News
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October 31, 2006
Gap To Offer Roland Mouret Capsule Collection
Gap will soon be offering a capsule collection by Brutish designer Roland Mouret. The move, which will bring a collection of Mouret’s dresses to Gap stores in Europe and New York, is aimed at boosting business at the flagging retail chain.
Mass-market retailer H&M has done similar deals with success, such as partnerships with designers Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney. It will be interesting to see if Gap extends the strategy to other designers and locations.
Posted by Blacks at 09:36 AM | Comments (0)
October 30, 2006
D&G's 2006 Sales Border A Billion
Dolce & Gabbana reported record income for its fiscal 2006, thanks to the strength of recent collections and smart investments. Sales at the Italian brand surged 18% to nearly $988 million for the 12 months ended March 31, while profits rose 11% to around $133 million.
The company expects further growth in the year ahead, with planned expansion in China and consolidation in sales of its diffusion line.
Posted by Blacks at 09:27 AM | Comments (0)
October 26, 2006
Miyake Opens New Madison Ave. Store
Issey Miyake has opened a new 2,600 square-foot store on Madison Ave. with a black-and-white checkerboard theme. The store sells the designer’s men’s and women’s collections and replaces a smaller location Miyake had on the swanky avenue.
It features the designer’s ME line, made up of T-shirts, skirts, jackets and dresses, and his Fete line, made of high-quality polyester.
Posted by Blacks at 09:46 AM | Comments (0)
October 25, 2006
Jones' Q3 Profit Dips 18%
Jones Apparel Group’s third-quarter profit slipped 18% to $63 million, due partially to the sale of Polo Jeans. Revenue for the quarter ended Sept. 30 dropped 6.5% to $1.24 billion.
Jones seems to be having a challenging year as income over the 9 months ended in Sept. dropped nearly 43%.
Posted by Blacks at 09:59 AM | Comments (0)
October 24, 2006
Bags Boost Coach's Quarterly Profit
Premium handbags boosted Coach Inc.’s first quarter sales by 23% to $554 million. Profit for the quarter ended Sept. 30 rose 34%, to $126 million.
The company’s Legacy and Signature Stripe handbag lines did particularly well.
Looking forward, the New York leather goods maker predicted strong holiday sales with the continued popularity of high-end bags.
Posted by Blacks at 10:12 AM | Comments (0)
October 23, 2006
Brioni Still Hunting For CEO
Brioni is still searching for a new CEO, following the recent exit of Umberto Angeloni. The Italian company may be considering board member Andrea Perrone for the role, according to a report out Monday.
Brioni has yet to confirm the appointment, however, and industry watchers are doubtful that the company would choose a leader from outside the family, even though Perrone is the grandson of Brioni cofounder Gaetano Savini.
Posted by Blacks at 10:04 AM | Comments (0)
October 20, 2006
Versace Plans China Expansion
Versace has aggressive expansion plans for China. The Italian brand plans to open five new stores in Greater China by the end of 2007, in addition to the five it already has.
Versace said it plans to open three new stores in Hong Kong, one in Beijing and one in Shanghai, citing explosive growth in the area.
Posted by Blacks at 09:40 AM | Comments (0)
October 19, 2006
Thom Browne Moves Into TriBeCa
Thom Browne is opening a 2,000-square foot store in New York’s TriBeCa this week, featuring his signature short-panted suits. The store, located at 100 Hudson St., has an elegant 60s feel with gray marble walls, fitting some of his retro looks.
Browne has risen to industry fame despite his particular personal style of wearing pants that are at least three inches shorter than average. He was named menswear designer of the year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and recently signed a deal with Brooks Bros. to design a special collection for the brand.
Posted by Blacks at 09:41 AM | Comments (0)
October 18, 2006
Paul Smith Opens In SoHo
Paul Smith has opened a new 5,000-square foot store in New York’s SoHo, offering both men’s and women’s wear.
The store, which opened at 142 Greene St. last week, contains five rooms that are decorated with unique character. It joins his successful flagship store on Fifth Ave. to target the thriving New York market.
Smith opened another flagship offering men’s and women’s apparel in Los Angeles last fall.
Posted by Blacks at 09:30 AM | Comments (0)
October 17, 2006
Third Quarter Sales Slow At LVMH
Third-quarter sales at LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton increased by 6.8% to $4.7 billion, the French luxury firm said Tuesday.
The performance of its fashion and leather goods division did not quite meet analysts’ expectations, however, as they represented a slowdown from previous quarters.
For the three months ended Sept. 30, sales of fashion and leather goods jumped 10.2%, while jewelry and watches increased by 21.6%.
