FINANCIAL: Comparable-store sales get no stimulus in May, page 3.

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Women’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’ Daily Newspaper • June 5, 2009• $3.00

WWDFRIDAYBeauty

See P&G, Page 6

Everywhere but Here:P&G Will Stop SellingMax Factor in the U.S.By Andrea NagelGLOBAL APPEAL JUST COULDN’T carry Max Factor in the U.S. any longer.

Procter & Gamble Co. is discontinuing the U.S. distribution of Max Factor, which was founded in the Forties as the original American makeup artist brand in the early days of Hollywood. P&G cited reasons the brand has only a small share of the market here — especially compared to its strong growth in the rest of the world — and that resources would be better utilized for its leading makeup brand, CoverGirl.

Max Factor, which generates more than $1 billion in sales worldwide in more than 70 countries, claims only about a 1.2 percent dollar share in the U.S., said a company spokesperson, with a very limited distribution,

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RETAIL: Lord & Taylor reorganizes its merchant

team, page 2.

BEAUTY: Banana

Republic launches Republic

Collection, page 4.

FASHION: Esteban Cortazar said out at Ungaro, page 2.

For more,

see WWD.com.

Not all clouds signal gloomy days. Case in point, Marc Jacobs’ dreamy version from a resort collection full of embellishment and vibrant color. Here, the motif on a billowy blouse paired with peplum pants. For more on resort, see pages 12 to 14.

FRIDAYBeauty

WWD.COM2 WWD, FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009

By Miles Socha

PARIS — It looks like the revolving door at Emanuel Ungaro will spin yet again.

According to sources, the French fashion house plans to part ways with Esteban Cortazar, who has shown three collections on the run-way. It is understood the designer reached an impasse with Ungaro management over its marketing and advertising strategy.

Mounir Moufarrige, Ungaro’s chief executive officer, is said to be pushing for a celebrity for future ad campaigns to help wake up the house, and has been in talks with about half a dozen potential candidates, includ-ing Lindsay Lohan, but they would have nothing to do with design.

Moufarrige could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Ungaro has not done a campaign for its women’s wear for years, and the executive is keen to revive its provocative heritage, sources said. The couture house, founded by Emanuel Ungaro in 1965, once featured an ad of a dog in a studded col-lar licking a woman’s feet, for example.

The identity of potential successors to Cortazar could not immediately be learned, but Moufarrige

is known for making bold and unex-pected decisions, most famously for replacing Karl Lagerfeld with Stella McCartney, then age 25, as head de-signer of Chloé in 1997. He had a long career at Chloé parent Compagnie Financière Richemont, most notably at Dunhill and Montblanc, where he put its emblematic black pen at the center of development.

More recently, the peripatetic executive convinced leather goods purveyor Goyard to translate its iconic canvas in a range of colors, and turned oversize watch brand U-Boat into an in-demand item.

Bogotá, Colombia-born Cortazar presented his first signature col-lection in New York at the age of 18 and was embraced by retailers

such as the late Kal Ruttenstein at Bloomingdale’s. He arrived at Ungaro at age 23, succeeding Peter

Dundas, who had replaced Vincent Darré. Ungaro has been wracked by instability in

the design department since its founding cou-turier retired in 2004. His handpicked succes-sor, Giambattista Valli, had some success, but he clashed with management. Ferragamo pur-chased Ungaro in 1996 and sold the business in 2005 to high-tech entrepreneur Asim Abdullah.

BERLIN — Metro Group’s financial chief Thomas Unger said 60 of Arcandor’s 90 Karstadt doors could easily be integrated into Metro’s Galeria Kaufhof chain, lending credence to its hopes for a fusion of Germany’s biggest department store players.

He suggested Arcandor’s 30 remaining depart-ment store doors could work for other retail chains, including Metro’s electronics retailer Saturn.

The merger, which would result in a group of about 170 stores under what is being called Deutsche Warenhaus AG, or German Department Store Inc., is seen by many as Arcandor’s most promising life preserver. Arcandor, however, is still placing its hopes on a government bailout and said it expects the government to make a de-cision on Monday.

The troubled department store, catalogue and travel group chain needs a federal loan guaran-tee of 650 million euros, or $922.3 million at cur-rent exchange, by June 12 to ensure its survival and has also applied for a short-term state loan of 200 million euros, or $282 million.

With elections coming up and 50,000 jobs on the line, the issue has become a political hot potato. The naysayers, however, gained support from the European Union on Wednesday when EU commis-sioner Neelie Kroes said Arcandor had significant structural problems prior to the financial crisis and thus does not meet requirements for state aid.

In yet another twist, SPD Chancellor candi-date Frank-Walter Steinmeier has reportedly held out the prospect of a federally guaranteed loan of 450 million euros, or $635.8 million, to help Arcandor avoid bankruptcy. According to a report to appear in the Friday edition of the Rheinische Post, the loan from the state owned KfW bank would be dependent on Arcandor’s major shareholders, the Sal. Oppenheim bank and Quelle heiress Madeleine Schickedanz, further investing between 100 and 200 million euros, or $141 million to $282 million. The deal reportedly also stipulates a binding agreement to further pursue merger plans with Metro.

— Melissa Drier

By David Moin

LORD & TAYLOR HAS REORGANIzED ITS top executives in the chain’s most significant man-agement overhaul since Brendan Hoffman became president and chief executive officer last October.

Mary Beth Sheridan has been named as se-nior vice president, director of stores in a new role at the retailer.

Jonathan Greller succeeds Sheridan as se-nior vice president and general merchandise manager of men’s, children’s and intimate ap-parel. Greller was vice president and divisional merchandise manager.

MaryAnne Morin has been promoted to se-nior vice president and general merchandise manager of shoes, handbags, jewelry, swimwear, accessories and coats. And Carol McCabe was promoted to senior vice president and general merchandise manager for sportswear, dresses and suits. They were both divisionals.

Commenting on Sheridan’s promotion, Hoffman told WWD, “This is the first time we have had a central merchant overseeing the stores. It’s going to bring a better connection between the store team and the central merchants. Mary Beth really knows the entire vendor community and will be able to enhance the customer experience, store presentation and raise the level of service.”

In addition to trying to better integrate dif-ferent sides of the business, the management changes were triggered by the recent departures of Lisa Surilla, who was senior vice president and gmm for sportswear, and Bill Noble, former

executive vice president of stores and opera-tions, as well as by the promotion in December of Liz Rodbell to executive vice president of merchandising, from senior vice president and gmm. Morin and McCabe will be covering areas of responsibility formerly held by Surilla and Rodbell, while Sheridan takes on certain re-sponsibilities held by Noble.

Sheridan and Greller will report to Hoffman, while Morin and McCabe will report to Rodbell.

“We’ve restructured the team, and I am pleased we were able to do it internally,” Hoffman said. “It’s always nice when you are able to reward team members and [take advan-tage] of your bench strength.” Hoffman said the reorganization did not entail any layoffs.

Sheridan began her retail career at Jordan Marsh in 1984 as an executive trainee, joined L&T in 1991 as a buyer, rose to senior vice president and assistant to the president and ceo. In 2003, she became senior vice president and gmm.

Greller joined L&T as an intern in 1992, went through the management trainee program, be-came a ready-to-wear buyer, and eventually shifted to men’s.

Morin returned to L&T last March. She began her retail career at L&T in 1986 as an executive trainee and held various positions from buyer to di-visional merchandise manager and vice president.

McCabe began her retail career in 1987 in the ex-ecutive training program with the former Hahne’s chain. In 1990, she joined L&T and has held vari-ous positions from assistant buyer to buyer, divi-sional merchandise manager and vice president.

To e-mail reporTers and ediTors aT WWd, The address is firsTname.lasTname@fairchildpub.com, using The individual’s name.

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FASHIONResort season hits its stride with collections from Marc Jacobs, Miu Miu, Thakoon, Alexander Wang, Jason Wu and more.

GENERALProcter & Gamble has announced it will discontinue the sale of the Max Factor makeup brand in the U.S. beginning early next year.

Emanuel Ungaro is said to be parting ways with designer Esteban Cortazar after reaching an impasse over marketing and advertising.

Without the jolt from last year’s stimulus checks and a tepid reception to summer apparel, retailers posted declines in May same-store sales.

Banana Republic aims to capture a sporty set of consumers with a men’s and women’s fragrance duo called the Republic Collection.

Lancôme looks to give its Hypnôse fragrance franchise a playful twist with Hypnôse Senses, a women’s scent, bowing this month.

No longer just a pocketknife brand, Victorinox Swiss Army is carving a niche in fragrances with Swiss Unlimited, its debut men’s scent.

“Aéropostale is on an incredible run of

capturing material market share and top- and bottom-line upside. We see no roadblocks in sight.”

— Brean Murray, Carret & Co. retail analyst Eric Beder on the company’s 19 percent comparable-store sales increase,

the best of all retailers in May. Page 3.

QUoteDAILY

WWDfriDayBeauty

• All the resort looks from Marc Jacobs, Jason Wu, Thakoon,

Alexander Wang and Kate Spade • WWD Blogs on Buzz Aldrin, Coco

Rocha and Saltwater Sandals• Beauty Roundup: June 5• WWD’s Week in Review

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WWD IS A ReGISteReD tRADeMARK oF ADVANCe MAGAZINe PUBLISHeRS INC. CoPYRIGHt ©2009 FAIRCHILD FASHIoN GRoUP. ALL RIGHtS ReSeRVeD. PRINteD IN tHe U.S.A.VOLUME 197, NO. 117. WWD (ISSN 0149–5380) is published daily (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one additional issue in January, May, October, November and December, two additional issues in March, April, June and August, and three additional issues in February and September) by Fairchild Fashion Group, which is a division of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. Shared Services provided by Condé Nast Publications: S. I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, President/CEO; John W. Bellando, Executive Vice President/COO; Jill Bright, Executive Vice President/Human Resources. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 886549096-RT0001. Canada Post: return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6 PoStMASteR: SeND ADDReSS CHANGeS to WoMeN’S WeAR DAILY, P.o. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615–5008. FoR SUBSCRIPtIoNS, ADDReSS CHANGeS, ADJUStMeNtS, oR BACK ISSUe INQUIRIeS: Please write to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008, call 800-289-0273, or visit www.subnow.com/wd. Please give both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business, and production correspondence to WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY, 750 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. For permissions and reprint requests, please call 212-630-4274 or fax requests to 212-630-4280. Visit us online at www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.fairchildpub.com. Occasionally, we make our subscriber list available to carefully screened companies that offer products and services that we believe would interest our readers. If you do not want to receive these offers and/or information, please advise us at P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008 or call 800-289-0273. WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.

