CHANEL’S WIDER STRIDING IN ON THE BLOCK?pdf-digital-daily.wwd.com.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/dd/… · 24/03/2016  · Chanel-owned lingerie and swimwear firm, and eventually

Fashion. Beauty. Business.

DAILY EDITION 24 MARCH 2016 1

CHANEL’S WIDER WEBThe fashion house has launched e-commerce for its specialty millinery atelier Maison Michel. PAGE 3

ON THE BLOCK?Guthy-Renker is said to be eyeing the sale of skin-care line Proactiv, with Nestlé a potential buyer. PAGE 9

● Global industries recovered quickly following the attacks in Belgium, but there is still concern among the luxury retailers that tourism will be hurt.

BY DEBRA BORCHARDT

On edge, but coping.That appears to be the new attitude in

the modern world as Europe continued to reel from the terrorist attacks in Brussels on Tuesday that claimed 31 lives and injured 271 people, and major U.S. cities remained on high alert about possible attacks. The U.S. State Department issued a warning to its citizens about traveling to Europe and the threat of further potential terrorist attacks.

Yet while the Brussels airport where one of the attacks took place remained closed Wednesday, Belgian department store chain Galeria Inno, a subsidiary of Hudson’s Bay Co.’s Kaufhof department store division, decided to reopen its four stores in greater Brussels with “appropriate security mea-sures,” said a spokesman, who noted details aren’t revealed so as not to undermine their efficacy.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo went to the Belgian capital on Wednesday to show support and pay tribute to the victims at the Maelbeek metro station. She ordered the Eiffel Tower to be illuminated in the colors of the Belgian flag to show solidarity

RETAIL

Industry, MarketsRespond to FearsOf More Terrorism

CONTINUED ON PG. 10

STRIDING INAccessories online retailer M.Gemi is unveiling an Italian-made men’s footwear collection. PAGE 8

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● The French luxury firm reports that its operating margin improved by 0.3 points to 31.8 percent.

BY JOELLE DIDERICH WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM MILES SOCHA

PARIS — Hermès is hoping continued demand for its Birkin bags and Collier de Chien bracelets will help it jump over obstacles in 2016.

Axel Dumas, chief executive officer of Hermès International, predicted that 2016 would be a difficult year for luxury, citing hurdles including stock market volatility in China, the strong U.S. dollar and a spate of terrorist attacks, including the suicide bombings in Brussels on Tuesday that killed 31 people and injured 260.

“I think the fundamentals of the group are very strong, the creativity of the house is good and therefore we are approaching 2016

BUSINESS

Hermès Forecasts Difficult Year for Luxury Sector

CONTINUED ON PG. 10

FASHION

Pixelated LadyWhile black dominated the Tokyo Fashion Week runways (doesn’t it always?), exaggerated patterns and bold hues commanded their fair share, too. Nao Yagi and Hokuto Katsui’s zestful, postmodern collection for Mint Designs featured enlarged geometric prints — giving coats, pants and dresses like this one an air of abstract graphics. For more Tokyo highlights, see pages 4 and 5.

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● The French firm sets online selling for hatmaker Maison Michel, one of its specialty ateliers.

BY MILES SOCHA

PARIS — Venturing further into e-commerce, Chanel on Wednesday launched online sell-ing in Europe for hatmaker Maison Michel, one of its specialty ateliers.

Disclosing the development exclusively to WWD, Bruno Pavlovsky, president of Chanel Fashion, said the IT, logistics and service pro-tocols employed for the project are helping the company accrue expertise ahead of the summer launch of online selling for Eres, the Chanel-owned lingerie and swimwear firm, and eventually for the flagship Chanel brand, which in November initiated e-commerce for eyewear in the U.S.

The executive prefers the term “e-commer-ce/e-service” to connote Chanel’s multichan-nel approach to online selling: “an extension of what we are already doing in the boutique for the customers.”

The Maison Michel Web store is to offer its complete catalogue spanning 120 headwear references for women and men, along with ties, scarves, headbands, earmuffs and veils.

Pavlovsky noted the company, which employs some 35 people, recently relocated to larger premises in Aubervilliers in subur-ban Paris to accommodate the e-commerce foray.

The redesigned Web site features oval-framed photos by Chanel’s couturier Karl Lagerfeld of “Girls” star Jemima Kirke sprin-kled with images of hats being steamed and shaped on linden wood molds. Interspersed

are young hipsters modeling hats in Polaroids or photo-booth snaps, lending the site a spon-taneous, lively and unvarnished feel.

Maison Michel, founded in 1936, is now under the artistic direction of Priscilla Royer, an alumnus of Pièce d’Anarchive and Vivi-enne Westwood.

Acquired by Chanel in 1997 and integrated into its Paraffection subsidiary of specialty ateliers in 2006, Maison Michel has been transformed from a mainly bespoke milliner into a thriving purveyor of chic and quirky off-the-rack toppers.

Pavlovsky acknowledged that the future of hats was unclear even a decade ago, and then they came roaring back into fashion as

a statement and a practical necessity as more people seek protection from the sun.

“This change was not that obvious. Now it seems we have something that is quite solid,” he said.

Lagerfeld was certainly feeling hats for his fall collection for Chanel, topping most ensembles with a chinstrap boater.

Maison Michel manufactures hats for Chanel and other brands including Maison Margiela and Lemaire, while its namesake brand is wholesaled to 120 doors and in pop-ups at Bergdorf Goodman in New York, Boon the Shop in Seoul and On Pedder locations in Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and Shanghai.

The company also counts a shop-in-shop at Le Bon Marché in Paris, plus two freestand-ing boutiques: one in London and its two-week-old Paris flagship at 22 Rue Cambon. The firm had spent two years in temporary digs at 19 Rue Cambon. The environs of the French brand’s historic boutique at 31 Rue Cambon resemble a Ritz-scale construction site as workers begin reconfiguring neigh-boring buildings acquired by Chanel on Rue Duphot and Rue Saint-Honoré. The plan is to expand the original store in two phases and with two storefronts, echoing Chanel’s configuration on Avenue Montaigne.

“Today, we prefer to have two stores of about 4,000 to 5,000 square feet than one large one with more than 10,000 square feet,” Pavlovksy said, describing the enlarge-ment as a multiyear project.

Maison Michel expects to expand online selling to the U.S. next year.

Last year’s eyewear launch in the U.S. marked the French firm’s first e-commerce venture for its vast fashion division. Chanel has been selling fragrances, makeup and skin care online for 10 years in the U.S.

FASHION

Chanel Tips Its Hat to E-commerce

They Are Wearing: Tokyo Fashion Week, Fall 2016● As Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Tokyo got underway, WWD’s street-style photographer documented the trends happening off the runways.

● They Are Wearing: Paris Fashion Week Fall 2016

● The Abercrombie Remake Continues

● IMG Models Signs Hailey Baldwin

● Gosha Rubchinskiy Takes Russian Aesthetic Global

Global Stock TrackerAs of close March 23, 2016

ADVANCERS

DECLINERS

Yoox Net-a-porter Group +3.55%

Fast Retailing Co. Ltd. +3.08%

Pandora A/S +3.03%

Hermès International SCA +4.73%

Anta Sports Products Ltd. +2.51%

The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. -12.66%

Vince Holding Corp. -6.41%

Iconix Brand Group Inc. -5.88%

Trinity Ltd. -5.68%

Ascena Retail Group Inc. -4.62%

TOP 5TRENDINGON WWD.COM

● The Italian fashion house announced it will not use fur across all labels.

BY ROSEMARY FEITELBERG

The Armani Group has agreed to go entirely fur-free starting with its fall 2016 collections, following years of off-and-on appeals by animal rights activists.

In an agreement with The Humane Soci-ety of the U.S. and the Fur Free Alliance, the company said Tuesday morning that it

plans to stop using animal fur in all of its products. The Fur Free Alliance is a coalition of 40 animal protection organizations in 28 countries that are trying to end the fur trade.

Giorgio Armani said in a statement released

by the HSUS, “I am pleased to announce that the Armani Group has made a firm commitment to abolish the use of animal fur in its collections. Technological progress made over the years allows us to have valid alternatives at our disposition that render the use of cruel practices unnecessary as regards animals. Pursuing the positive process undertaken long ago, my company is now taking a major step ahead, reflect-ing our attention to the critical issues of protecting and caring for the environment and animals.”

inRead invented by TeadsSeventy percent of the designers who

showed their fall 2016 collections on

runways in New York, London, Milan and Paris featured some element of fur, according to the Fur Information Council of America’s director of communications Keith Kaplan. Citing a recent survey by the Inter-national Fur Federation, he said more than 400 designers internationally use fur.

From Kaplan’s point of view, a num-ber of designers including Armani have “sort of been given a pass” by HSUS and other animal rights groups. Although he admittedly had no firsthand knowledge, he alleged that animal rights groups made “hands-off deals” with some designers that allowed them to use lamb and rabbit fur in their collections yet to publicly claim they were fur-free. Kaplan also claimed that the designers could do so without the threat of store protests or other repercussions from animal rights groups.

Reminded that Armani has said all his col-lections will now be totally fur free, Kaplan chalked up the change in direction to ailing fur sales in select countries. “What’s changed in the equation is that Russia and China had become large markets for their fur products. But as Russia and China have lost their buying power as a result of their own economic issues, they are somewhat removed from the equation,” Kaplan said. “When HSUS continues to hound these designers, I think they consider whether it is worth the threat of store protests and disruption of business and so forth. Right now, because of the economic conditions in Russia and China, I think designers are eval-uating and saying, ‘Perhaps at this juncture, it might not be. We’ll given in at this point to make this problem go away.’”

