Hermès Opens Wanderland Exhibition

A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE: Hermès is taking a trip — to nowhere in particular — with an exhibition that opens today dedicated to flânerie, or the act of wandering the city streets and drinking in the details of everyday life. Wanderland will run until May 2 at the Saatchi Gallery in London, and move to Paris in September, Turin, Italy, in December and China next year. Hermès has dedicated 2015 to the theme of flânerie and transformed an upper floor of the gallery into a series of whimsical and surreal settings across 11 rooms. One features vintage walking sticks — including one for the dandy, with a built-in bit of chalk for cleaning the collar and a brush for dusting down the suit — while another is filled with graffiti created by the artist known as Cept, and another with floor panels that “talk” when a visitor walks on them. A café dedicated to lost objects features little tables inset with pocket watches or tiny paint boxes that, on closer inspection, feature film screens the size of postage stamps. A pillbox and glass bottle on one table glow with psychedelic colors while the image of a lady dances at

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Donna Karan, Parsons Link on Haiti Initiative

NEW YORK — In the soothing, calm of Urban Zen, Donna Karan was a whirlwind of energy, darting around the precisely appointed space with boundless enthusiasm as she pointed out the details and craftsmanship of the numerous Haitian-made designs. The designer certainly has reason for such zealousness, having recently partnered with Parsons The New School for Design to open DOT, the Design, Organization, Training Center for Haitian artists in Port-au-Prince. Whether showing off oversize leather necklaces, tobacco leaf vases, papier-mâchè handbags, a yoga mat bag made from recycled T-shirts or intricate iron-work designs, Karan had a one-size-fits-all description: “This is Haiti.” She would know, having visited the country multiple times in the past five years to work with artisans such as Pascal Thearad, Cookie Villard, Shelley Fox and Jean-Paul Sylvaince. The unlikelihood of a hip West Village designer store championing the handiwork of one of the world’s poorest countries resonates with Karan, who said people often react to her Haitian-made designs with, “Really, Haiti?” Five years after she first visited Port-au-Prince following the 7.0 earthquake that rocked Haiti and caused an estimated $8 billion in damage, Karan has increasingly upped her commitment personally and through her Urban Zen Foundation. Last month a foursome

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Louis Vuitton Opens New Miami Store

Louis Vuitton will unveil its permanent digs in Miami’s Design District today. The store, located at 140 NE 39th Street, represents the new, modern look of Vuitton, while paying homage to Miami Beach’s architectural history. It’s also the first time that Vuitton’s women’s ready-to-wear will be featured on the main floor. “I really believe that the Design District will be a very important store for us because you will have a mix of international and local clients. The expectation will be very high from clients around the world. They’ll expect an exceptional level of service and a unique experience,” said Anthony Ledru, president and chief executive officer of Louis Vuitton Americas. Ledru called the new location “spectacular, quite special and quite different.” The company declined to reveal first-year projections and square footage of its newest unit, representing its 15th in Florida; 114th in the U.S. and 141st in the Americas (North and Latin America). “Miami has been really growing faster than the rest of the U.S. market. It used to be a very important regional hub before it became a global hub for luxury,” said Ledru, citing Vuitton’s presence in Miami for more than 30 years. The company has seen a strong Latin American

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Man of the Week: Mike Krzyzewski

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Authentic Brands Group Introduces Mini Marilyn

Authentic Brands Group is entering the animation field through Mini Marilyn, a new stylized character. Derived from Marilyn Monroe, the animated character targets Millennials between ages 17 and 34. Mini Marilyn — with her trademark blonde hair, beauty mark and red lips — will come to life through 3-D and computer-generated imagery set to include feature films, television, short-form digital content, video games and live venue attractions. ABG is codeveloping the animated character and storyline with DMG Entertainment via a long-term strategic partnership. DMG’s cinematic interpretation of Mini Marilyn will provide the foundation for the brand’s content, while ABG will work on the product licensing side. According to Jamie Salter, chairman and chief executive officer of ABG, the character will “empower young women to be confident, take risks and reach for their dreams.” Salter said the time was right to introduce the latest creation from AGB, given the popularity of “Frozen” over the past holiday season, and Hello Kitty, and the Cinderella movie that’s in theaters. While the animated character will be introduced globally today, a full-fledged licensing program will roll out initially across Greater China this fall that will include apparel, accessories, sleepwear, jewelry and beauty categories, according to Salter. DMG is showcasing the

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Shinola Ribs Apple Watch In New Ads

SHINOLA GETS SMART: Shinola is at it again. In 2013, following Detroit’s bankruptcy filing, the watch manufacturer that is headquartered in Motor City took out an ad in The New York Times to defend its hometown. The text read, “To those who’ve written off Detroit, we give you the Birdy.” The Birdy, as many would come to learn, is the name of the brand’s signature watch style, but the double innuendo certainly was an eye-catcher. Now, the brand is unleashing another round of ads, this time focusing on a new target: the Apple Watch. The ads, which will hit print on Friday — the same day as the Apple Watch is available for pre-order — take jabs at the smartwatch’s extensive capabilities, pairing pointed captions next to images of Shinola’s Runwell model. “We just came back from Baselworld, and there was a lot of chatter about the Apple Watch,” said chief marketing officer Bridget Russo. “We thought this was the right topic, and the right time. We are launching at Selfridges on April 10, the same time as the Apple Watch. It’s not even that we see them as competition — it’s more so that there is going to be excitement around

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Fila and Iconix Settle With Converse

