’ I realized it was music and fashion.” Determined to break into the industry in some way, she settled first in San Diego, where the Coast Guard has a large base, and started networking, traveling to Los Angeles to meet and greet whomever she could. She finally secured an internship with a stylist there who “taught me everything,” relocated, and she was on her way. Tonight, Lambert’s work will be front and center at the Billboard Music Awards when her client, Kelly Clarkson, hosts the televised event. Although Lambert doesn’t want to give too much away, she said Clarkson will wear “nine different outfits on stage and on the red carpet,” and there

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Tokyo Studio Visit With Tomo Koizumi

On a recent blustery, rainy Saturday morning in Tokyo, designer Tomo Koizumi is holed up in his miniscule studio — resolutely calm, considering how he had burst onto the fashion scene at New York Fashion Week only two months prior. The designer’s ambitious ruffled gowns were discovered on Instagram by stylist Katie Grand, who banded with Marc Jacobs to help Koizumi stage his first fashion show in Jacobs’ store. In the weeks since, the Tokyo native has become a new fashion industry darling. Next week he will walk the Met Gala’s red carpet, with a celebrity dressed in his designs. Koizumi’s gowns will also be featured in the Costume Institute’s new show, “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” a theme for which his flamboyant creations seem destined. “I have to e-mail a lot now, I have to manage the looks being shipped around the world, I have to arrange shoots — it’s going crazy for me,” Koizumi told WWD in his studio, wheezing through hay-fever allergies. While a portrait of success from the outside, Koizumi works with little industrial infrastructure: He has no employees and works out of the small living room in his sister’s Nakameguro apartment. No more than 100 square feet, the room

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Bulgari Sets New York Pop-up for B.zero 1 Collection

Bulgari will open a pop-up shop to mark the 20th anniversary of its B.zero 1 collection within New York’s Oculus mall. The shop — running from May 2 to 8 — will take the form of a 3,400-square-foot, ring-shaped gilded labyrinth. It is the first pop-up of its kind, and should it prove a success, Bulgari will take the format on the road to celebrate B.zero 1 in other cities. “This year is the 20th anniversary of the design, which was released in 1999 on the eve of the new millennium,” said Daniel Paltridge, president of Bulgari North America. “Over the past 20 years, it’s taken on a life of its own, it’s become an iconic design. It’s striking, bold and unique. Historically, rings have been rather generic, this collection transformed people’s idea of what a ring should look like or be worn like.” Paltridge said the pop-up is somewhat strategic, given B.zero 1’s amorphous appeal and how that suits modern consumer trends. The style is enjoyed by men and women, and as ceremonial jewelry or as an item for self-purchase. In February 2018, Bella Hadid was named the line’s ambassador to help rope in a younger clientele. “I think the notion of why

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Apiece Apart Offers Extended Sizing

Apiece Apart, the women’s apparel and accessories brand that sells retailers such as Net-a-porter, Shopbop, Matches and Goop, is moving into extended sizes, effective May 2. The company, started 11 years ago by cofounders Laura Cramer and Starr Hout offering elevated, yet practical separates, will offer sizes 14 to 20 at apieceapart.com, Apiece Apart stores and at 11 Honoré, the plus-size women’s fashion site, starting with the spring 2019 line. Extended sizing will be offered to its wholesale accounts in future collections. Up until now, Apiece Apart’s size range went from 0 to 12. The extended sizing collection features a variety of new silhouettes as well as a selection of Apiece Apart’s most popular styles such as the Las Islas jumpsuit, Carmen denim overall and shirred Agata top. Prices range from $275 to $495. A look from Apiece Apart.  Courtesy Photo The addition of extended sizes is a result of a demand for a wider range of sizes. Apiece Apart started with the idea of a wardrobe packed into a single bag to be mixed and matched. Cramer, who comes from Austin, Tex., and Hout, who hails from Seattle, met while students at New York University. Hout later worked in the art world before transitioning into fashion,

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Chic, Quaint, Ridiculed: Behind the Origins of ‘Bourgeois’ Style

PARIS — Bourgeois style made its mark on the Paris runways for fall, but think twice before calling real-life French women the b-word. “It’s the worst-ever insult for me,” said Betty Catroux, legendary muse to Yves Saint Laurent. For the 74-year-old model, the “bourgeois” woman is the living embodiment of boredom. “Bourgeois women follow codes and rules, all dress the same and share the same mind-set, which I hate,” she continued. “It’s an extremely pejorative word in France.” Inès de la Fressange shared Catroux’s indignation. “The bourgeoise is often late to trends: she ignores them like a snob,” said the model and designer. “For me the word has a negative connotation: it evokes convention, fear of fancifulness, something a bit reactionary.” Flaring knee-length skirts, culottes, wool capes, blouses, boots and silk scarves — all the attributes of a well-to-do Rive Gauche “madam” — were among trendy items of the Paris season, with Hedi Slimane’s acclaimed second Celine show leaving critics gleefully hailing the grand return of “bourgeoise style.” So why the prickly reactions? “The history of the term ‘bourgeois’ is particularly interesting, because it has gone through a lot of semantic evolutions,” explained Laélia Véron, a stylistics and French language lecturer at the Université d’Orléans. Deriving from the

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China Fashion Gala Honoree Dee Poon Talks Humanistic Business Approach

Sustainability champion Dee Poon has an intercontinental, behind-the-scenes perspective of the fashion industry. In advance of her being honored at tonight’s China Fashion Gala, the Hong Kong-based executive spoke with WWD about her environmental efforts and humanistic business approach. Her father, Dickson Poon, owns the upscale specialty retailer Harvey Nichols and her mother Marjorie Yang runs Esquel, where Poon works on the men’s shirting brand PYE and the primarily direct-to-consumer brand Determinant. Traces of her college degree philosophy studies surfaced in her involved and often big-picture responses. “How do you know when to understand the full set of problems? How do figure out what your point where you are really going to be able to make a difference is? That’s what I’m constantly trying to do in fashion,” she said. “When is it a question of marketing? When is it a product problem or a design problem?’” Poon said she also continually asks, “How do you leverage what you’ve got and then communicate that into action and change? But it requires for you to think through so many different things.” Last year she started Project Loopie (a working name) inspired by the circular economy that focused on a companywide mechanical shredding platform. One element

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Madison Square Boys & Girls Club Luncheon Raises Over $200,000