Cortazar Said Exiting Ungaro

Metro Group Exec Touts Karstadt Merger

Lord & Taylor Restructures ManagementHypnôse Senses

A look from Emanuel Ungaro.A look from Emanuel Ungaro.

For more on the company, see WWD.com.

s

A Marc Jacobs resort 2010 look.

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WWD.COM3WWD, friDay, june 5, 2009

By Alexandra Steigrad

DepriveD of last year’s government stimulus checks and enthusiasm for summer fashion trends, con-sumers once again chose cash conservation over con-spicuous consumption in may, sending all but a handful of retailers to same-store sales declines.

the month offered little relief for high-end merchan-disers and another endorsement of retailers offering strong value propositions. those dynamics are expected to remain in place this month, as will nostalgia for the government rebates of 2008.

luxury retailers saks inc. and neiman marcus inc. once again were among those hit hardest, weathering double-digit declines, as was abercrombie & fitch Co., the prestige player among teen retailers. off-price re-tailers the tJX Cos. inc. and ross stores inc. shined, and department stores were down across the board, with midtier giant Kohl’s Corp. faring best with a nearly break-even performance. Despite its efforts to identify itself more with value and less with style, target Corp. disappointed with a larger-than-expected decline.

may’s comparable-store sales results, unlike those for april, generally fell short of expectations, pressuring the s&p retail index down 3.89 points, or 1.2 percent, on thursday to 335.21 even as the broader Dow Jones industrial average and s&p 500 indices rose 0.9 and 1.2 percent, respec-tively, on a drop in the number of weekly unem-ployment claims and improvements in financial and energy stocks.

“it’s apparent from the numbers that the value play-ers or retailers with a value message are continuing to win,” said matt Katz, managing director at alix partners llC. “i’m not surprised at all by the results. We’re in the early innings of a pretty long game.”

reflecting on the prospects for the rest of the sum-mer, Katz noted, “We may have hit bottom, but i don’t see where we have any traction to start a climb.”

may’s numbers weren’t propped up by the world’s largest retailer, Wal-mart stores inc., which said last month it would discontinue its participation in the monthly reporting ritual. However, Wal-mart, preparing for its annual meeting today, still managed to hold the spotlight by delivering welcome news in exactly the area many believe is most critical to a recovery in consumer spending — employment. the Bentonville, ark.-based firm said it will create 22,000 u.s. jobs, more than 1,000 in states including arizona, California, michigan, new Jersey, utah, virginia and south Carolina. in october, it said it would open or expand 142 to 157 of its namesake units in the u.s. during the current fiscal year.

the vacuum created by Wal-mart’s decision to stop reporting comps put greater focus on target Corp.’s re-sults, which missed expectations with a 6.1 percent de-cline versus the 4.3 percent slide estimated by analysts.

tJX stood by its second-quarter guidance after reporting a 5 percent increase in may comps. Carol meyrowitz, president and chief executive officer, empha-sized the firm’s strength wasn’t based on price alone.

“our strategy of running the business with lean inven-tories supports our close-to-need buying and we are flow-ing extremely fresh fashions to our stores,” she said.

a strong accessories performance helped Kohl’s lead the department store sector despite a 0.4 percent comp drop, and J.C. penney Co. inc. credited the strength of its women’s wear business, offset in part by weak jew-elry sales, as its comps declined 8.2 percent, better than the 9 to 12 percent expected.

macy’s inc. posted a 9.1 percent drop, in line with management’s expectations, while regional players Dillard’s inc., the Bon-ton stores inc. and stage stores inc. fell 12, 12.1 and 7.2 percent, respectively.

the decline in the luxury market continued in may. upscale retailers neiman marcus inc. and saks inc. re-ported comp declines of 27 and 26.6 percent, respective-ly. saks said “relative strength” in its direct and off 5th businesses offset “continued weakness across all mer-chandise categories” in its full-line stores and that it expects midteen declines for the second quarter, which kicked off last month.

“i think the consumer is looking for value, and it doesn’t feel right to be ostentatious,” said Deborah Weinswig, Citigroup’s broadlines retail analyst.

While nordstrom inc. did relatively better with a 13.1 percent comp contraction, higher-end spe-

cialty stores reporting on thursday also were vulner-able to the pullback.

abercrombie & fitch’s 28 percent decline was the sharpest fall of the month. By division, comps were down 25 percent at the namesake division, 32 per-cent at Hollister, 28 percent at the abercrombie kids’

unit and 33 percent at ruehl, which is undergoing a strategic review.

a&f has slowly picked up its promotional cadence after emphasizing brand protection in the early stages of the recession. But what was once pegged as a pric-ing issue appears to be a more serious fashion problem, Citigroup retail analyst Kimberly greenberger said.

across all four divisions, greenberger said the women’s business comped down more than 30 percent and men’s categories fell in the high teens to high 20s. Because women tend to shop more by fashion than brand, greenberger suspected that the company has been losing share to fast-fashion firms.

“that preppy americana look is definitely out of favor right now,” she said, adding that recovery will be difficult for abercrombie because this style is part of the “brand’s Dna.”

the striation of comp results by price also could be seen within gap inc.’s may numbers, which overall declined 6 percent. the sharpest divisional decline — 14 percent — was at the tonier Banana republic unit, while the only increase came from the resurgent, value-driven old navy, which was up 3 percent.

thomas filandro, retail analyst at susquehanna financial group, cited “inconsistent merchandise” for the difficulties at Banana republic and called its may numbers and the 11 percent decline at the gap unit “very disappointing.”

greenberger and filandro agreed old navy, helped by its $1 flip-flop event in may, was resonating with customers.

eclipsing the Buckle inc.’s 13.4 percent increase, aéropostale inc. boasted the month’s best comps, a 19 percent increase, helped by a graphic t-shirt business

characterized by “newness and innovation,” according to greenberger.

“aéropostale is on an incredible run of capturing ma-terial market share and top- and bottom-line upside,” said Brean murray, Carret & Co. retail analyst eric Beder. “We see no roadblocks in sight.”

teen retail rival american eagle outfitters inc., which recently has been profiting from strong dress sales, said may comps were off 7 percent.

While most analysts have heralded aeo’s new mer-chandise mix, Beder was more skeptical, saying its “value pricing has not driven material positives. We view the company as the poster child for the current ‘stabilization’ and unworthy of anywhere near its cur-rent multiple.”

Hot topic inc. disappointed analysts with a 6.4 per-cent decline, below consensus estimates of a 4.1 percent drop. the Wet seal inc. recorded an 8.4 percent decline for the month, with an 11 percent increase at arden B. offsetting the namesake unit’s 12.4 percent fall. Zumiez inc. comped down 20.7 percent, principally because of weak hard goods and juniors’ businesses.

Despite a mixed bag of may results, michael niemira, chief economist and director of research for the international Council of shopping Centers, said, “there are ‘green shoots’ within the retail sector. although over-all retail demand was weak, there were individual retail-ers that have begun to see some notable improvements.”

— With contributions from Sharon Edelson

MAY sAMe-store sAles may april march 2009 2008 % change % change % change % change

DeparTmenT STOreS Bon-ton -12.1 -9.9 -5.1 -11.2

DillArD’s -12.0 -7.0 -6.0 -19.0

J.C. PenneY -8.2 -4.4 -6.6 -7.2

Kohl’s -0.4 -7.2 -6.2 -4.3

MACY’s -9.1 -1.5 -9.1 -9.2

neiMAn MArCus -27.0 0.2 -24.6 -31.2

norDstroM -13.1 10.9 -10.8 -13.5

sAKs -26.6 -8.7 -32.0 -23.6

stAge stores -7.2 0.1 -1.5 -15.0

average: -12.9 -3.1 -11.3 -14.9

SpecialTy chainS ABerCroMBie & FitCh -28.0 -1.0 -22.0 -34.0

AeroPostAle 19.0 6.0 20.0 3.0

AMeriCAn eAgle -7.0 -9.0 -5.0 -16.0

AMeriCAn APPArel -10.0 24.0 -7.0 -11.0

BAnAnA rePuBliC -14.0 -5.0 -8.0 -16.0

BAth & BoDY WorKs -1.0 -11.0 1.0 -6.0

BuCKle 13.4 34.7 18.2 14.7

CAto -3.0 2.0 11.0 -6.0

the ChilDren’s PlACe -9.0 10.0 5.0 -2.0

gAP (u.s. stores) -11.0 -7.0 -10.0 -14.0

hot toPiC -6.4 -0.2 3.1 7.1

DestinAtion MAternitY -5.4 4.3 -1.2 -7.6

olD nAvY 3.0 -25.0 1.0 0.0

rite AiD 0.6 1.3 1.8 -0.7

viCtoriA’s seCret -10.0 -4.0 -8.0 -10.0

WAlgreen 1.0 3.9 5.7 1.5

Wet seAl -8.4 -2.0 -2.2 -11.4

ZuMieZ -20.7 0.2 -13.8 -17.9

average: -5.4 1.2 -0.6 -7.0

maSS merchanTS BJ’s WholesAle CluB* 4.0 6.8 5.5 8.5

CostCo 1.0 7.0 0.0 4.0

ross stores 4.0 7.0 6.0 3.0

stein MArt 0.2 -12.4 -12.3 -1.4

tArget -6.1 -0.7 0.3 -6.3

tJX Cos. 5.0 2.0 3.0 2.0

average: 1.4 1.6 0.4 1.6

Tally: uP 10 16 13 8

FlAt 0 0 1 1

DoWn 23 17 19 24

totAl 33 33 33 33

SOURCE: COMPANY REPORTS *ExClUdES fUEl SAlES

For more on the state of retail, see WWD.com.

Lack of Stimulus: May Comps Fall ShortTarget saw a larger-than-expected drop in comparable-store sales for the month.

“ We may have hit bottom, but I don’t see where we have any traction to start a climb. ”

— Matt Katz, Alix Partners LLC

PARIS — L’Oréal kicked off its centenary celebrations Thursday with office parties for its 67,662 employees in major cities throughout the world. In Paris, chief executive officer Jean-Paul Agon was master of ceremonies and presented two short films made especially for the event.

