PRADA NET FALLS 45.6%/2 CFDA AWARD NOMINEES/2Women’s Wear Daily • The Retailers’ Daily Newspaper • April 1, 2003 Vol. 185, No. 65 $2.00

ThoroughlyModern MiniNEW YORK — Furs had a strong presence on runways

everywhere for fall. So it’s only natural that the mood

would be in the spirit of the season’s youth movement,

with its daring lengths and bold details. Mini-coats in

vintage-type furs are high on the list of furriers’

favorites. Here, Ben Kahn’s industrial-zipped version in

summer ermine. Boots by Sergio Rossi. Sunglasses by

Morgenthal Frederics; Wolford tights. For more on furs,

see pages 6 and 7 .

See War, Page8

‘CNN Effect’ Goes OnAs Iraq War AttractsConsumers’ Focus By Evan Clark and Jennifer Weitzman

NEW YORK — The first week of springand the arrival of the baseballseason didn’t pull consumers out oftheir wartime shopping stupor.

Stores reported more shutoutsthan home runs during the final weekof the calendar month. Nordstromwas even left doubting its mostrecent forecast for the first quarter.

Major chains gave tepid revenuereviews to the month, which wrapsup this week for most stores.Concerns over the war in Iraq haveglued many consumers to their

PHOT

O BY

DAV

ID T

URNE

R; M

ODEL

: CAS

SIAN

E/SU

PREM

E; H

AIR

BY C

RYST

OPH

MAR

TEN

FOR

VIDA

L SA

SSOO

N; M

AKEU

P BY

BEL

LA P

ILAR

FOR

SAL

LY H

ARLO

R; S

TYLE

D BY

BOB

BI Q

UEEN

WWDTUESDAYReady-to-Wear/Textiles

WWDFur In Depth

Inside:Section ll

2W

WD,

TUE

SDAY

, APR

IL 1

, 200

3

By Eric Wilson

NEW YORK — Carolina Herrera,Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan andNarciso Rodriguez led the nomi-nations for women’s wear de-signer of the year, as the initialround of balloting for the 2003Council of Fashion Designers ofAmerica Fashion Awards was fi-nalized on Monday.

Nominees in five appareland accessories categories andthe recipients of four specialawards, based upon votes castby 450 designers, journalists, re-tailers and stylists, were ratifiedby the CFDA board following anuncharacteristically short meet-ing that resulted in two of thespecial awards going to the topeditors of Vogue and the othertwo going to individuals whosebrands hail from England.

Anna Wintour, editor in chiefof Vogue, will receive a lifetimeachievement award, while AndréLeon Talley, the magazine’s edi-tor at large, has been named re-cipient of the Eugenia SheppardAward, which was previouslylimited to fashion journalism buthas been expanded to incorpo-rate creative directors, fashionstylists or artists. The interna-tional award will go to AlexanderMcQueen, while Rose MarieBravo, chief executive officer of

Burberry, was chosen to receivethe Eleanor Lambert Award for aunique contribution to fashion.

Although the nominees in therespective apparel and acces-sories categories include somefirst-time faces, more than half ofthem are repeats from last year’sceremony. Both Jacobs and Rodri-guez were nominated for women’swear in 2002, with Rodriguez win-ning it, while Jacobs won themen’s designer of the year.

Nominees in men’s wear for2003 are Sean Combs for SeanJohn and Ralph Lauren (both re-peats from last year) and Michael

CFDA Taps Vogue Pair,2 From U.K. for Awards

A bracelet with plastic discs and a metal chain featured on page9 of Monday’s Accessories/Legwear In Depth Section II is byRoxanne Assoulin for Lee Angel. The resource was incorrect.

Correction

By Amanda Kaiser

MILAN — Robust fourth-quartergrowth wasn’t sufficient to keepPrada Holding NV’s full-year re-sults from falling substantiallyunder pressure from the sale ofits stake in Fendi and a 2001change in ordering proceduresthat cut into 2002 sales.

Net profit for the year endedDec. 31 shed 45.6 percent to$29.2 million from a pro-forma2001 result of $53.4 million,which excludes results of the25.5 percent stake in Fendi soldto LVMH Moët Hennessy LouisVuitton in November of 2001.Including the Fendi stake, netincome in 2001 was $60.6 mil-lion. Dollar figures have beenconverted from the euro at cur-rent exchange rates.

Prada said negative currencyimpact and its adjusted deliverypattern accounted for a 16 per-cent drop in full-year EBITDA to$226.8 million from $270 millionon a pro-forma basis in 2001.

Sales for the year fell 3 per-cent to $1.7 billion from $1.75 bil-lion in 2001, excluding Fendi, and9.2 percent from the reported2001 figure of $1.87 billion, which

included Fendi. The Prada andMiu Miu brands accounted forabout 83 percent of revenue, thecompany said.

In the fourth quarter alone,Prada said its EBITDA “morethan doubled” to $77.8 millionwhile sales rose 12.5 percent to$456.8 million.

The company didn’t furnishearnings guidance for the currentyear, but did commit itself to rev-enue growth and further geo-graphic expansion.

“Considering the particularlydifficult market situation, we aresatisfied with our performancein 2002 and we are ready to ap-proach the challenges of 2003 interms of growing revenue andexpanding the group’s geograph-ic presence through the continu-al development of its brands,”chief executive Patrizio Bertellisaid in a release.

Prada attributed the $54 mil-lion drop in full-year sales to achange in product-delivery sched-uling, which sped up the filling oforders. The company said thechange, made in 2001, unnaturallyboosted that year’s results.Stripping out those effects, Pradasaid sales would have risen, but

didn’t specify by how much.Foreign exchange translation

subtracted about $51.8 millionfrom full-year sales results, thecompany said. Currency fluctua-tion in late 2002 hurt the sales re-sults of European firms with well-developed overseas business asthe dollar and other currenciesweakened against the euro.

Europe accounted for justmore than half of company saleslast year: Italy generated 26 per-cent of 2002 revenue, while therest of Europe accounted for 25percent. Another 23 and 26 per-cent were derived from NorthAmerica and Asia, respectively.

Prada said about half of itssales derive from its 247 directlyoperated stores.

As reported, since full-yearand, in some cases, fourth-quarterprofit figures began arriving fromEurope last week, Gucci reporteda 1.7 percent increase in net in-come for the fourth quarter endedJan. 31 but a 27.4 percent drop forthe year. Bulgari notched an 11.6percent increase in 2002 profits;IT Holding, a 141.8 percent in-crease, and Tod’s and Marzottoyear-over-year decreases of 2.5and 24.6 percent, respectively.

Sale of Fendi Stake Drops Prada Net

PARIS — Like the war in Iraq,the $100 million lawsuit LVMHMoët Hennessy Louis Vuittonlaunched last November againstMorgan Stanley will probablytake longer than many peopleoriginally thought.

Lawyers from the two sidesare set to meet today to wrangleover questions first confrontedat a court hearing last month.Investment firm Morgan Stanley,accused of bias in its equity re-search on LVMH and luxuryrival Gucci Group, wants thecourt to compel LVMH to con-firm that it’s not sheltering newevidence.

Morgan Stanley also wantsLVMH to pinpoint what’s ger-mane to its case among 1,900pages of documents filed as evi-dence on a CD-ROM.

Those requests are slated tobe heard in the office of magis-trate Jean-Pierre Eck, not in thecourtroom. Eck could deliver animmediate verdict, but is morelikely to set a date in severalweeks to announce his decision,according to a source familiarwith the proceedings.

As reported, the suit centerson the writings of Morgan Stan-ley analyst Claire Kent, whomLVMH charges with conflict of in-terest in her ratings and com-ments on LVMH. Morgan Stan-ley’s investment bankers adviseGucci on acquisitions and otherfinancial matters.

The CD-ROM is believed tocontain boilerplate statementsthat are among the most con-tentious points in the suit.Although removed by MorganStanley under threat of legal ac-tion, the statements noted thatMorgan Stanley had a directorin common with LVMH and thatit would be seeking compensa-tion from the French group forinvestment banking advice.

Morgan StanleyPushes for LVMHSuit Disclosures

GENERALEven the most lavish furs often have an edgy touch, a charming, flirty detailor a surprising reversal — and then there are those that are just plain cute.

Major retailers gave tepid revenue guidance for March, citing concerns over theIraqi war, which has glued many shoppers to their TVs, and the limp economy.

Kmart Corp. said it was shedding 660 more jobs as it prepares to exitChapter 11 by the end of April, but other changes might be on the way.

Solid fourth-quarter growth couldn’t keep Prada’s 2002 results from fallingunder pressure from divesting its Fendi stake and a procedural change.

TEXTILES: Fears over the outbreak of atypical pneumonia in Hong Kongdevastated attendance at Interstoff Asia, the region’s most important textile fair.

EYE: The continuing story of Nancy Cooke de Herrera; primed for Pilates;doing a birthday dance, plus a scoop.

6132

104

WWDTUESDAYReady-to-Wear/Textiles

● MORE TIME FOR TAUBMAN: Simon Property Group Inc. andWestfield America Inc. on Monday extended their $1.7 billion, or$20 per share, all-cash offer for Taubman Centers Inc. until mid-night on May 30. As of March 28, when the most recent offer ex-pired, Taubman shareholders had tendered 40.3 million shares,according to Simon. Taubman said in a statement that the amounttendered was less than 50 percent of the total shares, common andpreferred, outstanding and that the share count was insufficient tomeet Simon’s own minimum tender offer condition. The two havebeen battling for control of Taubman since last November.

● SECRET PROMOTION: Victoria’s Secret Beauty promotedMichael J. Nicholson to chief financial officer. He joined VSBeauty in March 2000 as controller. VS Beauty is a division ofIntimate Beauty Corp., which also operates aura science LLC andis a wholly owned subsidiary of Limited Brands. Nicholson reportsto Jill Granoff, executive vice president and chief administrativeofficer of Intimate Beauty and VS Beauty.

● FREIGHT IN CRISIS: The U.S. freight transportation system isfacing a “capacity crisis” and needs restructuring to keep pacewith the expected doubling of imports in the next 13 years, con-cluded a U.S. Chamber of Commerce study released Monday.While U.S. ports are modernizing, the report said rail, truckingand inland freight hubs are already plagued by “key choke points”of congestion and contended that the whole system is vulnerableto sabotage. The chamber hopes to use the study to lobbyCongress for funding and creation of a national freight plan.

In Brief

Obituary ..................................................................................................12Classified Advertisements ..................................................................14-15

SUBSCRIPTION RATESU.S. and possessions, Retailer, daily one year, $99; Manufacturer, daily one year, $135.

All others U.S., daily one year $195. Canada/Mexico, daily one year, $295. All other foreign (Air Speed), daily one year $595.Please allow 6-8 weeks for service to start. Individual subscription information/Single Copy Sales : (800) 289-0273;

outside U.S. (818) 487-4526; new group subscription information 212-630-4196 Postmaster: Send address changes to WWD, P.O. Box 15008, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5008.

WWD (ISSN #0149-5380) is published daily except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one additionalissue every month except July, and two additional issues in April and August, by Fairchild Publications, Inc.

a subsidiary of Advance Publications Inc., 7 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001-8191.WWD is a registered trademark of Fairchild Publications Inc.© 2003 by Fairchild Publications Inc.,

a subsidiary of Advance Publications Inc. All rights reserved.No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,

including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, except as may beexpressly permitted in writing by the copyright owner. Editorial Reprints: (212) 221-9595

Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and other offices.Mailed under Publications Mail Sales Agreement No. 517054. Canada Post Returns to: P.O.Box 1632, Windsor, ON N9A 7C9

GST # 88654-9096-RM 0001 Canada Publications Agreement # 40032712 Printed in the U.S.A.

All signed articles published in the paper represent solely the individual opinion of the writer and not those ofWOMEN’S WEAR DAILY.

For Web site access, log on to www.WWD.com

To e-mail reporters and editors at WWD, the address isfirstname.lastname@fairchildpub.com, using the individual's name.

WWDStock Market Index for March 31

Composite: 100.33

-1.44

Vendors: 102.21

-0.12

Textiles: 91.90

6.49

Broadline Stores: 101.21

-1.87

Softline Stores: 95.14

-0.71

Index base of 100 iskeyed to closing prices

of Dec. 31, 2002.

Section II: Fur In Depth, a special report, is included in this issue.

Continued on page 9

Alexander McQueen is receiving the

international award.

WW

D, TUESDAY, APRIL1, 2003

NEW YORK — Gap is retoolingits design team, cutting out alayer of management whiletaking in some top SeventhAvenue talent.

Among the changes, JeromeJessup, executive vice presidentof Gap Design, is leaving thecompany, and design heads ofGap adult and GapKids/babyGapdivisions will now report to GaryMuto, Gap president.

Pina Ferlisi, formerly withTheory and Marc Jacobs, is join-ing Gap brand’s New York-baseddesign office as senior vice pres-ident of design and product de-velopment, and Louise Trotterwill become vice president ofwomen’s design. Ferlisi suc-ceeds Amy Hennisch, who leftthe company, while Trotter willfill a newly created post.Jessup’s job will not be filled.

Ferlisi will report to Mutoand oversee all aspects of prod-

uct design and product develop-ment for the brand’s adult ap-parel and accessories division.She joins Gap from Theory,where she was senior vice pres-ident of design. Prior to Theory,Ferlisi was creative director forMarc by Marc Jacobs.

Trotter will report to Ferlisi.Most recently, Trotter was cre-ative director for CK Women’sJeans.

The changes are intended tohelp Gap sustain its turn-around, which began to materi-alize last fall. Thanks to the re-cent return to serve “EveryGeneration” with classic, casualclothing, Gap last October man-aged its first comp increaseafter a 2 1/2-year losing streakand the momentum continuedinto the holidays. The companyeven managed to increase itsregular-priced selling and im-prove markdown margin.

Gap Inc. Boosts Design Team

By David Moin

NEW YORK — Saks Fifth Avenueis taking a breather on its flag-ship renovation, putting a majormakeover of the main floor cos-metics and fragrance depart-ment on hold for at least a year.

The delay is due to a desireto keep expenses more in linewith the challenging businessenvironment and a reluctance tobe under extensive constructionduring the second half of thisyear, which would only makebusiness more difficult.

There is still some ongoingconstruction at the flagship, suchas a new Louis Vuitton boutiqueon the main floor. But as far asbeauty, the beautification hasbeen postponed. “We are going towait on that as we weather thiswhole economic situation,” saidChristina Johnson, Saks FifthAvenue’s chairman and chief ex-ecutive, responding to industryreports about the delay.

She insisted Saks will even-tually renovate the beauty floor,possibly beginning in spring2004, as part of the overall $100million-plus top-to-bottom reno-vation of the flagship. “Wewould rather not put ourselvesin construction at this time,” shesaid in a telephone interview.

Johnson also said that, by tak-ing a break on the main floorconstruction, the store can betterbenefit from those areas recentlyrenovated. About a year ago, afine jewelry department openedand last December, Saks un-veiled a new designer acces-sories concept, with “hard”shops for such brands as BottegaVeneta, Salvatore Ferragamo,Chanel, Burberry, Gucci andYves Saint Laurent, among oth-ers, lining the perimeter of themain floor, with other brands inthe middle of the floor. TheVuitton shop will be the crown-ing touch, opening by summer.

“We are doing extremely wellin fine jewelry and all the hand-bag renovations,” Johnson said.“But we had to make a decisionabout being torn up again in thesecond half. We very much donot want the disruption duringthe third or fourth quarters.”

If the renovation timetablehad been maintained, “beingunder construction in the third

and fourth quarters would haveput great pressure on us,” John-son said, adding: “We would liketo see the economy a little morebuoyant” before construction re-sumes.

For Saks, enhancing the650,000-square-foot flagship iscrucial, particularly in light ofthe business lost since Sept. 11,2001. While most Manhattanstores were affected by thetragedy, Saks in particular is try-ing to recover lost ground consid-ering its high percentage of shop-pers from out of town.

The Fifth Avenue flagship nor-mally accounts for 25 percent ofthe chain’s total sales of about$2.4 billion, and one industry ex-ecutive estimated that Saks does$60 million a year in beauty in theFifth Avenue location, or about 35percent of the chain’s total beautysales. Saks is believed to be thebiggest New York specialty storein terms of beauty sales.

Facing up to the poor businessclimate, Saks Fifth Avenue man-aged itself well last year, withprofits increasing fivefold to $53.1million during the fourth quarter,and pumping up the parent cor-poration, Saks Inc., overall for theyear. Sales at the division, howev-er, decreased 5.9 percent to $682million in the quarter, on a 4.1percent comp decline.

Saks started its comprehensiveflagship renovation about twoyears ago, but the delay of thebeauty makeover won’t be thefirst. Officials have acknowledgedthat the company is running lateon the entire renovation schedule.

So far, men’s sportswear onseven, Salon Z for large sizes,and men’s furnishings, as well asthe fine and fashion jewelry andaccessory areas, have been reno-vated. Also, men’s accessorieswere relocated to the sixth floor,next to men’s clothing.

The cosmetics floor at Sakscontinues to get good traffic.However, the retailer wants tolower the fixturing and sightlines to maximize the grandeur ofthe floor and make it easier tonavigate and shop the manybrands sold there, which includePrescriptives, Chanel, Yves SaintLaurent, Bobbi Brown, Guerlainand MAC.

— With contributions fromPete Born

Saks Postpones Redo

NEW YORK — Reebok has taken more than a pagefrom a fashion magazine for its refurbished UpperWest Side store — it’s borrowed the whole concept.

Located at 170 Columbus Avenue, the 3,000-square-foot space offers fitness-related informationvia electronic ticker tapes, photography books bythe likes of Herb Ritts and Annie Liebowitz andcolorful displays reminiscent of a flashy fashionspread. Fresh flowers in oblong vases rest besideupdated soccer looks and other jazzed-up styles de-signed to free Reebok from the run-of-the-millsports label stereotype.

“We wanted to acknowledge that a lot ofwomen do their shopping through the printmedia,” said Jan Sharkansky, vice president andgeneral manager of women’s. “We asked our-selves, ‘How can we communicate with our con-sumers the way magazines do?’”

To that point, activewear outfits are hung onfake grass mats against an encased magnetizedwallboard similar to an In Style layout. Playingcards with colorful scenes from “52 Adventures inNew York City” are also interspersed in the display.

Reebok’s version of a sidebar is a hip-high count-er that extends along the northern wall and is toppedwith 60 pairs of athletic footwear to make it easy forshoppers to check out the various styles. Watches,athletic socks and other accessories are mixed inwith the footwear in separate compartments and anelectronic ticker tape runs along the base of thecounter, feeding visitors tidbits, such as: “Walking isone one of the best fat-burning activities.” The infor-mation can be changed at any time from the compa-ny’s Canton, Mass.-based headquarters.

The new concept will be unveiled today. In theold setup, women’s merchandise was displayedwith men’s merchandise in the 5,600-square-footstore. Now, the store is set up with men’s producton one side, women’s goods on the other and adoorway inside the store connecting the two.