Kaplan added, “Presumably when condi-tions pick back up in these countries, it will be a new ballgame.”

Over the years, the Italian fashion house has been criticized by animal rights activists at times for its use of rabbit fur. In 2009, PETA supporters placed mannequins

in coffinlike structures imprinted with “Armani: Fur is Dead” on the sidewalk out-side of the Armani store in Taipei.

HSUS president and chief executive officer Wayne Pacelle first met the designer that same year to discuss the company’s use of fur. “It was obvious then that the presence of fur in some of his lines weighed heavily on his conscience. I knew then that Mr. Armani cared deeply about animals and it would be just a matter of time before he directed the switch to fur-free alternatives,” Pacelle said.

“He was dealing with the industry-wide assumption within the fashion industry that fur equates to luxury. That was always a questionable assumption, since you can buy strips of raccoon dog or fox fur for as little as $5 apiece or less. In fact, top quality faux fur can cost more,” Pacelle said. “The quality of faux fur these days is exceptional and comes with no moral problems.”

Armani’s decision follows in the footsteps of Hugo Boss, which announced in July that it would no longer use fur in any of its products. With Tuesday’s announcement of Armani’s fur-free policy, the HSUS hopes that other fur-using designers will follow the lead of the Italian designer. Pacelle pointed out that brands and designers like Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Stella McCartney and Ralph Lauren are “disassociating them-selves from animal cruelty and switching to cruelty-free alternatives that are indistin-guishable from the real thing. Mr. Armani’s leadership makes it clear that designers can achieve luxury and creative freedom without real animal fur.”

This has been a notable month for the designer, who launched a digital platform for the “Si Women’s Circle,” highlighting women who have said “Si” to their aspira-tions and passions, such as Cate Blanchett. On another front, Rihanna recently kicked off her “Anti” world concert tour with a dra-matic closing customized look by Armani.

FASHION

Armani Group Pledges: No Fur

Giorgio Armani

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The ReviewsDivkaTakayuki Tanaka decided to experiment with garment construction this season. He was thinking about the unfinished edges of fabrics, the creases made by varying weights of different textiles and, over-all, “the power of incomplete garments, which is usually lost through the process of clothes-making,” said the designer, who took his bow with his pattern maker, Motoyuki Matsumoto.

The collection was rich, melding textured fabrics and drapery. Heavily distressed textiles were turned into big and cozy coats, a long skirt and a blazer. Skirts featured paper-bag waists employing ample quantities of material. There were also long dresses with drawstrings and folds of fabric to give them an amorphous, yet flattering shape.

There were a few misses, namely a lumpy long skirt and matching blouse in a patch-work check pattern and some dresses with awkward zippers running down the front. Outerwear was the standout category here and sometimes the simpler pieces looked the sharpest. Consider a light gray coat with a high collar and buttons diagonally down the front, or the long black coat with over-size lapels that closed the show. —Amanda Kaiser

Mint DesignsBroad brands of contrasting hues. Colors that popped. Squares within cubes and other geometric patterns. The zestful aes-thetic of architect-designer Ettore Sottsass clearly inspired Nao Yagi and Hokuto

Katsui’s fall Mint Designs collection.But, lest anyone sense they were linger-

ing in the past, the duo said they also aimed to create a “post-modern” feeling, mainly by the use of unusual materials. Models zigzagged across a clear acrylic stage in palazzo pants, pencil skirts, long coats and cropped jackets all fashioned from a fleecelike fabric, as thick and cozy-looking as a plush toy, but realized in a pixellated print. The dresses’ wide waistbands and sleeves and the backs of pants were made in a plastic-y black textile, gathered to create an effect of cinched-up trash bags.

The designers also used various jac-quards in lighthearted prints of polka dots or flowers on peplum tops, cropped trousers and tea-length dresses and skirts. Large, clear plastic buttonlike embellish-ments and zippers that can detach sections of coats added a bit of whimsy. The show closed with a series of strong looks in bold stripes, including a pantsuit and a coat worn over striped red velour leggings. — Kelly Wetherille

LamarckWearable, feminine fashion is Shinsuke Morishita’s specialty. He delivered that again this season. The designer took over an old house to show his range of Fair Isle knits, midiskirts and wide-leg pants.

There were some eye-catching details, like the toggles on a plaid skirt or button trim on the shoulders of sweaters. Sheer fabric featuring dainty floral embroidery made for a cute midi skirt that peeked out from under a sleeveless black trenchcoat.

Morishita has a skill for garment con-struction and it would be great to see more of it beyond the 11 looks presented, especially since the fashion pack made a special trip to an off-site location to view his work. — A.K.

BennuFor his inaugural collection for newly launched brand Bennu, designer Yuji Sugeno drew inspiration from Jimi Hen-drix’s 1967 hit “Foxy Lady,” aiming to create clothes that recall the rock ’n’ roll style of the late Sixties and early Seventies, while updating it by mixing in some classic pieces. In the end, the offering consisted of nothing more than variations of such standard styles as suits, coats and biker’s jackets.

Many pieces, including black patch-work leather bikers’ jackets and a series of coats in gray checks, black and white herringbone and burgundy or black velvet, were presented as unisex styles, worn by men and women. There were also wide-leg pants, double-breasted suits and skirts ranging from a leopard mini to a long black lace number.

The silhouettes and designs were not exactly new or different, but Sugeno attempted to update them with his choice of textiles. A black cable knit sweater for men had gold metallic threads knit into it, golden or rusty-brown faux-fur jackets and coats had an almost matted appearance, and the velvet that showed up often on lapels glinted under the runway lights. Still, these details did little to make the classic pieces feel fresh. — K.W.

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Yukihero Pro-WrestlingAs a child, Yukihiro Teshima became fascinated with professional wrestling. And that love has continued into his adult life: In addition to naming his brand Yukihero Pro-Wrestling, he also designs costumes for professional wrestlers.

Not surprisingly, then, the sport was also a theme in Teshima’s fall collection, which fea-tured satin pajamas, oversize jersey T-shirts, dresses and jackets all printed with cartoon-like, masked wrestlers in various poses. Other influences included hunting, which was apparent in a series of camouflage over-alls and jackets with bright orange linings, and music, which showed up in the form of a navy A-line dress and pants adorned with large, multicolored musical note appliqués.

While some of Teshima’s pieces, including a simple gray men’s vest, hooded sweatshirts and button-down shirts, were little more than everyday staples, overall the collection was innovative, with just the right dose of humor. One standout exit: a pair of men’s ivory satin pants with images of wrestlers, which appeared to be painted on and rows of mul-ticolored LED lights that lit up like children’s sneakers when the model walked.

After the last look came down the runway, an actual wrestler appeared, dressed in black-and-white briefs and wrestling boots. He hoisted the model onto his shoulder before exiting. It was a fitting end to an entertaining show, which was staged on the rooftop of a Tower Records store. — Kelly Wetherille

ByvelvetAs part of their global push, the organizers of Tokyo Fashion Week invited Indonesian brands Byvelvet and Norma Hauri to stage a group show for the fall season.

Husband-and-wife design duo Randy W. Sastra and Yessi Kusumo founded Byvel-vet last year in a bid to produce timeless pieces with a classic, yet modern feel to

them. “Byvelvet is essentially influenced by modernism in architecture and solemnity in nature,” their show notes said.

They produced a collection of conserva-tive, minimalist clothes with an emphasis on fabric drapery. Tops that criss-crossed or tied in front predominated. Some of the strongest items were in silk, like a sweet blue dress with a ruffle detail along the breast and a series of floaty white jackets and tunics worn over matching pants or dark skirts. — Amanda Kaiser

Motohiro TanjiMotohiro Tanji delivered another collec-tion of intricate and experimental knitwear. Several of his sweaters featured quirky, surreal twists like additional neck holes or sleeves. Other times, they had a decon-structed feel to them. In one case, a sweater was wrapped over a pair of knit hot pants as a skirt. Another exit featured what looked like a bunched-up cardigan fashioned into something akin to a bolero.

Texture was another common thread run-ning through the collection as loops of yarn gave one ivory sweater — worn as a mini-dress — a fuzzy feel. A cropped black number featured enough folds of fabric to give it an almost sculptural feel.

It all looked cool, though Tanji’s sweater girls may need to rethink their outerwear, as it would take a voluminous coat to accommo-date all that surplus yarn — not to mention the extra sleeves. — A.K.

AllSaintsBecause this British contemporary brand is targeting the Japanese market as part of its international expansion efforts, it opted to showcase its fall collection in Tokyo. Despite the location, a fair distance from the official Tokyo fashion show venue in Shibuya, the presentation was a bustling one, attracting a healthy crowd of local editors. The show featured a mix of professional models and edgy kids scouted from the streets of Tokyo

just a few days earlier.ICreative director Wil Beedle cited Seiji

Kurata’s flash photography of early Eighties Japan and the rise of the post-punk move-ment for the fall collection, dubbed “Remote Control.” He was intrigued by Kurata’s ability to capture the “underground, illicit cultural landscape of that culture,” the designer added, as a wall of old-school television sets in the exhibition space flickered with black-and-white video montages of the street kids.