The first charted the milestones in the company’s 100-year history, while the second gave an overview of its philanthropic work undertaken by the L’Oréal Corporate Foundation. Agon also announced the launch of 100 new philanthropic programs worldwide, each initiated by separate L’Oréal offices to help people in their local communities.

During a press conference Thursday morning, Agon was up-beat about the company’s finances, despite the global crisis. “Of course,

we would have preferred to celebrate the centenary under less difficult circumstances, but this should be seen as a new begin-ning for us,” he said. The beauty behemoth’s chief added L’Oréal is continuing to increase its market share, particularly in de-veloping regions like the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Persian Gulf, and that he is confident the company will produce increasingly positive results this year.

— Rachel Tiplady

4 WWD, FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009

Republic Collection Next for Banana

Soap & Glory’s Offbeat Play for Guys

The Beauty Report

GAP InC.’s BAnAnA REPuBLIC BRAnD Is AIMInG TO CAPTuRE A sPORTy sET OF COnsuM-ers with a men’s and women’s fragrance duo called the Republic Collection, which is due out in the retailer’s 500 stores in late summer.

Republic of Men and Republic of Women, as the two scents are called, are the first fragrance ven-tures for simon Kneen, Banana Republic’s executive vice president of design and creative director, since Kneen joined the brand 18 months ago from Brooks Brothers, where he spent four years and was formerly vice president and creative design director.

“It sits within the Banana Republic family — from a fragrance point of view — and [is meant to] appeal to a sportier, khaki-pants guy and white-shirt girl,” said Kneen. “It’s a very accessible per-fume, the kind of thing everyone should have in their tote or messenger bag in the urban adventure of today.”

The scents are scheduled to be launched in early september at Banana Republic’s 450 stores in north America and 50 international stores, including locations in Asia and a recently opened shop in London.

new york-based Inter Parfums Inc. produces scents for the Banana Republic and Gap brands under an exclusive agreement with san Francisco-based Gap Inc. While the scents both come in 50-ml. cylindrical bottles that were designed via a collabora-tion between Kneen and Inter Parfums, the women’s scent is priced at $48 and the men’s is priced at $45.

The prices are slightly lower than those of Banana Republic’s existing scents, which include Malachite, Alabaster, Jade, Rosewood and Classic for women, and slate, Black Walnut and Cordovan for men. “That’s the accessibility factor,” Kneen said of the prices of the Republic Collection. He added that Classic has been the retailer’s bestseller for 14 years.

While the company does not break out sales projections, industry sources estimate the two Republic scents could com-bine to generate upward of $15 million during their first year on the market.

Perfumer Harry Fremont of fragrance supplier Firmenich blended Republic of Women, an eau de parfum that has top notes of sweet osmanthus, juicy lychee and spicy bergamot. The heart of the scent includes peony, pink jasmine and Moroccan rose, and it dries down into a base of soft musks and precious woods.

Republic of Men, an eau de toilette, was composed by Laurent Le Guernec of International Flavors & Fragrances. An opening accord of sparkling Clementine, wet plum and dewy fig leaf mixes with middle notes of sambac, rosemary, basil, sage and freshly crushed hazel-nut, while base notes include fresh sandalwood, cedar wood and creamy skin musks.

The men’s bottle has a gray hue, while the wom-en’s has a plum color, and each is topped with a textured-fabric and polished-silver cap embossed with the BR logo. secondary packaging, a linen box, features a transparent door through which the scents are visible.

The scent will primarily be promoted with visuals appearing in store windows, as well as with tester bottles in stores, according to Allison Zamora, director of licensing for Banana Republic, who noted that an advertising and pro-motional campaign is to reach 47 global markets.

There also will be a direct-mail campaign and e-mail blasts. said Zamora: “The strategy is to get to our specific consumer.”

— Matthew W. Evans

LONDON — Lancôme aims to give its Hypnôse fragrance franchise a young, playful and sen-suous twist with Hypnôse senses, a women’s scent, which will launch later this month.

The fragrance, which follows the 2005 launch of Hypnôse, was developed to recruit a younger audience to the brand’s perfumery portfolio through lighthearted advertising and an acces-sible price positioning.

“It addresses a new facet of femininity,” said Odile Roujol, president of L’Oréal-owned Lancôme, adding at 39 euros, or $55 at current exchange, for a 30-ml. eau de parfum spray, Hypnôse senses’ entry point product is 20 percent less expensive than that of Hypnôse. “The terri-tory we want to be in is small indulgences.”

Roujol added in response to shrinking con-sumer purchasing power, smaller sizes could be offered for other Lancôme products in the fu-ture, too.

Hypnôse senses’ optimistic and playful bent is also meant to appeal to women liv-ing with the economic downturn doldrums. In its print advertising, for instance, model Daria Werbowy is pictured in a sun-drenched Parisian apartment, seemingly naked. Print images were shot by Mikael Jansson.

In the TV ad, directed by Fabien Baron, Werbowy wears a flesh-colored silk dress and asks, “Are you ready to play?”

“It’s not provocative,” said Roujol, adding it is the first Lancôme campaign to feature a nude spokeswoman. “It has a ‘sunday morning’ atmosphere.”

The campaign, combined with Internet and sampling activ-ity, will break in Europe this month with the scent’s launch. Hypnôse senses will bow in the u.s. toward the end of the year.

As well as suggesting a mischievous state of mind, Werbowy’s state of undress plays on the fragrance’s composition, which Roujol compared with a “second skin.” Concocted by Christine nagel, nathalie Feisthauer and ursula Wandel, who at the time of its development all worked for Givaudan, Hypnôse senses’ juice is a chypre with floral inflexions. It comprises notes of pa-tchouli, rockrose labdanum, benzoin vanilla, tonka bean, osman-thus absolute, honey, pink peppercorns and mandarin essence.

The scent’s flesh-hued juice is housed in a helix-shaped bottle, which is reminiscent of the brand’s Magie fragrance. Hypnôse also comes in an interpretation of the classic scent’s bottle, though it is more angular than the latest Baron-designed iteration.

“It is more curved and voluptuous,” said Roujol when com-paring Hypnôse senses’ bottle to Hypnôse’s. While Roujol de-clined to discuss projections, industry sources estimate Hypnôse senses will generate first-year retail sales in the region of 60 million euros, or $85 million.

As well as the 30-ml. version, the new fragrance will be avail-able in 50-ml. and 75-ml. sizes priced at 63 euros and 78 euros, respectively, or $89 and $111.

Hypnôse senses was designed to sit alongside Hypnôse, which has a strong following in Italy, France and travel retail, according to Roujol. “It’s additional business,” she said. “The idea is not to cannibalize.”

— Brid Costello

LONDON — soap & Glory is gearing up to offer gag-filled grooming products for guys.

The brand, which historically offers a humor-ous spin on treatments and toiletries with prod-ucts such as sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss, will introduce a collection of up to nine products, starting in October.

“A lot of men don’t want to admit to using products,” said Marcia Kilgore, the London-based brand’s founder. “We’re in a position to make fun of using products. We don’t think men want to approach cash desks and seem to be serious about getting rid of their wrinkles. If it seems like he’s having a laugh, it’ll be more palatable for his ego, and of course the products work as we still want him to come back for that second purchase.”

While the packaging of soap & Glory’s existing bath-and-body and skin care lines feature retro im-agery, the men’s products will take a slightly differ-ent tack, according to Kilgore.

“It’s a little more rock ’n’ roll and groovy, rath-er than retro,” she said.

The collection will include shower gel, shav-ing cream, hair putty and a spot cream, as well as gift sets.

While Kilgore declined to discuss figures, she forecast the men’s collection will not represent more than 25 percent of soap & Glory’s sales.

According to industry sources, soap & Glory, which bowed in 2006, generates annual revenues in the region of $50 million. In the u.K., where the brand is sold through Boots and Harvey nichols, soap & Glory’s sales grew 95 percent in the financial year ended March 31, according to Victoria Woodhead, the brand’s global sales and marketing manager.

In addition to adding a masculine arm, Kilgore is cooking up a plethora of bath-and-body and skin care items for the brand’s existing lines, as well as grooming and bath accessories.

“Other [brands] should be very afraid,” Kilgore quipped.

soap & Glory executives are just as bullish about prospects in the u.s., where the brand launched in 2007 and is sold at Target.

“In 2009, we are budgeting for 68 percent growth in a tough market, helped by the launch of skin care, other exciting [new product develop-ment] later this year and additional initiatives,” said Woodhead, adding that a soap & Glory gift set recently was featured on the cover of Target’s circular, which is distributed to 50 million homes in the u.s.

“Full-year 2008 sales came in at plus-47 percent to budget, and we experienced a 200 percent in-crease in sales on 2007.”

— B.C.

Lancôme’s Younger Hypnôse

L’Oréal Fetes Centennial

Banana Republic’s newest scents.

Hypnôse Senses

Jean-Paul Agon

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5WWD, FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009

OBITUARY

The Beauty Report WWD.COM

By Julie Naughton

Gwen Stefani’S Harajuku GirlS are changing clothes for fall.

the singer’s popular Harajuku lovers quintet of fragrances — one of the financial bright spots of a tough fall — will be given a limited edition change of clothes in September.

“i think [the appeal is] twofold,” said Stefani of the success of the initial collection. “i think people really connect with these adorable little dolls. i know every time i look at the dolls, i can’t help but smile. Second, the fragrances are really great — extremely fresh and very wearable.”

Stefani admits it’s still a surprise that Coty al-lowed her to launch five fragrances at once. “the

idea that Coty would let me do this collection was really a fantasy,” she said. “it was part of this whole world that was in my head, and it wasn’t something i thought would really come to life.”

the five limited edition dolls are bundled up in winter clothes, befitting the moniker — Snow Bunnies.