In watching shoppers in the old stores, AndersonMcNeill, who joined Reebok five weeks ago as vicepresident of merchandising and concept stores, no-ticed, “They would hold up items and ask, ‘Is thiswomen’s or men’s?’ There are similar fabrics.”

Prior to joining Reebok, he worked for Britches

of Georgetown for 18 years, most recently as seniorvice president and general merchandise manager.

For the new women’s shop, the Kramer DesignGroup, a New York-based agency, used bold, sleek ar-chitecture like curvy steel benches for weary shop-pers and an illuminated honeycomb plexiglass basewith a pickled-wood counter for cashiers. Even theneutral walls have metallic glass and colorful slats.

Sharkansky expects a hooded black top with aninsignia of Liverpool’s professional soccer team, along-sleeve yoga T-shirt and pants with drawstringwaistbands to be the bestsellers.

The store will have exclusive previews, asports concierge and how-to programs. There alsoare plans to hold autograph signings with authorsand other special in-store events. Talks are al-ready under way to stage a fashion show andtrunk shows for the Reebok Sports Club.

Reebok executives said the neighborhood, withstores such as Intermix, Banana Republic andLucky Jeans within a few blocks of the store, andTheory opening a store two blocks north, makes forgood traffic tie-ins.

But don’t expect the company to roll out copy-cat versions of this store. Sharkansky said it hasbeen modeled for Upper West Side shoppers andmembers of the Reebok Sports Club LA. At thispoint, the company does not plan to duplicate it inany other cities.

— Rosemary Feitelberg

Reebok Pumps Up New Concept

By Vicki M. Young

NEW YORK — The hedge-fund in-vestors who will own the majorityof Kmart Corp. after its bank-ruptcy may be prodding the storeand its real estate assets in someunconventional directions. Thiscomes as the discounter saidMonday it was shedding 660 jobs.

Sources close to the financialteam funding Kmart’s exit frombankruptcy proceedings — ESLInvestments and Third AvenueValue Fund, who together willown more than 50 percent of re-organized Kmart — told WWDthat the two funds were investingin the discounter to take advan-tage of its real estate holdings.

Those holdings, the sourcessaid, include the ability to incor-porate leased departments with-in each Kmart store, an expectedmoney-making opportunity to in-crease the value of each location.Leasing opportunities insideeach Kmart include fragrance,snack concessions and jewelry.

ESL, headed by Edward Lam-pert, already owns stakes in Auto-Zone Inc., an auto parts retailer,and AutoNation Inc., a new andused car retailer. Kmart lastApril shut down Penske AutoCenters in its stores, and retailsources in Detroit and Chicagosaid either operation is likely totake up leased space at the for-mer Penske shops at Kmart.

More intriguing, as far as realestate plays go, have been rum-blings from Detroit and Chicagospeculating on why Lampert haspicked up nearly a 9 percentstake in Sears, Roebuck & Co.

According to one source, theESL hedge fund may be hedgingits bets. The source told WWDthat there have been discussionsof an affiliation linking Searswith Kmart soon after the dis-counter’s exit from bankruptcy,which Kmart has tapped to occurby April 30. The rumblings haveSears taking over some ofKmart’s store sites to house itsGreat Indoors concept.

Ed Nakfoor, retail consultantin the Detroit area, observed, “Asfor merger rumblings with Sears, Ithink that’s a very likely scenario,although I don’t see it as a mergerof ‘equals,’ but rather more of anacquisition of Kmart by Sears.”

According to Nakfoor, anotheroption if Sears’ test of its newstand-alone format to open laterthis year in Salt Lake City goeswell, is to convert certain Kmartlocations to the concept. Whiledeclining to comment on a possi-ble Sears-Kmart alliance, a Searsspokeswoman confirmed that theprototype is one that Sears isworking with in an effort to estab-lish an off-the-mall presence. Thefirst of these is scheduled to openin September in West Jordan, asuburb of Salt Lake City.

Another possibility, one sourcesaid, is to turn some Kmart loca-tions into freestanding stores forthe Martha Stewart brand oreven possibly stores for the JoeBoxer label now carried exclu-sively at Kmart.

Kmart executives didn’t returnphone calls seeking comment.

Lambert doesn’t have a seat onSears’ board, but does sit on theboards of AutoZone and Auto-

Nation, and is expected to haveone on Kmart’s as well upon itsexit from Chapter 11. He also hasbeen instrumental in some of themore recent changes at Kmart.

Lampert is a fan of Julian Day,a veteran of Sears top manage-ment, and was instrumental inDay’s ascension to the top spot asKmart’s chief executive officerand president.

While there’s been concernabout how an economic down-turn could have negative effectson Kmart’s bottom line downthe road, Kmart’s new ownersdon’t appear concerned.

Marty Whitman, chairman ofthe Third Avenue Value Fund,told WWD in an interview earli-er this month, “I don’t think thatthe economy counts for all thatmuch. I think that Julian Day ac-counts for more than that much.”

Kmart in the meantime ispreparing a new Martha Stewartadvertising campaign for June 1and has recently launched TeaLeaf, its new California-centeredmarketing push into Asian-American communities.

Of the total job losses atKmart, 400 will be at headquar-ters, while 123 individuals locat-ed nationally that provided cor-porate support also will be let go.The balance, 137 positions, wereopen job listings that will be leftunfilled.

Kmart stores and distributioncenters are not impacted by thejob cuts. Kmart said it expects tosave $90 million in fiscal 2003and $150 million annually there-after as a result of the head countreductions.

Kmart Cuts 660 Jobs at HQPH

OTOS

BYTA

LAYA

CENT

ENO

Reebok’s latest prototype.

3

4W

WD,

TUE

SDAY

, APR

IL 1

, 200

3

LOS ANGELES —It’s a very rareBeverly Hillsdoyenne who cansay that TheBeatles wrote a

song about her, but NancyCooke de Herrera is just thatkind of grande dame. True, shehas a faithful housekeeper of 39years, named Mercedes, andshe lunches with Nancy Reaganand Betsy Bloomingdale. But,as a friend of the MaharishiMahesh Yogi, de Herrerainstructs those seeking strengththrough spirituality inTranscendental Meditation,including such notables asGreta Garbo and Madonna.

De Herrera’s book, “All YouNeed Is Love,” due out April11, chronicles the spread ofspirituality from India to theWestern world, for which deHerrera herself was partlyresponsible 40 years ago.

“Mantra and guru — thosewords were not in ourdictionary back then,” sheexplains over tea at herBeverly Hills home of 41 years.

Born across the bay fromSan Francisco, in Piedmont,Calif., de Herrera leftStanford after three years tomarry naval officer DickCooke, the scion of one ofHawaii’s oldest missionaryfamilies. The couple lived inthe islands for nine years during World War II,where de Herrera played hostess to AdmiralsNimitz, Halsey and Towers. When she and Cooke

divorced, in her late 20s, de Herrera returned toCalifornia. Then, during a trip to New York shemet “the love of my life,” Argentine racecardriver and golf champion Luis de Herrera. Sadly,after a whirlwind romance and barely two yearsof bliss in Buenos Aries, de Herrera lost hersecond husband to leukemia.

To console her, B.K. Nehru, former IndianAmbassador to the U.S., gave de Herrera a copyof Paramhansa Yoganda’s “The Autobiography ofa Yogi,” and in 1962, she arrived in India wearingfour-inch heels, and journeyed for weeks to meetthe Maharishi. She quickly became a devotee.

Of course, when de Herrera returned toCalifornia dressed in Punjabi tunics andleggings — she never wears saris, claimingWesterners don’t look good in them — friendssaid she had lost her mind.

“So many people thought, ‘Oh come on, you’rejust being taken,’” she says.

Still, de Herrera facilitated Maharishi’sentree into America with the help of herinfluential friends, including society columnistCobina Wright, and soon everyone from TheBeatles to Donovan to Mia Farrow was seekingsalvation at the yogi’s ashram in Rishikesh.

“It was great fun taking The Beatlesshopping,” says de Herrera. “Nobody knew whothey were.”

It was there The Beatles penned a song, “TheContinuing Story of Bungalow Bill,” in honor of deHerrera and her son, Rik, a National Geographic

photographer. “It’s about my son and me shootingtigers on a hunt,” she says of the White Albumanthem. “The Beatles had just arrived at theashram when Rik was telling Maharishi the story.”

Memories of Farrow are less pleasant. “Sheclaimed Maharishi made a pass at her when hewas trying to bestow a spiritual blessing,” says deHerrera. “Mia has a very vivid imagination and Iwon’t forgive her for that.”

Still, de Herrera gives the star, who had outfitsmade by the “ashram couturier,” credit for beingthe first groovy Westerner to adopt Punjabi dress.The Fab Four followed. “The tailor made clothesfor The Beatles that changed fashion more thanGivenchy or Dior or anyone,” she says.

De Herrera should know. She met theMaharishi during the 12 years she traveled theworld as the official U.S. “Ambassadress toFashion,” a role she first landed after winning aslogan contest for a hosiery company, though herwinning entry — “Hosiery is the best cosmeticfor the legs” — was ghostwritten by BurtBacharach. The State Department later turnedher gig into a permanent position.

“They were looking for the perfect Americanhousewife, and I fit the bill,” she says. “I wasblonde, I had raised four children and I knew alittle about cooking.”

Of course, along the way, de Herrera amassedan incredible collection of clothing. The closetsof her house, and those in the two cottages onher property, are stuffed with gold-threaded andintricately beaded gowns. “The wonderful thingabout ethnic clothing is it never goes out ofstyle,” she marvels.

Never one to idle, de Herrera has alreadywritten her next book, “Never Tango With aStranger,” about her life in Argentina within EvaPerón’s circle, and the coup that followed herdeath.

De Herrera’s life is nothing if not full ofsurprises. “I never thought I’d do a lot of things,”she says, “including write a book.”

— Marcy Medina

eye®

SUPREME BEING: She’s coming out, all right. The one, the only, the legendaryDiana Ross has signed on to entertain all the divas and deities joining Tom Ford,Nicole Kidman and Anna Wintour at the “Goddess” dinner to benefit the

Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute on April 28. Ross, whose autobiography, “Upside Down: Wrong Turns, Right Turns and the Road Ahead,” will be released

by ReganBooks this spring, inspired Ford’s fabulous fall collection for Yves Saint Laurent with her dynamic styleand will appear at the gala in a gown specially designed by Ford.

EYE SCOOP

Though she usually shrugs off anybirthday plans, last Friday nightOlivia Chantecaille — whose mid-

dle name just happens to be Delphinium— put on her dancing shoes and threwherself a 30th birthday party among thewild and brilliant blooms at BanchetFlowers, which boasts the prettiestpetals in the Meatpacking District.

Adelina Wong was there, white orchidcosmopolitan in hand, making mischieffor the second night in a row. “Last nightat the Asia Society party, I dared Coralie

Charriol to dance on thetable,” Wong reported. “And

she did!” Wong swore shewouldn’t rest until shehad convinced her sec-ond victim — thebirthday girl — to dothe same.

But then, shimmy-ing down the lengthof the dinner tablerunning through theflower shop was apart of Chantecaille’splan all along.

“Of course I’mgoing to dance on the

table,” Chantecaillesaid. “It’s my birthday.”

In the market for a Pilates-toned physiqueminus the medieval looking machines andexorbitant price tag? Instructor AlyceaUngaro’s new book and CD set, “PortablePilates,” might be the answer. As thefounder and owner of Tribeca Bodyworks —the city’s largest studio devoted exclusivelyto Pilates training — she recorded a 45-minute mat class to accompany a spiral-bound guide that illustrates the workout’svarious positions with cute, girly drawings.

“Most people don’t have the dispos-able income to hire a trainer,” saysUngaro, who is not related to the designerEmanuel Ungaro and has trained such fa-mously toned stars as Madonna and UmaThurman. “My students develop their lis-tening skills. I didn’t think watching avideo and craning your neck to see the screen is what Pilates is about.”

But isn’t the secret in those torturous-looking machines with names likeCadillac and Reformer? Not so, according to Ungaro. “With the machines, youadd resistance training, which builds muscles and sculpts,” she says. “Butwith the mat workout, you get that long lean look.”

And it’s not too late to shape up for bikini season, either, which is justaround the corner. “The workout gets rid of the love handles,” Ungaro promis-es, recommending a daily regimen. “No back fat.”

Stretch Marks

“Mantra and guru —those words were not inour dictionary back then.”— Nancy Cooke de Herrera

Flower Child

Alycea Ungaro trains a student.

What a Trip

Alexandra

Chantecaille

Alexandra

Chantecaille

Olivia

Chantecaille

in Valentino.

Olivia

Chantecaille

in Valentino.

BJ Topol in

Valentino.

BJ Topol in

Valentino.Adelina Wong

in Valentino.

Adelina Wong

in Valentino.Jazz JohnsonJazz Johnson

DE H

ERRE

RA C

OURT

ESY

OF D

E HE

RRER

A; C

HANT

ECAI

LLE

PART

Y BY

LAU

REN

FLEI

SHM

AN; U

NGAR

O CO

URTE

SY O

F TR

IBEC

A BO

DYW

ORKS

Nancy Cooke de Herrera in

Kashmir, India, in 1988.

AUGUST 25-28, 2003 SANDS EXPO & CONVENTION CENTERREGISTRATION INFORMATION: 218.723.9792 EXHIBIT INFORMATION: 818.593.5000 www.MAGIConline.com

WT01

THE #1 REASON TO ATTEND THE MAGIC MARKETPLACE

DISCOVER NEW RESOURCES3,000 EXHIBITORS. 20,000 PRODUCT LINES. ONE COMPREHENSIVE EVENT.

Michael Kors’

Lunaraine mink,

high-necked jacket

with matte python

inserts and skirt.

Cynthia Rowley’s

blouson retro jacket

in wild-type mink,

sunglasses by

Morgenthal Frederics.

Jerry Sorbara’s

scallop-edged

rabbit coat

reversing to

stenciled tiger

for Neiman

Marcus;

Wolford

tights.

6W

WD,

TUE

SDAY

, APR

IL 1

, 200

3

Chado’s Russian sable cocoon jacket

with shirttail sides for Pologeorgis.

WW

D, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 20037

PHOT

OS B

Y DA

VID

TURN

ER; M

ODEL

S: C

ASSI

ANE/

SUPR

EME,

ABI

GAIL

SAU

M/ID

MOD

ELS;

LIS

A/EL

ITE;

DAH

LIA

BADA

WI/N

Y M

ODEL

S; FA

SHIO

N AS

SIST

ANT:

KERE

N H

AUPT

MAN

; HAI

R BY

CRY

STOP

H M

ARTE

N FO

R VI

DAL

SASS

OON;

MAK

EUP

BY B

ELLA

PIL

AR F

OR S

ALLY

HAR

LOR;

STY

LED

BY B

OBBI

QUE

EN

NEW YORK — Even the season’s most lavish furs oftenhave an edgy touch, a charming, flirty detail or a surprisingreversal. And then there are plenty that are just plain cute.

NEW YORK — Even the season’s most lavish furs oftenhave an edgy touch, a charming, flirty detail or a surprisingreversal. And then there are plenty that are just plain cute.

New

N

ewD

irect

ions

Oscar de la Renta’s Russian

broadtail trench coat

for Alixandre Furs

reversing to honey kid.

television sets, a host of economic issues have con-strained spending and the shift of Easter into Aprilthis year, from March last year has complicatedcomparisons.

Taken together, conditions have added up to threestrikes for many merchants. The final tally for themonth will be ascertained when the majority of retail-ers report March sales results on April 10.

Additionally, Nordstrom warned that war had ham-pered already soft sales, contributing to a drop in first-quarter earnings estimates below the firm’s prior pro-jections. The company is now forecasting profits belowits previous guidance of 23 to 27 cents, versus profits of22 cents for the same period a year ago. A more exactingestimate was not given due to the lack of visibility inconsumer trends.

The bottom line has drifted downward with the top.Nordstrom, in a statement, said sales were trendingdown by a percentage in the low-single digits so far thisquarter, which will end May 3.

For the fiscal month of March, Wal-Mart Stores Inc.reported Monday that its comparable-store saleswould increase just barely, at the low end of the low-single digits. This forecast was based on resultsthrough Friday, the end of the fourth week in its five-week fiscal month.

Last week, the discounter experienced negativetrends in both average ticket price and traffic, com-pared with the week prior to Easter last year. This madefor tough comparisons Saturday and an easier go of iton Sunday and into this week.

“We continued to see some ‘CNN Effect,’” last week,said a Wal-Mart spokeswoman on a recorded call, refer-

ring to the preoccupation by at least some consumerswith news of the Iraqi war. The strongest product cate-gories in the U.S. included intimate and ladies’ appareland swimwear.

Other stores, lacking Wal-Mart’s focus on basics andits ultralarge customer base, were even less optimisticabout the month.

Federated Department Stores Inc. said sales lastweek continued to be “soft” and that it’s now looking fora comp decline of roughly 6 to 7 percent in March. Theparent of Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s was earlier in the

month targeting a drop of 3 to 4 percent.J.C. Penney Co. Inc., which just wrapped up the fifth

and final week of its fiscal month, said same-storesales in its department stores last month trendedbelow the planned flat to slightly down performance.Bright spots for the week came from family shoes andwomen’s accessories.

ShopKo Stores Inc., which finishes its fiscal monththis week, said comps were below plan last week, but itremains on track for a high-single-digit drop for thewhole month.

UBS Warburg department store analyst LindaKristiansen noted, “We have been expecting sluggish re-tail sales momentum to persist through at least theback-to-school season.”

Kristiansen now projects a 4 percent comp-storesales decline in department stores for March, implyinga negative underlying trend of 2 to 2.5 percent, after ad-justing for the Easter shift. Accordingly, the analystmodestly reduced her already-below-consensus first-quarter projections for Federated, Penney’s and MayDepartment Stores Co.

Keeping Kristiansen’s sales projections down are agroup of economic issues including: a slowdown in realincome growth, reduced momentum in home sales, aslowing of mortgage refinancings and lagging consumerconfidence. On the plus side, she noted, interest ratesare still low.

Wall Street was not enthralled by the prospects forMarch. The Standard & Poor’s retail index sank 4.22points, or 1.5 percent, to end at 272.44. However, thatoutperformed the broader S&P 500, which fell 15.32points, or 1.8 percent, to 848.18.

Among the declines on the New York Stock Exchangewere Wal-Mart (down 2.1 percent to $52.03), Federated(1.8 percent to $28.02) and Penney’s (1.2 percent to$19.64). Managing an increase was ShopKo, rising 3.1percent to $11.65.

With its amorphous first-quarter warning, though,Nordstrom endured more of its investors’ ire and regis-tered a 6.5 percent drop in its share price to $16.20. Theultimate extent of the damage should be apparent onMay 19, when the firm is expected to report its earnings.

“The company’s fundamentals remain solid and weare continuing to focus on opportunities within our con-

By Emilie Marsh and Chantal GoupilPARIS — The French may be taking to thestreets to protest the war in Iraq, but they’restill buying clothes — and most are leavingpolitics out of the equation when it comes toAmerican brands.An informal survey of shoppers on the streetsof Paris on a sunny day last week found thatmost of them have no intention of boycottingU.S. apparel brands because of the war in Iraq.Here’s what they had to say:

NATHALIE JUILLIERAge: 45Occupation: Financial directorShopping at: QuiksilverChange in shopping habits: “My shopping habits haven’tchanged yet.”