Aiming to replicate the gleam of metal and skin in Kurata’s photos, Beedle turned out back leather jackets for him and her with a “super-fine shine.” A couple featured shear-ling accents, including a long boxy version that toughened up a long peach-colored dress. They could offer great options for con-sumers looking to buy into the motorcycle trend-of-the-moment (but who aren’t willing to shell out for a Saint Laurent).

Other post-punk and Eighties references included oversize coats, belted to give them shape; chunky knitwear, and military-in-spired pieces such as a khaki cargo jacket and shirtdress. Then there were items that drew on Beedle’s observations of Tokyo’s urban landscape. “When I look around the city, I see grids everywhere,” he said, explaining the logic behind mohair coats in bleeding check patterns.

The collection offered up an edgy-yet-wearable range of clothing at a competitive price point — a combination that could easily lure fans of both the London High Street players and the luxury labels. — A.K.

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● Common favorites at Tokyo Fashion Week included Writtenafterwards, And Wander and Suzusan.

BY KELLY WETHERILLE

TOKYO — Good but needs to get better.

Buyers weighed in on the six days of Tokyo Fashion Week, saying that while some of the collections were strong, there are still things Tokyo designers need to work on in order to compete on the world stage.

“I want each designer to put forth their own strong originality. But how they do that is in the details, the designs, the way they choose their materials…they have to work hard to not be beat in these areas by design-ers from other countries,” said Yuji Taka-hashi, a buyer of men’s wear and sportswear for Isetan Mitsukoshi. “Now street fashion is very strong in Japan, but I also have the impression that actual fashion is a bit weak. In this area, China and Korea are becoming quite strong, so I want the young generation of designers to make things that are a bit more stylish and to become more interna-tionally minded designers.”

Several buyers also mentioned the impor-tance of having a strong identity and main-taining that from season to season, while still making collections that look different enough to be interesting to customers.

“If I had to put forth a key phrase, I would say ‘wearable originality’ is something I would like the designers to aim for. When I work overseas, one thing I really feel is the different ways in which international buyers and Japanese buyers choose products. International buyers look for strong things, but things that have wearable originality, and I think this is something international designers are trying hard to make,” said Sogo Terazawa, a women’s buyer for Isetan Mitsu-koshi. “Japanese people tend more toward things that have a realness to them. So I think it would be good for Japanese brands to look more internationally and make things that have a bit more originality to them.”

Sarah Andelman, creative director of Colette, echoed this sentiment. She was in town as one of the jury members of the Tokyo Fashion Award.

“It’s a subtle balance between creativity and wearability and something unique with authenticity,” Andelman said. “In all new collections we are seeing, not only Japanese but French, American…there are so many brands today, you really have to do something so personal and so unique to be noticed I think. And it’s not trying to be commercial, trying to satisfy a clientele. You have to bring something from your heart, and then the magic happens.”

Many attendees of this season’s Tokyo Fashion Week lamented the lack of really exciting shows, now that brands such as Fac-etasm, Anrealage and Sulvam have started to present their collections outside of Japan instead.

“Brands such as Facetasm and Sulvam didn’t do shows this time, and I think that’s a big [change],” said Motofumi “Poggy” Kogi, director of United Arrows & Sons. “So I think the next generation has to really work hard from now on. It’s a real time of change, so in that sense, I get the feeling that from this season the brands have a great opportunity to drum up excitement.”

Of the brands that did show in Tokyo this season, common favorites included Writ-tenafterwards, And Wander, Mr. Gentleman

and Suzusan, which presents its collections through exhibitions rather than shows.

“They say that brands like White Moun-taineering, which use outdoor and sports influences, are gaining popularity around the world,” Kogi said. “It’s like a continuation of the ‘luxury camping’ trend; it’s one result of that. And the designer for And Wander used to be a designer at Issey Miyake, so he can also make proper clothes while still continuing to incorporate these influences. I’ve really been noticing his work. I thought it was surprisingly rare to see a designer incorporating outdoor elements into actual fashion.”

Kogi said that from fall, he will also be picking up Coohem for the first time. Owned by a manufacturer of unique tweed-like knit-wear, until now it has only made women’s wear, but will be making a men’s offering specially for United Arrows & Sons. Some of Kogi’s other favorite collections included Writtenafterwards and Sulvam.

Takahashi said his favorite Tokyo collec-tions this season were Writtenafterwards, Ethosens and And Wander. His budget for Japanese brands this fall is up nearly 10 percent over a year earlier, and one new brand he will be adding is a very small one

called Almost Black, which hasn’t yet staged a runway show.

“In terms of impact, Writtenafterwards had a very curious show with a strong individuality. I thought it was the kind of thing you wouldn’t see from an international brand, so from that point of view, I thought it was very good,” Takahashi said. He also noted that he appreciated the minimalist style of Ethosens, which he sees as a rather rare brand in a city where streetwear and everyday clothes are the norm on the run-ways. He hopes to see more of this kind of thing in the future.

Andelman only arrived in Tokyo for the last few days of fashion week, but she said she saw potential in the young designers who presented their collections in the Tokyo New Age show.

“I really liked the energy from Keisuke Yoshida and [Ryouta] Murakami; it was something strong,” she said.

This is the second season Andelman has been invited on behalf of the Tokyo Fash-ion Award, and she said she has seen some improvements over the year since she was last in the Japanese capital.

“I think there are more mature collections. I think they are more ready to really develop

in their own market and internationally. I think there is a slightly more mature level in the collections and in everything — the production, the shows,” she said.

Miyako Sekimoto, fashion director at Matsuya, agreed that the quality of Tokyo designers’ collections and shows is improv-ing with each season.

“Over these few years, Tokyo designers [have started] doing what they want and what is good for Japanese markets, so they decided to go their own way, which is coming from Tokyo’s streets, so that’s a big change,” Sekimoto said, mentioning that just a few years ago it was common for Japanese designers to imitate what European design-ers were doing.

For international buyers, the weak yen is helping to make Japanese brands more attractive, although that doesn’t necessar-ily mean they wouldn’t have bought them otherwise.

“To be honest, it will [make it easier to buy] for the first season, but that wouldn’t be a reason why I would pick up a Japanese brand because Harvey Nichols likes to nur-ture brands and grow them, and you can’t rely on an exchange rate always remaining in your favor,” said Alison Chisholm, a buyer of contemporary collections and women’s wear for Harvey Nichols. “So I think it’s better to almost look at the pricing as a package and also make sure that that product would sell if it was at the norm rather than at a weaker price point.”

Chisholm was one of six international buy-ers invited to Tokyo by the Japan External Trade Organization, although most came in the week following the shows and focused on exhibitions instead. Of the few brands that Chisholm had seen, she said Suzusan, which makes cashmere pieces dyed using the tradi-tional Japanese shibori (tie-dye) method, was one of her favorites.

Andreas Murkudis, another invited buyer who owns a few boutiques by the same name in Berlin, is also a fan of Suzusan. In addition to fashion, he planned to use his time in Tokyo to seek out new and interest-ing designers of interior goods, furniture and products. But like other buyers both domes-tic and international, he said he sometimes feels there’s a lack of individuality among Japanese brands.

“I am missing the independency some-times. What you see often is a European-ori-ented design language, which is not bad, but under all that the individuality gets lost. I always appreciate when designers speak from their imagination rather than losing themselves. In my opinion, the Japanese fashion designers have such strong and inspiring personalities and visionaries in design — they should take those as role models,” he said, referencing Rei Kawakubo, Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake, and more recently Chitose Abe of Sacai, Junichi Abe of Kolor and Jun Takahashi of Undercover.

Kevin Carney, owner of Mohawk General Stores in Los Angeles, who was also brought to Tokyo by JETRO, said he thinks that the universality of Japanese design can appeal to international customers.

“I think sometimes European brands, or all brands for that matter, sometimes they design for, like, a European guy. And for Japan, obviously sometimes they’ll design for a very Japanese guy, but then also you’ll find these brands that are just sort of designing for, like, the everyday guy,” he said. “It’s really nice quality, it’s beautiful fabric.…The fit is always an issue, but some brands I think are going more into a European fit, an American fit and a Japanese fit with their specs, so it’s getting easier to kind of fit it into the store.”

This season saw 686 buyers register for Tokyo Fashion Week. Of those, 398 were from Japanese retailers and 289 represented stores in some 29 countries, including China, Hong Kong, the United States and Canada. There were more than 20,000 visitors to Tokyo’s runway shows in total.

FASHION

Buyers Seek More Individuality From Japanese Designers

White MountaineeringMr. GentlemanWrittenafterwards

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● The highs and lows of the shows — and what’s behind them.

BY MARCY MEDINA

Los Angeles’ currency on the world market of cultural awareness, aka buzz, continues to reach new highs. But the per-formance of its fashion week has remained stagnant — both in terms of the overall quality of the lines shown and the produc-tion of the shows themselves.

The handful of presentations that took place here from March 13 to 19 didn’t accurately represent the vibrant home-grown fashion scene, one that ranges from established designers from Rodarte, Monique Lhuillier and Juan Carlos Obando to contemporary lines like Korovilas and A.L.C.