“we brainstormed lots of ideas, but Snow Bunnies just felt and looked right, since it was coming out during the winter season,” said Stefani, noting the scents remain the same. “i loved the idea of the girls going skiing, snow-boarding, sledding and having hot chocolate. every season we create new versions of the girls, so you’ll always see lots of changes over time. One of my favorite things about this collection is that the possibilities are endless,” said Stefani. “the Harajuku Girls can go anywhere and be and do anything. we are always developing new artwork and graphics. the brand has an underlying sense of fun and whimsy and a Pop art sensibility that is always evolving. Harajuku lovers is like a nev-

er-ending art project!”added Carlos timiraos, group vice president

of global marketing for celebrity brands at Coty Prestige: “the packaging was a big part of the line’s success — people were buying and collect-ing them all. rather than introduce another five scents, we decided to play around with clothes — there is a lot of territory to be mined there.”

the five Harajuku lovers are G — meant to represent Stefani — as well as love, lil’ angel, Music and Baby (the namesakes behind her l.a.M.B. fashion brand).

the Snow Bunnies will be priced at $30 per 10-ml. scent and will be available in about 2,200 doors, including Macy’s, nordstrom, Sephora, macys.com and sephora.com. they will be pro-

moted in a national print campaign that begins in September fashion, beauty and lifestyle maga-zines, said leslie Oglesby, global marketing direc-tor for the fragrance brand. She added the scent will also be promoted on a dedicated web site, Hlfragrance.com, which includes interactive fea-tures designed to connect users to the brand.

while all involved declined comment on pro-jected sales, industry sources estimated that the limited edition collection could generate sales of about $15 million retail globally in the six months the Snow Bunnies will be on counter.

Stefani is planning another Harajuku project as well. “i’m also working on a new costume and sterling silver jewelry line for Harajuku lovers that is crazy cute,” she said.

when she’s not tending to her apparel, fra-grance and accessories, Stefani is busy with her day job — music. “i just started a new tour with no Doubt, and we’re having so much fun being back together out on the road,” she said. “everything feels so right.”

PARIS — jean-Claude taffin de Givenchy, once head of Givenchy’s couture and fragrance businesses, died May 18 in Cannes, france, of cancer. He was 84.

De Givenchy was born in 1925 in Beauvais, france. He began work-ing with his brother, Hubert taffin de Givenchy, soon after the Givenchy fashion house was opened in 1952.

“i asked my brother, jean-Claude, to leave the u.S., where he had an im-portant job at air france,” reminisced Hubert taffin de Givenchy, reached by phone in Paris on Sunday.

Givenchy’s fragrance activities began in 1957. “we worked first on le De and l’interdit, which was made for audrey Hepburn,” said de Givenchy. “then we launched eau de Vetyver and Givenchy Gentleman — all sorts of perfume.”

jean-Claude taffin de Givenchy left Parfums Givenchy soon after

it was sold to france’s institut de Développement industriel in 1979. Subsequently, the business went to Veuve Clicquot and then to lVMH Moët Hennessy louis Vuitton, the cur-rent owner of Givenchy’s fragrance and fashion holdings.

De Givenchy became general man-ager of Parfums Caron in new York. afterward, he worked for the Givenchy Gentleman men’s wear division, also in new York, before retiring.

De Givenchy was a knight of france’s national Order of Merit.

He is survived by his brother, his wife, seven children — including jew-elry designer james taffin de Givenchy and fragrance-industry executive Patrick taffin de Givenchy, grandchil-dren and great grandchildren.

a service for de Givenchy will be held for friends and family in Paris, although no date or location has yet been set.

— Jennifer Weil

nO lOnGer juSt tHe BranD Of POCketkniVeS, Victorinox Swiss army is carving out a new niche in the fra-grance world with the introduction of Swiss unlimited, its debut scent for men.

Chairman Veronika elsener, a member of the fourth genera-tion of the founding family, acknowledged that “it took us 125 years for the first launch of a Victorinox fragrance.” But she quickly added that the fragrance is expected to add “more emo-tional and playful attributes to enhance our brand.”

with an emphasis on alternative forms of distribution and gueril-la-type marketing strategies, the 125-year-old, family-run company is embarking on a business model, which is anything but traditional as far as fragrance launches go. the project is being spearheaded by retired Clarins executive Vera Strübi, a fragrance industry trail-blazer whose pioneering work on thierry Mugler’s angel franchise set a high-water mark for innovation during the nineties.

just as angel benefited from out-of-the-box thinking, Victorinox clearly has been searching for alternative marketing concepts and methods.

the company will focus primarily on e-commerce, which according to company executives will likely account for as much as 70 percent of Swiss unlimited’s total first-year sales. the company will also try out three new kiosk systems to be positioned at airports and retailers that will allow customers, via touch screen, to sample and purchase a scent that can be shipped to the purchaser’s home.

“the industry is so overloaded with products — to launch like ev-eryone else would make no sense,” said Strübi during a press event last month at Victorinox’s showroom. “Going outside the point of sale direct to the consumers works very well, and we’ll also sell it on our e-shop, which we then hope to expand to the mobile phone.”

Victorinox will also layer on more conventional chan-nels of distribution in both europe and the u.S. last month, Swiss unlimited had an exclusive bricks-and-mortar launch at Colette in Paris and this august, the scent is scheduled to

make its u.S. debut at 35 Bloomingdale’s doors nationwide, where Victorinox’s timepieces and lug-gage are already car-ried. Company execu-tives said that while plans haven’t yet been finalized, they are considering a shop-in-shop concept, as well as a “You fill” station, where customers can come and refill their Swiss unlimited fra-grance bottles.

“we will not roll out to additional doors later this fall or spring,” said Benjamin Gillikin, Strübi’s old colleague from Clarins whom she lured on-board and out of re-tirement to oversee Swiss unlimited’s

north american marketing and distribution. “we’ll do the rest through guerilla marketing.”

the company now boasts an airstream trailer, whose interior is outfitted with a retrospective of Victorinox, that is making its way through key markets in the u.S. and Canada, where a com-pany representative is distributing scent samples directly to po-tential consumers and gathering e-mail addresses.

last month, Swiss unlimited launched exclusively in europe on Victorinox’s web site. the initial launch plan kicked off in january, when the fragrance made its debut in the brand’s home territory of Switzerland at about 15 Victorinox points of sale and 10 ski resorts, where company spokespeople dressed in red Victorinox ski suits and handed out samples directly to skiers.

Swiss unlimited could generate about $5 million in retail sales in its first year, according to industry sources.

Designed to represent the crisp freshness of the Swiss alps with energizing notes of absinthe and the woody aroma of white pine, Swiss unlimited’s pale green scent was blended by perfumers Christine nagel and jean-Christophe Herault of fragrance resources.

the fragrance’s rectangular glass bottle is encased in red rub-ber and hooked with a carabiner. in keeping with Victorinox Swiss army’s tradition of utility and practicality, the packaging is unbreak-able and the bottle is refillable courtesy of a novelty pump system.

the eau de toilette will come in three sizes, a 2.5-oz. glass bottle for $55; another 2.5-oz. size encased in rubber for $75, and a 10-oz. glass bottle with rubber case that will sell for $55. rounding out the line is a 6.8-oz. hair and body wash for $30, and a deodorant stick, which will retail for $23.

— Gillian Koenig

Stefani’s New Harajuku Wardrobe Victorinox’s Alternative Paths Of Distribution for First Scent

Jean-Claude Taffin de Givenchy, 84

Victorinox Swiss Unlimited

The newly outfitted girls.

Jean-Claude Taffinde Givenchy in New York in 1969.

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6 WWD, friDay, june 5, 2009

The Beauty Report

L’OrEaL PrOfEssiOnnEL is tak-ing a three-pronged approach to tar-geting an upscale male salon clien-tele with a new concept called L’Oréal Professionnel Homme.

the venture includes a hair care and styling aids line, a hair color system ap-plied by salon staff and in-salon men’s areas called Homme Centers.

Currently, there are five “dedicated men’s sections at more unisex [ori-ented] salons,” said Paul schiraldi, vice president of marketing for L’Oréal Professionnel. He said there would be two more Homme Centers likely opened this year and another four or five opened next year at various salons across the country.

salons that feature the Homme Centers include hairstylist ted Gibson’s Chevy Chase, Md., location; anushka in West Palm Beach, fla., and Blondie’s Hair studio in Washington.

the Homme Centers are designed to take a corner or other area in the salon and make it male friendly. By mixing dark styling chairs with dark fixtures, a masculine feel is often accomplished. the idea is to create a premium, dedi-cated men’s space, said schiraldi, “be-cause men feel comfortable there.”

“Men want to see an environment clearly designed for them,” asserted Heather a. Lew, marketing manager for L’Oréal Professionnel. “it’s a sleeker, modern, masculine approach.”

Meanwhile, the L’Oréal Professionnel Homme product line comprises seven items: four hair care products and three styling aids.

the hair care line includes three 250-ml. shampoos dubbed tonique, which is meant to revitalize the hair; Densité, for fine-thinning hair, and Energic, an “energizing and refreshing gel sham-poo,” according to the firm. there’s also a 150-ml. conditioner designed for all hair types called Controle+. Each prod-uct is priced at $15.

the trio of styling products, which

are each priced at $16, include a wax to create definition, 50 ml., and a fiber paste called sculpte and a gel called strong, both 150 ml. the product range targets guys 25 years old and up.

rounding out the L’Oréal Professionnel Homme concept is a pro-fessional hair color line, called Cover 5’. the range of five shades (dark brown to dark blonde) is for gray blending, which means that gray hair is not fully covered but blended into the hair’s natural shade. the process is designed

to take place at the shampoo sink, and to take five minutes to

apply and rinse.While prices for the color process will

vary depending on the salon, the service is estimated to cost an average of $25. Guys 35 years old and up are the primary target for the Cover 5’ treatment.

“Every six to eight weeks, men visit the salon,” said Lew, “and that is when the color needs to be reapplied. Cover 5’ is an innovation in the market.”

the hair care, styling and color pro-cessing services together — which are to finish rolling out this month to about 2,000 salons initially — could combine to generate $10 million in first-year sales, according to industry sources.

— Matthew W. Evans

P&G to Pull Factor From U.S. Shelves

Sebastian Sees Texture as a Win

L’Oréal Professionnel Homme items.

men’scorner

By Andrea Nagel

PrOCtEr & GaMBLE PrOfEssiOnaL is launching a third pillar of inno-vation in its effort to restage the sebastian brand.

the latest wave targets hair texture and consists of an in-salon treatment designed to provide texture, as well as three retail products.

“as we have contin-ued to talk to stylists and consumers as to what they are looking for, they still have challenges in finding products that provide flexibility and texture in long hair,” said reuben Carranza, director, north america Professional salon for P&G.

the hero retail item is MicroWeb fiber, which, Carranza said, “was inspired by the silk that is spun by a spider.” the design challenge, he ex-plained, was formu-lating a product that gives hold and texture to long hair but also has flexibility proper-ties. the application of MicroWeb fiber is different from others, Carranza said, as it should first be emulsi-fied in hands, then the user claps her hands, and the fibrous, weblike matter that’s created is then settled and nestled onto hair.

