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 Filene's Basement plans
to close 11 of its 36 stores. There are two
stores closing in Pennsylvania, one in New
Jersey and one in New York. |
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 Barneys May Be
for Sale
Less than two years ago, Dubai’s Istithmar
World PJSC bought Barneys for $942.3 million.
But now, as business is slowing down, we hear
they are looking to sell their Madison Avenue
retail jewel. We hear that, “Istithmar
doesn't want to sell Barneys for any less than
it paid for it. Barneys will carry Michelle
Obama's Isabel Toledo Inauguration Day outfit
in March (perhaps if they also sell Aretha
Franklin’s hat they can pull down the “For
Sale sign.” |
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Calvin Klein Parent Closing 175 Stores
 Phillips-Van Heusen Corp., the owner of the Calvin Klein brand, Izod and
Van Heusen will close 175 stores. The restructuring is expected to save the
company about $40 million per year.
The company will also stop domestic production of machine-made neckwear, reduce
its warehouse capacity and cut travel, marketing and administrative expenses.
(If I were them I would just go to Congress and ask for an apparel bailout,
after all the Auto industry did it and so did Wall Street Bankers).
If you ask me (which they didn't) buying the Calvin Klein name without also
keeping Klein on as a spokesperson or figure head, was a mistake. This business
was built up by Klein and revolved around the sex-appeal of its founder. Without
Klein, the twice divorced hippest fashionista on the planet, the brand was
reduced to looking like all the other high priced clothing for anorexic trust
fund babies.
I recently tried on a pair of pants at their Las Vegas store and they seemed
more fitting as chair covers than wearing apparel (there was a lot of sale
merchandise, something that Calvin would never have done).
But... as we know, some of the biggest names make the biggest mistakes - need
I say Macy's? |
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 Fashion Week
Organizers Plan to Invite Michelle Obama
Fashion Week organizers are reaching out
to Michelle Obama. “We have several great
initiatives that I certainly think are perfect
for her and her daughters,” said IMG
Sr. VP Fern Mallis.
Mallis added. “We would obviously
be thrilled beyond belief if she would come
to Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and be at the
tents and really show the world that support
of the industry.”
“But if she
just showed up to show her support, we would
happily cut the ribbon and welcome everybody
to help. I mean, our industry needs all the
help it can get, as does every industry,
and there can be certainly no better cheerleader
in this day and age than Michelle Obama.
I mean, I couldn’t write a script for
it better if I had to.” |
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ACCESSORIES MAGAZINE
EDITOR LAUREN PARKER GOT MARRIED:
Parker, who I have always admired, took a walk
down the wedding aisle with Michael Dobeck.
A dedicated and long standing fashion editor,
Parker finally found her prince. Their honeymoon
took place in Morocco, where they rode camels
and took in the sights. Yeah Lauren!
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