Thoughts on American brands: “I only wondered ifQuiksilver was American when I was paying for theitem. I just think of an item’s quality and style and notthe brand’s origins.

“I wouldn’t boycott American brands such asQuiksilver and the Gap. However, to be completely hon-est, I would eventually boycott global companies suchas Coca-Cola or McDonald’s, which represent the sideof America I don’t like.”

MARIE-JO NEVES Age: 28Occupation: WindowdesignerShopping at: ZaraChange in shoppinghabits: “My shoppinghabits haven’t changedsince the beginning of thewar. I have purchasedseveral items from storessuch as H&M, the Gap,Zara and Mango. I lovethe cheap and chics.”

Thoughts on Americanbrands: “I am against thewar but I am not anti-American; it’s importantnot to mix the two.”

AURELIA SABATIER Age: 25Occupation: Public relationsShopping at: ZaraThoughts on American brands: “I shop at Zara, VanessaBruno, the Gap, Zadig & Voltaire and I don’t considerthe brand’s origins when I buy. I don’t boycott Americanproducts. There is a big difference between (U.S.President George) Bush and

ERIKA ROSARIOAge: 21Occupation: StudentShopping at: GapThoughts on Americanbrands: “I would never boy-cott American brandsbecause I wouldn’t wantpeople to boycott productsfrom my country. I love thestyle at the Gap and the sun(outside today) makes mewant to buy.”

NELLY RAOUAge: 50Occupation: SecretaryShopping at: GapThoughts on American brands: “I don’t boycottAmerican brands because I don’t want the Americans toboycott French products. It’s a bit ridiculous…the onlything that would lead me to boycott a brand would beforced child labor. The weather motivated me to shop.”

LAURENCE LE BORGNEAge: 30Occupation: Restaurantservices Shopping at: Gap and ZaraThoughts on Americanbrands: “I am very annoyedwith the American govern-ment. However, I wouldnever boycott their prod-ucts. Besides, Americanproducts are so integratedinto our daily lives it isimpossible to boycott them.I did, however, cancel myvacation to the U.S. with myfamily. I always buy clothesfor my son at the Gap, andfor myself, too, of course.And I haven’t changed mybudget.”

JULIE PERCHENETOccupation: LawyerShopping at: Zara, Gap and Agnes BThoughts on Americanbrands: “I would have boy-cotted American products ifthere would have been areal impact. However, if Iwere to boycott Americanproducts, the impact wouldhave been very small,whereas if the same were tohappen in the U.S. toFrench products, the conse-quences would have beenmuch worse. Myself, Iordered a pair of Sevenjeans from Urban Outfittersjust yesterday.”

HELENE WAPLER Age: 28Occupation: LawyerShopping at: Gap, CharlesBosquet, and Apostrophe.Thoughts on shopping andAmerican brands: “I think Ihave bought more this yearthan last year. I’m in a shop-ping mood. I would neverboycott American products;I don’t think there is adirect relationship betweenpolitical and economicalactivity, at least not in prod-ucts such as clothing andbeauty products. But Iwouldn’t be as sure aboutthe link between Bush andTexaco. OK, maybe I wouldboycott gas from Texas.”

SANDRINE LEVALLOISAge: 23Occupation: Sales represen-tativeShopping at: EtamThoughts on shopping andAmerican brands: “I was notshopping for anything inparticular, just browsingaround with my mom. I amnot changing my shoppinghabits in any way thesedays, and I would not do it

Continued from page one

War Grabs Attention, Retai8

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

“We have been expectingsluggish retail sales momentumto persist through at least theback-to-school season.”

— Linda Kristiansen, UBS Warburg

CONSUMER SPEAKS

WWDFur In DepthWWDFur In DepthSection llSection ll

PHOT

O BY

DAV

ID T

URNE

R; M

ODEL

: CAS

SIAN

E/SU

PREM

E; H

AIR

BY C

HRYS

TOPH

FOR

VID

AL S

ASSO

ON; M

AKEU

P BY

BEL

LA P

ILAR

FOR

SAL

LY H

ARLO

R; FA

SHIO

N AS

SIST

ANT:

KER

EN H

AUPT

MAN

; SER

GIO

ROSS

I BOO

TS; S

TYLE

D BY

BOB

BI Q

UEEN

NEW YORK — Designers have a lighttouch when it comes to their newest andsexiest fur looks. Skinny, almostweightless, coats can even double asdresses. Here, one example: Vera Wang’shigh-necked goatskin version. Consolidationhas impacted the business, but newcontemporary styles and attention on designerrunways have helped rejuvenate one of the oldestand most luxurious markets in fashion.

dress coatdresscoat

By Rosemary Feitelberg

Having long relied on more conservative shoppers, furri-ers are welcoming younger customers in their 20s and 30swho tend to be more adventurous with their fur purchas-es than their elders.

Instead of relying on tried-and-true styles that used towork from one generation to the next, sportswear andready-to-wear designers are giving the $1.53 billion furindustry a fresh charge. Well aware of how their cus-tomers are looking for versatile pieces instead of special-occasion styles, they are changing their mix accordingly.

“Fur is now a fashion-driven product, whereas in thepast, it was only linked with status,” said Thomas SteifelKirstensen, director of international communicationsfor SAGA Furs of Scandinavia, a group that promotes furdesign. “Now it’s multilingual — it’s about glamour, hip-hop and prestige.”

That’s come in part with interest from such high-pro-file, young-hearted partygoers as Serena Williams, whohave taken to wearing fur to glam up their images.Rappers like Eve, who turned up for the Phat Farm fash-ion show in a J. Mendel white mink, have also helped jazzup what was once something reserved for opening nightat the opera and other more sedate black-tie affairs.

Designers have also been embracing the category in amajor way and that type of unprecedented endorsementhas electrified interest among shoppers, especiallythose who take their cues from fashion magazines.Carmen Marc Valvo, Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan,Versace, Gucci and Jean Paul Gaultier all sent fur coatsand fur-trimmed items down their fall runways, eventhough they do not have licensed fur collections.

“The fur industry has to look outside the traditional furmarket to sell its product. There are only 1,200 independ-ent fur retailers,” said Steve Gold, marketing director forSAGA. “Small specialty stores are a strong new territory.Up until now, furriers may have not pursued that area.There are all different price points now. Buying fur can benot anything more than buying a designer wool coat.”

Mink and fox are the biggest sellers, with Persian lamb,rabbit, sable, chinchilla and coyote also popular, Gold said.With rabbit coats starting at a few hundred dollars and aRussian lynx coat selling for upward of $75,000, the pricerange seems to accommodate a greater range of budgets.

With more designers showing fur on the runway, re-tailers are buying fur coats to round off sportswear andready-to-wear collections, instead of placing them in fursalons. The media’s coverage of fashion shows and trendsis helping the cause, as well. In turn, shoppers are moreinclined to use editorial and ads to shop for furs, saidNick Pologeorgis, president of Pologeorgis Furs, whichmakes the Michael Kors, Zandra Rhodes and ChadoRalph Rucci fur collections, as well as private label.

“Our customer has definitely gotten younger and shewants to wear fur more times a year [than the traditionalcustomer.],” Pologeorgis said. “She’s more inclined towear short coats in different colors.”

The company is attracting more women in the 30- to45-year-old age bracket, compared to 35 to 50, as was thecase a few years ago. The youthful spirit is evident in theuptick in sales of waist-length mink jackets. Pologeorgis’annual sales are running about 5 to 10 percent ahead oflast year, he said. Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenueand other stores are doing a better job of merchandisingthan they have in the past, he noted.

“They have great buyers who have a modern eye, insteadof buying what they’ve been buying for years and years,” hesaid. “Their risk of showing some new things is paying off.”

In addition to sportswear looks, Pologeorgis expectssales of capes, shrugs and other evening pieces in mink,sable or fox to increase this fall. The latter gained mo-mentum this winter, due partially to a backlash to casu-al dressing.

“People like to getdressed up when they go tospecial occasions,” he said.“They want to look glam-orous and fur makes womenlook beautiful.”

Brett Schulman, presi-dent of Alixandre Furs, themaker of Oscar de la Rentafurs, said: “If people are buy-ing a new coat, they wantsomething unusual. Furdoesn’t change that much,but we’re doing more embel-

lishment and handwork.”Those finishing touches also help to jack up the price

of a coat, with prices peaking around $30,000. Schulmanestimated that 40 percent of de la Renta’s collection hashandpainting, beading or embroidery. It works particu-larly well on broadtail, sheared mink and sable.

This winter’s chilly temperatures also gave AlixandreFurs’ sales a lift.

Schulman said, “Many women realized they need tobe warm and they need a fur coat.”

Dennis Basso said he’s noticed a wake-up call amongGeneration-X, a group that furriers have not pursued ag-gressively in years past.

Generation-Xers are coming into their own and “girlswho weren’t interested in furs, jewels and clothes havebecome interested in those things but are interpretingthem in their own way,” Basso said.

Women between 25 and 35 are responding to “veryfun…cropped jackets” and Basso is among the labels try-ing to get onboard with that portion of the market.Financially, times might be tight, but fashion-forwardshoppers are still indulging in investment pieces likeManolo Blahniks and fur coats.

Reached in Milan looking for new techniques late lastmonth, Basso said more legwork is needed to appeal tothose more stylish customers.

“In creating a more contemporary look, you reallyneed to be on top of it,” he explained. “You can’t justmake someone a magnificent sable coat. That’s why I’mhere looking for something new for that customer.”

The average age of a fur customer is now in the mid-30s compared with 48 in 1995, according to Kirstensen ofSAGA. In sync with the rest of the fashion industry, theyare drifting toward more quality furs like minks and fineworkmanship.

Many customers are opting for lightweight, reversible

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

2 SECTION II

F U R I N D E P T H

out with the old

TOTAL RETAIL FUR SALES 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997$1.53 billion $1.69 billion $1.40 billion $1.21 billion $1.27 billion

CHANGE IN RETAIL SALES 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997Stores Reporting Increases 67.2% 68% 74.6% 33% 50%Stores Reporting Decreases 19.4% 0% 11.1% 46% 29%Stores Reporting No Change 6.1% 74% 74.6% 59% 60%

FICA’S Five-Year Lowdown on Fur Sales

Donna Karan

sent some fur

down the runway.

Ralph Lauren

also gave

fur some

show time.

Dennis Basso

threw a book

party for

Rena Sindi

to attract

younger

customers.

Continued on page 6

What Becomes A Legend Most®

?

Lauren Bacall 1968

Brigitte Bardot 1970

Gisele Bündchen 2002

Cher 1986

Joan Crawford 1969

Bette Davis 1968

Catherine Deneuve 1989

Marlene Dietrich 1969

Faye Dunaway 1978

Linda Evangelista 2001

Judy Garland 1968

Rita Hayworth 1970

Lillian Hellman 1976

Audrey Hepburn 1987

Lena Horne 1969

Sophia Loren 1982

Shirley MacLaine 1977

Liza Minnelli 1973

Jessye Norman 1980

Diana Ross 1973

Barbra Streisand 1968

Elizabeth Taylor 1989

BLACKGLAMA®

AMERICAN LEGEND®

MINK

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

? 2003

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

4 SECTION II

F U R I N D E P T H

warming

trendswarming

trendsNEW YORK — It’s an anything-goesmoment for furs. While there are plenty oftraditional givens each season — looks thatare long, luxurious, classic and cozy — nowdesigners are going for the unexpected.That means inventive reversibles; lippe catthat resembles leopard, white glammed upfor night or toned down and tailored forday. Then there are the optional vintage-style extras: bold fur neckpieces thattie or button closed; hats, trim, and, a majornew trend, a bevy of charming handbags.

J. Mendel’s white mink wrap.

WW

D, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 20035

PHOT

OS B

Y DA

VID

TURN

ER; M

ODEL

S: A

BIGA

IL S

AUM

/ID; C

ASSI

ANE/

SUPR

EME;

LIS

A/EL

ITE;

HAI

R BY

CRY

STOP

H M

ARTE

N FO

R VI

DAL

SASS

OON;

MAK

EUP

BY B

ELLA

PIL

AR F

OR S

ALLY

HAR

LOR;

FAS

HION

ASS

ISTA

NT: K

EREN

HAU

PTM

AN; S

TYLE

DBY

BOBB

IQUE

EN

Anne Dee Goldin’s

ribbon-tied fox collar.

Anne Dee Goldin’s

ribbon-tied fox collar.

Cassin’s sheared

mink hat with

leather flowers.

Cassin’s sheared

mink hat with

leather flowers.

Dennis Basso’s

lippe cat hat

and coat.

Dennis Basso’s

lippe cat hat

and coat.

Natori’s Mongolian

lamb and leather bag.

Natori’s Mongolian

lamb and leather bag.

styles with special details such as short-haired mink that can be plucked as thin asknitwear. Mink pashminas could be nextwinter’s big thing, he said.

“The top end of the business is aboutdesign and quality, not price resistance.The difference is consumers want to knowwhat they are buying. Fur has been ratherabsent from the general shopping venuefor a few years and it might be difficult forthem to distinguish the different fur types.Fashion has more questions and curiosityabout fur and we welcome that.”

Furriers need to be outgoing about ex-plaining the various new styles and pricepoints. In the last three years, the numberof stores carrying fur coats has tripled to1,200, with more department stores andfashion-forward specialty stores giving fursalons some real competition.

With Versace, Gucci and Gaultier show-ing fur in their men’s wear shows in Milan,the category should only gain more fans,he said. In addition, fur has made its wayinto interior design in throws, blanketsand cushions, he added. Driven part byAmericans’ continued desire to be home-bodies and their longing for all things lux-urious, fur home furnishings should con-tinue to attract buyers, he added.

Anne Dee Goldin, president of GoldinFeldman, which produces her signatureline, said: “The lines are blurring be-tween outerwear, sportswear and acces-sories. Fur is so pervasive in all classifi-cations. It’s so much more expansivethan what I thought the fur businesscould be. It’s so totally accepted as a partof a woman’s wardrobe and lifestyle.”

When she joined her father’s businessfresh out of college in 1980, “it was allabout wearing that one fur coat and youcould wear it over and over,” she said.

Over the years, that must-have item shift-ed from a raccoon coat, to a ranch mink coatwith puffed sleeves, to a Perry Ellis-in-spired coat with a back belt and so on.

“Now, it’s really a lifestyle. Womenwant something to wear when they’re asoccer mom or going out to dinner or toa black-tie affair,” Goldin said. “It’s likehaving just the right bag for everything.It’s the new must-have item.”

All this attention should also bode wellfor the storage and repair business, whichhas faltered in recent winters due largelyto unseasonably warm weather, she added.

“Last year, it was too hot and they had-n’t worn their fur coats, so they didn’t both-er storing it,” she said. “Now, they have

something they haven’t worn in years.”Most importantly, memories of this

winter’s heavy snowfall and frigid tem-peratures should help speed up the buy-ing cycle for fur, she said. Instead ofbringing in fur in October, more storeswill be likely to put it on their sales floorsin August, as was the case years ago.

Goldin added that stores should bemore inclined to hold off on markingdown sale merchandise in January, ashas become the norm.

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

6 SECTION II

F U R I N D E P T H

out with the old

NEW YORK — Despite Fur Fashion Week basically becoming aone-day affair and moving from May to April, other fur-relat-ed events remain intact.

The Fur Information Council of America’s annual fashionshow will be held April 8 at 6:30 p.m at the Puck Building.Royal Chie, Vera Wang, Cynthia Rowley, Zuki, Sorbara, BenKahn and Zandra Rhodes for Pologeorgis will be among the

21 companies sending their outerwear down the runway.Even the show, which tended not to be a rushed affair inyears past, is getting a few touch-ups. “The show starts at6:30. We’ll be prompt this year,” a FICA spokeswoman said.

The North American Fur & Fashion Exhibition of Montrealwill take place May 4-7 at Place Bonaventure in Montreal.The fur trade contributes $800 million annually to Canada’s

economy and employs more than 85,000 people, accordingto the Fur Council of Canada.

With more than 80 percent of Canadian fur and pelt ex-ports going to the U.S., the event is popular with Americanbuyers. NAFFEM is the largest fashion industry event inCanada and one of the biggest luxury outerwear shows in theworld. Last year, the show turned 20.

Those willing to trek overseas for their furs can attend theSeoul International Fur Fair Sept. 22-25 at the newly reno-vated Convention & Exhibition Center. Fur and leather outer-wear, footwear and accessories, as well as machinery.

Showtime for Furriers Around the Globe

BREAKDOWN OF SALES 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997All Fur Items 50.7% 54.9% 62.8% 55% 52%Fur-Trim Items/Accessories 10.2% 8.3% 8% 7% 6%Non-Fur Items 12.4% 10.7% 7.1% 10% 7%Fur Service 26.7% 25.5% 22.2% 29% 30%

Young celebrities

are trying on fur

for size. Here,

Serena Williams

draped in mink

at a Sports

Illustrated party

earlier this year.

Continued from page 2

Carmen Marc Valvo has also dabbled in fur.

AVERAGE PRICE OF BETTER SELLING FUR COATS: $5,676

PERCENT OF FUR SALESMink 55%Shearling 10.8%Fox 5.1%Sable 2.4%Other 28%

Fur Facts

Cashing Out

SAGA Mink® and SAGAFox® are qua l i t y labe l srespec ted by the fu r andfash ion indus t r i e swor ldwide .

E -ma i l sg@sagafu r s . comfor more in fo rma t ion onSaga Fu r s o f Scand ina -v ia ’s des igner p rograms .

DESIGNER’SCHOICE

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

8 SECTION II

By Eric Wilson

NEW YORK — All it takes to grasp the radical changein the way fur is merchandised in specialty storesacross the nation is to listen to Marissa Hartingtondescribe how customers at her Naples, Fla., boutiqueare buying John Galliano pants and a Valentino cash-mere turtleneck right along with a mink poncho fromthe Cassin collection.

Gone are the days when fur was restricted tovaulted salons within department stores and special-ty retailers that focus on the mink coat trade. Furtoday turns up in accessories departments on gloves,hats and bags, in outerwear departments as trim andlinings and on designer sportswear floors thanks tothe revolutionary treatment of fur in high-end run-way collections over the past three years.

While the traditional fur industry still has itswoes, the old-line fur retailers have welcomed thistrend as a means of invigorating and reinventing thelook of their departments, as well, rather than view-ing the new options of fur that are widely availableto customers as encroaching on their territory.

“We’re mixing everything in our store today, be-cause that’s the way people dress these days,” saidHartington, whose 10,000-square-foot store MarissaCollections carries well-known brands and a lot ofsmall French, Italian and American designer lines.“It was always the way people have dressed inEurope, but Americans are now really catching upwith the trend.”