“When you see this happen in the salon, customers ask what stylists are doing,” said Carranza. “it generates excitement.”

the two other retail items are a Liquigel texturizer and a Matte Putty. the texturizer is designed to provide hold and form; the putty is a soft, dry texturizer for touchable hold. MicroWeb fiber will sell for $18.95, the

texturizer will sell for $15.95 and the Putty will be $16.95.

the in-salon service, which is esti-mated to sell for about $25, will allow stylists to create texture at the back bar.

the texture collection enters 10,000 salons nationwide in July. ads sup-porting texture will feature the hero product MicroWeb fiber and singer

Micky Green, who hails from sydney.

the brand’s initial debut included more than 30 hair care and styling products in July. in January, it launched a shine col-lection called flaunt.

Green fits in well with sebastian’s past spokespeople, who include stylista Cory kennedy, who was featured in ads for the Whipped Creme styling product when the brand was reintro-duced last year, and designer Charlotte ronson, who was in ads for the trilliant styling item, which is within the shine collection.

images featuring Green will be in both consumer ads as well as on salon displays.

this strategy, said Carranza, in the past has generated purchas-es from consumers who typically don’t buy their products in a salon.

Carranza said that, while the over-all salon industry is suffering approxi-mately 5 percent sales decreases, “we are seeing double-digit growth…and innovation is driving that growth. in fact, the sebastian reinvention and the Wella koleston Perfect innovation are helping salons win in a tough envi-ronment. as we look at industry share numbers, P&G Professional is growing their share.”

Visuals from Sebastian’s MicroWeb Fiber ads.

L’Oréal Professionnel Targets Men

Continued from page onewhich includes select Wal-Mart, Duane reade and Ulta stores, as well as smaller regional drugstore chains and beauty shops. industry sources estimate the brand generated roughly $50 million at retail in 2008.

“Max factor is a strong, profitable brand and remains one of P&G Beauty & Grooming’s key engines for global growth, however, we are choosing to discontinue the U.s. Max factor brand, which has different products, packaging and distribution channels than the Max factor brand marketed around the world,” said Virginia C. Drosos, president of Global female Beauty at Procter & Gamble. “this is the right decision to further strengthen our cosmetics business because it allows us to focus our U.s. resources on continuing to grow…CoverGirl,” she stated. Globally, stated the Drosos, Max factor achieved double-digit growth in the fiscal year end-ing June 30, 2008, and is the fastest growing brand in P&G’s cosmetics portfolio. it is also the best-selling cosmetics brand in over 20 countries and the second-best-selling brand in key markets such as the United kingdom and russia.

Beauty industry expert allan Mottus sees the move to cut Max factor here as a smart one.

“Max factor kind of works everywhere else except here,” said Mottus, citing its success in countries like Japan.

One beauty source said even P&G, with all of its resources, needs to focus on their most important flagship brand during this retail climate, which has been seeing brands such as Jane Cosmetics and Physicians formula lose retail space.

“this could be a reaction to what is happening in retail, where they are looking to consolidate space, brands and [stockkeeping units] and vendors. any duplication is being looked upon very carefully as to whether or not it is needed. in cosmetics

it’s very tough to rationalize duplication because the sheer intensity of the sku’s makes it an analytic chal-lenge,” said the source.

One cosmetics manufacturer, speaking not for attri-bution, interpreted P&G’s decision as a recognition of the difficulties being faced by brands in the U.s. mass market. “the retailers are saying, ‘Let’s get behind the big brands,’” the executive said, noting that small players still represent a burden in inventory dollars.

P&G acquired Max factor in 1991 from revlon, and since then has made several efforts to tap into the brand’s theatrical heritage to make it resonate with U.s. consumers. in 1996, for example, P&G launched a Movie Makeup artist ad campaign that featured actual movie makeup artists giving testimonials about the quality and performance of Max factor products. that year, the brand generated about $100 million at retail, according to WWD. fast forward to 2005 when P&G tapped Carmen Electra to represent the brand, and in 2006 when P&G put world-re-nowned makeup artist Pat McGrath on the case to reinvent its image. that year, Max factor generated about $65 mil-lion in sales, according to WWD, and also slimmed down dis-tribution to 10,000 doors. Most recently, in september, Max factor tapped supermodel Gisele Bündchen. Her multiyear contract will be honored, said a spokesperson.

Despite its heritage here, beauty veterans were not surprised upon hearing the news. One cosmetics executive asserted that in this age of marquee-driven marketing, brands have to demon-

strate an overarching need and authority with the consumer. Max factor managed to do that overseas, where the brand is retailed in assisted service environments. But in the U.s., the retail reality is different and the needed authority gradually ebbed away.

another executive said, “it’s a shadow of what it once was. Domestically it’s just so competitive. they have lost considerable real estate over the years and certainly over the last two years. it’s actually long overdue.”

Max Factor redesigned in 2006.

7WWD, friDay, june 5, 2009

Foundation to Honor LoFtus: Donald J. Loftus, president and chief executive officer of P&G Prestige Products Inc., will be honored by the Fragrance Foundation at its annual Circle of Champions dinner, which will be held Oct. 6 in the St. Regis Hotel. “Without a doubt, everyone in our industry loves, respects and admires Don Loftus,” said Rochelle Bloom, president of the Fragrance Foundation. “As soon as his name was put forward, the reaction by everyone on the board was a unanimous, spontaneous and resounding hurrah.” Past honorees have included Leonard Lauder, chairman of the Estée Lauder Cos. Inc., and Michael Gould, chairman and ceo of Bloomingdale’s.

studio CHiEF: Nicole Ostoya has joined Studio USA LLC, owner of Studio Beautymix at Fred Segal and Studio Beautymix’s wholesale brands, including Memoire Liquide and Burn, as chief executive officer. Among Ostoya’s previous posts were ceo of online shopping network iDTV Studios, director of business development at Benefit Cosmetics and Nordstrom merchandise manager. Ostoya said she has three main responsibilities at Studio: “Recapturing our cachet as the West Coast indie beauty brand retail store, building a vibrant wholesale business and creating a big presence on the Web.” In the next few weeks, a retooled Web site will launch for Studio Beautymix with a video channel to deliver beauty content in a “funny, quirky” manner, according to Ostoya. Robin Coe-Hutshing set up shop at the 4,000-square-foot Studio in 1984 with her sister Jennifer Coe-Bakewell, and recently struck up a partnership with Los Angeles firm Intermix Capital Partners.

nEW CEo: Fragrance supplier Symrise has a new chief executive officer. Heinz-Jürgen Bertram was approved to take the helm of the Holzminden, Germany-based firm Thursday by Symrise’s supervisory board. As of July 1, Bertram, 50, will officially

succeed Gerold Linzbach, who will step down after four years of leading the company. Linzbach’s contract ends in October, and was not extended by mutual consent, according to Symrise. Bertram has a doctorate in chemistry, and joined Haarmann & Reimer GmbH in 1990. That firm subsequently became part of the Symrise Group in 2003. Bertram has been a member of the company’s executive board since October 2006, when he also became head of its Flavor & Nutrition division. Responding to his new appointment, Bertram stated, “My objective is to further develop the inherent strengths of Symrise and to pursue a dynamic, cross-divisional approach of innovation in order to provide the new ideas and added impetus needed to continue the successful course of recent years.” Last month, Symrise posted a 16 percent drop in first-quarter net income due to increased raw material prices, weak sales development and restructuring costs.

CLarisoniC CLEans uP: Pacific Bioscience Laboratories, marketer of Clarisonic products, has raised roughly $3 million during a fund-raising round from investors that included San Francisco-based private equity firm Rosewood Capital and Seattle-based Alliance of Angels. In 2007, Seattle-based Pacific Bioscience Laboratories secured a $10.5 million private equity placement from Angels and Rosewood Capital. In August, Pacific Bioscience Laboratories is launching the Mia, a $149 travel version of its Clarisonic skin cleansing device aimed at young consumers, in Sephora stores and at sephora.com. Starting next month, the device will be available at clarisonic.com.

roGainE GoEs PrEstiGE: Thom Priano of Garren New York Salon has been named to the new role of spokesman for Rogaine, who will look to educate consumers, stylists and the media on how to treat and style thinning hair. Priano, a user of Rogaine, said it’s “important for people to know that Rogaine is an effective hair regrowth treatment.”

By Rachel Brown

Liz EarLE NaturaLLy activE SkiNcarE iS looking to expand its reach by bringing on board an investment partner and introducing products to cover the body from head-to-toe.

the nearly 15-year-old British skin care brand has hired u.k. financial advisory firm Baylor klein to explore investment options. Liz Earle and longtime friend and business partner kim Buckman currently own the brand and plan to stay involved after they secure funding.

“We have to find a partner that can add value,” explained Buckman. “the incoming investor would need to share the same passion and vision as us. they would need to get under the skin of the brand and understand what made the brand successful. it is distribution that we really need help with.”

Buckman said it was “too early to say” the amount of investment that a possible deal would entail or whether a potential partner would likely take a minority or majority stake in Liz Earle. She did suggest, however, that Liz Earle’s online sales to 82 countries have shown the brand has global appeal, something an investor could build upon.

“the american market has new opportunities for us in all sorts of ways,” she said. “We are not looking to necessarily stay in one channel. We believe that that’s what the customer wants. She is not just look-ing to shop in one way any longer. We want to give her the choice to shop when and where she wants to.”

Buckman and Liz Earle were in the u.S. this week meeting with retailers and promoting prod-ucts. the brand made a splash here a year ago by entering Studio Beautymix at Fred Segal and is now deciding what major retailer would make sense as a next step.

in the u.k., Earle said the brand recently opened 15 doors at the retailer John Lewis and will be rolled out to all nearly 30 stores. the brand is also a staple on Qvc there and has its own stores in London and on the isle of Wight, where the company is headquartered.

the Liz Earle product lineup contains roughly 30 stockkeeping units, including a 3.3-oz. Foot Scrub for $20 and 3.3-oz. Foot repair Moisturiser for $24 launching this month, and a 6.7-oz. Superskin Body cream for $55, 1.6-oz. Superskin Bust treatment for $52 and 0.5-oz. Superskin Eye and Lip treatment for $50 launching in September. key ingredients in the new products are East african shea butter to create rich body cream, kigelia africana for skin tightening, and organic pear seed extract, rosehip and cranberry seed oil for skin conditioning.