NEW YORK — A raft of well-heeled Manhattan socialites gathered at the Metropolitan Club next to Central Park on Tuesday for the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club’s annual Style of Life luncheon — and they certainly didn’t forget to bring their purses with them. The fundraiser, which was held in the club’s ornate ballroom facing Fifth Avenue, raised over $200,000 through a silent auction and raffle, double the amount seen in 2017. Donated prizes up for grabs this year included a luxury Belize vacation, a Canyon Ranch getaway and a Peloton. Among the 200 guests in attendance were SoulCycle chief executive officer Melanie Whelan, who made a beeline for guest of honor Sam Kass, the former White House chef and senior policy adviser for nutrition under the Obama administration, to no doubt chat all things health and fitness. Kass told WWD that his involvement in the charity, which organizes extracurricular programs for children and teens in many of New York’s most underserved communities, stretched back to his time at the White House. “I know how important their work is in that critical gap in the afternoons where many of the kids go astray — not just for health, but everything else as well,”

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Condé Nast Says Its Video Is ‘New Prime Time’

If you’re an advertiser that wants to reach a younger audience, Condé Nast wants you to know that TV is not the place. “A new ‘Prime Time’ has emerged and it’s not TV, it’s Condé Nast,” Pamela Drucker Mann, the publisher’s chief revenue and marketing officer, said at its NewFronts presentation, held at chef José Andrés’ new food hall. This so-called “new Prime Time” was the theme of the event and Drucker Mann pitched it hard, noting along the way that Condé has “transformed from a publisher into a global media company.” The new global chief executive officer Roger Lynch was sitting in the audience, but being only a few weeks into the job, wasn’t part of the presentation. “We know there’s more content today than ever before, everyone knows next-gen consumers have cut their cords, but we lost some things along the way,” Drucker Mann said. “We lost things like transparency, and how about viewability, and what about quality? Some would argue that there’s actually a scarcity of great content.” Condé is hoping to fill this purported void for advertisers, with even more video verticals to go alongside popular series like, Vogue’s “73 Questions” and Vanity Fair’s “Lie Detector Test.” The company pushed

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Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Former Minneapolis police officer found guilty in 2017 death of unarmed woman shot after calling 911

04/30/19 3:20 PM
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Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Maduro was 'ready' to leave Venezuela before Russia convinced him to stay, Pompeo tells Fox News

04/30/19 3:13 PM
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Apple Highlights Services as iPhone, China Slump

Apple is still overwhelmingly in the business of selling iPhones, but clearly its growth is going to come from services and the Apple Watch. And the tech giant is doubling down, particularly in services. Apple’s product sales fell 9.2 percent in the first quarter, with iPhone sales dropping 17.3 percent to $31.1 billion. The Apple Watch helped pick up some of that slack, but not enough. Tim Cook, chief executive officer, told analysts the company’s wearables business grew nearly 50 percent in the quarter and is now the size of a Fortune 200 company after just four years — suggesting it drives revenues of over $14 billion. (Aramark, the 200th company on the Fortune 500, has revenues of $14.6 billion). Although the Apple Watch did not meet the lofty fashion expectations some had for it, it has gained serious share in the market place and has carved out a health-oriented niche that plays into its digital capabilities. Apple’s services business is much smaller than the gadget side, but is seen as the future. Services sales increased 16.2 percent to $11.5 billion. In March, Apple made a flashy presentation highlighting expansions in news, games, payments and original content, trotting out Steven Spielberg, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Aniston, Steve Carell,

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Louis Vuitton ‘Time Capsule’ to Touch Down in Mexico City

Next stop Mexico City: To mark Louis Vuitton’s 30th year in Mexico, the city has been chosen as the 14th location to host the French brand’s roving “Time Capsule” exhibition. From May 24 to June 16, Vuitton will showcase the history of the house, and revisit innovations in technology and design. The “Time Capsule” sets off from the house’s beginnings in 1854 to the present day, the story told via rare objects culled from the Louis Vuitton archive. As advances in transport have transformed the world and lifestyles, Vuitton has adapted by offering travelers imaginative creations. The exhibition will be divided into six sections, the first an “Artisans’ Room,” featuring experiences with Louis Vuitton craftsmen. Others delve into design features that can be traced to Vuitton’s very first trunks; how Vuitton met the demands of new forms of transport; how the leather-goods house enabled its clients to travel in style. Trunks, the symbol of the heritage brand and its first product, get pride of place, along with a selection of other memorable and emblematic creations. “Time Capsule” made its debut in Hong Kong in 2017, and has touched down in such cities as Bangkok, Berlin, Singapore, Dubai, Shanghai and Los Angeles. The Mexico City

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Born on the Beaches of Tulum, Caravana Grows Up

Jacopo Janniello had a vision. Unisex fashion. High-quality, artisan-made pieces, inspired by nature that could be worn in multiple ways, and made from natural materials such as cotton, leather and jute. This is the unlikely story about an Italian living in Mexico, who turned his vision into a successful retail and wholesale brand. The company, Caravana, is based in Tulum, Mexico, selling products through tents, permanent thatched-roof structures pitched on sandy beaches, and temples or stores. The tents are located in Tulum and Holbox, Mexico, and Ibiza, while stores can be found in Valladolid and Jose Ignacio, Mexico and a recently opened unit in Miami’s Design District. New stores are planned for Bali and Punta del Este, Uruguay. In addition to a tent in Mykonos that’s now open for summer, Janniello said, “We’re doing a bigger project for next summer that will have the same vibe as Mykonos. I’m looking in Marrakech for a place for a temple.” Janniello is investing in Caravana’s factory to ensure capacity for a new wholesale collection, Rainbow Wave, launching for spring on Net-a-porter. Already, more than 10,000 pieces have been sold at the Mykonos Caravana tent. The success of Caravana seems remarkable, given that “since Day One, I haven’t

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Facebook’s Facelift Looks More Than Skin Deep

Last week, Facebook chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg unveiled his vision for the future of privacy-focused social media. On Tuesday, he showcased his company’s first steps to make it real. “We believe that there is a community for everyone,” said Zuckerberg onstage. “So we’ve been working on a major evolution to make communities as central as friends.” The tech founder emphasized private messaging, ephemeral or fleeting stories and a focus on smaller, more intimate groups. Those are fundamental changes in the platform’s intentions and context, and they demand more than an update but an overhaul. Facebook complied with a reengineering of its main app. As an app, Facebook tends to work like most legacy offerings — with incremental or major updates tacked onto an old framework. The result isn’t exactly efficient, and the experience tends to feel stitched-together rather than seamless. The facelift now focuses less on News Feed and more on services like messaging, the online marketplace and its video-on-demand site. The changes didn’t stop there: The company also revealed an update to the Instagram camera called Create Mode. Instead of demanding a photo or video to kick off a Story, users can create a Story starting with a sticker or text. The