Posted by Blacks at 09:36 AM | Comments (0)
October 16, 2006
Diesel Head Scoops Up Italy's Pier
Diesel head Renzo Rosso has scooped up Italian clothing manufacturer Pier SpA, saying he wanted to acquire knowledge of its high-end “made in Italy” production.
Pier, which manufactures for brands such as Chloé, Dries Van Noten and Dior Homme, brought in sales of about $13 million last year.
Rosso previously purchased manufacturing firm Staff International, which produces collections for Diesel, Dsquared, and Vivienne Westwood, among others.
Posted by Blacks at 09:42 AM | Comments (0)
October 13, 2006
Consumer Spending Slides In Sept.
Despite an overall drop in retail sales in September, sales of clothing inched up 3%, leading to higher expectations for the holiday season.
Consumer spending dipped 0.4% last month, compared to a 1% increase in August, according to U.S Commerce Department figures. However, lower gas prices helped boost spending on clothing and other goods, the department said.
Posted by Blacks at 09:40 AM | Comments (0)
October 12, 2006
Burberry Reports Jump In Q2 Revenue
Revenue at Burberry jumped 7 percent in the second quarter to $481.8 million on the strength of women’s wear, outerwear and accessories.
The London-based company plans to bank on its success by expanding its retail locations over the next year, including the addition of nine new retail stores.
Posted by Blacks at 09:45 AM | Comments (0)
October 11, 2006
Chloé Taps Marni Director As Design Head
Chloé has selected former Marni director Paulo Melim Andersson as its new chief designer. He succeeds Phoebe Philo at the French design house, after serving seven years at Marni.
Chloé has had a string of well-known designers over the years, including Stella McCartney and Karl Lagerfeld.
Andersson starts work this week on Chloé’s pre-fall collection, which will debut in Paris in March.
Posted by Blacks at 09:09 AM | Comments (0)
October 10, 2006
Report: Weber To Lead Donna Karan
Former Phillips-Van Heusen CEO Mark Weber is poised to be president and CEO of Donna Karan International, according to reports out Tuesday.
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which owns the Karan brand, is expected to make an announcement on the appointment shortly.
In addition, LVMH could put Weber in charge of Thomas Pink in America due to his experience with menswear and shirts in particular.
Posted by Blacks at 09:12 AM | Comments (0)
October 09, 2006
Report: Retail Sales Continued Sept. Climb
Moderate weather and declining gas prices helped boost retail sales in September, according to a recent study by Retail Forward.
Same-store sales notched up 4% in the month, with apparel and accessory stores leading the way.
Sales are expected to continue to improve through the holiday season, showing a 5.5% increase over the same period last year. This is lower than the 7.2% gain seen last holiday season, however.
Posted by Blacks at 09:18 AM | Comments (0)
October 06, 2006
Report: Richard Cohen Wooing Tahari
Richard Cohen is reportedly negotiating a deal to lead Elie Tahari’s bridge sportswear company.
The former Zegna U.S. and St. John exec is knocking on Tahari’s door during a time of growth and expansion for the company. Tahari recently launched a men’s collection and is planning to expand its freestanding stores.
While the talks have yet to be confirmed, all eyes will be on Cohen in coming weeks to see if the collaboration takes flight.
Posted by Blacks at 08:52 AM | Comments (0)
October 04, 2006
Juicy, Loro Make Newbury Street Home
Boston’s Newbury Street continues to evolve with an eclectic mix of retail residents. Both Juicy Couture and Italian brand Loro Piana plan to open boutiques on the swanky downtown street this quarter.
Juicy, known for its velour tracksuits and cheeky style, is setting up shop later this month is the space formally occupied by Chico’s. Loro, which provides luxury cashmere and woolens, is opening a two-story location around the New Year.
Posted by Blacks at 09:09 AM | Comments (0)
October 03, 2006
Miyake Designer To Create His Own Label
Issey Miyake designer Naoki Takizawa is showing his last collection under the Miyake name in Paris this week.
Takizawa, who has led both men’s and women’s wear at Miyake for several years, is preparing to create his own label at the Japanese fashion house.
The company is selecting a new lead designer in upcoming weeks, and is expected to go with someone from its studio.
Posted by Blacks at 09:21 AM | Comments (0)
October 02, 2006
Report: Brioni Without A CEO
A board shakeup has left Brioni without a CEO, according to a report out Monday. Although Umberto Angeloni headed the Italian brand for 15 years, last summer the company decided to dissolve the board and form a new one and a new CEO has yet to be appointed.
Despite the shakeup, Umberto claims the company is performing well. There is no word on when a new chief executive will be appointed.
Posted by Blacks at 09:24 AM | Comments (0)