“Superskin is really aimed at aging skin, and we wanted to address all the areas of the body that are subject to aging,” said Earle. “the bust area is a real area that is affected with age, es-pecially post-pregnancy. We are not saying it [Superskin Bust treatment] is a miracle cure, but it has a toning and tightening effect.”

the Liz Earle brand, which is most recognized for its best-selling cleanse & Polish Hot cloth cleanser, has been resilient in the face of the worldwide economic slowdown and notched 24 percent growth in the second quarter, according to Earle. Buckman projects the brand will gener-ate $50 million in worldwide sales this year.

“We were nervous like everybody else,” said Earle of the recession. “Skin care, like toothpaste, people don’t give up, but they reevaluate and use the very best. consumers are savvy. if you don’t work, you will be dropped off their list.”

NEW YORK — coupon usage was up almost 17 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, according to valassis, a media and marketing servic-es company.

that’s good news to Jack Mcauliffe and his Beauty Handbook group of chain-cus-tomized consumer magazines. at a time when consumer mag-azines are struggling, Beauty Handbook is thriving, accord-ing to Mcauliffe, president and publisher of the publish-ing company, which distrib-utes at certain chains under proprietary names and under the Beauty Handbook logo for many other large and regional drug chains.

“Our publications are expe-riencing unprecedented sales as women find value in the in-formative beauty, health and wellness content at a low price of 99 cents, in addition to valu-able coupon savings inside,” explained Mcauliffe.

a perfect example of the value in the magazines is the latest edition of cvS Pharmacy’s reinventing Beauty, which will reach more than 1.2 million customers. actress kate Winslet shares the cover with a banner proclaiming “$25 worth of coupons inside.” the coupons include $1 off the new colgate Wisp, $2 off veet and $2 off cvS’ own Skin Effects by Dr. Jeffrey Dover. the publication offers cvS the chance to promote its own brands along with national advertising. a few nonbeauty items include $1 off coca-cola’s Dasani water and $1 off Hershey’s kisses. Beyond the coupons featured in the cvS magazine, additional inserts are distributed through the stores.

Mcauliffe said he can attest to the fact that coupon usage is on the rise since his firm can measure redemp-tion data from retailers as well as see an increase in sales of the publications.

Jeff rogers, president of Physicians Formula, provided a testimonial to the magazines. “in the first 30 days [after a cvS reinventing Beauty Program] we experienced re-demption of 5 percent and a lift in sales of approximately 3.2 percent over last year’s selling period,” he stated.

in addition to the general market magazine, Beauty Handbook publishes Belleza, a Spanish version of Beauty Handbook; Monitor your Family’s Health, and a Beauty advisor training Program. this vehicle establishes a partnership between beauty advisers and manufacturers to drive additional sales. a recent example of this type of publication offered cvS advisers sales-building ideas,

such as new products, as well as editorial articles about consum-er trends. there are also stories with quizzes to help associates validate what they’ve learned.

“the training program al-lows manufacturers to develop a partnership with the beauty advisers and retail sales asso-ciates and provide them with sales strategies, product infor-mation and incentives to assist the sales associated in recom-mending their brands to the shopper,” Mcauliffe said.

With more staffing being added at stores without addi-tional training support from chains or vendors, the publica-tion serves as a training tool, one retailer explained.

Mcauliffe realizes there is a pressure for print publish-ers to provide more digital content. “a balance must be achieved in providing cer-tain content online in order to reach new readers, as well as to provide advertisers with new vehicles to target con-sumers,” he said. “Our pro-gram is unique in that the entire content of our publi-cations is designed to drive consumers into the brick-and-

mortar retail stores.”However, he said his firm is

evaluating what works and what doesn’t on the internet and plans to

roll out a new online presence in the next few months. chain drug is the best fit for the magazines, Mcauliffe

proposed, versus grocery stores, because the magazine helps boost store traffic by redirecting women — who are usually the providers for a family’s beauty, health and wellness needs. “Our publications support the image that our retailer drug partners are the experts in providing health and beauty needs,” he said. “Our programs provide manufacturers with the opportunity to target the drug customer and provide them with ad-ditional incentives to purchase their brands.”

and, a price incentive does indeed work in this economy and could hold true even as the picture im-proves. “challenges in the economy are most definitely influencing manufacturers and consumers as it relates to both distribution and redemption,” said Suzie Brown, valassis chief marketing officer. “Every trend indicates these current buying and saving habits will continue to increase and value-seeking will become a cornerstone of shopping behavior in the future.

Beauty Handbook Lifts Sales With Value Promise Liz Earle Seeks Investor To Help Drive Distribution

sNippEts

the latest issue of CVs pharmacy’s Reinventing Beauty.

items from Liz Earle Naturally Active skincare.

criticalmassFaye Brookman

by

7WWD, friDay, june 5, 2009

The Beauty Report WWD.COM

10 WWD, friDay, june 5, 2009

The HBA Report WWD.COM

By Molly Prior

Forget “Say cheeSe.” PerhaPS “Say Smigel” iS more apropos.

after all, Dr. irwin Smigel is deemed the father of aesthetic dentistry for pioneering tooth bonding for cosmetic purposes in the late Seventies.

that contribution has landed him in the National museum of Dentistry, which pays tribute to Smigel with “the Smile experience,” a permanent exhibit that opens Saturday.

an affiliate of the Smithsonian institution, the Baltimore, md.-based museum showcases george Washington’s teeth (no, they are not made of wood), a Wall of Smiles of visitors’ pearly whites and historical anecdotes. For instance, ancient mayans decorated their teeth with jade and the elizabethans whitened their teeth with acid.

“the biggest thing i did was i changed the way people thought about dentistry,” said Smigel, sit-ting in his midtown manhattan office, where he continues to practice. he recalled that, more than 45 years ago, when he was graduating from New york University college of Dentistry, the dean said to his father, also a dentist, “he has some crazy ideas about cosmetics. Straighten him out.” his father either did not heed the advice or failed to discourage his son, because by the late Seventies, Smigel had developed the cosmetic bonding procedure and introduced it to millions of americans on the tV show “that’s incredible.” at the time, he also founded the american Society for Dental aesthetics.

Soon after Smigel’s small-screen cameo, hollywood came calling, including elizabeth taylor, tony Bennett and andy Williams. Several of his current celebrity clients include Bruce Willis and Jimmy Fallon.

Smigel also lured the tinseltown set with his whitening line, Supersmile, which began as a toothpaste that uses calcium per-oxide to clean the stain-attracting sticky film (or protein pellicle) from the porosis bonding material. materials used for bonding have since improved, but the formula Smigel developed — over the course of fours years — remains virtually unchanged. “it’s al-

ways relevant,” said Smigel. he noted that most toothpastes con-tain silica, or sand, an abrasive agent. Supersmile does not.

he went on to develop more products, including mouth-wash, prerinse, a tongue brush, floss, gum and a whitening accelerator gel to use in combination with the toothpaste. the toothpaste, by the way, as Supersmile devotees know, is designed to be used on a dry toothbrush — “if you don’t disrupt it with water, you really get the pop,”

advised Smigel. he formulated the whitening gum with a cigar-smoking friend in mind. its star ingredient, xylitol, helps stop and prevent tooth decay, said Smigel. it’s now one of Supersmile’s top-selling products.

“Fifteen years ago, there was no at-home whitening cat-egory,” said tom mastronardi, Supersmile’s senior vice president of sales and marketing, adding that now it’s a $7 billion industry.

over the years, consumer products giants, such as Bausch & lomb and Johnson & Johnson, have approached the company, but Supersmile remains privately held with a strong family influence. Smigel’s wife, lucia, is chief execu-

tive officer and president and is ever ready with pithy one-liners — “only floss the teeth you want to keep.” their daughter, Bellenca, is a vice president.

Supersmile is sold in 1,000 doors, includ-ing Dillard’s, Bluemercury, Zitomer, cVS Pharmacy’s Beauty 360, spas, dental offices and on Drugstore.com. the company would not com-ment on financial figures, but industry sources estimate Supersmile has generated roughly $20 million in sales.

reflecting on his contribution, Smigel said: “you get a lot of pleasure in dentistry now.”

Dental Museum to Honor ‘Dr. Smiles’

Supersmile toothpaste.

Dr. Irwin Smigel

Where are you going, beauty?

THE WORLD OF BEAUTY MEETS AT COSMOPROF NORTH AMERICA 2009

JULY, 19TH -21ST - LAS VEGAS - MANDALAY BAY - 7TH EDITION

B O L O G N A H O N G K O N G L A S V E G A S R I O D E J A N E I R O S H A N G H A I

Organiser: orth American Beauty Events LLCMarketing and Promotion: SoGeCos s.p.a. - milan - italy - ph. +39.02.796.420 - fax +39.02.795.036 - sogecos@cosmoprof.itSales Office US, Canada, Mexico: PBA - scottsdale, az - usa - ph. +1.480.281.0424 - fax +1.480.905.0708 - cpnainfo@probeauty.orgSales Office Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia and South America: Fairsystem International Exhibition Services s.p.a. - bologna - italy - ph. +39.051.282.848 - fax +39.051.282.895 - fairsystem@fairsystem.it

www.cosmoprofnorthamerica.com

Cosmoprof North America unveils Discover Beauty! Savvy retailers and distributors travel the world to find authentic products to set their businesses apart and keep them in the forefront.

So do we!

Discover Beauty is the incubator where today’s great new ideas and tomorrow’s up and coming brands unveil their products. Discover

Beauty, part of Cosmoprof North America, is a venue for premium brands on the verge of greatness.

Through the support of the beauty industry, our “beauty gurus” are able to uncover products not yet discovered by mainstream retailers

and media. Top influential beauty merchants come each year to see what’s new. Will you come to “discover beauty”?

2009 Discover Beauty Brands debutingin Las Vegas:

Code.AI USA

BeautySoCleanTM Canada

Billion Dollar Brows USA

Booty Parlor USA

First Aid Beauty USA

Gamila Secret The Netherlands

Gemology France

HissyFit Australia

Lanocream New Zealand

Nails INC UK

Peacekeeper USA

Pharmacopia USA

Sepai Spain

Skin 2 Skin CareTM USA

Swissclinical Switzerland

TouchBack USA

The New Retail – Think Out of the Box... Literally

Monday, July 20, 2009 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

The reality in retail is that business is challenging - How do new beauty

brands get their products in the market? And where do they go to

in these slumping economic times to have an effective, successful

launch? Moderated by Andrea Nagel of WWD.