Among the merchandising techniques Hartingtonhas employed is to mix designers together, which hasresulted in customers taking items from the differentcollections to create outfits that match theirlifestyles. From a recent Rena Lange trunk show,Marissa Collections sold several $2,500 zip-frontcashmere sweater jackets with a black curly persianlamb front — “sporty and chic looking,” Hartington

said — but young customers bought Yves SaintLaurent black pants to go along with it while theolder generation paired the sweater with loosetweed trousers.

Another hand-embroidered vest from Rena Langethat is trimmed in black fox was sold with navy jeansand black cashmere turtlenecks to some customers(“very chic”), and gray flannel or cashmere pants totheir mothers (“very sophisticated”). MarissaCollections is also hosting a J. Mendel trunk show in thecoming weeks and has bought into the designer’s furand ready-to-wear collections for fall stock, she said.

“Valentino is also doing trims on jackets, whichare selling the same way,” Hartington said. “It seemslike the trend of merchandising is to mix all of oursweaters and jackets with trims in with Galliano andValentino. The Prada fall runway collection was alsofabulous. One of the beautiful new trends is an off-theshoulder coat with three-quarter sleeves, a Fiftieslook, so women can wear long gloves. Prada had anamazing coat done in charcoal gray persian lamb.”

Fur vendors point to specialty stores like MarissaCollections, Hirshleifer’s in Manhasset, N.Y., andSusan of Burlingame near San Francisco that are be-coming some of their strongest clients for modern furproducts, particularly coming from companies thatposition themselves as luxury rtw designers, as op-posed to “furriers.”

“The presentation for fur in fashion stores hasgot to be mixed in with the apparel,” said SherryCassin, whose Cassin collection is based in the tradi-tional Fur District south of 34th Street off SeventhAvenue. Companies like Cassin, Ben Kahn, Goldin-Feldman, David Goodman and Trilogy led thecharge in the Nineties by coming up with new con-cepts for fur coats that helped change the way themedium is marketed and merchandised. Cassin, forinstance, was among the first fur vendors to sell atthe Fashion Coterie, traditionally a sportswear

trade show, and at the California markets.“Fur shouldn’t be pushed out in one area,” Cassin

said. “To be modern, fur needs to be mixed in withthe sportswear so the customer can see how it can bemixed into their wardrobe on a daily basis, not justfor a Saturday night out. We consider our shearlingponcho to be every soccer mom’s new SUV jacket.We’re not trying to make something that’s so preciousas a new diamond ring that just comes out for specialevents. To us, fur is a textile.”

Part of these changes, of course, was driven by ne-cessity. The traditional fur retail market has been dras-tically altered by consolidation at retail, as some of themost famous fur stores in America began to close, likeRevillon on Fifth Avenue, or changed hands. Evans,which was the nation’s largest fur retailer for much ofthe past two decades with salons at Bloomingdale’sand Marshall Field’s, filed for bankruptcy in the lateNineties, and its assets were eventually sold to BirgerChristensen, which already managed fur salons at SaksFifth Avenue, Macy’s and Holt Renfrew.

Some small fur stores have adapted and thrived bybringing in new products and some sportswear, whileothers have continued to grow with an influx of design-er names that have licensed fur collections. Thatleaves Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman, whichalso features a J. Mendel boutique, as the only large re-tailers to operate their fur departments independently.

“We have certainly seen in past three fall seasons,and particularly in this last one, a strong trend in furand fur accessories,” said Robert Burke, vice presi-dent and senior fashion director of BergdorfGoodman. “Fur is being shown in more innovativeways than it has in the past. Where fur had been tra-ditionally thought of as something strictly for uptownladies, now it is being shown in a much, muchyounger way, whether in the case of sheared orshaved mink, or mink cut to look like corduroy.

F U R I N D E P T H

the merchant class

Continued on page 11

A bright yellow coat

from Dolce & Gabbana. A Prada Fifties look. Carolina Herrera’s belted lamb.

W ELLE DEPARTURES ROBB REPORT

TUESDAY APRIL 8

AT 6:00PM

FOR INFORMATION

CALL ALISON LANDAU

GOLDSTEIN COMMUNICATIONS

212 838 0822

fea tu red des igners p resented:

Adrienne Landau • alexis & gianni for Petras Furs • Anne Dee Goldin

B e n K a h n • B y t e b y G i u l i a n a T e s o

C a r y G r a n s t o n B u l l a r d f o r J e a n C r i s a n F u r s

C a s s i n • C y n t h i a R o w l e y • D a v i d G o o d m a n

D o m i n i c B e l l i s i m o b y I T A L t d .

E r i c G a s k i n s f o r M i l l e r & B e r k o w i t z

T o m M o r i b e r f o r M i l l e r & B e r k o w i t z

E v e l y n P a s w a l l f o r I m p e r i a l S a b l e

Lou is De l l 'O l io fo r LeGar • Osca r de la Renta fo r A l i xandre

R o y a l C h i e • S o r b a r a F u r s

T h e L e o n H a l l C o l l e c t i o n f o r J o h n K y r o s • Ve r a Wa n g

Z a n d r a R h o d e s f o r P o l o g e o r g i s • Z u k i . . . a n d m o r e

W ELLE DEPARTURES ROBB REPORT

The Fur Information Council of America thanks our generous sponsors......

and magazine participants

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

10 SECTION II

By Scott Malone

NEW YORK — It is undeniablya status symbol, but of what?

Fur is probably the only ma-terial that a moviegoer wouldexpect to see in the costume ofboth a socialite and a nean-derthal. For two decades,People for the Ethical Treat-ment of Animals has worked toemphasize the latter image inAmerican consumers’ minds,trying to change the perceptionof fur from one of luxury andindulgence to one of crueltyand antiquity.

PETA, which was founded in1980, has taken a variety of ap-proaches over the years in aneffort to convince shoppers tostop buying fur. Its tactics havevaried from lighthearted adsfeaturing half-clad models toundercover videos showing thetreatment of animals on furfarms, and from disrupting run-way shows featuring fur tosponsoring one of its own at 7thon Sixth last year.

Andrew Butler, campaigncoordinator for the fur cam-paign with the Norfolk, Va.-based organization, said he be-lieves PETA’s efforts to commu-nicate its message — that wear-

ing fur garments is unneces-sary and that the process ofmanufacturing them is cruel —has been largely successful.

“The majority of people nowknow that there is somethingdeeply wrong with the fur indus-try,” he asserted, though hecould not cite data to back thatclaim. “Once people have seenthese images of animalscramped in filthy wire cages orcaught in steel-jaw leg traps, andthat the end result is a skinnedcarcass, these are not the sortsof images they can eclipse fromtheir minds…the whole image offur has shifted from a statussymbol to a social liability.”

The number of fur manufac-turers operating in the U.S. hasdeclined sharply over the pastfew decades — a trend thatmirrors the overall consolida-tion of the apparel industry.

The U.S. Department ofAgriculture reported that from1990 through 2000 — the mostrecent year for which data isavailable — the number of minkfarms operating in the U.S.dropped by 54.5 percent to 351.Over that period, the number ofpelts produced by those farmsdropped 18.4 percent to 2.7 mil-lion. A 33.3 percent rise in

prices over that time allowedthe total value of the pelts torise 5.6 percent to $90.6 million.

Mink farms represent the ma-jority of the U.S.’s fur produc-tion. About 15 to 20 percent ofthe animals killed for their furare caught in the wild — mostlyfoxes, coyotes and beavers.

Despite the decline in pro-duction, fur sales have risen overthe past decade, according to afur-industry promotion group.

Keith Kaplan, executive di-

rector of the Fur InformationCouncil of America, based inWest Hollywood, Calif., saidmany things have influencedAmericans’ fur-buying habitsindependently of the animal-rights movement. His groupsharply stepped up its activitiesin the late Eighties, partly in re-sponse to PETA’s campaigns.

“It’s tough to tell. There areso many things that affect theindustry, certainly economics,fashion and the weather beingthree big components, so it’shard to break out what the im-pact of PETA was,” he said.“There was some impact, prob-ably less than people think.”

He said that fur sales in theU.S. in 2001 — the most recentyear for which he had data —came to $1.53 billion, off 9.5 per-cent from 2000. He noted thatthe economic slow-down and dropoffin luxury spendingfollowing the Sept.11 terrorist attacksalso influenced thedecline. However,he noted that in1992 — anotheryear in which theU.S. economy wasin a downturn —Americans spentabout $1 billion onfur, indicating thatthe overall industry has grownover the past decade.

PETA in 1990 started its “I’drather go naked than wear fur”advertising campaign, whichhas featured photos of every-one from the pop group the Go-Go’s to Pamela Andersonwrapped in nothing but signs.

Through the Nineties, theorganization focused on design-ers and its campaigns influ-enced the decision of top

names including Calvin Kleinto drop out of the fur business.Other designers, such as thevegetarian Stella McCartney,have become known for notusing animal products, both furand leather, in the lines.

But in recent years, PETAhas focused more of its effortson consumers, recognizing thatit’s dollars that ultimately drivethe business.

Butler, the campaign coordi-nator, said of apparel designers,“There are some who don’t give adamn about animal suffering orthe environment, but ultimately,it will come down to sales.”

Retailers said that, for someconsumers, the question ofwhether to buy fur is drivensolely by fashion — cruelty does-n’t factor into their thinking.

While declining to commenton PETA, a spokes-man for Dallas-based Neiman Mar-cus said, “Fur hasbeen an importanttrend for fall andthe customer is cer-tainly respondingto the trend. Ourcustomers respondto fashion trendsand one of thosecertainly is fur.”

For his part,Butler said PETA

feels confident that Americans’attitudes will slowly change onfur. All 50 states currently havelaws on the books dealing withthe treatment of pets and do-mestic animals, and while thestandards of what constitutes“cruelty” vary, there are manycommon standards through thecountry — for instance, mostAmericans would agree aboutnot eating dogs, and manywould agree that watching dogsfight to the death for amuse-ment is cruel.

Butler pointed out that theU.K. in the late Nineties mademink farming illegal out of con-cern that the practice wascruel, given that minks havenever been domesticated and inthe wild live solitary lives. Hesaid he believed that sort of at-titude could catch on in the U.S.

“As with any social reformmovement, its advocates growstronger and dissenters growweaker,” he said. “People’s atti-tudes change over the years.”

F U R I N D E P T H

Celebrities including Pamela Anderson have appeared in PETA’s ‘I’d rather go naked than wear fur campaign.’ After

catching consumers’ attention with humor, PETA’s ads hit for the heart strings.

peta power

“People’s

attitudes

change

over the

years.”— Andrew Butler,

PETA

Sorb

ara

Furs

150

Wes

t 30

th S

t., N

ew Y

ork,

NY

100

01

212

-594

-389

7

Ult

ra S

hear

ed M

ink

“Certainly, Gilles Mendel (of J. Mendel) has set astandard for innovative design in fur and it’s definitelybecome a statement for the past few seasons from anaccessories standpoint. Prada helped launch that afew years ago with the fur collar and ribbon tie that re-ally showed people how to use fur as an accessoryitem in a variety of ways.”

Among the fall highlights, Burke pointed toAlexander McQueen’s rabbit coat with metallic bor-dering, fur lining and trims from Valentino, bright fursfrom Etro and Dolce & Gabbana, and Oscar de laRenta’s brocade coats with fur collars that evoked anelement of St. Petersburg as potentially driving whatsells in fur trends. From accessories, he cited Prada’scrocodile gloves.

Mendel highlighted severalfall trends, as well, that are like-ly to drive sales: layering furwith more than one type of furon another, such as a fox boleroover a broadtail trench; beltinga a mink cape with a studdedcrocodile belt to make it moremodern; new innovations suchas fox coats that reverse tosweaters, quilted minks that re-verse to raincoats or stretch fur;and some retro looks like pastelminks and leopard print coats.

So many designers from theready-to-wear and sportswearmarkets have incorporated furinto their collections over thepast few years that it becomesmore difficult to gauge justwhich departments or stores aredriving the most sales of fur,since some feel seeing fur as adesigner trend has pushed morecustomers into traditional furstores, while there are still sensi-tive issues within other stores asto whether adding fur to sports-wear departments could takesales away from their fur salons.

To some degree, that’s amoot point, since as much as 80percent of the fur that is shownin designer collections is con-tracted to the highly specifiedfactories of the traditional fur-riers, said Bennett Model, pres-ident of Joseph Model Asso-ciates, a fur buying office thatalso consults on the market forclients of The Doneger Groupretail buying office.

“What’s happening is that de-partment stores are becomingmore important in the fur busi-ness,” he said. “Designers arealso taking a bigger position infurs. A lot of women who would-n’t normally walk into a fur de-partment will now becausethey’re seeing it in the designercollections where they never sawit before. That means you’re get-ting a lot of younger customersand impulse buyers who normal-ly wouldn’t walk into a fur store.

“Bergdorf Goodman andSaks Fifth Avenue have fur inevery different part of the storenow, and that’s the big evolu-tion. It’s not just a basic mink

coat business anymore. It’s also in ski areas whereshops are carrying more fur and accessories, whichhas been a real push in the past few years.”

Jason Dittrich, manager of Hal Dittrich Furs inDetroit and Bloomfield Hills, Mich., said such changesare also reflecting on the patterns of traditional furcoat buyers, who are similarly looking for more sportyand casual coats.

“We’re tending to see people move away from blackand dark colors, so we’ve been reducing our inventoryof mahogany and the luna range for a while,” he said.“The majority of people are looking toward thebrighter colors and specialty items, such as morecapes and vests than we have in the past. Our cus-tomers in Michigan can be a little behind in the fash-ion times, but there’s definitely a trickle-down effect.”

WW

D, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 200311

F A L L . W I N T E R 2 0 0 3

B Y A P P O I N T M E N T

1 5 0 W E S T 3 0 T H S T R E E T 1 3 T H F L O O RN E W Y O R K , N E W Y O R K 1 0 0 0 1

P H : 2 1 2 . 7 3 6 . 5 5 5 0

F U R SF U R S

the merchant class

Continued from page 8

Oscar de la Renta’s

brocade with fur trim.

Alexander

McQueen’s

car coat.

Alexander

McQueen’s

car coat.

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

12 SECTION II

NEW YORK — Just as every furhas its own personality, everyfurrier is equally individualis-tic or idiosyncratic, as the casemay be.

Fur designers are a bitpressed to show some flair, nowthat big names like MichaelKors, Ralph Rucci, RalphLauren and Donna Karanshowed some fur in their runwayshows. They also know shoppersare in tune with the changingface of fur and won’t be remotelytempted by old standbys.

But furriers know they willneed more than charisma tosell some coats, come winter.True to form, their businesspractices are equally diverse.

THE SHOWMANWith his baritone voice andfondness for bravura, DennisBasso has played a leading rolein the fur industry for 20 years.

One of the few designers whohas taken an on-with-the-show ap-proach to this year’s decidedlytoned down Fur Fashion Week, heplans to host his biggest show yet— a bash for 600 or so of his near-est and dearest at Harry Cipriani’son May 28. Basso is still flippingthrough his Rolodex looking for abig name to close his show, as Liza

Minnelli, Ivana Trump, and otherhave done in years past. Instead ofstaging the show during the day,he will hold the event at night sohis clients can bring their hus-bands or boyfriends.

A ringleader of sorts for theindustry, Basso doesn’t under-stand why more fashion showsaren’t scheduled.

“We’ve just had the coldestwinter we can remember in atleast five years,” he said. “Furwas all over the streets, design-ers used fur on their runwaysand magazines used fur in fash-ion spreads.”

Even the People for EthicalTreatment of Animals has lostsome punch and supermodelswho once swore off fur are nowmodeling it.

“No one wants to be dictatedto, especially with everythingthat is going on in the worldtoday,” Basso said. “People havehigher priorities. Even Naomi iswearing fur — it just takes a lit-tle cold weather and some fash-ion to give everyone the push.”

Just as any eccentric has noqualms about extremes, Bassosaid anything over $25,000 likesable or chinchilla is “extreme-ly strong” and anything under$10,000 like a reversible mink

jacket is also healthy.“Fur has almost become an

impulse buy, like an article ofclothing. Customers are notcoming back to try on a coat sev-eral times before they buy it,”Basso said. “They are shoppingfor fur like anything else theywould add to their wardrobe.”

THE ARTISANSA third-generation furrier whohails from a Rue Saint-Honoréshop in Paris, Gilles Mendel ap-proaches the category like anaging artisan with a roamingeye, cherishing fur’s rich luxurybut well aware of the more cur-rent stylishness desired byyounger customers.

For example, a three-buttonvelvet corduroy mink coat, abarguzine sable seven-eighthscoat with suede panels and aturn-key closure, a tailoredsuper-sheared mink coat and astretch, bleached silver foxbolero jacket are bestsellers athis Madison Avenue store andboutique at Bergdorf Goodman.Customers have also been clam-oring for a mink hobo handbag.

“Right now, I believe it isabout products, such as fur, withintrinsic value. The shopper islooking for something more spe-

cial, more unique,” he said. “It isless about press and more aboutthe lasting value of an object. Furis about both sick indulgence andincredible comfort.”

Given that, Mendel is makingfurs for every season — light-weight furs for spring that workwith his made-to-order gownsand ready-to-wear collectionsand even featherweight foxshrugs and boleros for summer.

Adrienne Landau is anotherdesigner who takes an artistic ap-proach to fur. A former painterand conceptual artist who at onetime was credited with helping tostart diaristic art, Landau hasmaintained her artistic sense.Just as she was not one to sit andsketch for hours, Landau prefersto think of fur as a concept, just asshe did with art.

Fur-knit headbands areamong the new accessoriesshe’s added to her line. In termsof outerwear, the emphasis is onshort jackets like boleros, aswell as embroidered suede withrabbit fur linings, goat shear-ling, fox trim items and otherstyles. Landau said she gets in-spiration from her travels. Thisyear alone she has visitedLondon, Barcelona, Shanghai,India, Bangkok and other lo-cales in search of inspiration.

THE ROOKIESAppropriately, Mark Badgleyand James Mischka drew inspi-ration from “Now Voyager” fortheir first journey into fur.Beaded or embroidered mi-dlength coats in their BCInternational-produced collec-tion took flight with stores suchas Saks Fifth Avenue and HoltRenfrew. Fur fans also liked theshaved, short-hand pluckedfurs, Badgley said.

Summing up his rookie year,Badgley said, “There are norules. Everyone wants some-thing new. They just don’t wanta typical fur coat from us. Thereare no boundaries. This hasbeen a really fun project for us.”

The duo were impressedwith how “couture-oriented”the fur business is.

“It’s not just you make a beau-tiful coat, you ship it and it’sgood-bye. They get very involvedwith the customers and some-times make custom pieces to fitthem perfectly,” Badgley said.

Getting into the fur businesshas helped the designers pickup some new customers and tosell the cold weather outerwearin some unsuspecting places.

“There have been a lot of newfaces for us,” Badgley said.

“Women travel so much that wehave had some of our biggest salesin Palm Beach and sunny SouthernCalifornia. You never know whereyou will sell a fur coat these days.”

THE ROOMMATESAnne Dee Goldin and SherryCassin share showroom space at150 West 30th Street in Man-hattan’s Fur District, but their per-sonal styles are quite different.