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Linda Wells Exits Revlon

Linda Wells is out at Revlon. Wells, the founder of beauty magazine Allure, is no longer in her role as chief creative officer at Revlon Inc., WWD has confirmed. She will be working with Revlon in a consulting capacity going forward as the founder of Flesh, Revlon’s first incubated brand. “I’m fully focused on Flesh, pouring my energy into new creative concepts for 2019, 2020 and beyond. We have big, bright plans for the brand and look forward to unveiling them,” Wells said in a statement. Wells joined Revlon in 2017 in the midst of then-chief executive officer Fabian Garcia’s turnaround efforts. Garcia exited Revlon in early 2018, and midway through the year, Debbie Perelman was named ceo. During her time at Revlon, Wells launched Flesh, an inclusive prestige makeup brand sold exclusively at Ulta Beauty. The line has 40 shades of foundation, plus lip and eye products with names like “her exhalation,” “disco nap” and “moist.” “We are very proud and grateful for all that Linda has and will continue to accomplish working with Revlon. We will continue to rely upon her knowledge of the industry and deep experience and relationships to help drive success at Flesh as well as other key initiatives,” said

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Dôen Fetes Net-a-Porter Collab, Announces First Retail Store in L.A.

Margaret and Katherine Kleveland gathered supporters of their four-year-old Los Angeles clothing brand Dôen at Gjelina restaurant Monday night to toast their first capsule collection for Net-a-porter. The two sisters, who built their brand of romantic, Victorian-inspired prairie blouses and dresses through a collective of female tastemakers and social media reach, also shared that they will be opening their first permanent brick-and-mortar retail store this summer at Brentwood Country Mart. “We just got the keys today,” said Katherine, twinning with Margaret in Dôen all-white dresses on the rooftop of the Venice, Calif., restaurant. “We’re very excited to be in Irene Neuwirth’s company,” she said of the L.A. jewelry designer’s new store in the retail center, where Dôen had a pop-up store last year. Margaret and Katherine Kleveland  Chelsea Lauren/WWD/REX/Shutterstock But first, they were there to celebrate the 15-piece Net-a-porter capsule launched this week, which retails from $135 to $305, and includes blouses, summer frocks and sundresses in “crispy sun-dried” cottons; “salt,” “prairie blue” and “nutmilk” solid hues, as well as allover ditzy poppy and garden blossom prints. “It’s a treat for everyone to be able to be here and be together,” said Katherine of the dinner party, which started with an acoustic performance by Primrose Forever

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Blake Lively’s Met Gala Red Carpet Style Evolution

Blake Lively knows her way around a red carpet, but mastering the Met Gala red carpet is no simple feat. The self-styled actress was thrown into the spotlight in the late Aughts, thanks to her role as Serena van der Woodsen in the cultural phenomenon “Gossip Girl,” making her Met Gala debut in 2009 in a blue, asymmetric-sleeve Versace gown. Read more: Everything You Need to Know About the Met Gala 2019 Lively’s style has been consistently elegant, garnering the attention of the world’s top designers, including the late Karl Lagerfeld, who accompanied Lively to the Met Gala in 2011, dressing her in a toga-style, gray Chanel dress. While Lively has had a number of standout Met Gala looks, she proved her all-star status in 2018 when she took to those iconic Met stairs in a custom Versace gown made with ornate jewel detailing and an embellished bodice that took over 600 hours to create. As part of this year’s hosting committee, only time will tell how Lively interprets this year’s theme, “Camp: Notes on Fashion.” Click through the above gallery to see all of Blake Lively’s Met Gala red carpet looks. Read more on the Met Gala here: 44 Met Gala Red Carpet Looks You Forgot About  49

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Dev Hynes to Perform at Gala for Virgil Abloh Exhibition

DEV AND VIRGIL: Longtime Virgil Abloh collaborator Dev Hynes, aka Blood Orange, will perform at the ArtEdge gala on June 8 that will celebrate Abloh’s “Figures of Speech” exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. The event will offer guests a first look at the highly anticipated exhibition, which opens to the public on June 10 and runs through Sept. 22, and will feature a cocktail reception, an Abloh-inspired dinner, a concert by Hynes and after-concert DJ. “The MCA is very proud to present this year’s ArtEdge gala celebrating Virgil Abloh,” said MCA Pritzker director Madeleine Grynsztejn. “We are particularly excited to have collaborated personally with Virgil on ArtEdge to offer a fashion-forward evening that will set the pace for local fundraisers.” “Figures of Speech” is the first exhibition focused on the work of Abloh and will explore the creative process and collaborative works of the architect, DJ and designer of Off-White and Louis Vuitton men’s wear. The exhibit will be set in a space designed by Samir Bantal, the director of AMO, considered the think tank founded by architect Rem Koolhaas. It’s not the first time Hynes, who has collaborated with numerous artists ranging from Solange Knowles, A$AP Rocky to Puff

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A Recovering Lands’ End Prepays Some Debt

Lands’ End Inc. says its business has stabilized and that it’s paying down debt. On Tuesday, the Dodgeville, Wisc.-based company said it prepaid $100 million of its term loan facility, and that it has excess cash on hand. That leaves $389 million left on the loan, which matures April 4, 2021. The prepayment of debt is expected to generate estimated interest savings of $3 million to $4 million on an annualized basis. “Over the past two years our business has stabilized, and we’ve demonstrated the ability to achieve consistent revenue and profitability growth,” said Jim Gooch, executive vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer. “This progress gives us confidence in our strategy and the execution of our strategic initiatives. We believe that reducing our long-term debt through the partial prepayment of our term-loan facility will result in a meaningful reduction in interest expense and is in the best interest of our shareholders.” In 2018, Lands’ End’s volume rose 3.2 percent to $1.45 billion compared with $1.41 billion the year before. Excluding the sales from the 53rd week and $48.7 million from closed Sears stores, revenues would have increased 9 percent in 2018. Net income for 2018 was $11.6 million, compared to $28.2 million

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Neiman Marcus Group Considering Selling Mytheresa