The few organizers brave enough to take on the uphill battle of improving the local runway scene managed to tighten up some things — this was the first season “fashion week” actually took place within seven days rather than the entire month — but still lack a single, unifying body to give the shows an authoritative, consistently professional presentation. In this sort of undertaking, the spirit of “individualism” and “enterprise,” so inherent to the West Coast way of life, becomes a liability. We had individual designers and presenters mounting competing and conflicting events, but with so few shows on the calendar (33 total), there’s no excuse for overlap. Shows began late (two-and-a-half hours in some cases) or, even more unfor-givably, early.

Not surprisingly, the venues varied widely, from downtown’s historic Union Station (the functioning railway hub has a large room off to the side of its main entrance long enough for a full-sized run-way and several rows of chairs), to a large room in Hollywood’s El Centro building that housed a smaller, more straightfor-ward runway, to the landmark Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood’s Design District, with an outdoor runway flanked by a reflecting pool in its vast courtyard. One local line, William Bradley, elected to show at a one-off event poolside at the Mondrian Hotel’s Skybar. It was perhaps not ideal for runway photography, as there was no runway or proper lighting, but at least the atmosphere was festive. Another event to benefit AIDS charities also took place at an Armenian wedding hall/entertainment complex, where musical performances melded with group runway presentations.

Some of L.A.’s most recognizable players don’t show here because they prefer the fashion press and retailer-focused shows of New York Fashion Week (BCBG Max Azria, Jenni Kayne, Trina Turk and the aforemen-tioned Rodarte, Lhuillier and Obando), while others eschew local runways because their product is more oriented to trade shows and showroom appointments (Guess, James Perse) or because they prefer out-of-the-box experiences (see: recently shuttered Band of Outsiders’ men’s events or parties in private homes, bars and restaurants for lines ranging from Rachel Zoe to The Elder Statesman).

Nevertheless, a handful of impressive, solid lines did mount shows, ranging from men’s streetwear to women’s eveningwear.

Both categories, along with sportswear, represent a significant genre for Los Ange-les, whose sartorial tastes seem to swing regularly from ultracasual cool (hence the overused “California lifestyle brand” to describe a label) to sparkly evening (women here seem to be red-carpet-ready at all times).

In addition to strong L.A.-based collec-tions such as William Bradley and Dena Burton, there were several visitors from

abroad, representing Europe and Asia. Most of these designers, well-established in their own countries, can afford to mount second shows in the U.S. as part of a plan to break into American retail markets. For example, Marcelo Quadros, who has been designing Carnival-appropriate evenin-gwear in Rio de Janeiro for five years, showed his beautifully crafted, slinky looks in the City of Angels for a second time. And Shanghai-based advanced contemporary/

young designer Helen Lee made her Los Angeles debut as part of a strategy to land her fall collection in top boutiques and specialty department stores.

Lee’s experience here sums up both the good and the bad of Los Angeles Fashion Week. Her strong collection was presented at the Pacific Design Center on a beautiful runway with a stunning backdrop (the PDC’s modern glass red, blue and green buildings complemented her red, blue and white collection perfectly). But, due to scheduling snafus and bad overall plan-ning on the part of the show producers, her photographers weren’t able to get into position on the runway riser in time, nor did her staff have time to place programs and look books on each guest’s seat.

While the designer remained positive, noting good audience feedback and press reaction, she was frustrated by the lack of organization. “I’m used to producing my own shows or showing as part of very well-organized events. Not being from here, I had to work with others to help me produce this show, but I’ve learned a lot for next time. I plan show here again, but I’ll do my own event, like what I do now in China.”

Still, Lee said she’s glad she chose to launch in Los Angeles because “in case things go wrong here [as they did], it’s easier to fix them rather than when all eyes are on you in New York.”

As the gap between celebrity consum-er-friendly shows and fashion-press-fo-cused presentations continues to narrow, Lee’s experience underscores the inevita-ble friction caused by catering to differing needs for differing audiences. But it looks like Lee, and others around the world, had better get used to it. The mixed messages of Los Angeles Fashion Week 2016 might simply be a harbinger of things to come. “I’ve always been a fan of L.A. for its cul-ture [and] the nearness to celebrities and stylists,” she added.

FASHION

L.A. Fashion Week Recap: Promising Designers, Problematic Productions

Helen Lee

William Bradley staged it’s show around the Mondrian Hotel’s Skybar pool.

Marcelo QuadrosDena Burton

8 24 MARCH 2016

● The Made in Italy shoes will launch on the brand’s Web site today.

BY RACHEL STRUGATZ

M.Gemi is carving out a niche in accesso-ries that are described by founder and chief executive officer Ben Fischman as “post luxury.”

The e-commerce site at mgemi.com, which launched a year ago selling women’s shoes entirely handmade in Italy, is rolling out a corresponding men’s range today. A private sale will be open to the brand’s existing database, as well as anyone who has referred someone, to shop in advance of the collections’ official launch on March 28.

“Men have been trained that these fine dress shoes are incredibly expensive, and I think that [we’re] bringing that same, or even better, level of quality at price points that make sense. They can enjoy the quality of the product without feeling silly paying the historically exorbitant price points,” Fischman said of M.Gemi’s shoes, which are produced in the same Italian factories as a handful of high-end footwear labels that can typically charge anywhere from $400 to $600.

Enter the “post luxury” category, defined by Fischman as a movement that embraces the very best of luxury — the craftsmanship, the service, and the artistry — but fiercely challenges traditional beliefs around access, frequency and pricing. Luxury product is predicated on long delivery and production cycles and two to five releases a year, versus M.Gemi, which releases new women’s foot-wear styles on a weekly basis.

In line with this philosophy, 15 men’s styles will be available at launch, spanning dressier oxfords and loafers to more casual boat shoes, moccasins and sneakers. Prices start at $198 for a driving moccasin and go up to $268 for a pair of wingtips. Each shoe comes in traditional black and brown but Fischman is “pushing guys to have more fun than they normally do,” offering versions of select casual styles in salmon, pistachio, purple and bright blue. A Belt Shop will also sell calf and pebbled leather belts for $128 and alligator versions for $298.

Women’s shoes retail for $250 to $275, on

average, with certain styles that cost into the low $300 range. A selection of moccasins and round and pointed toe flats are priced at $178 to $198.

Fischman, who in 2013 parted ways with Rue La La, the flash sale Web site he founded eight years ago, set his sights on building a direct to consumer e-commerce brand. He’s raised $32 million to date, including a $14 million Series A two months before the site launched and an $18 million Series B in November from General Catalyst Partners, Forerunner Ventures, Breakaway Innova-tion Group and Accel. He declined to give revenue projections.

“Over the last year we’ve learned quite a bit about not only the new luxury business, [but] the Italian supply chain and the con-sumer. We’re taking those learnings and put-ting that into men’s product,” he explained in a phone interview while in Florence

visiting manufacturers. He’s working with six different factories that all specialize in different elements of the men’s shoe world, from soles to uppers.

For instance, a driving shoe for women — handmade by a supplier in Tuscany — performed so well on-site since its debut last year that Fischman is having the same manu-facturer produce two driving shoes for men and a style with a two-toned full sole bottom.

“Not to overly stereotype, but the differ-ence [between men] from female consum-ers who love checking out what’s new and being constantly engaged is that the guys first and foremost want to find the product they love and stick to it. They find a loafer they love and want to own it in three colors,” Fischman said. “[For men] there isn’t as much craving newness as craving optionality in what they love.”

To appeal to this, M.Gemi will offer a “Refresh” package that give customers $100 off if they purchase three items at a time, inclusive of footwear and belts.

“We always believed that, while we love the luxury sector, for us it’s not a big enough industry. [We asked ourselves] how do you increase consumption within the luxury sector, and the way we believe you do this is by offering more newness at somewhat approachable price points,” Fischman said.

He pointed out that 50 percent of female consumers who purchased from M.Gemi within the first five months bought another pair of shoes. Those who bought a second time within that five-month period wound up purchasing, on average, 3.5 times during the first six months. This is higher than the 2.1 purchases that Fischman predicted would occur in the same time frame.

He added: “People wind up buying more shoes. They wind up spending more, but they are getting many more shoes for it.”

RETAIL

M.Gemi Goes Into Men’s Sector

● Lorraine Kirke’s teacup-size concept boutique had cultivated a loyal following in its 12 years of operation.

BY MISTY WHITE SIDELL

West Village frock purveyor Geminola will close by the end of May. Located at 41 Perry Street, the teacup-size concept boutique had cultivated a loyal following in its 12-year run. Its carefully curated, madcap display of reconstructed vintage clothing, housewares, accessories and distressed tutus are marked down at 50 percent off.

Geminola owner Lorraine Kirke — who opened the boutique without formal retail experience in 2004 — told WWD that her decision to close the shop is not based on a singular event.

“I just decided it was time to move on, the West Village is now just a completely different vibe. There’s just us [left] and the Perry Street Alcoholics Anonymous meet-ing….It used to be a village and I don’t think the West Village is a village now — it’s a place

for billionaires,” Kirke said.“I got divorced two years ago and had to

sell the house and never got my [in-home] studio again.…I don’t have the space anymore and I didn’t have the visceral connection with it that I loved. Before, I was obsessed, but maybe I was filling the void for a bad marriage, which is funny, right? I was filling the void for a super bad marriage and maybe dresses were helping that, but then when it all went apart, I thought ‘Oh, I don’t need to do all this stuff.’”