A friend of NarcisoRodriguez, Goldin shares hisfondness for sportswear. Hertwo-fold collection has noveltyitems like short fox jackets andfur vests aimed at boutiques,and a fur collection geared formore conventional fur stores. Onboth levels, she already expectsnext season to be a hit withshoppers. “There’s no questionit will be a stronger year be-cause people will want to beprepared. Women will be think-ing about fur earlier because itwas such a brutal winter.”

Cassin said she likes to thinkof herself as a “progressive mer-chant,” who isn’t above doingsuch grunt work as hauling furskins to contractors or dashingout on a Friday night to pick upsamples. Known for her vests,ponchos, cardigans and dustercoats, Cassin expects this year’sunit sales to climb by 30 percentto 15,600, due partially to offer-ing more high-end items likechinchilla and sable, and moreopening price points like rab-bits and sheepskin items.

What most might not knowabout her is, that after 32 yearsin this business, she works sevendays a week and heads up herlabel’s production. Her new con-temporary collection includes agroup that is aimed at womenbetween the ages of 15 and 30,but has yet to be named. To ap-peal to younger shoppers, al-paca sweaters, blouson jacketsand every other item will bepriced under $1,000.

THE ITALIAN CONNECTIONGiuliana Teso, an Italian basedfamily business, is going afterthe American market.

Instead of just selling itemsto specialty stores, the companyis introducing more of its furouterwear to better stores likeNeiman Marcus this fall.American sales are expected toaccount for 30 percent of thetotal $21 million sales in outer-wear, said Carlo Teso who runsthe business, which is namedafter his mother, the line’s de-signer. His brother Marco is incharge of Byte, a trendy linethat uses an image of the planetPluto, to symbolize its interestin research, development, tech-nology and telecommunications.

Unlike most furriers who co-ordinate their fashion showswith their competitors, GuilanaTeso shows in Milan during thecollections.

“We don’t consider furs to be aseparate business. It’s part of ourcollection,” he said. “We showeight weeks before the collection[in the U.S.], so a lot of peoplecome to see what we’re doing.”

— Rosemary Feitelberg

F U R I N D E P T H

what’smy line?

OXAN Head Office:525 Seventh AvenueSuite 303New York, NY 10018Tel 212-921-8744

Sales Offices:New YorkMichael ZeidnerTel 212-921-8744

ChicagoMichael FederTel 312-527-1750

Los AngelesBarbara NoggTel 213-489-4684

NAFFEMMay 4-7,2003Booth 238Montreal

By Joshua Greene

NEW YORK — Furriers have friends in high places.As if selling luxury goods wasn’t already difficult

enough in the city, fur retailers have decamped for themountains to set up shop in some of the most stylish andlofty of places, including Aspen and Vail, Colo.; ParkCity, Utah; Sun Valley, Idaho, and Jackson Hole, Wyo.

However, resort businesses face a series of challengesdifferent from most city retailing. Cash flow can be tricky,since many customers are only in town for short periodsof time. Also, deliveries can be delayed because of weath-er and securing long-term salespeople is no easy task.

Despite the nuances found in any niche market, how-ever, most mountain town retailers only close for severalweeks of the year, usually in April or May. While fur is nodoubt a winter-weight material, new technologies in theway fur can be used — knitted or shirred, for example —means lighter-weight items worn in a casual way, such asa knitted poncho over jeans. The use of fur directly withdenim has increased too, making for versatile pieceslike fur-trimmed denim jackets worn on chilly nightscommon during the summer months in high climbs.

According to New York furrier Dennis Basso, peo-ple are more inclined to spend money when they’re onvacation — another reason for entering a resort retailmarket. The designer said he has made some of hismost significant luxury purchases while vacationingand knows his clients do the same. However, he saidhis East Coast customers — many of whom have homesin Aspen — buy fur items from Saks Fifth Avenue in

New York, as well as the Aspen store.To ensure his customer finds something new each

time she comes into the Aspen store, Basso designed acollection of lighter-weight coats and accessories forspring and summer. The sportswear features suedepants, skirts and blouses, along with a group of hand-bags and totes of linen and crocodile.

Though they’re a far cry from cold weather, if Bassowere to open another location it would most likely bein Las Vegas or Beverly Hills — two destination spotsBasso said makes sense for fur retailing. Basso hasheld trunk shows in the Palace Hotel in Gstaad,Switzerland, and cited St. Moritz, Switzerland, andCortina d’Ampezzo in Italy as other upscale Europeanski destinations where fur is popular. Currently,though, Basso’s sticking to the U.S.

New York furrier J. Mendel opened its second free-standing store in Aspen over the holidays with a splashybenefit party where customers could buy goat-fur coatsbleached with silver fox trim for $9,000, mink ponchosfor $8,000 and chinchilla coats for $55,000. In its firstfive days, the store had sales in excess of $250,000.

“Our decision to open a store in Aspen had much todo with our focus on servicing our client,” said designerGilles Mendel. “The J. Mendel woman, whether she livesin New York or Los Angeles, is the woman who vacationsin Aspen. Furthermore, we have always created a tone ofaprès-ski chic, and Aspen in America — like St. Moritz inEurope — is a logical home for a brand with this look.”

Mill Valley Sheepskin & Leather Co. has been sell-ing shearlings, leather coats and full-length furs to cus-

tomers in Jackson Hole, Wyo., for 30 years. Operationsmanager C.J. James said Yellowstone National Parkand its four million annual visitors help keep the com-pany in shape. Plus, the popularity of furs in that townhas increased over the past several years.

Mill Valley makes its own shearling and leathercoats out of its factory in Mill Valley, Calif., and buysthe full-length furs in Montreal.

WW

D, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 200313

moving on up

Distributed by ITA

Ltd., Head O

ffice: Sandy G

insberg & Judy S

amoluk 800-265-4363 • N

ew York:Terri Lynn &

Laura Scarcella 212-730-4379

• Midw

estern U.S

.: Bernard K

ahnert Outerw

ear 800-393-3082 • Quebec &

Maritim

es: Agence Lydie V

ialette 514-387-6319 • ww

w.shearlings.com

FICAApril 8

FASHION2003FUR

J. Mendel (top) and Dennis Basso (above) both opened

boutiques in Aspen over the holidays.

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

14 SECTION II

F U R I N D E P T H

NEW YORK — Instead of setting off a familyfeud-type squabble, furriers welcome design-ers’ newfound fondness for fur.

They insist fur’s runway revival will helptheir businesses, since shoppers are tuned inmore than ever to what is shown on the catwalks.Even though consumers might not splurge for afull-length coat, they might opt for a more afford-able item like a jacket or accessories.

“Designers have said: ‘This is an importantlook for this year,’” said Nick Pologeorgis ofPologeorgis Furs. “There are always knockoffsand it should wind up being in all differenttypes of collections.”

More than anything, fur on the runwayswill help lead customers into stores in searchof those pieces and ultimately build sales, saidPologeorgis, whose firm makes the MichaelKors, Zandra Rhode and Chado Ralph Ruccifur lines. After Kors showed a reversible minkcoat in his show last year, Pologeorgis sold out

of the $9,000 style.“People are dressing to be more fashion-

able and that’s translating into more sales,’Pologeorgis said. “We’re already seeing an in-crease in orders. The fashion customer reallyknows what’s on the runways.”

Unlike most, David Goodman has seen a di-rect impact on sales due to designers’ interestin fur-trimmed ready-to-wear and sportswear,said the company’s namesake owner. Oscar dela Renta and Badgley Mischka are among the20 fur designers who get fur trims from DavidGoodman and have helped increase sales“steadily” over the past few years.

His father Gus was nicknamed “TheFurrier to the Designers” for his allianceswith the likes of Norman Norell, AdeleSimpson and Halston, Goodman noted. TheOleg Cassini mink muff he designed for JackieKennedy’s inauguration day outfit now restsin the Smithsonian. He would like to see fur

survey says: two tYves Saint Laurent

Jean Paul Gaultier Sonia Rykiel

WW

D, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 200315

regain some of that five-star glamour.“Fur is being seen again as a luxury prod-

uct that is something to aspire to,” Goodmansaid. “Fur had lost some of its cachet aftersome stores started offering 50 to 70 percentdiscounts all winter long.”

ˆShoppers today are more adroit about tak-ing fashion cues from runway looks andcelebrities pictured in magazines, saidAdrienne Landau, who capped off CalistaFlockhart’s and Mira Sorvino’s Oscar attirewith a little fur.

“If anything becomes a trend, it definitelyhelps our business,” she said. “Buyers reallyfocus on trends today and customers are reallyfocused on what they see in magazines.”

Designers’ unofficial endorsement helpsbusiness “100 percent,” said Sherry Cassin. “Itshows fur is being done in new ways and it’snot jut a long mink coat coming down the run-way. It’s lifestyle dressing — it’s casual, young

and not classic. It’s fashion.”Thomas Steifel Kirstensen, director of in-

ternational communications for SAGA Furs ofScandinavia, said: “What’s been presented onthe catwalks is being shown for real con-sumers in a modern way.”

His colleague, Steve Gold, marketing direc-tor for SAGA, noted that designers have strongbrand identities abroad through their free-standing stores and international distribution.He added: “The world is shrinking. Thewoman who sits in a hairdresser in Beijing isreading the same fashion magazine as awoman who sits in one in Moscow.”

Along with the publicity, many furriers arepicking up some extra business through design-ers who source their fur items for the most part,said Ed Graf, president and owner of Ben KahnCorp. “The more people designing and usingfur, the better it is for the industry,” he said.

— Rosemary Feitelberg

thumbs up

Prada Alexander

McQueen

Gucci

Versace Fendi

PHOT

OS B

Y GI

OVAN

NI G

IANN

ONI A

ND D

AVID

E M

AEST

RI

SHEARLINGS ● LEATHERS ● FURS ● PRECIOUS FABRICS ● ACCESSORIES AND MUCH MORE...

FOR INFO: - MONTREAL (NAFFEM) - 1435 ST. ALEXANDRE STREET, SUITE 1270 - MONTREAL, QUEBEC H3A 2G4, CANADATEL. 514.844.1945 / 1 800.376.9996 FAX 514.844.8593 - INFO@FURCOUNCIL.COM

Montreal NAFFEM provides direction in an evolving marketplace.Only at NAFFEM will you find all the important sources in one

convenient location, just one hour from New York city.

Whether you buy for one specialty boutique or for a chain of department stores, our200-plus exhibitors from Canada, U.S.A, and Europe will give you a jump on the competition.

naffem.com

MAY 4 - 7, 2003 ● PLACE BONAVENTUREnaffemMONTREAL

T H E L U X U R Y O U T E R W E A R S H O W

The Fashion Bus iness is a l l about change. . .

in regards to American brands because of the war. I’mcertainly not going to wear black because there is a war.

“It’s not because Americans boycott French productsthat I feel like doing the same thing. And I don’t haveanything against American brands, more against Bushhimself. If I were to boycott, it would be a more emblem-atic brand like Coca Cola or McDonald’s, which I don’teat anyway.”

EMILIE CHOUARD Age: 19Occupation: StudentShopping at: H&MChange in shoppinghabits: “Now, I would notchange a thing in theway I dress. I just boughttwo tops at H&M becausethey were so cheap. Ilike certain brands. Iusually shop at Mango orKookai. I am not spend-ing less because of thewar in Iraq and I wouldnot change my shoppinghabits regarding brandsbecause of it either. Idon’t intend to boycottany American brand.”

CAROLINE VIDALAge: 31Occupation: WaitressShopping at: C&AChange in shoppinghabits: “I often go to C&Abecause it’s close to myjob and because it’s notexpensive. I am not chang-ing my shopping habitsright now, but if the warlasts a long time, it willaffect the economy in thelong run and then I will bemore careful about howmuch I spend. Because welive in Europe, we are notso affected. I have familyin South America and Iknow that since the begin-ning of the war, everythingis more difficult overthere. At this point, Iwould not boycottAmerican brands becauseof the war.”

Kors. For accessories, Marc Jacobs and Carlos Falchiare back for a second round, this time competingagainst Ted Muehling, a fine jewelry designer whohas a store on Howard Street in New York. For thosecounting, it’s Jacobs’ third consecutive accessoriesnomination and his fourth consecutive one for men’swear, or at least since the CFDA started announcingnominees for the categories in 2000 instead of justthe winner.

The Perry Ellis Award also has two repeat nomi-nees this year in the ready-to-wear category — ZacPosen and Behnaz Sarafpour — plus a new one,Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough of ProenzaSchouler. The award traditionally given to new talentalso has a new name: Swarovski’s Perry Ellis Award.For the first time, the award is being underwritten byan external company, which will make some sort of fi-nancial support to the winners over the next year,said Peter Arnold, executive director of the CFDA.The CFDA also is bringing back a Swarovski’s Perry

Ellis Award for accessories this year, with BrianAtwood, Holly Dunlap for Hollywould and Gunmetal’sGeorge Gublo and Michael Spaulding as nominees.

“This is truly a democratic process,” Arnold said ofthe nominations. “The results certainly demonstratethere is a nice depth and breadth of nominees andhonorees. The board was really pleased with thenominees presented today.”

Members of the nominating committee will nowvote on the finalists to determine the winners, whowill be announced at the CFDA ceremony on June 2at the New York Public Library. As reported, theevent is being co-chaired by Herrera, Calvin Kleinand Vera Wang.

While Swarovski is also underwriting the event,the CFDA also has partnered for services withStyle.com, which will act as its official Web site; 60Thompson, its official hotel, and Ernst & Young, its of-ficial accounting firm. The event will be produced byKCD this year, with decor designed by Robert Isabelland art direction from Douglas Lloyd.

A PRINCELY GARDEN: The Prince of Wales already is a farmer,baker and butcher. Now, add furniture to the list of productsmade by his charitable foundation, the Duchy Collection,which focuses on sustainable farming, forestry and foodproduction. The new line of chestnut pieces, which includeschairs, tables and benches, is made of wood harvested fromthe prince’s Aconbury Wood in Herefordshire. The furniture willbe the centerpiece of the store windows at Burberry’s 57thStreet flagship in New York and its Bond Street shop inLondon, which are today installing royal garden parties inhopes of beckoning an early spring. The visual displays alsowill include typical English-garden staples, such as lifelikerenderings of maze hedges, a table set for tea and mannequinsdressed, naturally, in Burberry garden-party attire. Now, allthey need is the White Rabbit and Cheshire Cat.

STANDARD ISSUE: Even though war is on his doorstep, air-raidsirens have put him on edge and his sales are down 45percent, Kuwaiti retailer Majed Al-Sabah of Villa Moda iskeeping his sense of humor during a difficult period. Over theweekend, Al-Sabah had to smile when he learned that a majorshipment of Prada destined for his Villa Moda retail complex —some 300 boxes of shoes, handbags and clothes — weremistakenly collected from the Kuwait City airport by the U.S.Army. The goods were taken to its warehouses north of the cityin Camp Doha, which supplies troops with equipment, food andother necessities. Army officials identified the errant Pradashipment on Sunday and were rerouting it to Villa Moda onMonday. “I was so worried it was going to end up somewhere inIraq,” Al-Sabah said. “And I didn’t want to see it on CNN.”

THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR: Designers bowing at LosAngeles Fashion Week, which gets under way full blast withthe Imitation of Christ show this afternoon at the AvalonHotel, are getting a little help from their famous friends,natch, many of whom are locals. Reese Witherspoon, WesAnderson and Mena Suvari are confirmed at best friend TaraSubkoff’s IOC show; across town, Marisa Tomei will be at ElisaJimenez. At the Standard Wednesday, singer Vanessa Carlton isattending Cynthia Vincent’s Twelfth Street debut, while NikkiCosta and Darryl Hannah are supporting gal pal/Frankie B.

designer Daniella Clarke, who is also incorporating the quasi-cabaret Pussycat Dolls in the show. Chili Pepper frontmanAnthony Kiedis walks the runway Thursday night at theStandard for former girlfriend Yohanna Logan who designsunder the Shawn label. Also walking that night are ChristinaAguilera, Taryn Manning and Paris Hilton at Jeremy Scott’sperformance show at the Palace in Hollywood (the “Dirty” popdiva will enter in a new Scott confection based on sponsorGillette’s pink “Passion Venus” razor in exchange for a$50,000 donation to her favorite charity).

Thursday also will have Robert Downey Jr., Shakira and LeeAnn Rhimes on hand at the Ghost show at the Standard. Backat the Standard Friday night, Petro Zillia is seating DominiqueSwain, Lisa Marie and Kirsty Hume. And, at Saturday’sSmashbox Studios run, which includes Rami Kashou andEduardo Lucero, Kelly Osbourne, Macy Gray, Amy Smart andChina Chow are expected to show.

NOT QUITE A TALKING HEAD: Is Britney Spears turning her popdiva headset in for a TV host mike? What started out as aquick video clip to screen during the debut this week in LosAngeles of Joey and T — the duo who dress Spears, RachelLeigh Cook, the cast of “American Idol” and other youngsters— has become a full-fledged making-of-a-fashion-show-typedocumentary. Footage so far shows her playing the role ofcelebrity interviewer — which she may continue atWednesday’s early afternoon show at the Downtown Standard— if she’s up to it. She’ll sit out the show as a spectator, buthitting the catwalk are Jamie Presley and the Hilton sisters —who are giving the local models a bit of competition this weekwith the many shows they’re doing. As for the film, which willpresumably be finished with the stylists-cum-designers’ bow,Spears and her friends are said to be hoping to shop it toMTV, HBO or some other network. Any takers?

MENKES BUSINESS: As construction crews swirled aboutraising the tents at the Downtown Standard in Los Angeles,International Herald Tribune scribe Suzy Menkes was heavy ina tete a tete with Richard Tyler on the café patio. It’s beenquite a visit for Menkes. She came to town to cover theOscars (only to find herself shorted of some of the glitz, asshe grumbled at the WWD Oscar fete March 19, with theadvent of the war) and has since stayed on three weeks later,popping up at the Juicy Couture HQ in dusty Pacoima andabout town with her silver-speckled camera.

Continued from page 2

CFDA Announces Award Nominees, Winners

ail Suffers

Fashion Scoops

WW

D, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 20039

trol,” said president Blake Nordstrom. “Our team is tak-ing appropriate action to respond to current conditions,however, sales are a key performance driver and basedon current trends, we felt it was prudent to adjust ex-pectations.”

The firm said it believes that general consumer de-mand has softened since January and the conflict withIraq has further impacted results.

Jennifer Black, an analyst with Wells FargoSecurities, said she believed the Nordstrom’s salesshortfall is attributable to macroeconomic and geopolit-ical issues, rather than with the merchandise, whichshe described as well balanced and appealing to itscore customers.

“Although the current environment is making ittough for Nordstrom to generate positive comps, wecontinue to believe the company’s product mix lookswell balanced and substantially better than what we areseeing in the more traditional, as well as the more up-scale, department stores,” she wrote in a research note.

Black anticipates an acceleration of markdowns inApril and lowered her first-quarter earnings estimate to19 cents from 28 cents.