The Neiman Marcus Group, in another maneuver to fix its debt-laden capital structure and focus on core businesses, is considering selling Mytheresa, the Munich-based luxury web site purchased by the company four-and-a-half years ago. The company also disclosed late Monday night in a filing that its string of comparable sales gains has been broken. For the company’s third quarter, which ended last Saturday, a 1.3 percent to 1.9 percent decline in comparable revenues is expected to be reported. Neiman’s also expects to report a decline in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, to $119 million to $129 million for third quarter of fiscal year. That compares to EBITDA of $143.1 million reported in the year-ago quarter. The news on this season’s selling trend is disappointing considering Neiman’s second quarter marked the retailer’s sixth consecutive period of comparable sales increases, though the spring season for many retailers has been difficult due to the late Easter and cooler weather. Regarding Mytheresa, Neiman’s disclosed that it has “commenced a process to explore and evaluate strategic alternatives,” but said no decision has been made to pursue any specific transaction or other strategic alternative. “There can be no assurance that the exploration of strategic alternatives

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Keanu Reeves Is the New Face of Saint Laurent

ENTER THE MATRIX: A dark and brooding Keanu Reeves features in the new Saint Laurent campaign. Anthony Vaccarello, creative director of the brand, caused quite an online stir when he posted a picture of Saint Laurent’s new face on his Instagram account Tuesday morning, which has already gathered over 24,000 likes — it’s the first time the 54-year-old actor poses for a fashion brand. Shot in monochrome by photographer David Sims, the “Point Break,” “Speed and “Matrix” star, who is currently sporting chin-length hair in keeping with his latest starring role in the upcoming film “John Wick Chapter 3,” is pictured wearing a leather jacket over a polka-dot shirt in one of the pictures, as well as aviator sunglasses and a pinstriped suit jacket in another. Reeves succeeds rapper Travis Scott, who was chosen by Vaccarello to be the face of the Saint Laurent spring 2019 men’s collection.  

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InStyle’s Newest Publisher Looking to Digital ‘Potential’

As InStyle’s third publisher in as many years, Agnes Chapski thinks there’s still some room to grow the magazine’s business. “What Laura Brown and her team have been doing is refreshing and unique,” Chapski said on her first official day on the job. “I was excited about partnering with her. I think [InStyle] has so much potential.” Specifically, Chapski is looking at business around digital-only channels like social and video as areas where she will be taking a “deep dive” right away. “There’s a phenomenal amount of potential with our digital assets,” Chapski added. It seems to be true, to an extent. Rival titles over at Hearst Elle and Harper’s Bazaar have over 4 million followers on Instagram, while InStyle has 2.6 million. Vogue roundly beats all three titles on Instagram with nearly 23 million followers. And advertisers are projected to spend $18 million on digital video this year, a small amount of ad spend overall, but a 25 percent increase over last year, according to a new report from Interactive Advertising Bureau.  Beyond Instagram, InStyle’s print and digital readership has continued to shrink. According to December data from MPA The Association of Magazine Media, the magazine’s combined print and digital audience was down

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Instagram Just Made It Even Easier to Shop From Influencers

Instagram is shaking up the mobile shopping experience. In March, the social media platform unveiled Checkout, a feature that lets users shop seamlessly within the Instagram app. On May 9, Instagram will launch Checkout part two: a new feature that allows creators to tag specific pieces of clothing, accessories or products, complete with links to purchase. “In 2019, you’re inspired to shop in so many different ways,” said Eva Chen, Instagram’s director of fashion partnerships. “It can be from brands, but a lot of the time, it’s from superinfluencers. We wanted to create something that people will benefit from in a lot of different ways.” Instagram’s new Shopping From Creators feature strengthens influencers’ relationships with their followers and brand partners.  Courtesy Image At Instagram, a creator is considered to be “anyone who’s creating great digital content,” Chen said. “You could have a manicurist who’s a creator, an influencer like Negin [Mirsalehi], a model, a designer, someone creating digital content in a compelling way for their community.” Mirsalehi is one of a select group of influencers approved to use Instagram’s newest feature. With Shopping From Creators, Mirsalehi will be able to cut down on the amount of time she spends responding to comments and direct messages about

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Nike and PVH Corp. in Men’s Underwear

In the competitive world of intimates apparel, there’s one category that seems to keep riding under the radar: men’s underwear. But names like Saxx and Tommy John Underwear are starting to change all that with their stylish undergarments, proving that men care just as much about what they’ve got on underneath as women. Now two even bigger names are joining the race to fill men’s underwear drawers internationally: Nike and PVH Corp., parent company to fashion brands like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Van Heusen and swim brand Speedo. The two companies revealed a new licensing agreement on Tuesday that will distribute Nike-branded men’s undies around the globe. There’s no word yet on when the products will come to market, but according to a Nike spokesperson the relationship is a good fit, one that will allow Nike to expand its product offerings while drawing on PVH’s expertise in underwear production. “We are incredibly proud to be working with Nike, as this is an opportunity for two great companies to build on each other’s strengths, making it a win-win for everyone, especially consumers,” PVH’s Cheryl Abel-Hodges, president of Calvin Klein North America and The Underwear Group, said in a statement. While PVH,

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David Simon on Retail: ‘Most of the Bad News Is Behind Us’

The churn at the mall continues — as retail aligns with the digital reality — but David Simon said mall giant Simon Property Group thrives on change and is going to keep moving with the times. “It’s safe to say that we’re going to anticipate some bankruptcies,” said Simon, chairman and chief executive officer, on a call with analysts after the company reported first-quarter results. “We are looking at few others that will see how the rest of the year shapes up.…I think most of the bad news is behind us.” During the first quarter, Simon’s funds from operations — the standard financial yardstick for real estate companies — rose to $1.08 billion from $1.03 billion. In the company’s U.S. malls and premium outlets, occupancy grew to 95.1 percent at the end of the quarter on March 31, up from 94.6 percent a year earlier. And retailer sales per square foot a rose 3.1 percent to $660 for the past 12 months The company’s net operating income grew by 1.7 percent for the quarter. “NOI growth was impacted by approximately 100 basis points due to the impact of retailer liquidations and bankruptcies resulting higher bad debt expense, unfavorable foreign exchange rates and slightly lower NOI

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Fox News Breaking News Alert

Fox News Breaking News Alert

Schumer says Trump agreed to $2 trillion infrastructure package at White House meeting

04/30/19 10:15 AM
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Viacom, Twitter Discuss Youth Access and ‘Stans’ at NewFronts