West Village passersby and residents knew spring had arrived when Geminola would hang its airy print dresses outside its doors. An amalgamation of her three daugh-ters’ names ( Jemima, Domino and Lola), Geminola was an emporium of unique, feminine wares. Kirke would source vintage linens, laces, velvet and tulle, and transform them into magpie confections, accented with smatterings of antique floral appliqués and moiré ribbons. The one-off designs were strewn around the store, amid antique fixtures and curios — turning the shopping experience into that of a hobbyist pursuit.

The boutique received widespread

recognition when Kirke’s designs were fea-tured in “Sex and the City.” The pallid aqua-marine tutu that Carrie Bradshaw wears in the series’ final episode was sourced from the store.

More recently Kirke’s daughter and “Girls” star Jemima was filmed wearing Geminola designs on the hit HBO show.

Adding to Geminola’s frazzled fairy dust ambiance was its cast of outré shop girls. The boutique was known as a breeding ground for young, cool, ambitious creatives — a large swath of which have moved on and found success in an array of fields, from film to styling. Lena Dunham worked in the boutique during college.

Said Kirke: “I have loved it all. I’m so grateful for the people who love this place and the fun and all the girls who came through here and worked here — I mean there’s got to be at least 100 of them, people who needed their first job, their college job.”

Kirke is now weighing options of what to do with the remainder of her lease in the space. She is considering subletting but, “Can’t imagine why some young girl wouldn’t want to come in and continue it — I’d love for someone creative to come in and take it over and keep it going.”

RETAIL

Geminola to Close Its Doors in West Village

● In addition to its shop-in-shop at Bergdorf Goodman, the brand is opening a pop-up store on Long Island.

BY LISA LOCKWOOD

Urban Zen continues to spread out.

In addition to opening a shop-in-shop on Bergdorf Goodman’s sixth floor, as reported, the company will open an 1,800-square-foot pop-up shop in the Americana Manhasset. (Both shops will take over former Donna Karan spaces. The pop-up will stay open for a year. Urban Zen is owned by Donna Karan.

As reported, the Donna Karan Collection business, which is owned by Donna Karan International, has been put on hiatus, and pre-spring was the final collection at retail.

Urban Zen is influenced by Karan’s trav-els and features women’s ready-to-wear, statement jewelry, handcrafted leather pieces, furniture and artisan made home decor.

The shop’s decor has Balinese-made Urban Zen chairs and sculptural tables, as well as Haitian designed decorative accessories handcrafted by the country’s artisans. The brand preserves culture by working in partnership with global artisans promoting philanthropy and commerce. Urban Zen also supports local production with its “buy-now-wear-now” collections that are designed and manufactured in New York and Italy.

Urban Zen has a flagship in New York’s West Village, a freestanding unit in Sag Harbor, and a seasonal shop in Aspen. The collection is also distributed to specialty boutiques throughout the U.S. and Europe, such as Trois Pommes, A’maree’s and Joan Shepp. It is also available at urbanzen.com. The company plans to open a Los Angeles Urban Zen store in the fall.

The brand supports the Urban Zen Foundation, which is dedicated to mind, body and spirit through the preservation of culture, integrative health care and education.

RETAIL

Urban Zen to Open Pop-up At Americana Manhasset

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A shoe from M.Gemi’s men’s collection.

Shoes from M.Gemi.

Shoes from M.Gemi’s women’s collection.

24 MARCH 2016 9

● Guthy-Renker Said Considering Sale of Proactiv

BY ALLISON COLLINS

Direct-marketing beauty business Guthy-Ren-ker is considering a sale of Proactiv, according to two industry sources. Guthy-Renker declined to comment.

The brand is one of Guthy’s largest, bring-ing in an estimated $876 million in sales for 2014, according to data from Kline. One source estimates sales for 2015 were roughly $1 billion, and a potential deal could be valued at $2 billion or more.

Nestlé, which owns roughly 23 percent of L’Orèal, is close to inking an acquisition agree-ment for the skin-care line, one source said, suggesting that the length of the non-compete with founders Katie Rodan and Kathy Fields has caused negotiations to move more slowly. The source said aside from that, most of the terms of a deal have been negotiated. Nestlé did not return a request for comment by press time.

Proactiv was developed by dermatologists Rodan and Fields in 1995, and its multiprod-uct, acne-treatment regimen has been touted in infomercials by celebrity spokespeople including Adam Levine, Olivia Munn and most recently, Sarah Michelle Geller. (Rodan and Fields also developed the skin-care line Rodan + Fields.)

Guthy-Renker, headquartered in Santa Mon-ica, Calif., is also behind another acne-treat-ment line, X Out, as well as Meaningful Beauty and Wen hair care, which is facing a potential class-action lawsuit from consumers alleging the product causes hair loss. Guthy is also one of the backers of IT Cosmetics, which has reportedly considered an initial public offering. Other product lines in the business include Crepe Erase and Perricone Sub-D. Guthy-Ren-ker ranked at No. 24 on WWD Beauty Inc’s Top 100 list with more than $1.8 billion in estimated sales for 2014.

Proactiv has recently revamped its marketing strategy to cast a wider net, Megan Drogmund, senior director of brand management for Guthy, said at the WWD Beauty Forum in Feb-ruary. The goal is to use authentic stories and feature celebrities in spots of varying lengths to reach different target demographics, she said.

BEAUTY

Guthy-Renker Said Considering Sale of Proactiv

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● Fourth-quarter profits shot up 161 percent with a boost from the Calvin Klein brand.

BY EVAN CLARK

Calvin Klein helped push PVH Corp. into overdrive last year — which was topped off with a 161 percent gain in fourth-quarter profits — but chairman and chief executive officer Emanuel Chirico is taking a cautious, yet confident tack heading into 2016.

“While the global retail landscape con-tinues to be uncertain with major foreign currencies largely weakening against the U.S. dollar and unpredictable and volatile global consumer spending, we believe that we can successfully navigate this environment and have taken a prudent approach to our 2016 plan,” Chirico said.

The company’s fourth-quarter net profits shot up to $134.2 million, or $1.63 a diluted share, from $51.5 million, or 62 cents, a year earlier. Revenues for the three months ended Jan. 31 gained 2.1 percent to $2.11 billion from $2.07 billion.

Adjusted earnings of $1.52 came in 6 cents ahead of the $1.46 analysts projected and sales also topped expectations, driving the stock up 3.6 percent to $90.80 in after-hours trading.

The Calvin Klein business stood out, with total revenues rising 14.7 percent to $806 million, while Tommy Hilfiger’s revenues slide 1.7 percent top $904.1 million.

For the full year, PVH’s earnings rose 30.4 percent to $572.4 million, or $6.89 a diluted share, from $439 million, or $5.27, in 2014. Revenues slipped 2.7 percent to $8.02 billion from $8.24 billion. In a show of strength,

PVH repaid $350 million in debt and repur-chased $126 million in stock last year.

“Our Calvin Klein business was a high-light, as investments we made over the last few years continued to generate solid results, and we saw strength across all regions where we operate,” Chirico said. “Our Tommy Hilfiger business also saw positive momen-tum in its international markets, highlighting the power of the brand. Lastly, our Heri-tage Brands business produced a notable improvement in profitability.”

This year, PVH is looking for adjusted earnings of $6.30 to $6.50, which reflects a negative impact of $1.60 related to foreign currency exchange. Analysts were looking for earnings of $6.57.

Chirico said: “We are committed to delivering stockholder value and our recent announcements demonstrate our belief in taking strategic actions and making investments to support the long-term growth potential of PVH and our businesses. More specifically, we announced that we will acquire the remaining 55 percent stake in our Tommy Hilfiger China joint venture, providing us with the opportunity to further strengthen our market position in China, and that we will leverage G-III Apparel Group’s women’s wear expertise by licens-ing them our Tommy Hilfiger women’s wear North America wholesale business, which will help drive the business beginning with the 2016 holiday season.”

BUSINESS

Despite Gains, PVH Wary on 2016

● The company will host a screening party at its Beverly Boulevard store for the film “Kept,” in what will be its first major event since being sold back to its founders.

BY MISTY WHITE SIDELL

Oak epitomizes downtown cool with its moody, fashion-forward basics. They’ve pulled off tailored skorts and sleek silhou-ettes out of long bomber jackets. Thus, it was rather uncool when the specialty retailer and label of the same name, owned by American Apparel until earlier this year, got thrown into the tumult that encom-passed its former parent.

So founders Louis Terline and Jeff Madalena hatched a plan to get back the company they sold less than three years ear-lier to American Apparel under then-chief executive officer and founder Dov Charney. Charney was dismissed from the firm in late 2014, waging a battle in and out of court for much of last year in an effort to get back in.

“Jeff and I had always known that with Dov’s departure, we were going to look for an exit because the environment had changed drastically and they weren’t pushing creative ideas there,” Terline said. “Without Dov there, we didn’t see the magic anymore. With the bankruptcy, we had to sort of expedite that.”

The original plan, under its former par-ent, would have been to exit the leases on

the four Oak stores — a pair in Los Angeles and another pair in New York — and sell off the remaining inventory in a fire sale.

Terline and Madalena are picking up the pieces, stitching together a new future for Oak. A party tonight in the company’s Beverly Boulevard store to screen the film Terline and Madalena produced, called “Kept” for vogue.com’s Video Fashion Week, is the first big event since the deal to buy their company closed earlier this year. The film, directed by Liza Mandelup, highlights Oak’s fall collection through the lens of Los Angeles.