Goldman Sachs analyst Adrianne Shapira is alsolooking for Nordstrom’s first-quarter profits to comein at 19 cents a share. Additionally, she noted, “Thecombination of war with Iraq, unseasonably coolweather and a late Easter shift has exacerbated al-ready soft consumer demand for most mall-based re-tailers beyond Nordstrom. However, Nordstrom’s loftyvaluation of 13.2 times fiscal 2003 earnings per shareestimates appears even more unwarranted. We contin-ue to rate the shares in line across our neutral cover-age view.”

Women’s wear nominees are Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan and Narciso Rodriguez.

By Constance Haisma-Kwok

HONG KONG — Nervousness about the atypical pneumonia out-break affecting Hong Kong led buyers to shy away from InterstoffAsia, the region’s most important textile fair. Many heeded the wordsof the World Health Organization, which advised travelers not tovisit the territory unless necessary. As of Monday, there were 530 re-ported cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Hong Kongand 12 deaths. Authorities here closed all schools for a week and is-sued a quarantine order for those who have any symptoms of SARS.

For organizers, the effects on Interstoff Asia were devastating. Theyhad been expecting about 10,000 visitors, but by the third day of businessit was clear that the number of overseas visitors would be down between30 percent and 40 percent. Final figures have not yet been released.

“We expected that with the outbreak of war, there would befewer visitors from the U.S. and Europe, but after [the SARS out-break], we just didn’t know what to expect. The number is certainlyan all-time low,” said Katy Lam, general manager of Trade Fairs forMesse Frankfurt (HK), which organizes the event.

Buyers weren’t the only no-shows. Nine exhibitors pulled out ofthe event as well, seven of them from Thailand.

“Everybody got so scared that the boss had to come!” exclaimedPhongsak Assakul, president of the Thai Textile ManufacturingAssociation, referring to himself. He added that the flu, combinedwith war in the Middle East, was causing considerable trepidationin the region. “I watch CNN and BBC and the war is getting longerand longer. People just aren’t sure what’s happening.”

Despite the significant drop in traffic, there was a concerted effortto conduct business as usual. Sammy Chan, director of Black Peony,which has an office in Hong Kong and its factory in China, said thatshe had received numerous “e-mails from buyers saying they weren’tcoming because of the flu. We are a little bit worried. The situation ispretty clear — we will have to travel to the U.S. to see our customers.”

She added that in spite of current events, the company, whichspecializes in denim, has been expanding its China operations inthe run up to 2005, when quotas on textiles and apparel will bedropped by the 145 nations of the World Trade Organization.

Expanding business in the region and looking for local partnerswas the dominant theme of Interstoff Asia. China’s enormousgrowth potential had a big influence, with buyers and manufactur-ers alike jockeying for position and partnerships.

Jeffrey Edelson, executive vice president of Westchester LaceInc. of North Bergen, N.J., said, “The war and the flu won’t last verylong, but economies will.”

Edelson added that he was on his first visit to Hong Kong, look-ing for different fabrics and “new vehicles to print on.”

“We are always looking to the future,” he said. “You have to be awareof what’s going on in Asia. Economies are moving very fast and if we areto continue manufacturing in the U.S., we have to move even faster. Wehave to be able to turn over quickly, so we need good partners in Asiaand everywhere. You have to be in all four corners of the world.”

An executive at the U.K.-based company Cloverbrook agreedwith Edelson.

Mike Tiffney, export manager for the brand, said Cloverbrookhad just signed a joint venture deal to manufacture its high-per-formance fabrics in South Korea.

“It eats into profits to do everything in the U.K.,” he admitted. Tiffneysaid that Cloverbrook chose a South Korean partner because “the tech-nical fabrics we make just aren’t in China at the moment — and we be-lieve that the people we chose in Korea are as good as we are.”

Tiffney envisions buyers sourcing fabrics from whichever factoryis closest to where they plan to manufacture garments.

“We can have quicker response and shorter lead times,” he said.Becky Bennet, material development manager for Berghaus, a

U.K. performance-wear brand, applauded Cloverbrook’s move: “Ifthey can keep U.K. quality but reduce the cost by manufacturing inKorea, then we’ll definitely buy their fabrics again.”

Bennet, who buys many fabrics from Taiwanese companies, waslooking for performance fleece and waterproof material for outer-wear. It was such demand for high-function fabrics that gave non-Chinese companies hope, and many of them were touting their re-search and development skills rather than price.

Joy Hsiao, sales manager of Taiwan’s Strong Light Enterprise, said,“In China the prices are so cheap that it’s hard to compete. We’re de-veloping fabrics that are different than what comes out of China.”

His firm specializes in Formotex, which he describes as “similarin tension and hand feel to Tencel [lyocell], but much cheaper.”

In the meantime, a strong Indian contingent set up a seminar to

promote India’s textile manufacturing capabilities. DevangshuDutta of industry vehicle Creatnet Services asserted: “The compari-son between China and India is unfair. They both have a place.Even after quotas go away, buyers will still want diversity.”

Thailand’s Assakul agreed with the assessment of China’s cur-rent capabilities.

“We can compete with a place like China,” he asserted. “Its indus-try has not consolidated — they are more horizontal than vertical.”

Assakul is leading a group of Thai textile producers in a venturecalled Thai Tex Trend. The partner companies hired an Italian con-sultant to help them predict future trends.

“For years we did what buyers told us to do, but now we are proac-tive rather than reactive. The government has been supportive — thistakes a lot of time and investment,” he said. “Local designers are be-ginning to realize that we can produce great fabrics in Thailand. Wehave to change our way of thinking. Thailand only produces 2 percentof the world’s fabrics. Instead of fighting amongst ourselves for ashare of the 2 percent, we need to go after the other 98.”

Also going after its cut was Ingeo, the new brand from Cargill Dow. Martin Vintner-Jackson, head of global marketing for Ingeo, said

that Ingeo had already found representatives in Hong Kong, Taipei,Shanghai and Seoul.

While Ingeo’s use of natural starches to produce fibers caughtthe imagination of some visitors, so did a few major trends. Hereare the most noteworthy:

● Denim continues its strong showing in Asia – especially in indi-go, which was favored by buyers and manufacturers alike.

● Ethnic prints, particularly those with African or Asian influenceswere popular. Masai trim and Indonesian batik both made appearances.

● Floral prints were very strong. Most were delicate and had anAsian bent, with lots of peonies, butterflies and grasses. Silk was thefabric choice across the board for these prints.

● Nautical looks also came on strong. Cotton in bold colors likenavy blue, white and yellow, played a big role as did “techno” inter-pretations of nautical stripes.

● In terms of color, Interstoff was awash in washes. Tie-dyed cottonscame in melon, strawberry and lemon. Printed silks were in pretty pastels— most ranging from pink to brown to sage, although there was a strongshowing of rich chocolate tones, deep red and charcoal gray as well.

Textile & Trade Report

By Scott MaloneNEW YORK — One barrier mayhave been lifted last week in thereported negotiations betweenDuPont and Koch Industriesabout the sale of DuPont’s fibersbusiness to the Wichita, Kan.-based petroleum giant.

As reported, the arbiter han-dling the dispute betweenDuPont and Unifi Inc. over a jointmanufacturing agreement foundno evidence of a “substantialbreach” of the agreement andplans to conclude arbitration bythe end of the month.

That dispute, in which DuPontsought $85 million, was describedby market observers as a minorglitch in DuPont’s quest to unloadits $6.3 billion DuPont Textiles &Interiors division. In February2002, the Wilmington, Del.-basedindustrial giant said that it plannedto spin off that unit through an ini-tial public offering, if possible.

However, sources said thatsince the soft stock market has leftinvestors with little appetite for ini-tial public offerings — and sinceU.S. textile stocks in general havenot been seen as an attractive in-vestment option for several years— selling the unit to a privatebuyer appears the best option. Theproblem is that DTI’s massive size— it’s by far the largest textilecompany in the U.S. and perhapsin the world — means that thereare few companies with pocketsdeep enough to make a bid.

As reported, Koch has report-edly offered more than $4.5 bil-lion for the DTI unit. The privatelyowned company does not reportits financial results, but is said tohave revenues in excess of $40billion a year. On a revenue basis,that would make it bigger thanDuPont, which last year reported$26.7 billion in sales.

A DuPont spokesman onMonday declined to confirm thenegotiations, as did a Kochspokeswoman. DTI officials alsodeclined to comment.

“This is probably the bestoffer that DuPont is going to get,”said James “Rusty” Ford, vicepresident of the Charlotte, N.C.-based Hyosung (America) Inc.,the U.S. unit of the South Koreanfiber giant, a DuPont competitorthat sells Creora spandex.

He said DTI would be a logi-cal fit in Koch’s portfolio.

“They’re looking for downlinksfor their chemicals and resins,”he said of Koch. “This could besomething where they could con-trol pricing a little bit better andreap a bigger reward.”

Koch already owns one fiberbusiness, KoSa, which includes the

Continued on opposite page

DuPont-KochTextile Talks

Seen Continuing

Flu Fears Make Quiet Interstoff10

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

“This is probably thebest offer thatDuPont is goingto get.”— James “Rusty” Ford,

Hyosung (America) Inc.

TIGER BUTTON CO., INC.TIGER TRIMMING, INC.

307 West 38th Street New York, NY 10018(212)594-0570 800-223-2754 FAX (212)695-0265

email: tiger@tigerbutton.com www.TIGERBUTTON.com

Traffic was light at last week’s Interstoff Asia, due to the severe acute

respiratory syndrome threat.

At the end of the first quarter, eight countries had consumed more than 35 percent oftheir total quota allocation for the year in each of 11 apparel categories. Bangladeshquickly filled three quota categories, including cotton trousers, which the country over-shipped last year — it was allowed to borrow against this year’s quota, but was penal-ized heavily and therefore has a much smaller quota limit this year. India quickly con-sumed cotton knit shirts and blouses, which the U.S. embargoed last year, andMyanmar had a high fill rate in man-made fiber trousers, which was also embargoedlast year. Here’s a look at the apparel quota categories that had the highest fill rates atthe end of the first quarter:

COUNTRY PRODUCT QUOTA LIMIT USAGE TO DATE*Bangladesh Cotton trousers 3.2 million dozen 57.1 percentMyanmar Man-made fiber trousers 26,342 dozen 50.4 percentUnited Arab Emirates Cotton trousers and shorts 770,664 dozen 42.5 percentBangladesh Cotton knit shirts 2.2 million dozen 39.0 percentIndia Cotton knit shirts and blouses 5.4 million dozen 38.9 percentChina Man-made fiber swimwear 699,762 kg 38.1 percentMexico Men’s wool suits 213,496 suits 38.1 percentBangladesh Man-made fiber trousers 2.4 million dozen 37.2 percentSri Lanka Dresses 655,453 dozen 35.6 percentMacedonia Men’s wool sport coats 25,815 dozen 35.2 percentSri Lanka Cotton trousers 1.6 million dozen 35.0 percent

SOURCE: DONALD FOOTE, DIRECTOR OF THE AGREEMENTS DIVISION AT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE’SOFFICE OF TEXTILES AND APPAREL * USAGE TO DATE IS AS OF MARCH 26

Quota Watch: First Quarter

PHOT

O BY

GAR

ETH

JONE

S

MILAN — Benetton Group SpAput a former Fiat executive inthe driver’s seat Monday afterposting its first-ever full-yearloss.

Silvano Cassano, presidentof Fiat’s consumer servicesunit since last year, will be-come chief executive officer ofBenetton on May 12, followingthe firm’s annual meeting. Hewill succeed Luigi De Puppi,who was expected to leaveafter completing the firm’s ex-pensive exit from the sportinggoods business, which weighedheavily on 2002 results.

Bogged down by write-offsfrom sporting goods ventures ithas since sold, Benetton posteda net loss, as expected, of $10.6million for the year ended Dec.31, versus net income of $160million in 2001. Operating prof-it slid 15.1 percent to $262 mil-lion from $308.5 million. Benet-ton said that stripping out thewrite-offs and other one-timecosts, its net profit would havebeen $138.6 million, a figure itexpects to surpass in 2003.

Revenue slid 5 percent to$2.15 billion from $2.27 billionas stable apparel sales com-pensated for a steep drop inrevenue at the sports division.Dollar figures have been con-verted from the euro at cur-rent exchange rates.

Before assuming the presi-

dency of Fiat’s consumer servic-es unit last year, Cassano head-ed up the carmaker’s leasingand financial activities. Earlier,he was vice president of Euro-pean operations for Hertz.

Benetton said in early Marchthat De Puppi “reached his ob-jectives” by selling off the com-pany’s struggling sports assets,which include the Nordica andRollerblade brands. On Friday,Benetton agreed to sell itsPrince and Ektelon brands toLincolnshire Equity Fund II LPfor $39.4 million.

As reported, news of DePuppi’s departure coincidedwith an announcement thatthe Benetton family was relin-quishing its daily managementrole to a new set of executives.Luciano Benetton will stay onas chairman but in an almost“honorary” capacity, the com-pany said.

That management shakeupcomes amid increasing compe-tition in Italy’s moderate mar-ket, which is dominated bysmall, family-run stores anduntil recently, few chains.Hennes & Mauritz AB will openits first Italian store in Milancome September. Inditex’s Zaraopened a Milan flagship lastyear and has plans to openthree to five more stores in Italynext year.

— Amanda Kaiser

former polyester business of Celanese, which was known as Trevira. KoSastarted as a joint venture of Koch and Imasab, the Mexican conglomeraterun by Isaac Saba. But in 2001, Koch bought out its partner and now re-tains sole ownership of the business.

Basil “Sonny” Walker, president and chief operating officer of theGreensboro, N.C.-based U.S. arm of nylon maker Nylstar Inc., said theDTI-Koch connection “does make sense.”

“Koch is in the basic raw materials business and DTI could be a routeto market,” said Walker, a former DuPont polyester executive. “It’s going totake someone of that size to be able to buy something like DTI.”

He said that in the absence of such a megadeal, DuPont’s only otherlikely option for DTI would have been to have a piecemeal IPO, selling offthe business in 20 percent chunks over a period of years.

DuPont executives have said they want to separate DTI, which already oper-ates as a freestanding unit, by the end of this year. DTI includes DuPont’s Lycraspandex, generic spandex, nylon and branded polyester specialities business.

While DuPont’s generic polyester filament business, which was the sub-ject of the dispute with Unifi, is not part of the DTI unit, sources said thedispute with Unifi could still have been seen by Koch as an impediment.

Observers said they expected that if the Koch-DTI deal happens, Koch wouldlook to sell the Lycra spandex business. Spandex uses different raw materialsthan polyester and nylon, which makes it less of a strong fit for a petroleum firm.As reported, sources said that Steve McCracken, president of DTI and a DuPontgroup vice president, is believed to be comprising an investor group to try to bidfor the Lycra business, which he headed before being promoted to head DTI.

Still, observers said it’s not clear what might happen to DTI if this dealfalls through. For a time early this year, it looked like investor interest in tex-tiles might be picking up following Warren Buffett’s bid for bankruptBurlington Industries, a move that some said might spark new investmentin the sector. But that light of hope went out when Buffett dropped his bid.

“If you look at the textile industry here in the U.S.,” said Nylstar’sWalker, “there’s no one large enough to step up and buy DuPont.”

Reported Koch Bid for DTISeen As Most Likely Option

Benetton AppointsFiat’s Cassano CEO

Continued from opposite page

CUT AND PASTE: What priceretouching?

For Seventeen, about $3,500.That’s how much sources said themagazine spent to try and keepMay cover star Sarah MichelleGellar from taking legal action afterSeventeen significantly airbrushedher photo for its current cover.According to sources, themagazine was provided with apick-up shot of Gellar by herhandlers, which Seventeen thenplayed PhotoShop with, changingdetails in her wardrobe and in herpose so the shot wouldn’t berecognizable to readers.

Mission accomplished: Gellarcame off looking like an alien.

So when the soon-to-be formerVampire Slayer expresseddispleasure at being recast as“E.T.,” the teen title dispatchedan assistant from its fashiondepartment to buy a green ostrichskin Prada handbag (pricedexactly at $3,445) late last weekand sent it to her handlers in aneffort to patch things up.

Unfortunately, they wereunimpressed.

“What they should have gottenwas a Birkin Bag. What a totalwaste of money,” said a sourceclose to the star. “If you’re goingto try to make up with her, at leastmake it the best.”

“It looks like an alien footattached to her arm” said herlawyer, Marty Singer of Lavely +Singer, who said that a complainthad been sent to the magazineand its publisher. “And it’s notgoing to be resolved by sending a

expensive bag, particularly givenhow she feels about animal rights.To send her an ostrich bag? It’sbeing returned.”

Seventeen declined comment.— Jacob Bernstein

FINALLY ON THE RADAR: It doesexist after all. Despite industrymusings that Radar may havesimply been the result of MaerRoshan’s fertile imagination, thestartup magazine was printed inOhio this past weekend, withRoshan himself babysitting thefirst press run after last week’sallegedly bumpy close.

The staff apparentlydiscovered a small flaw inRoshan’s journalistically-purestrategy for handling celebrities,which is to ignore their publiciststo write around them and usepick-up photos instead of stagingshoots. The problem was thatphoto director Bradley Youngcouldn’t clear the rights to a shotof cover subject Jennifer Lopez,said a source close to themagazine. The final close draggedout an extra day as Young andRoshan scrambled to replace itwith another, the source said.

Sources said that apart fromyet-another J.Lo job, one of thepremier issue’s centerpieces is“Monsters Inc.,” a compendiumof some of the worst bosses in thebusiness, including MarthaStewart and producer Scott Rudin.No word on whether Roshan’s oldboss at Talk, Harvey Weinstein, isincluded, however.

Roshan denied a cover photoswap, and declined comment onthe issue’s contents overall. “You’llfind out all about it when themagazine comes out,” he said.

New Yorkers should expect that tohappen around April 15; it willarrive on national newsstands aweek later.

The launch issue will carrysome advertising as well, thanksto the efforts of freelancepublishers Larry Burstein andElinore Carmody, who stepped ineven before Roshan’s originalteam of Aaron Sigmond and GeorgeBrightman departed. Calvin Klein,Prada, and Oscar De La Renta areamong the “high” in the adequivalent of Radar’s “high-low”mix, with the latter beingrepresented by Gap (the backcover), Target and Fox News,among others. — Greg Lindsay

A MONKEYWRENCH FOR GEAR?: Atpress time, WWD learned that Gearmagazine had laid off a significantportion of its staff. One Gearemployee circulated an e-mailMonday afternoon describing themagazine as “temporarilysuspending operations” and said itwould close its offices. Founderand editor Bob Guccione Jr. saidthrough his assistant, however, thatthe magazine would not be ceasingpublication, but he did notcomment on the layoffs. Themagazine has had difficulties inthe past and struggled to find aniche with advertisers. Writers alsooften complained about missedpayments (one pitched a tentoutside Guccione’s office andrefused to leave until paid). Therealso have been productionproblems with recent issues. Asreported, September’s issue didnot reach newsstands untilOctober, and the magazine’s nextthree issues were also over amonth late. — G.L. and J.B.