Viacom Viacom wants advertisers to know that fragmentation in media is no longer a negative. “We’re embracing fragmentation,” Sean Moran, Viacom’s head of ad solutions, said at Viacom’s NewFront presentation, “and using it to drive your business.” Case and point, the expansion of its recent $340 million acquisition Pluto TV, a free and ad-supported digital live TV platform. Viacom is adding a selection of content, to be shown marathon-style, from its networks BET, MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central, and also partnering with CNN, BBC and Major League Soccer to host their channels as well. Executives touted the platform as the best place for advertisers, citing “passive” viewing habits of a younger demographic that sees ad-completion time nearing 100 percent. Moran also noted that in the year since Viacom Digital Studios officially launched, the company has hit 3 billion social impressions a month across its brands and with the integration of Pluto TV, that number is set to hit 5 billion. But most of the pitch focused, as last year, on Viacom’s access to the younger side of the U.S. Colleen Fahey Rush, Viacom’s chief research officer, told the audience of marketers that the company has not only the “most diverse” audience when it comes to

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Love in the Air at Chanel’s Tribeca Film Festival Dinner

Cara Delevingne and rumored girlfriend Ashley Benson kept things coy on the red carpet outside Balthazar, where on Monday evening Chanel was hosting its annual Tribeca Film Festival artist’s dinner. After posing separately, the two made their way inside the brasserie, where Delevingne immediately grabbed Benson’s hand, and led her to the bar. The vibe was exactly that: Once inside, celebs relaxed a bit and seemingly had actual fun, many staying stationed by the bar during cocktail hour. Jemima Kirke also brought a date, her boyfriend Alex Cameron. She was a bit blinded by the photographers’ attention coming off the carpet and entered the restaurant with her hand over her eyes. Once she spotted Theo Wenner, she made a beeline. “You remember Alex?” she said, introducing Cameron. Grace Van Patten and Nat Wolff, on the other hand, seemed a bit underwhelmed by the lack of photographers that greeted them when they arrived inside, but rest assured they eventually found their moment. Julia Goldani Telles and Ella Hunt greeted each other warmly, introducing their respective plus-one BFFs to one another. Katie Holmes stayed stationed near the bar, whispering to Zac Posen over one shoulder and greeting Delevingne over the other. Alexander Skarsgard hung back near the kitchen, sheltered

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Claudia Cardinale’s Wardrobe to Be Auctioned at Sotheby’s

LA GRANDE BELLEZZA: Sotheby’s Paris is auctioning Claudia Cardinale’s wardrobe. The Italian actress, born in 1938, is known for her roles in Luchino Visconti’s 1963 film “The Leopard,” in which she plays the beautiful Angelica married to Alain Delon’s character Tancredi, and in Federico Fellini’s “8½.” From June 28 to July 9, 130 couture and ready-to-wear pieces celebrating the 81-year-old movie star’s dazzling style will be on sale at the Paris branch of the auction house. The selection of garments, which will be on show at Sotheby’s Paris from July 2 to 4, celebrates Italian fashion from the Fifties to the Eighties, and includes gowns designed by Roberto Capucci, Irene Galitzine, Barocco and Balestra. The “Pink Panther” actress was also regularly dressed by French fashion house Nina Ricci. Amongst the auctioned pieces is a black sequined sheath dress trimmed with a pink and blue flower embroidery around the neckline from the Nina Ricci fall 1963 haute couture collection. Cardinale wore the gown, designed by Jules-François Crahay and estimated between 6,000 euros and 8,000 euros, to present at the 37th Academy Awards in 1965 alongside American actor Steve McQueen. Other lots include a fuchsia organza gown by Livia, estimated 3,000 euros to 4,000 euros, and an ivory

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VF Spin-off Date Set for May 22

This year is fast becoming the year of the spin-off and the first one is officially happening in just over three weeks. VF Corp. today announced it will spinning off its jeans brands Wrangler, Lee and Rock & Republic and its outlet business into a separate entity called Kontoor on May 22, after its board gave the move the green light. The idea behind the breakup, which was first mooted in August, is to separate the relatively staid jeans brands from VF’s best-performing names: Vans and North Face. The latter two and the rest of VF’s remaining brands generate $11 billion in sales, while earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization clock in at $1.8 billion. This dwarfs Kontoor’s sales of $2.7 billion and EBITDA of $385 million. As part of the deal, Kontoor, which will stay in North Carolina while VF will move to Denver, will get its own dedicated management team that can focus on capturing a bigger slice of the resurgent denim market — a category that is bouncing back after some tough ath-leisure competition. Its executives will also no doubt be hoping that it can ride the waves of Levi Strauss & Co.’s blockbuster return to the stock market in March. VF

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How to Party ‘À La Provençale’

A NIGHT IN PROVENCE: Guests joked that it felt as if the whole of Paris Fashion Week had been flown over to Hyères, the seaside town in the South of France that hosts the annual Hyères Fashion Festival. After a long day of jury duty, Chloé creative director Natacha Ramsay-Levi, who was president of the fashion jury for this year’s edition, invited guests to relax in the gardens of the Hôtel le Provençal for a one-of-a-kind Chloé party on Saturday. There were palm trees, Aperol spritzes, disco tunes and wild dancing, mixed with a certain “provençal” je ne sais quoi — but what exactly makes Southern gatherings so unique? “It’s the wind,” mused Chloé chief executive officer Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye, in reference to the day’s gusty weather. Pierre Banchereau, of Parisian florist Debeaulieu, agreed the weather was an essential component for parties in the South of France. “For me, parties in the South are necessarily outdoors wearing sandals,” said the florist, who crafted gigantic bouquets dotted around the Villa Noailles, where the festival is based, including a staggering sculpture of plastic-looking anthuriums as well as dozens of peonies, the local flower. “There is also something laid-back, a certain friendliness — parties in the South

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Perú Moda Delivers Premium and Locally Made Sustainable Fashion

Buoyant, bright and ancestral: These attributes are preeminent when perusing the latest fashion collections hailing from Peru. For a country rich with mineral wealth, natural beauty and a textile legacy that has created significant, lasting impact, Peru is atypical with its slow fashion approach to design, as much of its focus is on producing handmade, small-batch, high-quality goods, often decorated with intricate or voluminous embellishments, embroidery and cheerful color palettes. At the 22nd annual Perú Moda show, a two-day fashion trade event held earlier this month at the Lima Convention Centre, the theme was “Believe to Be Sustainable,” described by show organizers as a “wake-up call to reflect on the impact of the fashion industry on the environment” and an opportunity to “demonstrate that creativity and conscious design can play in harmony.” And its message is timely: Given the country’s long-standing history as the birthplace of an expert weaving culture and its continuous use and promotion of natural resources such as alpaca and Pima cotton, Peruvian fashion is definitely having a moment. Perú Moda showcased the talents of Peruvian companies across fashion, textiles, footwear and jewelry, with a built-in focus on hand-made, artisan products that are inherently found in Peruvian goods and

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Moschino To Bring Men’s Show Back to L.A.