“We wanted this film to reflect Los Angeles and the particular magic that Los Angeles has that’s different from the magic of New York,” Terline explained.

It’s a fitting theme as the 12-year-old company, started in Brooklyn where it’s still headquartered, contemplates its next steps.

Terline recently bought a home in Los Ange-les and said an Oak satellite office some-where in the area is likely coming next year. “It’s not about being a New York company in L.A.,” Terline said of the thinking about having an L.A. office. Plus, the company did have space at American Apparel headquar-ters, so it only makes sense to shop for a new home.

“There are definitely pieces that need to be put together,” Terline said of the experience since buying the company. “It’s smooth in that most of my staff has remained consistent. Jeff and I have remained. From a creative standpoint, there’s a consistency. But the logistics and general industry relationships that were sort of affected by American Apparel’s involve-ment are being repaired and everybody’s been great and it’s an exciting adventure slowly piecing it all back together. We expect by fall to have a really strong return to the industry.”

The focus is growing the company’s Web presence with a major update to the site taking place over the next few months. Expanding Oak’s wholesales business — where the line’s in about 30 doors — is also top-of-mind, but the two aren’t interested in making swooping changes to distribution that would alter the market positioning of their brand, which Terline described as being at a “midlevel contemporary price point.”

Oak store growth is also up for consid-eration, though farther out in the timeline. When it happens, expansion will be concen-trated on the U.S. market. Although, Terline said the company has started to entertain the idea of international partnerships.

People should keep an eye out for Oak, Terline said, hinting at the renewed energy within the business: “We’re super excited to be back in the saddle.”

RETAIL

Oak Founders ‘Back in the Saddle’ After American Apparel Saga

View of the Oak store in Los Angeles.

Kendall Jenner featured in the spring ‘16 Calvin Klein ad

campaign, shot by Tyrone Lebon.

Proactive is one of Guthy-Renker’s largest brands.

10 24 MARCH 2016

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with enthusiasm,” he told a news conference at Hermès headquarters here after the company published full-year results on Wednesday.

“Having said that, one should not be in denial. The macroeconomic environment remains very complex globally. That’s why we have to be careful not to fall into hubris and immoderation and say everything is fine and easy, just because we’re called Hermès,” he added.

Citing a heavier tax burden, the company reported net earnings rose 13.2 percent last year to 973 million euros, or $1.08 billion.

The French luxury firm trumpeted that its operating margin improved 0.3 percent to 31.8 percent of sales, despite being diluted by currency fluctuations. Operating profits climbed 18.6 percent to 1.54 billion euros, or $1.71 billion.

“It’s a good year for Hermès, I would even say a record year,” commented Dumas.

But Hermès also reiterated its dim outlook.Last month, it warned that 2016 sales growth

could be below its medium-term revenue goal of 8 percent at constant exchange, citing “eco-nomic, geopolitical and monetary uncertainties around the world.”

Dumas explained that one reason for the more cautious prediction was that Hermès has decided this year not to pass on cost increases to consumers outside the euro zone in order to mitigate price differentials linked to currency fluctuations.

Prices are set to rise by 3 to 4 percent in Europe, meaning the company’s average prices will increase by only 1.5 percent in 2016, which was likely to impact its overall growth prospects and margins, he added.

The downgrade came even as Hermès reported a 14.5 percent bump in fourth-quarter revenues, as reported, reflecting buoyancy in all regions and despite a drop in sales of silk and textile items in the wake of the Nov. 13 terror attacks in France.

Sales reached 4.8 billion euros, or $5.4 billion, in 2015 as a whole, up 17.5 percent year-over-year. Stripping out the impact of currency fluctuations, the gain stood at 8.1 percent. All dollar figures are converted from euros at aver-age exchange for the period in question.

At constant exchange rates, sales advanced 18.3 percent in Japan; 10.8 percent in Europe, excluding France; 6.8 percent in the Americas; 5.1 percent in Asia-Pacific, excluding Japan, and 6.2 percent in France.

Dumas said European sales had not benefited by as much as expected from the weakness of the euro, as the Nov. 13 terrorist attacks in Paris caused tourists to stay away from the region.

“The level of tourism in France has not yet returned to the levels we had before,” he said, noting that other European cities such as

London and Milan were on the path to recovery. He added it was too early to evaluate the impact of the Brussels attacks.

By product category, sales gained 12.6 per-cent in leather goods and saddlery; 7.8 percent in ready-to-wear and fashion accessories; 3.3 percent in perfumes; 8.5 percent in other sectors, and 0.1 percent in watches. They fell 0.5 percent in silk and textiles.

“I don’t expect a terrific year for silk in 2016,” said Dumas.

However, he forecast the continued expansion of its production capacities would guarantee sustained revenues from leather goods. Dumas underlined that Hermès hired 500 people in 2015, of which 400 are in France, mainly in production. The company will inau-gurate its new facility in Héricourt is eastern France in two weeks.

“There continues to be very strong demand for our products in leather goods and saddlery regardless of the economy, and in more difficult years, this segment clearly acts as a locomo-tive,” he remarked.

In 2016, Hermès is returning to its sad-dle-making roots with the theme Nature at Full Gallop. Dumas noted that Simon Delestre, the world’s highest-ranked rider on the Longines Ranking, uses an Hermès saddle.

“The horse was our first and only client for 100 years,” noted the executive. “I have no doubt that 2016 will be challenging, but don’t forget that horses — unlike automobiles — do not skirt obstacles but jump over them, and even take pleasure in performing a tidy jump.”

Hermès is banking on a rise in online sales and has charged Charlotte David, its recently appointed communications director, and Wilfried Guerrand, executive vice president in charge of Hermès Woman and digital projects, with revamping its Web site. The new version should be ready by late this year or early next, Dumas said.

“I have great confidence in the capacity of our digital numbers to increase. In fact, I would say it’s a nonchoice,” he said. “We have to go into digital because the 20-year-olds of today are our future customers and they are totally connected.”

Dumas declined to provide projections, but forecast that in 10 to 15 years, all sales would involve a digital component. “I have great ambitions, both in terms of sales and communi-cation,” he said of the future site.

Hermès expects to invest in the region of 300 million euros, or $327 million, in 2016.

The luxury house will open four stores this year in Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong airport, Chongqing in China and Macao. It plans to renovate around 15 stores, including flagships in Rome, at the Ala Moana Center in Hawaii and at Liat Towers in Singapore.

The firm will propose a dividend of 3.35 euros, or $3.66, per share in 2016, up from 2.95 euros, or $3.27, the previous year. Hermès shareholders also received an extraordinary dividend of 5 euros, or $5.55, in 2015.

Shares in Hermès International closed up 2.8 percent to 320 euros, or $349.61 at current exchange, on the Paris Stock Exchange.

with the victims and the Belgian people until Sunday night. There were moments of silence in Brussels for the victims of the attacks as the manhunt went on for suspects.

But just as occurred in Paris following the terrorist attacks last November, there already was a sense that people were returning to their daily routines. Movie theaters in the center of Brussels reopened Wednesday after being closed the day before.

And while leading industry figures and ana-lysts warned there could be a further impact on tourism — and thus retail sales — from the attacks, there was a muted response on global stock markets. As expected, the major Euro-pean indices fell after the attacks on Tuesday. The biggest loser was the STOXX Europe 600 Travel and Leisure Index, which fell by 2.2 percent. The U.S. markets all closed lower on Tuesday on fears of more attacks.

But the markets rebounded on Wednesday, with the German DAX and the U.K. FTSE both closing higher, while the French CAC closed down by only 7 points to 4,423. The Euronext Bel 20, which is a widely used Belgium market indicator, also closed higher on Wednesday.

Luxury shares also held their own on Wednesday. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE opened on Tuesday at 149.70 euros, or $167.37 at current exchange, and on Wednesday the stock closed up at 150.15 euros, or $167.88. Kering SA opened at 159 euros on Tuesday and closed lower at 158.25, or $176.92. The shares were flat on Wednesday, closing at 158 euros, or $176. Burberry stock opened at 13.39 pounds and by Wednesday, the stock added another 22 pence to close at 13.67 pounds, or $19.29.

In the U.S., stocks experienced some selling, but it was attributed to a slide in the price of oil, not the Belgium attacks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 79 points to 15,502 and the S&P 500 fell by 13 points to close at 2,036. Oil dropped below $40 a barrel. The S&P Retail Index dipped 1.2 percent to 44.97.

In U.S. luxury stocks, Coach stock opened at $39.17 on Tuesday and closed at $38.86. On Wednesday, it closed down another 11 cents at $38.75. Tiffany’s stock opened at $71.53 on Tuesday and was also lower by the end of the day at $72.58. On Wednesday, the stock slid slightly to close at $71.98. Macy’s also dropped from $44.12 on Tuesday to close at $43.78. It declined again on Wednesday to close at $43.43.

“We’ve kind of become numb. You look at the markets in Europe and Canada and here — the reaction is fairly modest,” said David Nelson, chief strategic officer at Belpointe Asset Management. “You’re going to see the knee-jerk reaction selloffs in things like airlines and transportation stocks.”

Francesca Peck, an economist at IHS Global Insight, believes the Belgian attacks will have a short-lived negative impact on the local economy. “As terrible as the events in Brussels have been, economic activity is typically pretty resilient to terrorist attacks,” wrote Peck.