WW

D, TUESDAY, APRIL1, 2003

11

MEMO PAD

“Koch is in the basic raw materials

business and DTI could be a route to

market. It’s going to take someone of that

size to be able to buy something like DTI.”— Basil “Sonny” Walker, Nylstar Inc.

By Robert Murphy

PARIS — Henry Racamier, oneof the architects of LouisVuitton’s early growth and apopular business figure inFrance, died Saturday after suf-fering a heart attack while onholiday in Sardinia. He was 91.

The Paris Opera, of whichhe was a patron, announced hisdeath on Monday.

A self-made steel magnate bycareer, Racamier married intothe Vuitton family in 1943.When Racamier assumed thereins at Vuitton in 1977, thecompany counted just two

stores in France with annualvolume of less than $10 million.Sensing the brand’s potential,he aggressively opened unitsaround the world and devel-oped Vuitton on a global scale.By 1990, Vuitton had 140 stores.

In 1985, Racamier listed thecompany on the Paris Bourseand diversified his portfolio,acquiring the Givenchy andLoewe fashion businesses, aswell as the champagne produc-er, Veuve Clicquot.

But he is perhaps best knownfor being at the center of thebattle for luxury group LVMHMoët Hennessy Louis Vuitton in

the late Eighties. Racamier,then Louis Vuitton chairman,faced off against BernardArnault following Vuitton’s 1987merger with Moët Hennessy.After two years of legal and pub-lic relations battles, Arnault ulti-mately won his quest in 1990and Racamier was ousted.

In recent years, Racamier,through his Orcofi luxury goodsholding company, had held minor-ity stakes in such companies asInes de la Fressange and Lanvin.

Racamier was an avid patronof the arts. In 1986, he createdthe Louis Vuitton Foundationfor Opera, Music and Art, which

played a vital role in commis-sioning and sponsoring some 50operas and 50 new musicalscores. He has received numer-ous awards of French merit, in-cluding the Legion of Honor, forhis efforts.

Racamier was also a pas-sionate sailor. Under his guid-ance, Louis Vuitton became theofficial sponsor for the chal-lenger regatta leading up to theAmerica’s Cup, now known asthe Louis Vuitton Cup.

Racamier is survived by hiswife, Odile, and his daughtersLaurence Fontaine and Caro-line Bentz.

PRADA EXPANDS: Prada Japanopened a 10,000-square-foot,directly operated shop in Ginza,Tokyo, last weekend. It will befollowed by another Prada shop,with six floors, in Aoyama, Tokyo, inJune. The Ginza store wasinaugurated by Patrizo Bertelli,chief executive of the Prada Group,who flew in from Milan. The store,which has three floors, is expectedto have sales of about $23.3million in its first year. Prada saidthe unit did about $432,000 worthof business in its first three days.Prada Japan, the company’s whollyowned subsidiary, posted sales ofapproximately $250 million in2002, up 10 percent from theprevious year, with an increase of 15percent forecast for the current year.

Meanwhile, Prada is looking atanother way to expand its brandimage in Japan: plans are understudy to establish roadside shopsin Osaka and Fukuoka on thesouthern island of Kyushu.

— Tsukasa Furukawa

EVER UPWARD: Clothing, stationeryand home furnishings retailer Mujihad a enormous leap in net profitsto $19.6 million for the fiscal yearending Feb. 28 from a break-evenperformance in the prior year,according to its parent RyohinKeikaku. The parent companyoperates 265 Muji shopsthroughout Japan, 16 units in theU.K., four in France and one eachin Ireland and Hong Kong. Muji hadsales last year of $960.3 million, 4percent down compared with a yearearlier. Operating profits increased22.4 percent to $56.3 million.

Dollar figures were converted atcurrent exchange rates.

Sales of apparel andmiscellaneous goods, whichaccounted for 32.2 percent oftotal sales, dropped 6.3 percentlast year, although “casual basicitems sold well, as well as

garments with trend essence,”said the firm.

In fiscal 2002, the firm hadextraordinary losses of $49.5million, including losses fromwriting off merchandise inventory.In fiscal 2003, Muji hadextraordinary losses of $31 million.

For fiscal year ending February2004, the firm projects sales of$987.5 million, a 2.9 percentincrease, and net profits of $33.3million, 70.2 percent up from ayear earlier.

— Koji Hirano

GOING DOWN: Apparel imports intoJapan from China declined 15.6percent in February from a yearearlier to $854.4 million, but thecountry continued to be thedominant supplier to Japan,accounting for a 71 percent shareof total imports of $1.2 billion,according to the Ministry ofFinance. The yen’s exchange rate

for February averaged 119.26 yento the dollar, an 11.8 percentappreciation from a year-ago levelof 133.31 yen, the ministry said.

Apparel imports from theUnited States in February fell28.2 percent to $20.2 million,while shipments from theEuropean Union (EU) rose 3.8percent to $166.2 million,according to the ministry.

— T.F.

GOING IN: Japanese designer KansaiYamamoto is moving into theChinese market for designer-brandclothing through licensing. Kansaihas engaged the services of Osaka-based Intellectual Property Corp.(IPC), which specializes in managingbrand and licensing businesses,according to an executive of theKansai Yamamoto design house. Themove reflects the growing affluenceof Chinese consumers, which isattracting foreign design houses inincreasing numbers.

— T.F.

TOUGH GOING: Overall departmentstore sales in Japan in Februaryedged down 0.5 percent from a year-earlier level to $4.57 billion, markingthe 11th consecutive month ofdecline, according to the JapanDepartment Stores Association. Butsales of women’s wear rose for thefirst time in six months on a year-on-year basis to $1.1 billion, up 0.8percent. Men’s wear sales went up0.5 percent to $314 million,according to the association’s report,which covered 290 stores of 102department store companies.

— T.F.

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

F L A T O T E LL I V E L A R G E .

Windows that open, bathrooms you can take a bath in, rooms that have room.

Yes, this is a very special place.

The largest standardguest rooms of anyManhattan hotel � Tworestaurants� 24 hr.business center �Conference facilities

Intimate � Tailored �Cosmopolitan

135 West 52nd Street / 212-887-9400 / 1-800-FLATOTEL / www.flatotel.com

April Special $165 per night subject to availablity.

For free cont'l breakfast mention this ad. Valid till 4/30/2003

By Melanie Kletter

NEW YORK — Watches are a red-hot category these days and DavidYurman is seizing the moment tobuild up its timepiece business.

The namesake New York jew-elry and watch firm today plansto cut the ribbon on the 2,100-square-foot headquarters of itsnew subsidiary in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, which willfacilitate the development, pro-duction and distribution ofDavid Yurman timepieces.

“When we first started watch-es in 1999, we initially wantedthe watches to mix in with ourcable jewelry collection,” de-signer David Yurman said in aninterview with WWD. “Now, wehave really evolved this part ofour business and we are makinga real commitment to it.”

Yurman’s watch businessnow racks up about $20 millionin retail sales, while the compa-ny’s overall business has salesof about $450 million at retail.

The opening of the new firm,called David Yurman SA, comesat the start of the Basel WorldWatch & Jewellery Show, thewatch industry’s largest andmost important trade fair,which begins in Basel,Switzerland this Thursday. Thecreation of the new firm marksthe first time Yurman has estab-lished a separate company out-side the U.S.

David Yurman SA is headedby watch executive Jean-MarieConstantin, who had represent-ed Yurman along with otherbrands. Now, Constantin isworking exclusively for Yurman.

“He lives there and will workwith suppliers,” Yurman said.“We believe we will be able toget a much better quality prod-uct and have better deliveries.”

At the same time, Yurmanalso is building its watch teamin the U.S. The company hashired Michael Miarecki, the for-mer marketing director atMichele Watches, to overseesales and marketing for watch-es, a new position in the compa-ny. The David Yurman watchline is now sold in about 250doors, however, Yurman said thecompany plans to scale back itsdistribution to about 175 doors.

“These are not mass-marketwatches,” Yurman noted. “Wewant to take it more exclusive.”

Yurman said he doesn’t thinkscaling back will affect watchsales, since the company plansto build up its business in eachlocation, and also will be doingmore advertising and marketingfor its timepieces to grow sales.

Prices for the company’swatches start at about $1,450 andgo up to about $24,000 for stylesin gold, with the bulk falling inthe range of $3,000 to $5,000.Most of the watches are automat-ic, although some quartz stylesare available. New styles beingintroduced in Basel include a ti-tanium and steel chronographand a new women’s collectioncalled Madison, which includesan attachable case that can bepaired with a cable chain orleather strap.

Yurman jewelry is now soldin about 450 doors, includingNeiman Marcus and SaksFifth Avenue.

Yurman’s Swiss Timing12

ASIA WATCH

Obituary

Henry Racamier, 91, Led Vuitton Expansion

Henry

Racamier

in 1987.

4th Annual CFDA MagazineThe Business of Fashion

Perfect Bound Magazine: May 27Close: April 19

A glossy magazine marking the 2003 CFDA Fashion Awards with an in-depth look at the business of fashion – the stories from fashion’s top stars,

hottest up-and-comers and the retailers that make the business happen.

Without a ticket, this is the only chance to get inside the industry’s most important andexclusive event of the year to reach the fashion elite and major celebrity presenters.

Bonus distribution: CFDA American Fashion Awards and other select CFDA events.

To advertise, please call Ralph Erardy, SVP Group Publisher, at 212/630-4589, or your WWD sales representative.

WWDMediaWorldwide

WW

D, T

UESD

AY, A

PRIL

1, 2

003

14

CLOSEOUTS WANTEDWe buy any fabrics, even remnants,

buttons, beads and trims. 212-243-4913

TOP DOLLAR FORRETURNS,IR’S OR

CLOSEOUTS WALT ADAMS INC

T:800-996-4469 F: 800-540-2784buy@waltadams.com

TOP DOLLAR FORRETURNS,IR’S OR

CLOSEOUTS WALT ADAMS INC

T:800-996-4469 F: 800-540-2784buy@waltadams.com

*ALL Off-Price*Rib-Lycra-Jersey-Fleece

Three by Three 201-861-0033

CLOSE OUTSWe Buy Men’s,

Women’s & Children’sAll Quantities

WE HAVE INSTANT MONEYWe are nice people to deal with

P.S. Large Piece Good DealsAlso HBA and General Merchandise. Call Rocky 800-762-5488

Bryant Pk Duplex 1100, 2000, 4500 FT.20 Ft Ceilings - Great Windows/Views

SoHo-Sublet Penthouse 2000 FTPrime Manhattan Jon 212-268-8043Search-www.manhattanoffices.com

1400 BroadwayShowroom has space for rent during

New York Market Weeks. Pls. contactAnna Maria Bishop for details.

(917) 510-0040

Office/Showrm-Great Deals!14-59 St/Mad-9 Ave.; 1500-10000 SqFt & upBERNSTEIN R.E.-largest # NYC listingsAllan Gallaway 212-594-1414 x251

COTTON, RAYON, NYLON, SILK,CASHMERE! Fine Gauge sweaters!

Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Kohl’s,Jones approved Mfr. in China. E-mailfor more info: zhangyue@chinatex.net

Excellent opportunity exists to workwith a New Zealand Women’s Apparelmanufacturer seeking a successfulAmerican brand to develop in N.Z. andAustralia (possible Asian expansion).Holding meetings in L.A. May 4-7th,New York, May 8-9th. Please contact

MarketNZ@tradenz.govt.nz orCall: (212) 832-7420, ext. 232

FASHION TRAININGTrained Hundreds since 2002

**Photoshop 7.0 & Illustrator 10.0**54 hrs Pkg / Embs, Knits, Repeats *Train Asst Designer & Prod’n Asst* 11 Classes/ Up to 45K/Intern availT: 212-268-7291-4/7new class

GARMENT REWORK/SHIPPINGRepairs, RTV processing, tickets, hang-ers, main and care labels application,pick-pack, shipping. Experience withmajor retailers. (718) 628-1241

PATTERN/SAMPLESReliable. High quality. Low cost. Fastwork. Custom-made Bridalwr 212-629-4808

PATTERNS, SAMPLES,PRODUCTIONS

All lines,Any styles. Fine Fast Service.Call Sherry 212-719-0622.

PATTERNS/SAMPLESPRODUCTION

Specializing in small productions. Sam-ples, duplicates, patterns. Full serviceshop to the trade. Fine fast work.

212-869-2699

RESUMESFASHION INDUSTRY SPECIALISTS

Free Evaluation - Lifetime UpdatesGILBERT CAREER RESUMES

275 Madison Ave NYC 10016(800)967-3846 amex/mc/visa

fashionresumes.comfashioncareercenter.com

RESUMES THAT WORK! SINCE 1970Updating/Phone Interviews

PROFESSIONAL RESUMES, INC.60 E 42nd Street, NYC 10165(212)697-1282/(800)221-4425

www.resumesforfashion.com

Accessory DesignerFREELANCE

Passport Juniors seeks accessoryDesigner for new division. 5+ yearsexperience necessary. NY location.

Pls. fax resume & salary requirementsAttention: Navin @ (212) 302-2117

Administrative Asst.Leading manufacturer representativeis seeking a highly energetic, motivatedindividual who wants to be part of afast paced growing company. Must bedetail oriented, organized and havestrong computer skills.

Please fax resume to: (212) 944-1640

AdministratorFabric company seeks individual forduties related to fabric imports. Mustbe familiar with this industry. Comput-er literate, excel proficient, great typ-ing skills and detail oriented is a must.Fax resumes to Wendy: 212 719-3387

ARTIST/DESIGNERLarge import company seeks teamplayer to join design staff. Must have 5yrs exp. Work closely with designer todevelop artwork for prints, embros,etc. for boy/girl sizes newborn-14. Mustbe a team player. Ability to work on acomputer system a must.

Fax resume to: 212-564-9507

Assistant DesignerChidrenswear Boy/Girl

Flat sketching on a computer a must.Illustrator/Freehand and Photoshoprequired. Fax resume to: 212-564-9507

THE GOLDEN TOUCH GROUPTHIS EXCITING IMPORT COMPANY IS CONTINUING TO GROW, AND WE

ARE ADDING TO OUR TEAM IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:*Key Account Sales Executives - Girls 4-6X/7-16 Walmart, Target, Sears, Mervyns*Production Coordinators - Sweaters and/or Knitwear Background Walmart Specialist*Production Managers - Knitwear Experience/Sweater Experience

*Sr. Spec Technician - Jr. Knitwear

*Sales Account AssistantsPlease forward resumes to: Deborah at:

dwheaton@goldentouchimports.com or by fax 212-947-7654

BOOKKEEPER - A/PSeeking exp’d. & independent A/P book-keeper; Minmum 2 years garment experi-ence; Computer knowledge must; MAS90 plus. Please Fax or E-mail resume to:212-790-5990 / ehazan@earlywd.com

Bookkeeper/FullchargeEstablished ladies sportswearmfgr/importer seeks bookkeeper.Must be computer literate and wellversed in settling chargebacks. Lucra-tive oppty! Fax in confidence attnEddie 212-869-3671.

BROWSE HERE

MERCHANDISERS.....................35-60KPLANNERS...................................40-75KASSOC DESIGN-MENS KNITS70-80KASST DESIGN..............................35-50KPRODUCTION MGRS.................50-65KTECH DESIGN.............................60-70K

"ON THE MARKS"Many Temp and Perm OpportunitiesCall 212-986-7329 or Fax 212-986-7708

Buyer $110-115K. Current exp. inJunior or Tween Sportswear. Strongproduct devel. exp. Midtown trendylarge chain. Call 973-564-9236 Agcy

CAD ARTIST- Boys/GirlsBoys & Girls Import Co seeks exp’dperson w/ skills developing flat sketches,graphics & presentation boards forfashion sportswear & activewear lines.Strong Illustrator & Photograph skillsa must. Fax resume to: 212-279-6817

CAD DESIGNERMissy knits/Swtr Co. seeks pro to work infast paced envmnt w/ 2-3 yrs exp. Able tomeet deadlines and be a team player.Extensive knowledge on Adobe Illus10.0/Photoshop 6.0. Ability to sketchfreehand on comp, exceptional presenta-tion boards needed. 401(K) and benefits.

Fax resumes to: 212-391-8027

CHARGEBACKSNY Eveningwear Co. looking forChargeback person with excellentcommunication and computer skillsto research, resolve and collectchargebacks. Knowledge of ASN, UPC& shipping for all major departmentstores req’d. Fax resume: 714-364-9787

CONTEMPORARY SALESWomen’s line of tees, sweaters & sepa-rates seeks a highly motivated self starterto run corporate showroom in NewYork. Experience in specialty & majorstore business a must. Fax resume to:

323-734-0311

CONTROLLER$80-100K

Growing, 25 million dollar men’slicensed & private label sweatermerchandiser/distributor located inNYC, is seeking a Controller w/10-12years of experience; import/export &warehousing exp req’d. Responsibilitiesinclude supervision of accounting staff,financial statement preparation andanalysis, royalty reporting, & financialoversight of overseas programs, & otheraccounting functions as needed. Strongcomputer skills required. Send/faxresume to Attn: HR DEPT - TW, 85Livingston Ave., Roseland, NJ 07068.

Fax: 973-740-1818. EOE

DESIGN ASSISTANTMissy/Contemporary Knitwear firmseeks creative, organized person toassist Designers. Responsibilitiesinclude specs, embroidery + beadinglayouts, presentation boards. 1-2 yrs exp.

Fax: 212-869-5167

Designer $80K

Girlssspielman@winstonstaffing.com

Designer

Contemporary Women’sSenior Designer

Disney Store, Inc., Los Angeles, CAhas an excellent career opportunityfor a Women’s apparel Senior Design-er. Must be creative and motivatedwith minimum 5 yrs experience inwomen’s design. Will be responsiblefor product design incl. designing,sketching, trend and market research,and story board creation. Email re-sumes to: leslie.c.murphy@disney.comor fax to 818-543-1604. EOE

DESIGNERHot, est’d. Junior/Contemporary SweaterCo. seeks designer w/minimum 3 yearsexp. in related field to work in fast-pacedN.Y. showroom. Strong eye for trend,details & excellent knowledge of over-seas prod’n. a must. Must be a greatteam player with strong communicationskills. Please Fax resume to Charles at:

323-589-0342

Designer - Jr. KnitsFor New Domestic Division - urban,trendy & edgy (i.e. Urban Outfitters).CAD & Graphic ability essential.Fax resume to: 212-819-1158 Attn: GW

Designer/MerchandiserUpdated sportswear mfr seeks experi-enced designer /merchandiser. Mustbe able to work with retailers onprograms/product development andhave fabric sourcing experience.Fax resume with salary req’mt to:

212-819-1269

DESIGNERNeeded to work on premises of child-ren’s wear importer. Must have the fol-lowing skills: excellent flat sketcher;able to spec and fit garments; be com-puter proficient in ColorMatters &Photoshop. Fax resume to Zach at:

212-997-9252

A B S / ALLEN BBy Allen Schwartz

DESIGNERMen & Women

Allen B, maker of contemporary/designer sportswear, hasan incredible opportunity for an aggressive, self motivatedDesigner to join our design L.A. based team. Minimumthree years experience.