New Media: Greater Sales for Beauty Stores

Monday, July 20, 2009 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Get access to top industry leaders involved in web-related businesses

who will review low-cost, high-impact ways to increase retail sales,

opportunities to partner with vendors to maximize profits and build

client loyalty, and advertising possibilities to increase the bottom line.

Marc Birenbaum of Beauty Store Business will moderate.

KATHLEEN

MCNEILL

VP BeautyBeauty.com & Drugstore.com

MICHAEL HENRY

SR VP BeautyMerchandising HSN

BETH MAYALL-

TRAGLIA

Editor in ChiefTotalBeauty.com

KEVIN KELLS

National Industry Director, Consumer Packaged Goods Google Inc.

SHAWN

TAVAKOLI

CEOBeauty Collection

LAWRENCE

MORTENSON

PresidentLM Consulting

LAURA KENNEY

Senior BeautyEditor

AOL Stylelist.com

WWD.COM11WWD, friDay, june 5, 2009

Financial For full daily stock changes and more financial news, see WWD.com / business-news.

29.04 27.52 Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) 15.4 12853745 27.95 -11.83

0.20 0.16 NexCen (NEXC) - 275237 0.17 -10.53

0.55 0.47 Charles & Colvard (CTHR) - 37779 0.47 -9.62

32.90 30.86 Children’s Place (PLCE) 12.4 2516292 31.50 -8.64

17.70 16.55 Gap (GPS) 13.6 17165823 16.94 -7.08

22.47 20.92 Nordstrom (JWN) 12.5 9499553 21.23 -6.97

4.84 4.41 Pacific Sunwear (PSUN) - 754030 4.48 -6.86

10.48 9.5 Dillard’s (DDS) - 1231873 9.65 -6.85

16.74 14.63 Collective Brands (PSS) - 4213056 14.81 -6.80

27.30 25.03 Citi Trends (CTRN) 19.2 196867 25.44 -5.81

10 WoRST PERFoRmERS DAILY COMPANIES P/E VOLuME AMt

HIgH LOw LASt %CHANgE

10.47 9.16 G-III Apparel (GIII) - 379282 10.37 +22.87

3.60 2.88 Glimcher (GRT) - 537291 3.48 +22.11

11.66 9.70 Ramco-Gershenson (RPT) 12.7 195263 11.6 +18.85

21.78 18.00 macerich (mAC) 13.2 8231781 21.17 +18.67

7.39 6.10 CBL (CBL) 76.6 3836576 7.25 +18.27

0.60 0.54 Joe’s Jeans (JoEZ) 7.7 64930 0.60 +11.09

0.50 0.45 Eddie Bauer (EBHI) - 443497 0.49 +8.65

1.28 1.24 Bluefly (BFLY) - 2875 1.26 +7.62

4.56 4.01 Bon-Ton (BoNT) - 124801 4.56 +7.29

5.39 5.02 Developers Diversified (DDR) - 3756280 5.35 +7.21

10 BEST PERFoRmERS DAILY COMPANIES P/E VOLuME AMt

HIgH LOw LASt %CHANgE

* Editor’s note: European stocks are quoted in the currency of their principal exchanges. Shares on the London Stock Exchange are quoted in pence, Richemont and The Swatch Group are quoted in Swiss francs and Hennes & Mauritz is quoted in Swedish kronor. All other European stocks are in euros.

By David Moin

MADEWELL IS STILL “A WORK in progress,” but there are plans to launch e-commerce in the first quarter of next year, Millard “Mickey” Drexler, chairman and chief executive of J. Crew Group, said at the retailer’s sharehold-ers’ meeting Thursday.

“Once we go online, it will be a big unlock” for the brand, Drexler said. J. Crew Group launched Madewell for women’s casual clothing, footwear and accessories in fall 2006 and has 14 shops, with the latest open-ing in East Hampton, N.Y., on Memorial Day weekend. J. Crew has been contemplating taking Madewell online for a while, but has held back as the assortment continues to be refined.

For fall, 95 percent of Madewell denim will be priced at less than $100. “The sweet spot is $60 to $100, not $100 and above,” Drexler said. Considering that denim is a major category for Madewell, the pricing shift represents “a big move,” he said. Drexler has been “very pleased” with Madewell, though he recently acknowledged the business got “much too basic in knits and un-derbought fashion and novelty.”

For the group overall, Drexler cited as growth areas jewelry, wedding and Crewcuts; possibly adding more Collection and men’s stores, and continuing to “curate” items from iconic brands such as Timex, Mackintosh, Red Wing and Jack Purcell to give a differ-ent dimension to the offering.

Drexler breezed through the meeting, reiterating several of his mantras for the $1.43 billion business, like “We don’t want to be the biggest, just the best we can be….Fresh inventory is the lifeline of the business. The worst thing is to have ex-pired milk, eggs or butter on the shelves….Quality and styling is the religion….Customers want scarcity, uniqueness and cool.”

Drexler also said J. Crew is mi-cromanaging expenses and, after recent layoffs, has fewer layers, resulting in people contributing more. The company is slashing $40 million in annual costs. “We are not looking at any additional head-count reductions,” said Jim Scully, chief financial officer.

Last week, J. Crew reported that first-quarter profits slid 33 percent, but was commended by analysts for handily beating expectations, increasing total sales and executing strong in-ventory management.

Madewell Eyes E-Commerce

By Liza Casabona

WASHINGTON — Sears Holdings Management Corp. reached a preliminary settlement Thursday with the Federal Trade Commission over charges the retail company collected sensi-tive consumer information through tracking soft-ware without adequately informing users of the scope of data obtained.

According to the FTC, Sears asked some con-sumers who visited the sears.com and kmart.com Web sites to download “research” software that would track their online browsing history in ex-change for $10.

Despite the inclusion of a user agreement in the software, the FTC charged that Sears did not make it clear enough to users that in addition to browsing history, the software collected any in-formation transmitted during online sessions. Personal information including shopping-cart con-tents, online bank statements, drug-prescription records and information about Web-based e-mails was also collected.

“Sears Holdings takes the safety and secu-

rity of our customers’ private information very seriously,” said a spokeswoman for the compa-ny. “The research project was completed over a year ago and no further similar studies have been conducted since, nor are planned going for-ward. No customer data was ever compromised or disclosed, and all personal information was destroyed at the end of the project. Any software that was downloaded by panelists was also re-moved at the conclusion of the research period with each participant. No tracking software is being deployed on any of Sears Holdings’ sites or communities.”

As part of the settlement, Sears agreed to de-stroy all collected information and stop collecting data from consumers who already downloaded the software. Sears also agreed to adequately dis-close the scope of any future tracking software it deploys prior to installation and separately from the user agreement.

The settlement is subject to a 30-day, open-comment period, after which the FTC will decide whether to make the agreement final. Sears did not respond to requests for comment.

POLO RALPH LAUREN CORP. said Thursday it will trade some of its cash for reduced debt.

The firm is offering to buy back up to 100 million euros, or $142 million at current exchange, of 4.5 percent notes due in 2013 in a modified Dutch auction.

The fashion house said it plans to use cash on hand to re-purchase the notes. It had $820 million in cash and cash equiv-alents at the end of fiscal 2009. With the bonds trading at a dis-count, the company felt buying back a portion of them would constitute efficient use of its cash, financial sources said.

The aggregate value of the notes is 300 million euros.

The structure of the buy-back is a modified Dutch auc-tion, in which the noteholder specifies the minimum offer price it would be willing to accept. Polo said that amount must be in increments of 2.5 euros and between 900 euros and 950 euros for every 1,000 euros of principal.

Polo said it has the option of modifying the offer and an-nouncing a fixed price for the notes on or around 2 p.m. London time on June 18.

— V.M.Y.

Polo Offers Note Buyback

By Vicki M. Young

GUESS INC. LATE THURSDAY POSTED FIRST-quarter results that were both lower than those of last year’s quarter and markedly better than ana-lysts expected.

Paul Marciano, vice chairman and chief execu-tive officer, said the company remains commit-ted to expansion in European and Asian markets where it is “underpenetrated.”

For the three months ended May 2, income de-clined 31.9 percent to $32.5 million, or 35 cents a diluted share, from $47.8 million, or 50 cents, in the year-ago quarter. Revenues decreased 9.8 per-cent to $441.2 million from $489.2 million, includ-ing a 6 percent slip in royalty income to $22.1 mil-lion from $23.5 million.

Analysts expected earnings per share of 29 cents on sales of $436.6 million, and shares of the Los Angeles-based denim and sportswear firm rose more than 5 percent in the early stages of after-hours trading.

For the quarter, sales fell 10 percent to $419.1 million from $465.7 million, with whole-sale volume, including turnover in Asia, down 12.3 percent to $65.9 million. European sales fell 18.5 percent to $145.7 million. North American retail sales dipped 2 percent to $207.6 million, while comparable-store sales fell 6 percent in local currency and 10 percent in U.S. dollars. The firm operated 429 retail

sites in the U.S. and Canada.Marciano said, despite the expectation of a

“challenging” economy looking ahead, “we be-lieve that the strength of our product lines and our diversified business model position us well in this environment. We remain committed to our international expansion strategy and con-tinue to see opportunities in Europe and Asia where our brand is well-known but underpen-etrated. We will continue to run the business prudently and build the capabilities and infra-structure to support our growth objectives in the future.”

He added the company in the quarter reduced inventory levels and capital spending and aggres-sively cut costs, which improved its selling, gen-eral and administrative costs.

The company expects second-quarter diluted earnings per share of between 42 cents to 45 cents, but declined to provide full-year guidance.

Marciano told Wall Street analysts in an af-ter-market conference call that the firm “acted quickly to align our inventory position and our cost structure with a new business environment” at the first indication of slowing consumer de-mand, and explained that the company’s focus was on protecting its “strong capital structure and cash flows.”

He said the firm plans to open 81 stores out-side North America during the remainder of the fiscal year.