“Markets have learned from previous episodes that the macroeconomic effects tend to be limited and they fade. Whether it’s been Paris, London or other horrific tragedies. The impact on the economy has been contained,” said Mohamed A. El-Erian, the chief economic adviser at Allianz. “As such, markets don’t rush in to price down major slowdown economic growth in corporate earnings.”

While the broader markets may not be over-reacting, there is still some concern within the luxury houses that tourism could be affected.

On Wednesday morning, Hermès Interna-tional SCA chief executive officer Axel Dumas forecast a difficult year ahead, with subdued growth as terrorism continues to sap tourist spending. “We haven’t had the same level of tourism in France this year as before,” Dumas told reporters in Paris as the company reported 2015 earnings that rose 19 percent. He

said 2016 will be “complicated” by headwinds the industry faces across the globe, yet struck a resilient tone: “We don’t have to panic. A challenge never hurt anyone.”

Tiffany & Co. ceo Frederic Cumenal was almost prescient when he stated just last week that tourism could be affected by terrorism and thus hurt sales. “We believe that because of what’s going on in Europe as a combination of Brexit in the U.K., migrants in Continental Europe and in the U.K., and risk of terrorism or perception of risk of terrorism, we believe that the tourism business in Europe, that is the main driver of sales for this region, will be down significantly,” he said.

Michele Norsa, chief executive officer at Salvatore Ferragamo SpA, was more positive last week, though. “Approximately half of the people who entered Europe entered into France. And in recent months, this trend has been modified. But I would say that even after the Paris terrorism events, the international traffic has kept growing.”

Moody’s Investor Services wrote that one long-term effect of these terrorism events is that there could be a reallocation of resources by governments from growth-enhancing investment to spending designed to increase national security or to capture terrorists. That was quickly evident as the U.S. stepped up its security measure, while France increased its forces.

France’s interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve and defense minister Jean-Yves Le Drian went to Roissy on Wednesday to check heightened security measures at the largest French airport. They met with different secu-rity forces, thanking them in advance for their “increased vigilance over the Easter weekend,” AFP reported. Cazeneuve noted that 5,000 additional officers are mobilized to secure French borders, especially on the northern border, with 42 border crossings being con-trolled permanently 24/7 — out of 220 border crossings overall — while the others are being checked on more randomly.

The increased spending on security doesn’t look to be changing anytime soon. ISIS made a statement on al-Bayan, the caliphate’s radio network, promising a larger attack on Belgium. Meanwhile, Belgium’s chief prosecutor named two brothers on Wednesday as suicide bomb-ers, but said another key suspect was on the run. A manhunt is underway for the suspect.

● Call for start-ups brought 500 applications.

BY SHARON EDELSON When Target Corp. last October put a call out to start-ups inviting them to apply for the Target + Techstars acceler-ator program, it never thought it would get the response it did. More than 500 tech-based start-ups applied to be part of the accelerator this summer, some from as far as Australia, Nigeria and Greece. Organizers received applications from 45 different countries and 32 states.

Events were held in San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis and New York, where recruiters met with 250 start-ups. The retail-centric ideas ranged from connected toys to virtual fitting rooms.

The accelerator program will be held in an 8,000-square-foot space now under construction at Target’s Minneapolis headquarters. Ryan Broshar, Techstar managing director of the accelerator, and West Stringfellow, Target’s vice president of internal innovation and operations, have the difficult task of narrowing the field to 10 startups. The chosen compa-nies will relocate to Minneapolis in June, where they’ll receive guidance from men-tors including Target’s chief strategy and innovation officer Casey Carl, and Jason Goldberger, president of target.com and mobile, among others. The start-ups will be encouraged to grow their companies into scalable business.

Techstars, which was founded in 2006, has helped to seed hundreds of ear-ly-stage technology ventures.

RETAIL

Target + Techstars Accelerator Search Deluged With Hopeful Start-ups

Industry, MarketsRespond to FearsOf More Terrorism CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Hermès Forecasts Difficult Year for Luxury CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

People light candles at the Place de la Bourse in Brussels following the attacks.

24 MARCH 2016 11

SAN FRANCISCO — On Tuesday night, San Francisco celebrated the recent opening of the new Barneys New York freestanding men’s flag-ship with a party hosted by Golden State Warriors player Draymond Green and San Francisco mag-azine. Notable guests included Vanessa Getty, Trevor Traina, former Mayor Willie Brown, Sonya Molodetskaya and Joy Bianchi, who joined sports fans who came out to toast the 19,000-square-foot space and pose with Green.

Green recently began working with his friend and stylist, Los An-geles-based Vick Michel, who also has a sports background, but the basketball star shared that he’s al-ways loved fashion. (Pro tip: Green likes Amiri jeans.) Here’s what he had to say about the competitive world of the NBA — sartorially speaking.

WWD: So what brings you here to the Barneys opening?

Draymond Green: Obviously, I love fashion and Barneys is one of the best stores to shop, number one. The store is new so to be a part of it, I couldn’t pass up on the opportunity.

I love basketball and it’s a chance to do something that I love to do for a living. And now you speak fashion — it’s something I enjoy, to be here and be a part of this.

You know, we get this platform and it’s huge and I think sometimes you can use it the wrong way. I try to just do my best to not only help myself but to, more importantly, help others.

WWD: I know you work with Vick, but how did you develop your style?

D.G.: With his help, he makes me look good. He puts the outfits together and brings everything together. Before I was able to hire a stylist, it’s just something that I’ve always loved.

I think that part of the reason I always loved it was because, for a long time, I couldn’t afford it. We all want what we can’t have. For a long time, I always had these visions of what I wanted and could never get. Even then, you take what you get, you shop where you can, you make do with what you have. So that’s the interesting thing — putting stuff together that others may not see. Putting something together and they’re like, “Man, what’s that?” And all of a sudden you see them and they’re right up that same alley.

WWD: Do you have any style icons?

D.G.: I wouldn’t necessarily say style icons. You look at designers and the stuff they make and you like the designers and how they operate. When you look at cer-tain guys, you think, “He put stuff together nicely.”

WWD: Is there competition in the NBA? You guys have the best style of all the sports.

D.G.: We definitely have the best style of all the sports for sure! (laughs) That goes without even saying. That’s not even close. I say that — it’s cocky but I say it as hum-bly as possible — the NBA definitely has the best style, for sure.

It’s fun. I used to look at it as, like,

man I’m getting dressed to walk in the gym, take it off, go on the court, put it back on and go home. But the more I started to do it, the more you fall in love with it. I go with the model of look good, play good. You go to the game looking good, you play good. It makes you feel better about yourself. If you feel confident going into the gym, I think that confidence rolls over.

WWD: Who has better style: You, Klay Thompson or Andre Iguodala?

D.G.: Klay is not even in the discussion. (laughs) That’s not even close. I can’t believe that.

Me and Andre? I think me. Although Andre dresses very nicely. He is always very, very, very well-dressed. I don’t think he’s as versatile as me when it comes to dressing. But that’s the only thing. But you have to give him a lot of credit. Sometimes I look at Andre, and I’m like, “Hey man, what’s that?” “What kind of jeans or shoes are those?” He’s very well-dressed, but I don’t think he can get as versatile as me.

A part of it is our personalities. My personality is a little louder than his, which allows me to do more. If Andre did some stuff, it just wouldn’t fit him because it’s not his personality. But Andre is very, very well-dressed, all the time. He can be going on a flight, and he is always well-dressed. No matter what.

WWD: I’ll be sure to include that; don’t want to start some-thing.

D.G.: (Laughing) Thank you! — MAGHAN MCDOWELL

Draymond Green Rates Style Against TeammatesAt the Barneys men’s store opening in San Francisco, the Warriors player talks about dressing off the court.

“I want four more of those,” Ilana Glazer said as a waiter breezed by with a platter of tuna tartar-topped crack-ers. Housewarming party lesson number one: always have plenty of food.

Glazer and her “Broad City” costar, Abbi Jacobson, joined Olivia Palermo, Zosia Mamet, and Sutton Foster Tuesday evening at Kate Spade New York‘s house-

warming party for their home store pop-up, on West Broadway in SoHo.

The cocktail was also an opportunity for Kate Spade shoppers to ogle the starry guests. “I just love her,” one shopper said when Mamet walked in, while a duo of friends were rendered starstruck with Glazer and Jacobson’s arrival. “I’m such an Abbi,” the fan said. “And

I’m your Ilana!” her friend said in return. A “Saman-tha-or-Carrie” moment for Millennials.

“My man and I have moved like four times maybe in the past three years, and we’ve had many parties in all of our homes, and they’ve all been lovely,” Mamet said. “We’re actually kind of about to redo our apartment and our house

upstate with a lot of the Kate Spade stuff. We’re redecorating all the time. After moving from his apartment to mine to his to a house together to now our apartment, it’s a weird amalgamation of all this stuff. And then throw in four moves and a puppy — I’m like ‘no one should sit on this rug anymore.’”

The pop-up spans a range in price, with books and paper goods costing around $20 and larger furniture items priced near $4,000. “I love the china,” Lloyd added. “Even if I’m doing a dinner party and I invite friends around, I might do a takeaway curry but I’ll serve it on proper plates. A very New York way.”