MOVIE MOOD: Jeremy Scott is bringing the Moschino men’s runway show back to Los Angeles this June. The fashion label will showcase its men’s spring 2020 collection, along with the women’s resort spring 2020 lineup, on June 7 at the Universal Studios Hollywood Backlot. The iconic location, a landmark in U.S. movie industry, is in line with the cinematic approach that Scott embraced last January with his impressive and entertaining fall 2019 men’s and women’s resort 2019 show held at Rome’s legendary Cinecittà studios. The previous season, Scott, who joined Moschino as creative director in 2013 succeeding Rossella Jardini, selected the Los Angeles Equestrian Center to stage the Moschino men’s and women’s resort show. Last month, Moschino and Scott, who is based in Los Angeles, revealed a capsule collection developed in collaboration with The Sims with a party at Coachella. As reported, Moschino is expected to open stores in both Miami and in New York by the end of the year.

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Polimoda Offers 14 Scholarships in Collaboration With LVMH

ARTISANS TO BE: Florence-based fashion school Polimoda is offering 14 scholarships to attend the prestigious Leather+ program, developed in collaboration with LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s Institut des Métiers d’Excellence. Founded in 2014, the IME program is involved in schooling more than 200 young people in areas including jewelry, dressmaking, winemaking, leather goods, culinary arts, watches, luxury retail and design together with partner institutions in France and Switzerland. In 2017, the IME teamed for the first time with an Italian institution by choosing Polimoda to train leather goods artisans. The eligible students, who can send their applications until May 29, will have the chance to embark on an immersive program, including 500 hours in class and a 400-hour internship at one of the fashion houses under the LVMH umbrella. In addition, IME will organize a 40-hour master class, which will include educational visits to the group’s companies and a focus on the leathergoods industry’s vocabulary in English and French. “Craftsmanship and technology are two vital components of the fashion product, which are essential to Made in Italy, indispensable to the world of luxury. Excellence is determined by that perfect mix of technical skill and artistic sensibility, in which the human element has an irreplaceable

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Papusse Wants to Take Italian Slippers Global

A signature velour indoor slipper from Italy’s Friuli Venezia Giulia has in recent years become a distinctive trait of the Milanese chic way of dressing. With her brand Papusse, Carlotta Minuto, a former merchandiser at Ralph Lauren and Giorgio Armani in New York, wants to take the style global, by expanding its international presence through online sales and select retailers. Crafted by artisans based in the North Eastern Italian region using cotton velvet sourced in Tuscany, the slippers — traditionally called friulane — are modeled after shoes rather than indoor footwear, with the outer sole featuring a signature tire pattern crossed by multiple stitching to enhance breathability. “At Ralph Lauren I learned how to think about items that people would want to wear everyday,” Minuto said. “My aim was to elevate the shoes, create a luxury version and make a brand out of them. There were other options but they looked cheap and I knew artisans who could craft them in a luxurious way,” she added. “Although they are traditionally aimed at indoor use, the friulane [slippers] can add a cool factor to the look.” Available in a range of colors including orange, bright green and midnight blue, the shoes retail at 85 euros

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Tony Nominations 2019 Announcement: See the Full List of Nominees Here

Musicals reigned supreme during this year’s Tony nominations announcement, with “Hadestown,” and “Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations” topping out the list. Gayle King joined Brandon Victor Dixon of “Hamilton” fame and Bebe Neuwirth from “Chicago” to announce the nominees for the 73rd annual Tony Awards on Tuesday morning. “Hadestown” received a total of 14 nominations, including one for best actress in a leading role in a musical, which could go to 23-year-old Eva Noblezada. This is her second leading actress Tony nomination. Adam Driver and Brandon Uranowitz were both nominated for their roles in “Burn This,” which accrued a total of three nominations. Laurie Metcalf might walk away with the best actress in a play award for her performance as Hillary Clinton in Lucas Hnath’s “Hillary and Clinton.” “Be More Chill,” a musical about teen angst, was nominated for best original score. “Oklahoma!” and “Tootsie,” received eight and 11 nominations, respectively, while “The Ferryman” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” were nominated for nine categories apiece. See below for a full list of the nominees for this year’s Tony Awards, airing on CBS Sunday, June 9 at 8 p.m. EST.   Best Musical “Ain’t Too Proud—The Life and Times of The Temptations” “Beetlejuice” “Hadestown” “The Prom” “Tootsie” Best Play “Choir

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Virgil Abloh-Designed Evian Bottle to Be Feted in New York

Thirsty for a taste of the Virgil Abloh lifestyle? As Evian’s newest creative adviser for sustainable innovation design, Abloh has designed a rainbow-inspired, limited-edition glass bottle. As reported in December, Abloh, the founder of Off-White and creative director of Louis Vuitton’s men’s line, was hired to help the mineral water company, owned by Danone, make its design process more sustainable. On May 9, Evian will host the Evian Drip Drop event, a one-day-only experience at 393 Broadway in Manhattan. It is open to the public from noon to 4 p.m. For the first time, New Yorkers will be given a chance to get a limited-edition Virgil Abloh-designed “One Drop Can Make a Rainbow” bottle for free while supplies last. They can also win prizes such as one of Abloh’s shatter-resistant, refillable Soma bottles from the same collection, or a bottle signed by Abloh himself. The space will have a trendy, rainbow design, and a DJ to keep the party going. The Virgil Abloh-designed rainbow glass bottle for Evian.  Later this spring, the rainbow bottle will be available in limited quantities at select hotels and restaurants in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. The price of the bottle will be set by individual retailers. Meantime, as reported,

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Sonia Rykiel Enters Receivership

Sonia Rykiel has entered receivership as owner First Heritage Brands seeks a buyer to take over the struggling fashion house. A French commercial court on Tuesday placed the company into administration until June while it examines the offers for the brand. First Heritage Brands had mandated investment bank Rothschild in January to seek a partner or outright buyer for the brand, which it acquired in 2012. The label, which recently parted ways with its creative director Julie de Libran, logged sales of 35 million euros in 2018, with a loss of 20 million euros excluding its investment of 10 million euros in events marking the house’s 50th anniversary, according to sources with knowledge of the matter.