Guess 1st-Qtr. Declines Milder Than Expected

Sears Settles Over Web Tracking Charges

12 WWD, FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009

Marc Jacobs: A little bit Rio and a whole lot of over-the-top fashion. That’s Marc Jacobs’ approach to resort, which he rendered in an elaborate collection vibrating with color, prints and endless embellishment — embroideries, bead fringe, macramé and more. What girl wouldn’t love a cardigan glammed up with big 3-D paillette blossoms? As for the nylon carryall flashing a perky sequined parrot, Polly definitely wants a handbag. And for all the girly, giddy excess, there’s plenty to wear: terrific pants, both baggy and slim; versatile leathers; flounced party dresses; snappy striped sailor tops, and exquisitely decorated tweed jackets of the collectible sort.

Miu Miu: Suit up chez Miu Miu this resort season — in bodysuits, that is. Miuccia Prada kept things beachy and light, in color (faded pistachios, blushes and nudes) and in mood. Fluid dresses and tops came airy and sheer — the better to wear layer on layer. Sometimes she used the sporty two-tone maillots as underpinnings to see-through lily-print gowns; on other occasions, she tossed them under yet another bodysuit. The designer struck an athletic chord, too, in the parade of charming tennis ensembles. As for accessories, Prada offered her own take on recession-friendly accoutrements: gemstone chains on strappy heels and bags that could be removed to double as stylish bracelets and necklaces.

Thakoon: The buzzword for Thakoon Panichgul this resort season? Texture. “I was trying to create dimension with basic fabrics,” explained Panichgul of the numerous draped, gathered and plisséd effects. And he certainly proved a deft hand at that. Pants were gently twisted, while tops and dresses, in blotch prints and pale sun-drenched hues, came with artsy knots to one side. As for those pleats, Panichgul had them in spades, in crisp folds on a jacket or as tiny Fortuny pleats beautifully cascading down a one-shoulder gown.

PHOTOS BY JOHN AQUINO AND ROBERT MITRA

Great EscapeResort is all about a little wanderlust.

Marc Jacobs

Marc Jacobs

Miu Miu

WWD.COM13WWD, FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009

Miu Miu Thakoon

WWD.COM14 WWD, FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009

Street Meets Chic

Both downtown girls and uptown ladies are covered for resort, starting with Alexander wang’s edgy take on classic American sportswear. But preppy, done the wang way, is still wonderfully cool and a little subversive. he took the twisted patterns from cable knits, for instance, and applied them as metal embellishments on a tank, and treated leather pants to look like denim. And Jason wu stuck to his stable of pretty, posh designs: tulip skirts, tweed ensembles and draped chiffon dresses. highlights included a navy coatdress and a chiffon-trimmed t-shirt. Meanwhile, Brian reyes worked botanical motifs such as abstract poppies, blooming buds and climbing roots into his flirtatious, polished sportswear.

Alexander Wang

Brian Reyes

Jason Wu

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For more resort collection images, see WWD.com.

WWD.COMWWD, FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2009 15

FASHION SCOOPS

MEMO PAD

Private Equity Funds to Seek Stakes in SafiloMILAN — “At least two” private equity funds will submit offers for a stake in Italy’s Safilo Group SpA today as the eyewear firm looks to ease mounting debts, sources said Thursday.

Safilo chief executive officer Roberto Vedovotto said in April that talks be-tween the group’s majority shareholder, Only 3T SpA, and four private equity funds were ongoing and a deal could be reached before the summer.

According to Italian news reports, these

may include Apax Partners, Bain Capital, CVC Capital Partners and PAI. Safilo, CVC and PAI would not comment on the matter Thursday, while Bain Capital and Apax did not return calls seeking comment.

As of March 31, Safilo’s net financial po-sition rose to 617.7 million euros, or $879.4 million at current exchange, from 570 mil-lion, or $811.5 million, at the close of 2008.

The Tabacchi family controls 39.9 percent of Safilo via Only 3T.

— Andrew Roberts

NO SURPRISE: Versace chief executive Giancarlo di Risio is expected to officially resign today during a morning board meeting scheduled at the company’s Milan headquarters — but it looks like a successor won’t be named right away. Unlike Roberto Cavalli, which has narrowed down its list of candidates for ceo, Versace is still coming up with a short list, according to sources. Among some of the industry’s better known names — including Gian Giacomo Ferraris of Jil Sander, Valentino’s Stefano Sassi and Michele Norsa at Ferragamo — a string of former ceo’s could be in the running. They include Brian Blake, who recently quit Prada; Massimo Macchi, formerly at Ferré and Guess Europe; Marco Franchini, ex-Bally, and Roberto Jorio Fili, who held posts at Calvin Klein, Valentino and Agnona.

THE LATE SHOW: Often the night before one of his many fashion shows, Karl Lagerfeld visits the venue and is enchanted seeing the decor bathed in evening light. Come couture week in Paris next month, Lagerfeld will take full advantage and host a sunset show for Chanel under the soaring glass roof of the Grand Palais. The designer said couture “has to be like a celebration” and that sunset shows are reminiscent of the “golden age of haute couture.” The Chanel show is scheduled for July 7 at 9 p.m.

MARTIN AND ME: Britain’s newspapers have been buzzing for months about Martin Amis’ upcoming novel “The Pregnant Widow” (Jonathan Cape), which comes out in February and reportedly is filled with autobiographical details and descriptions of Amis’ friends and former lovers. But this week, one of Amis’ old flames grabbed the media spotlight with her own kiss-and-tell in the summer issue of The Economist’s magazine Intelligent Life. Julie Kavanagh, author of biographies, including “Nureyev: The Life,” and half-sister of the late literary agent Pat Kavanagh, lived with Amis in the mid-Seventies, not long after his first book, “The Rachel Papers,” came out. Both were then in their 20s and Kavanagh was working as London editor of WWD and W, having first met the charismatic Amis during an interview for this paper.

Now her short article, titled “The Martin Papers,” has unleashed a frenzy among the Amis-obsessed British press, which has been lapping up details of the affair and Kavanagh’s descriptions of the novelist’s sweet and nasty sides, insecurities, infidelities and the well-known problems with his teeth. Kavanagh wrote the article with Amis’ blessing — she interviewed him for the piece in April — and said she had no intention of scooping him or promoting his next book. “I wanted to write a gripping story, a classy kiss-and-tell that wouldn’t enrage Martin or make me cringe,” she told WWD. Her story touches on more than the affair with Amis. It is a coming-of-age tale and a detailed snapshot of London’s literary scene in the Seventies, starring Christopher Hitchens, Kingsley Amis, Julian Barnes (who would become Kavanagh’s brother-in-law and would subsequently have a famous falling out with his best friend Martin Amis), Clive James and even “a kittenish” Anna Wintour. “This relationship had a life-changing effect on me,” said Kavanagh. “It’s my story, and I wanted to tell it in my own words.”

Kavanagh said she hasn’t decided whether she’ll turn the article into a book, but she already has some competition. According to a media source, Emma Soames, another former Amis paramour, is penning her version of events for The Daily Mail. A spokeswoman for the newspaper did not return calls Thursday seeking comment. — Samantha Conti

DKNY Men’s Apparel Deal Said CloseDOnnA KARAn InTeRnATIOnAl InC. IS ClOSe TO SIGnInG wITh S. Kumars nationwide ltd. for a joint venture and licensing agreement to manufacture and distribute DKnY men’s apparel, market sources said.

The new venture would replace a similar agreement DKI had with Marchpole holdings plc, which was placed into administration, the U.K. equivalent of Chapter 11, in november.

The deal with SKnl is expected to include DKnY Black label, targeted for the bridge market, as well as suits and sportswear. Distribution would be global — north America, europe, Africa, the South Pacific, Middle east and Asia — replicating the Marchpole arrangement.

DKI declined comment on Thursday, and SKnl executives couldn’t be reached.new York-based DKI was acquired by luxury goods firm lVMh Moët hennessy louis

Vuitton in november 2001. lVMh trades on the Paris Stock exchange.SKnl, based in Mumbai, India, is a publicly held textiles and apparel firm that in-

cludes under its brand umbrella Carmichael house, Belmonte and, as a subsidiary, Scottish cashmere manufacturer Reid & Taylor. SKnl also operates retail stores in India through Brandhouse Retails ltd. that sells, among others, luxury brands Alfred Dunhill and escada.

SKnl north America, an affiliate of SKnl’s investment arm SKnl International, joined with london-based private equity turnaround firm emerisque Brands UK ltd. last month to bid for bankrupt men’s suit maker hartmarx Corp. That joint offer, with a transactional value of $128.4 million including the assumption of liabilities, was ap-proved as the stalking horse bid Tuesday by a Chicago bankruptcy court.

— Vicki M. Young

The Grand Palais.

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Contact: elizaseyes@gmail.com CFOLarge, privately held apparel company has an immediateopportunity for a Chief Financial Officer reporting directly tothe President. The CFO is responsible for the day-to-dayfinancial operations of the company. The candidate musthave strong financial and managerial skills, have extensiveexperience in financial planning and budgeting, and knowl-edge of working with a factor. The Company offers acompetitive compensation package. Please submit resumesto: a.postal@mmgus.com, on behalf of the Company.

SALES ASSISTANTAlexis Bittar Inc is looking for a salesassistant to offer operational supportto Wholesale Department Store SeniorSales Executive. Candidate must have3 years experience in wholesale/retailjewelry industry. Please send coverletter with salary requirements, andresume to: job_reply2000@yahoo.com

Salespeople Needed B.HSalespeople needed in New York Tosell moderate, missy & plus size 2 pcsets, blouses & dresses. Must have ex-perience, relationships with specialtyshops & chain stores - strong accountlist. Great oppty! Fax resume: 212-226-5324 or e-mail to Ichetrit@aol.com

SALESPERSONNYC based for closeout on mens, boys,womens & girls highly rated companylooking for salesperson. Candidatemust have knowledge & experience inthis field. Kindly send resume by fax# 212-819-9268 or e-mail to:

ichetrit@aol.com

Accessories Sales ExecutiveWell Connected to Mass and Mid Tier

Management: Please Call: 267-671-2130

*ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. To enter

and for full rules, go to www.wwd.com. Starts 9:00 AM EST 5/27/09 and

ends 11:59 PM ET 6/9/09. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States/

D.C. 18 or older, except employees of sponsors, their immediate families

and those living in the same household. Odds of winning depend on the

number of entries received. Void outside the 50 United States/D.C. and

where prohibited. A.R.V. of prize $1,255.89. Sponsor: Fairchild Fashion

Group, 750 Third Avenue, 8th fl oor, New York, NY 10017 and L’Oreal, 575

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