Though Glazer and Jacobson argued they’ve rarely had a housewarming party, they do throw a good house party from time to time. More rager than quiet dinner party. “Abbi has real-ly good house parties. And they’re not necessarily for housewarming [purposes],” said Glazer. “The first one was…technically,” Jacobson added.

“She has a special drink that’s featured, and you have the ingredients to put it together. It’s dope,” Glazer continued. “I got it from my brother, they’re classic drinks,” Jacobson explained. “His go-tos are Moscow mules and dark n’ stormys, because ginger beer is in both. And then I always make a little sign. But I think it’s about having different areas — different levels, spaces, so you feel like the bar is here, and here is a thing where people can wander around. Even if you have a small space.”

Glazer’s best party? “I haven’t done it for a couple of years, but I do a 4/20 party, and I love setting up a weed table,” she said, which might sound familiar for fans who’ve been watching the third season of their hit show — her character Ilana does just that in a recent episode. “The weed table is exactly from Ilana’s,” Jacob-son said, referencing the scene. “Right — forgot about that,” Glazer said. “I have limited experiences and we draw upon those.” — LEIGH NORDSTROM

Ilana Glazer, Abbi Jacobson Dish Their House Party TricksOlivia Palermo, Zosia Mamet and Sutton Foster joined them Kate Spade’s housewarming bash Tuesday evening in SoHo.

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Penney’s PayMyron “Mike” Ullman 3rd and Marvin Ellison split the duties of chief executive officer at J.C. Penney Co. Inc. last year and each logged compensation of more than $12 million.

Ullman ceded the ceo post to Ellison on Aug. 1. Ullman’s compensation last year totaled $12.8 million and included a salary of $1.5 million and incentive pay of $4.7 million. He also received stock awards and options worth $5.4 million, although that value might not be realized given share price fluctuations and vesting schedules. The rest of his compensation tallied $1.3 million, which included $546,980 for personal use of corporate aircraft.

That amounted to a pay bump for Ullman, who saw compensation of $9.7 million in 2014.

Ellison’s pay totaled $12.1 million and included a salary of $1.4 million, and in-centive pay of $3.6 million. Stock awards and options were valued at $6.7 million. The rest of his compensation totaled $379,786 in various benefits, including relocation costs of $104,124, personal use of corporate aircraft valued at $228,860 and a home security system

for $44,469.Ellison joined the company from

Home Depot in 2014 and served as president, taking some time to learn the ropes from Ullman. During his first year at the company his compensation tal-lied $19.6 million, driven by stock awards valued at $15 million and a $4.1 million bonus. — EVAN CLARK

Celebrating CraftsmanshipOn Tuesday, a sad day for Europe marked by the terrorist attacks in Brus-sels, the French ambassadress to Italy, Catherine Colonna, opened the doors of Palazzo Farnese here to host a dinner celebrating LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s Les Journées Particulières.

Through the initiative, launched in 2011, some of the companies under the LVMH umbrella — including Acqua di Parma, Bulgari, Emilio Pucci, Fendi and Louis Vuitton — open the doors of their laboratories and headquarters to the public in order to showcase the exclu-sive craftsmanship behind the group’s creations.

“People adore this initiative, which enables us to show the artisanal and

artistic approach, which is the signature elements characterizing the brands of our group,” said Gabriella Scarpa, president of LVMH Italy.

From May 20 to 22, LMVH will orga-nize guided visits in more than 50 sites controlled by a range of brands, includ-ing Berluti and Loro Piana, which are taking part in the initiative for the first time this year.

May is going to be a busy month for Scarpa, who is also chief executive offi-cer of luxury beauty and lifestyle brand Acqua di Parma.

“We are hosting a two-day big event in Parma on May 25 to 26 to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the brand,” she said. For the occasion, Acqua di Parma will revamp the bottle of its original eau de cologne and will present a book telling the story of the brand. This will feature words by Italian journalist An-tonella Boralevi, while Giovanni Gastel shot the images. Scarpa also revealed that during the event, ballet star Roberto Bolle will be among those performing at Parma’s Teatro Regio.

Discussing the expansion strategy of the brand, Scarpa said that Acqua di Parma will open a new store-cum-bar

ber shop in Miami in September. “We are definitely looking at the United States, Asia and the Middle East as the most appealing markets where to expand our presence,” she said.

Emilio Pucci ceo Mauro Grimaldi, who joined the company in July, also attended the dinner at the French embassy.

Grimaldi said the company is opening a store in Capri on Via Camerelle this summer. “Emilio Pucci opened its first store ever in Capri and it has been about 10 years” since the company had one there, he said, adding that the boutique will show an evolution of the current store concept, which will be customized for the location. — ALESSANDRA TURRA

Public ParksMaxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow are hoping for a repeat performance by winning the Men’s Wear Designer of the Year award in June at the CFDA Fashion Awards. Having taken home that prize in 2014, the two have another opportunity to give an acceptance speech. The duo are accustomed to doubling up their efforts, since Osborne and Chow serve as both Public School’s founders and DKNY’s creative directors. They will be honored for inspiring others with their creative work at the May 24 Gordon Parks Awards at Cipriani 42nd Street.

Estée Lauder Cos. Inc. chairman Leonard Lauder and his photographer wife Judy Glickman Lauder will receive the third annual Gordon Parks Patron of the Arts Award. Given their shared interest in art, they may have great reason to speak with another honoree, LaToya Ruby Frazier, a 2015 MacArthur fellow winning artist and photography professor at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Musician and composer Janelle Monae will also be on hand to receive an award and her next project will offer a different kind of salute. Monae will appear along with “Empire” actress Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer in the upcoming film “Hidden Figures,” which is based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s upcoming book “Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race.”

A Cover Girl model and fashion show frequenter, Monae will add to the stylish crowd. Co-chairs for this year’s event include Karl Lagerfeld, Usher, Grace Miguel, Alexander Soros, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz.

The Gordon Parks Foundation will also honor Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Jus-tice Initiative. — ROSEMARY FEITELBERG

Fashion Scoops

Big InvestmentSoftBank Group of Japan has made a $250 million investment in WME/IMG. SoftBank joins current strategic investor Silver Lake in its partnership with WME/IMG. The investment is expected to be used to advance its global growth strategy through new investments, acquisitions and joint ventures.

“Ari [Emanuel], Patrick [Whitesell] and the rest of the WME/IMG’s talent-ed management team have a strong record of performance and transfor-mation at the intersection of enter-tainment, sports and fashion,” said Ron Fisher, director of SoftBank, who managed the investment process. He said he looks forward to supporting WME/IMG as it enters its next phase of growth, further developing and driving its client and content offerings. Emanuel and Whitesell are co-chief executive officers of WME/IMG.

William Morris Entertainment and Silver Lake acquired IMG Worldwide in 2014 for $2.4 billion. With the SoftBank investment, all stakes will be diluted pro rata.

Among its various endeavors, WME/IMG owns, operates or rep-resents more than 800 events, two-thirds of which are sports, including professional golf and tennis tour-naments. It is also a leader in model management and talent discovery. Ad-ditionally, WME/IMG owns or operates more than 30 fashion weeks including New York Fashion Week: The Shows. Through The Wall Group and Art + Commerce, WME/IMG represents

photographers, stylists, creative direc-tors, production designers, hair and makeup artists, and illustrators.

WME/IMG also represents a diverse roster of artists and creators across every entertainment vertical including motion pictures, TV, music, books, commercials, digital and theater. Its sports client roster ranges from professional athletes to sports federations and leagues to more than 200 collegiate institutions.

SoftBank has considerable stakes in Alibaba and Yahoo! Japan, among others. — LISA LOCKWOOD

Hopping to the BeastEsquire’s longtime fashion editor Wendell Brown is leaving Hearst Mag-azines, WWD has learned.

Brown, who spent 11 years at Esquire, most recently in the role of senior fashion editor, is heading to The Daily Beast. WWD reached out to The Daily Beast for more information on his role there, but requests were not returned by press time. Brown was the second-most senior fashion editor at Esquire after fashion director Nick Sullivan. A spokesman from Esquire confirmed Brown’s departure, adding that the editor’s last day at Hearst is next week.

During his tenure at Hearst, Brown

helped launch Esquire’s “Big Black Book,” a biannual fashion supple-ment showcasing luxury goods and style-centric instructional guides. He also appeared on TV for the men’s glossy to talk about fashion trends.

Prior to Esquire, Brown worked as a senior fashion editor for about a year at sister publication Harper’s Bazaar. He also served as an associate fash-ion editor at WWD and sibling men’s publication DNR, which closed in 2008.

Although Brown’s departure has been characterized by sources at Hearst as a new stage in the editor’s career, it comes on the heels of a changing of the guard at the men’s glossy. In late January, editor in chief David Granger was let go after 19 years at Esquire. Town & Country editor in chief Jay Fielden, who was promoted to editorial director of that glossy, grabbed Granger’s job.

Since news of Granger’s depar-ture began circulating in the halls of Esquire, employees there have been buzzing about potential changes un-der the incoming editor. While Fielden’s reign hasn’t yet produced any seismic shifts at the magazine, it’s common practice that when a new editor takes the helm, a staff shake-up is soon to follow. Fielden officially starts his gig at Esquire on April 1. — ALEXANDRA STEIGRAD

Memo Pad

Marvin EllisonThe scene at Palazzo

Farnese.

Maxwell Osborne and Dao-Yi Chow

Wendell BrownThe NYFW The Shows logo.

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