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Ushering in a New Age of Jazz With Phony Ppl

The Blue Note Jazz Club in New York’s Greenwich Village is a small venue with old, Art Deco decor and a long history. It’s played host to some legendary musical acts since opening in 1981: Dizzy Gillespie played there; Ray Charles played a full week at the Blue Note every year in the Nineties; Sarah Vaughan was a regular act. And now, the club is home to Phony Ppl — a quintet consisting of vocalist Elbee Thrie; keyboard player and pianist Aja Grant; his brother, the bassist Bari Bass; drummer Matthew Byas, and guitarist Elijah Rawk. For the last two years, the band has played a total of three residencies at the Blue Note, taking the late-night slot at the club and getting on stage close to 1 a.m. In 2017, talent buyer and artist manager at the venue Alex Kurland wanted to change up the late-night slot and bring in a more energetic environment. Enter Phony Ppl — whose sound has been described by music publications as everything from progressive r&b to art rock, to new-age soul and hip-hop, even pop. But the band insists its roots stand firmly in jazz. They are, as individual musicians and collectively, ushering

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Becoming an Actress Made Slick Woods a Square

“I’m Slick motherf–ker, what’s up?” Slick Woods has been in a room at the Roxy Hotel for about “two minutes,” she jokes (we think), but she’s already going stir crazy. It’s hard to imagine her sitting still for long: she first wants a cigarette break, then changes her mind, pulling out her phone to call her mother instead. “Mom, answer the f–king phone,” she says into her mom’s voicemail box, a big grin on her face, gap tooth on display. “Mom, what the f–k? Hey Mom, you got me f–ked up. Answer the damn phone. I love you. What the f–k is going on? I love you.” Woods, the 22-year-old model who notoriously went into labor in the midst of Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty show this past September, makes her acting debut in young director Sam de Jong’s “Goldie,” which screened at the Tribeca Film Festival. The movie follows the 18-year-old Goldie through her life in a Bronx, N.Y., shelter, where she lives with her mother and sisters. Her dreams of making life better for her and her family seem in reach when she gets the opportunity to audition for a local rapper — played by A$AP Ferg — but her mother’s arrest

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Gentle Monster, Fendi Release Sunglasses Capsule Collection

MONSTER MASH: Gentle Monster is taking a luxury turn through its latest collaboration with Fendi. Dubbed Gentle Fendi, the capsule collection comprises two unisex styles, and will launch May 7. Gentle Fendi No. 1 has a cat-eye shape with a logo on the side of the lens, while Gentle Fendi No. 2 is a teardrop aviator style. The first style comes in black, blue and pink while the second comes in khaki, orange and yellow. Gentle Fendi will be available in both Fendi and Gentle Monster stores worldwide as well as the Gentle Monster store in London and the Fendi Roma Palazzo. The collection will be presented on a rotating display with lifelike mannequins. Customers will be able to try Gentle Fendi gelato bars and desserts at a pop-up café in Seoul. The Korean sunglasses brand known for its experiential interiors will be taking its experimental approach to a video campaign that will run alongside the capsule’s debut. Directed by AES+F, a collective of Russian artists, the video features models wearing the Gentle Fendi sunglasses as they interact with geometric, alien creatures, which are also reflected in the lenses.

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SeaVees Opens First Flagship in Santa Barbara

Sneaker brand SeaVees is putting down retail roots in Santa Barbara as part of a revival of the fire- and flood-ravaged area that includes the recent opening of Rick Caruso’s Rosewood Miramar Beach resort with its Goop Sundries shop, and this summer the return of a revamped San Ysidro Ranch. The 1,800-square-foot space, on the site of a former surf shop at 24 Mason Street, is in the up-and-coming arts district known as the Funk Zone. Echoing the area’s sun-and-sand lifestyle, it has a tin roof, concrete floor, antique barn wood fixtures and longboards propped against the wall. The store features the brand’s full assortment of canvas sneakers for men, women and kids, $68 to $178, including styles that are part of a recent collaboration with Hoffman, maker of Magnum P.I.’s iconic Hawaiian shirt, and a limited-edition, numbered shoe to mark the store’s opening. There’s also a curated assortment of SoCal merch, including Apolis “Santa Barbara” tote bags, Camp Collection Ts, and vintage OP shorts from chief executive officer and chief designer Steven Tiller’s personal collection. The flagship is the first for the brand, which has 300 retail accounts, Nordstrom being the largest, and is a culmination of Tiller’s California dream to

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Prize Possessions: BFC Announces Winners, Shortlists for Emerging Talent Prizes

LONDON – Ahead of an announcement this week of the winner of the BFC/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund, the British Fashion Council has been touting British talent, and the recipients of funding and support. On Tuesday during an event at The Royal Academy, the BFC confirmed that it raised more than 2.3 million pounds in 2018 for its charities and business support initiatives. Of that figure, 1.1 million poundswill be allocated directly to designer businesses. The remainder will go towards future-proofing the BFC designer charities in times of uncertainty, and towards marketing activity for all the initiatives. In the last year alone, the BFC said it increased the number of scholarships awarded by its Education Foundation from 11 to 21, and increased its financial commitment to students to more than 200,000 pounds. During the morning, the BFC also announced a new round of NewGen sponsorship winners: Ahluwalia Studio, Art School, Asai, Bethany Williams, Bianca Saunders, Paria Farzaneh and Roker. One to Watch support has been awarded to Eftychia, who will be given exhibition space in the London Fashion Week Designer Showrooms in September. NewGen sponsorship is awarded annually to women’s wear, men’s wear and accessories designers who will show at either LFW or LFW Men’s. The designers are

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Monday, 29 April 2019
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Mobile Device Is Primary Shopping Companion to Shoppers in Physical Stores

Consumers today do almost nothing without a mobile device in hand, and shopping in physical stores is no exception. According to a recent survey conducted by Kelton Global on behalf of RetailMeNot, Inc., a leading savings destination, physical retail stores still play a major role in most Americans’ shopping journeys, and some 85 percent of Americans shop in a non-grocery physical retail store during a typical week, visiting up to three stores on average. Baby Boomers visit two stores and Gen X visit 2.75 stores on average. That average goes up to four stores a week among Millennial shoppers and 5.25 among Gen Z, excluding grocery and convenience stores, according to the survey. “In-store retail is still the most important channel for consumers, and the role that mobile plays in the shopping journey is notable to retailers who want to reach in-store shoppers,” said Marissa Tarleton, chief executive officer of RetailMeNot. “The mobile device is the number-one shopping companion, which is a marketing opportunity for retailers to drive in-store footfall, incentivize sales and understand online-to-offline behavior.” According to the survey, 69 percent of in-store shoppers would rather consult a product review on their phone than ask a store associate. Some 53 percent would rather

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Macys.com Tops List of Most Trafficked Retail Apparel Sites