Fax resumes to : 213-891-2812Attn: Allen Schwartz

Or E-mail: dcohen@warnaco.com

DESIGN

Rozae Nichols is seekingCREATIVE TEXTILE DESIGNER

Must have thorough knowledge of, andexperience in textile, color and printdevelopment. Knowledge of fine arts andgraphic design is essential. Must beskilled with applicable computer pro-grams, and be creative in hand crafttechniques. Must have at least 3 yearsexperience and be very talented.

E-mail: marcus@annag.comFax: 213-489-1615 ONLY

DESIGN

Senior DesignerN.Y.C. Activewear Co. seeks a FT/PTSenior Designer w/3 years experience.Advise salary. Please Fax or E-mailresume to Salomon at:212-391-7312 / smeke@unefon.com.mx

Fabric Processing MgrExciting opportunity for motivated selfstarter. 5 years experience in textile de-velopment and fabric sourcing. Re-sponsibilities include management ofglobal fabric collections, global fabriclibrary and scheduling customer ap-pointments. Must be able to managemultiple projects at one time. Prior su-pervisory experience preferred. Mustbe analytical, detail oriented, drivenand personable. Computer proficiencyto include: Microsoft Office & internet.Fax resume, salary history and refer-

ences to: Sharon 212-512-9447

DuPont Textilesand Interiors

Fit Model/Design AssistantFull time position to be an integralpart of the design team & work as amodel for all fittings. Must have exactsize 4 measurements: 34"B, 24"W, 34"H.

Fax: 212-921-2600

FIT MODELGarment Industry firm seeks

full time size 10 Fit Model.Please fax resume to 212-719-2942

GERBER PDS*Menswear Sportswear Mfr............$80K*Better Womens Dresses................$80K*Collection, Childrenswear.............$$$$ToddWayne1@aol.com Call 212-947-3400

GRAPHIC ARTISTFREELANCE

Leading childrenswear mfr searchingfor a Character License Graphic Artist towork on special projects on a freelance basis.Email resume: holt@babytogs.com or

fax: 212-643-2826. No calls please. EOE.

GRAPHIC DESIGNERExp w/ Jr.-Access-Stationery & Room Decor

Apparel Staffing, Ltd. Fax (212) 302-1161

Graphic/Fashion/MerchTrendy fast growing jr tops co in chainand mass. Openings for f/t+ freelancejr. designers and merchandisers.

Fax res: 718-788-4998

GREAT JOBS AVAILABLE!1)Designers & Assist: Boy-Girl-Jr 2)Artists3)Production Mgr & Coords 4)Tech Designers

Call (212) 643-8090 or fax: 643-8127 (agcy)

GROMWELL GROUPCAREER OPPORTUNITIES:

*DESIGN ASSOCIATES...........$45-70K (Men’s, Women’s, and Children’s)*DESIGNERS (3)........................$60-75K (Boy’s wear/Activewear/Urbanwear)*DESIGNER/MERCHANDISER$125K (Junior Sweaters, tops or Sleepwear)*MKTG & RETAIL DEVEL MGR...... $70K (Department Store Background nec)*MERCH/SALES COORDINATORS.... $35-50K (Exp with Wovens, Knits or Sweaters)*PRODUCTION..........................$40-70K*PRODUCTION MGR.............$80-150K (Cut & Sew Knits and some sourcing exp)*PUBLIC RELATIONS MGR.$75-100K (Strong contacts. Must know creative srvs.)*RETAIL ANALYST/PLANNER....$50-80K*SALES AE’s/MGR’s............... $65-150K

(4 Opptys in Men’s better, Women’s moderate, Urbanwear and Juniors)Temp and Freelance positions also available.

Please call 212-972-9300 or e-mail:tomf@gromwell.com

HARVE BENARDSALES ASSISTANTLooking for an ambitious, detailoriented, self starter. Must beextremely organized with good mathskills. To work and train with VP ofSales. AS400 & EDI exp. req. Pleasesent all resumes with salary req. to:

Jobs@hbltd.com EOE/MF/V/D.

HOT JOBS!•Jr & Sr Planners WalMart A+..............$50-60K•Chargeback Expert, Retail Chain........$35-40K•Spec Tech. IGirls 7-14............................$60-70K

(Wovens and Cut & Sew Nec)•Asst Designers. Photoshop/Illust.......$35-40K•Designers (2) Infant, Toddler..........$65-75K

Fax Resume Attn Carla 201-894-1186or e-mail Cdeberry@karlyn.com.

KARLYN FASHION RECRUITERS

JC PENNY/WAL-MARTProd’n-Mgr/$75K, Coord/$45-55K

Must have Vendor Prod’n ProcessSusieJessilyn@aol.com Call 212-947-3400

Knit Designer-Children’sLeading Childrenswear mfr seeking acreative boys and girls newborn,infant, toddler 4-7 Knit Designer. Musthave knowl of Primavision & have 3yrs children’s knit apparel exp.Email resume: holt@babytogs.com or

fax: 212-643-2826. No calls please. EOE.

MERCHANDISEASSISTANTS

Immediate openings for merchandiseassistants with experience in girls,ladies and/or accessories (shoes,hosiery, handbags) categories. Greatopportunity for organized team play-ers with good computer skills and2+years’ experience working in theindustry.

Fax resume Attn: Anders: 212-221-3857.Include Salary Requirements.

Merchandiser $80K

Fabric Developmentfgellis@winstonstaffing.com

PATTERNMAKERCOUTURE EVENING HOUSE

Must be exp’d in eveningwear. Inter-pret designer sketches 1st to produc-tion with knowledge of construction.Oversee samplemakers and work withfctory. Must work well under pressure.Only experienced persons need apply.

Please fax resume to: (212) 302-1272

PATTERNMAKERDomestic garment manufacturer seekspatternmaker w/ exp. in catalog specs,first thru production, Gerber computer-ized patternmaking exp. preferred,must be hard working and detailoriented. Fax resume & salary require-ments to 212-279-9629 Attn: Tony.

WW

D, TUESDAY, APRIL 1, 200315

FUBU Is seeking talented and

experienced Designers to fill thefollowing positions:

TECHNICALDESIGNER

For young men’s sportswear.Must be detail-oriented, organized,a team player, and enthusiasticwith strong communication skills.Must be able to translate designsketches into complete technicalform. Follow thru on all aspectsof sample development andproduction. Computer skills amust, with emphasis on Excel,Word and Illustrator.

CAD DESIGNEROrganized team player is neededfor fast moving young men’s &boys sportswear. Must have acomprehensive knowledge ofAdobe Illustrator (MAC) & mustbe able to create & color technicalflats based on designer sketches.

Positions are available as full timeor freelance. Full benefits

package if you are FT.

Please fax resume212-273-3333

attn: ArgeeOnly resumes received byApril 18 will be considered

PATTERNMAKERLeading sportswear manufacturer ofwomen’s pants, skirts and jacketsseeks an experienced patternmaker.Must be able to generate first patternsthrough production patterns, specs,grading, and fit sample evaluation forwovens and cut and sew knits.Candidate must be detail oriented andhave a minimum of five years experience.Position located in NY. Excellentopportunity. Salary commensuratewith experience.

Please fax resumes to (718) 803-0827

PatternmakerVolume-based Women’s apparel firmseeks diverse individual with 5 yrs expin Patternmaking for all types ofwomens apparel. Will interface withDesign, Prod & overseas factories incommunicating corrections from fitsessions. Exp in woven sportswear gar-ments, leathers, suedes & sweaterknits. Only Team player need apply.

Fax: 646-435-7412

PLANNERLeading women’s apparel manufacturerseeks indiv. with a comprehensiveunderstanding of retail math. Mustposses strong analytical &organizational skills. Excel proficient.Knowledge of Retail Link a+.Responsibilities include: Planning& sales tracking, ability toprovide detailed analysis of salesperformance, vendor communications,communication with overseas offices.

Fax 212-556-5303Production $50K

CoordinatorsImports/Domestic

jrentner@winstonstaffing.com

Production AssistantCalypso, a retail/whsle operation seeksindiv. with min. 2 yrs exp in produc-tion. Duties incl.: fabric, trim, labels,lab dips, samples tracking. Deliveryfollow-up. Knowl. of garment construc-tion is a +. Must be detail oriented, ex-cellent communicator, computer liter-ate & able to work at fast pace. Growthpotential! hr@christianecelle.com

PRODUCTION ASSISTLarge outerwear company seekingindividual with 2-4 yrs experience tofollow-through all production details.Must be detail oriented and computerliterate. Ability to work well in a fast-paced, high-volume import dept req’d.

Fax resume to: 212-594-9633

PRODUCTIONCOORDINATOR

Girls/Juniors Importer/manufacturerin Midtown seeks detailed-orientedCantonese/Mandarin speaking individ-ual to follow up on all phases of produc-tion from development to final deliv-ery. Duties include daily interactionwith overseas suppliers/sampletracking/quality control/supervisingsize specs. Knowledge in knits/wovens/sweaters necessary. Ability to super-vise production personnel dept./followup on private label business. Onlyhighly organized individual fluent inEnglish with good communication &computer skills need apply. Please faxresume to Cathy 212-221-7064.

Streetwear Men’s and Women’s Sportswear and AccessoriesCompany has the following positions:

SALESSeeking ambitious, fashion forward sales rep with experiencein speciality and department stores. All territories available.

COLLECTIONS AND CREDIT MANAGER We are an exciting company with excellent benefits.

Fax resume to: 718-218-9763

DesignerChildren’s Wear

Once in a lifetime Opportunity!!!

Major importer seeks dynamic, experi-enced, self-motivated Designer fortheir Newborn/Infant Layette &Playwear Division. Candidates shouldhave min 5 yrs’ experience, a strongcreative ability in print, color & silhou-ette. In addition, a working technicalspec knowledge of product and theability to present design concepts.Light domestic & overseastravel. Please email resume to:

improvs@aol.com orfax to 212-842-4289

EOE

Production $50’sWalmart/related exp

Great Companyfgellis@winstonstaffing.com

PRODUCTIONCOORDINATOR

Major ladies importer is seeking candi-dates with 2-3 yrs. exp. to assist in allaspects of overseas production. Mustbe detail oriented, computer literateand able to multi-task in fast pacedenvironment. Please e-fax resumeand salary requirements attn. JB at:

(831) 603-5907

PRODUCTIONMgr-Sweaters Better Import........$100KEntry Level-Bilingual Chinese......$30KCoordinator-Bilingual Chinese......$50K

FASHION NETWORK 201-503-1060/Fax 1070

Productions Coord. $40-$60KImport exp. Fluent Chinese.

Jennifer * Just Mgmt. * 800-544-5878jennifer@justmgt.com

Product Manager - AssistApparel - Sourcing

Leading childrenswear mfr searchingfor an Assistant Product Manager. Willwork in our Foreign Sourcing Dept &will be resp for creating vendormanuals, sample follow-up, fabric/trimdevlmt, costing pkg sent overseas,maintain Time/Action Calendar, orderplacement & PO entry. Will monitor &follow-up on all issues relating to prod’n& quality to ensure quality product & ontime shipments. Email resume: holt@babytogs.com or

fax: 212-643-2826. No calls please. EOE.

SR. DESIGNER $90KNew Pvt label Division

Moderate Sportswear & Presses. HangW/ Talbots, Coldwater Creek

SusieJessilyn@aol.com Call 212-947-3400

SWEATERSProd’n Mgr. Better Market .......$65-75KProd’n Coord/Assist.........................$45KYarn Buyer. Couture Mkt ..............$45KCut & Sew Knit Prod’n...................$40KSusieJessilyn@aol.com Call 212-947-3400

Technical Designer $65K

Bottomsjrentner@winstonstaffing.com

TECHNICAL DESIGNERµJeanswear/Washes....................$75-80KµBetter Suits, Pvt Label.............$75-80KµSpec Techs......................................$45KµCut & Sew Knits........................$70-80KToddWayne1@aol.com Call 212-947-3400

TECHNICAL DESIGNERLeading childrenswear mfr is seekinga Technical Designer for Newborn -Size 16. Provide specs development, fitanalysis, on-line flat sketching, pre-costing specs, organize accuratepackages, and provide tech/dvlpmntsupport for design & merchandisingteam. Working knowl of fit, construction,patterns, grading & computer skills amust. Excellent salary & benefits.E-mail resume: holt@babytogs.com orfax: (212) 643-2826. No calls please. EOE.

Technical DesignerLeather & suede sportswear/outerwearimporter seeking a Technical Designerwith 3 + years of experience. Must bewell versed in flat sketching, specs,grading, fit sessions & comments, techpaks, and possess the ability to workw/outside sample room. Fax resume to:

212-730-2099

VISUAL MERCHANDISERMulti unit salon chain based in north-ern Virginia is looking for an experi-enced visual merchandiser. Idealcandidate will have a minimum of 5years experience developing unique,inspiring displays, promotions andpoint of purchase materials. Strongwritten and oral communication skillsa must. Fax resume: 703-846-8569

Sales ManagerMajor NYC based trade show specializingin Fashion and Apparel Trade Shows,seeks a Sales Manager. The candidatemust be energetic, motivated, possessexcellent interpersonal skills, experiencedin dealing with apparel manufacturersand retailers. The ideal candidate hasfive years plus of show sales experience.Some travel required. Base plus incentiveand benefits.

Please email resume plus salaryrequirements to box280@freshjobs.com

SAMPLEMAKER Eveningwear company seeks sewerwith minimum 5 years experience.

Fax resume: 212-629-3004

SAMPLEMAKERYoung contemporary manufacturerseeks experienced Samplemaker tojoin our team. Must have experience insilks & knits.

Please fax resume to: 212-947-6480

SR. DESIGNER $75KNew Pvt label Division

Moderate Sportswear & Presses. HangW/ Talbots, Coldwater Creek

SusieJessilyn@aol.com Call 212-947-3400

Exciting opportunities with the leader in urban fashion

SALES MANAGER-JUNIORSKEY ACCOUNT EXEC-YOUNG MENS

KEY ACCOUNT EXEC-JUNIORSENTRY LEVEL SALESPLANNER-ANALYST

We offer an excellent salary and benefits package.Please Fax resumes, indicating position of interest, to

Justin at 201-935-7669 or via email:justinf@southpole-usa.com

APPAREL SALES PROOne of the top clothing companies in the U.S. seeks a SalesPro to join its team. Excellent opportunity to be a part of adynamic, growing co. Must have experience in apparel sales,selling large retailers. Analytical and financial skills a must.Competitive salary, bonus and benefits.

Please mail resume and salary history to:Sales Position, PO BOX 54600

Atlanta, GA 30308or e-mail: clothingcompany2003@yahoo.com

EOE M/F

Accessories SalesTwo Fantastic opportunities (eastcoast/west coast office) to join a reputa-ble women’s& junior’saccessory manu-facturer. Seeking an Account Execu-tive to manage key accounts. qualifiedcandidates will have 3+ years experiencein the Fashion Jewelry/Accessory In-dustry, possess strong analytical back-ground and relationships with nationalaccount base. Please fax resume to:

212-779-0964 Attn: Suzanne

Accessory Sales RepPassport Juniors seeks accessory

sales representative for new division.5+ years experience necessary. NewYork location. Please fax resume andsalary requirements, attn. Navin at:

(212) 302-2117

Fragrance/CosmeticMajor prestige fragrance co. seeks SalesExec to manage high-end dept. storesales. Fragrance/Cosmetic exp. is req’d.E-mail to: interview@slatkin.com

Knit & Woven TopsLadies’/Missy/Petite/Large SizesGreat Co. seeking Sales Pro for NYshowroom. Must have strong dept.,chain & spec store contacts. Growthoppty. For appt., call: 212-730-0101

Luxury Handbag Mfr.Wanted: SR. ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Must have experience with major dept.stores (Saks, Neiman’s, etc.). Excellentbenefits. Submit resume & salary to:

Box#C 5000 c/o Fairchild Publications7 West 34th Street, 4th Flr.

New York, NY 10001

OTBSeeks sales exec for Jr/Girls Tops &Jeanswear Division. Merchandising

skills a plus. Must have est’d contacts.Fax resume to:917-342-9001 Attn: Jerry

$$ Salary + Commission $$SWEATERS / CUT & SEW

Factory Direct Importer seeks a SalesRep to work with manufacturers. Musthave sales and production experiencein Sweaters and Cut and Sew market.Please Fax or E-mail all resumes to:

212-331-0796sales@endonendknitwear.com

SALES ASSISTANTHigh End Jeanswear Co seeks SalesAssistant with strong communicationskills, ability to learn quickly and workindependently. Must have some experi-ence with accounts, knowledge ofretail math and computer skills.

Fax resume: 212-967-4389

Sales AssistantImmediate entry-level position availa-ble to work with account executive forlarge dress manufacturer. Must bedetail oriented, ability to learn quickly,and have good communication skills.Excellent computer skills necessary.

Please fax resume in confidence toJerry @ 212-869-3639.

SALES CONSULTANTMichelle Roth at 57th street requirestop salesperson with min 2 yrs bridalretail sales exp for immediate start inher retail salon. Excellent salary / bene-fits. Fax resume to: 212-245-1511 oremail: monica@michelleroth.com

SALES EXECUTIVEEst’d importer of moderate noveltysweaters/knits seeks experienced prow/ strong dept./specialty chain contacts tocultivate new and maintain existingaccounts. Positive energy & strongfollow-up skills a must.

Call, fax or email resume to Lisa CheungTel: 212-302-3744, Fax: 212-302-8589

email: eminlisa@aol.com

Salesperson wanted - New growingsweater & knits co seeks indiv w/ expin missy sweaters & pant sets, rel w/major customers & specialty stores.Self-motivated. Fax resume: 212.695.4857

SALES REPSSocks importer / mfr seeks exp pro forchain stores. Send resume & salary req:323-846-5109 or hrd@unihosiery.com

SALES REPST-shirts importer/mfr seeks exp pro forchain stores. Send resume & salary req:323-846-5109 or hrd@unihosiery.com

INTIMATE APPARELAnita International, a European mfrof lingerie & swimwear seeks sales agentsw/ specialty & dept. store contacts for allU.S. territories. Fax resume: 954-730-8723

***APPAREL EMPLOYERS ***Do you need exp’d DESIGNERS, PRODUC-

TION, ACCOUNTING, TECHNICAL etc. staff?**CALL 973-564-9236 Jaral Fashion Agcy.**

EMBROIDERY: design, sample, talentedprofessional, couture, beading, schiffli,prod’n machine embroidery design.PATTERNMAKER: exp 10 years, 1stpattern to prod’n, sketch. 718-769-6428.

fresh

Graffiti denim jackets by Louis Paladino. Fabric by cotton.Cotton. The fabric of our lives.® www.cottoninc.com

AM

ER

ICA

’S C

OT

TON

PR

OD

UC

ER

S A

ND

IM

PO

RT

ER

S.

®R

egis

tere

d S

ervi

ce M

ark/

Trad

emar

k of

Cot

ton

Inco

rpor

ated

.©C

otto

n In

corp

orat

ed,

2002

.