In its most recent analysis of U.S. retail apparel site rankings, SimilarWeb cited macys.com as number one with more than 55.7 million monthly visits. The firm noted that of the top 10 retailers it analyzed, macys.com garnered 30 percent of the total traffic. SimilarWeb, a digital market intelligence platform provider, said nordstrom.com was the runner-up with 25.8 million monthly visits. The data was for this past March, the most recent available for publication. Rounding out the top 10 sites was gap.com with just over 25 million and Zappos.com with 15 million. Victoriassecret.com took the number-five slot with 12.5 million, followed by Teespring with just over 12 million. Forever21.com placed seventh with 10.5 million, which was followed by adidas.com with 10 million and dsw.com with 9.6 million. Asos.com was 10th with 9.1 million. “The top shopping sites all exemplify strong brand awareness with the majority of traffic driven by direct visits and organic search,” researchers at the company said in their report. “Social visits are most heavily driven by YouTube and Facebook, to hold over 78 percent share combined.” Data culled by SimilarWeb was for mobile and desktop searches, and the authors said this most recent report reflects an ongoing trend where mobile use outpaces

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Benefit Gets Into Laser Facials With BenefitSkin

Benefit is betting on lasers. The beauty company, which has been actively expanding beyond color cosmetics as of late, is rolling out a new laser facial service called BenefitSkin. The treatment soft-launched this month in San Francisco, with plans to expand nationally throughout 2019 and 2020. “Customers are much more open to new tools and technologies,” said Sigrun Graeff, Benefit’s senior vice president of global services. “Clients today don’t wait until they are at a certain age to use a superpower cream or a service. Clients of all age groups are interested in getting the best they can get.” A look at BenefitSkin’s treatment room in San Francisco.  Courtesy Image Benefit offers 20 services to about eight million customers per year, according to Graeff. She declined to offer a sales projection, but industry sources predict that BenefitSkin could generate up to $100 million in sales annually once rolled out. BenefitSkin uses a mild laser — a YAG that emits 1,064 nanometers of light — that reaches down into the dermis to target redness and jump-start collagen production. The procedure, $75, takes about 20 to 30 minutes and has zero downtime, which means clients can have it done in the middle of the day — a similar

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Hania New York: A Growing Hand-Knit Business in the City

Anya Cole, who was born in Poland and studied classical ballet, performing with the Metropolitan Opera in Poland, learned to knit as a young girl. “If you want it, you have to learn to make it,” was what her mother would tell her. Today, Cole oversees a luxury knitwear business called Hania New York, employing craftswomen to handknit garments in all five boroughs of New York City. Cole uses Scottish and Italian cashmeres from the finest mills in the world to create one-of-a-kind garments for women, men and children. After leaving Poland, Cole escaped to Germany and immigrated to the U.S. 29 years ago not speaking a word of English. She got a job in merchandising at Regatta Sport. After taking some time off to raise her daughter, she launched her own business, Hania New York in 2012. Hania New York sells retailers such as Bergdorf Goodman, Gorsuch and specialty boutiques throughout the country. “Knitters find me,” said Cole, noting it’s often through word of mouth. Today, she has 100 women knitting for her. They are freelancers and get paid by the piece. Anya Cole  Courtesy shot Cole’s aesthetic is based on a dancer’s needs, with lots of layers. “I always wear big sweaters and always layer

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Fashion Is Looking at Footwear Market Share

The turf wars continue in the land of ath-leisure. Nike, Adidas and Under Armour — brands that have long been known for selling sneakers to men — are rolling out expansion plans in the apparel market, mostly targeting women.  But some of the hottest apparel players are taking their offensive to a new playing field and staking out territory in footwear. Within the last year Canada Goose, Lululemon and Everlane have laid out plans for a footwear collection under their own brands. Last week, Columbia Sportswear said it was doing the same, growing its footwear selection to include a year-round assortment. “Expansion into new categories without straying too far from the root provides a tried-and-true path to growth,” Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser for the NPD Group, told WWD. “Reaching a customer that is a loyal outerwear or athletic wear user makes for introducing them to footwear an easy transition, as well as a believable one.” Everlane dropped its first sneaker collection, Tread by Everlane, in April, as seen here on the company’s web site.  Courtesy Web Site Right now, both apparel and footwear have market share up for grabs — but footwear might have more. The international footwear category, including everything sneakers and sandals to

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Bridget Foley’s Diary: I’m Sorry Alexandra Shulman, You ARE Too Smart to Have Written That

By now, you surely know of the brouhaha. On Saturday, former British Vogue editor in chief Alexandra Shulman posted a bizarre piece on the Daily Mail taking Helena Christensen to task for the look she wore to Gigi Hadid’s birthday party. By Monday, it had erupted into a social media maelstrom. Playing into the denim theme for the fete at L’Avenue at Saks Fifth Avenue, Christensen paired high-rise, loose-legged jeans with flat sandals and a black lace bustier. Shulman did not approve. The look unleashed her harshest inner school marm and a reactionary talking-to to Christensen and along with her, to all of us women in the 50-plus category about just where we stand in the sensuality stakes. Her take isn’t pretty. How Christensen looked in her bustier is almost beside the point of Shulman’s tirade. That said, from my vantage point — and social media suggests that legions of people agree — she looked fabulous. And not “fabulous for 50,” but just plain fabulous. Still, often a good look is in the eye of the beholder, and Shulman has the right to disagree. But would that she had called Christensen to task merely for donning innerwear as outerwear. Instead, Shulman used

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Retail’s Latest Disruptor: The Resale Industry

Old clothing is finding renewed potential in the resale market. In fact, resale is so hot in fashion that some think it might be the retail industry’s next big disruptor. What was once reserved for discount shoppers and unfashionable castoffs is quickly becoming the go-to destination for shoppers as the stigma behind secondhand wears off. And the trend has only just begun. Some industry experts say the total resale market’s value will more than double — from $24 billion to $51 billion — in the next five years. “We’re really at the tipping point where resell behavior is moving away from niche behavior and really becoming the standard,” Charles Gorra, founder and chief executive officer of Rebag, told WWD earlier this year.   Even luxury shoppers are buying vintage on platforms like Farfetch and Rebag, which offers hard-to-find designer goods for a fraction of the price.   Then there’s The RealReal, ThredUp, Vestiaire Collective, Poshmark, Tradesy, Rebag and GOAT, among others, all offering different things. “Resale appeals to this generation’s desire for frequent fashion updates (so as not to be caught on social media wearing the same outfit twice), their interest in developing a ‘sharing economy,’ coupled with their eco-consciousness and passion to

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