WASHINGTON — Converse Inc. has entered into settlement agreements with two additional companies — Fila USA and Iconix Brand Group — in a broad trademark infringement case pending before the U.S. International Trade Commission, according to ITC documents. Converse, owned by Nike Inc., filed a complaint against 32 retailers and manufacturers in October alleging they infringed on some of the brand’s trademarks used in certain shoes. The ITC initiated an investigation against the companies in November. Several companies, including Tory Burch, Aldo Group, Hennes & Mauritz, Zulily Inc. and Ralph Lauren Corp. have entered into settlement agreements with Converse since the complaint was filed and have agreed to stop importing the allegedly infringing shoes. But Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has vowed to fight the claims. Among the other major retailers named in the ITC complaint were Kmart and Skechers. Converse also filed lawsuits in federal court against the companies. Converse claimed in the complaint that all of the defendants have infringed on its iconic midsole trademark design made up of a toe bumper and a toe cap, plus either an upper stripe and/or lower stripe, associated with its “All Star” high-top sneakers that were first introduced in 1917 and renamed “Chuck Taylor” after a Converse

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Isaia Opening First U.S. Flagships

Isaia is ready to make its mark on the retail scene. The Italian luxury men’s wear brand is embarking on a store rollout plan that will include the opening of its first two flagships in this country this year. The company operates nine stores around the world. “We started opening stores in 2009,” said Gianluca Isaia, the company’s global chief executive officer and third generation of the family to helm the privately held business. “We opened our first flagship in Milan, then some monobrand stores through…franchise partners in Moscow, Baku [Iran], Saint Petersburg [Russia], Kiev [Ukraine], Hong Kong, Yekaterinburg [Russia] and Macau [China]. Now we’re going to open in Los Angeles in June, Tokyo in July and New York City in September.” Isaia said even though the company was founded in Naples in the Twenties and now sells to more than 230 stores in the U.S., Europe, Canada, the U.K., China, Japan and Russia, he believes this is the right time to expand the retail footprint. “Today, we have a strong position in the market and the brand has found its own identity,” Isaia said, describing the company’s aesthetic as “a mix between tradition and a contemporary way to interpret the Napolitano sartorial positioning

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Andy Hilfiger Joins Design + Industry

ANDY’S PACKED ROLODEX: Andy Hilfiger is bringing his well-connected lifestyle to a new gig. He has joined Design + Industry, an executive search firm, as partner and executive relations ambassador. “I’ve played matchmaker throughout my career, helping friends and coworkers find new and exciting opportunities that most people, even within the industry, would never hear about,” Hilfiger said. “The best opportunties are unlisted, and to find them you either have to be in the right place at the right time, or know somebody who is.” In addition to matching individuals with executive positions, Design + Industry provides further staffing, licensing and B2B services as needed. Hilfiger will also join the company’s advisory board. “We anticipate a big return on having him with us,” said Christian James, managing partner at Design + Industry. Having worked at his brother’s company, Tommy Hilfiger USA, where he spearheaded various music and entertainment initiatives, Hilfiger later went on to partner with Jennifer Lopez, creating her fashion and fragrance business. He continues as a partner in Star Branding, with his brother, Tommy, and Joseph Lamastra and Bernt Ullmann. Star Branding has been responsible for the Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony brands for Kohl’s, a rock ’n’ roll lifestyle

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Stylist Trish Townsend Opens Nashville Men’s Store

Nashville stylist Trish Townsend has worked with some of the city’s biggest names over her two-decade career, but now, she’s branching out in a different direction — men’s wear retailer. “I always wondered where a stylist goes when they want to make a change,” said Townsend, who has dressed Nashville luminaries including Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Vince Gill, LeAnn Rimes, Alan Jackson and Tim McGraw. While she continues to serve as the go-to image-maker for Shelton and Underwood, among others, Townsend was ready for her next chapter. “I’ve been doing it for 23 years and I’m still styling, but my hours are more limited now. Blake is superbusy and Carrie has slowed down since she had her baby.” So today, she will host the grand opening of Townsend Style, a boutique targeted to fashionable men who call the city home. Townsend took 1,200 square feet in Brentwood, Tenn., a Nashville suburb, and plunged into retail, opening what she characterized as a “raw, cool and hip” store. She’s brought together an assortment that ranges from Ted Baker and John Varvatos to Jack Victor, Kent & Curwen and The Kooples. She described the aesthetic as “preppy with flair — everything has a twist.” In addition to

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Jack Mitchell Releasing New Edition of ‘Hug Your Customers’

Jack Mitchell’s arms must be tired — the chairman of Mitchells Family of Stores has been hugging customers for over a decade already. His book on personalizing sales — “Hug Your Customers” — was first published in 2003 and has sold more than 275,000 copies globally. Since its publication, Mitchell has appeared on the “Today” show and has done more than 215 motivational speeches around the country to corporations and groups as varied as Nike, Pitney Bowes and Wesleyan University sharing his philosophy for providing extraordinary customer service. On April 14, the second edition of the book will be published by Hachette Book Group. “It continues to sell and I’m really proud of it,” Mitchell said. “[Hachette] called last January and asked if I would like to revise and update it.” So while the “heart of the book is the same,” Mitchell updated the preface and added several new sections. As he writes in the preface: “The most significant changes have been the quickened pace of technology and the growth of Internet sales for all industries.” As a result, Mitchell added a section on technology, talking about the company’s new Web site. “We didn’t even launch e-commerce until October 2014,” he said. “We’re trying

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Alber Elbaz Taking Lanvin to Dubai

IN THE MIDDLE: Alber Elbaz is heading to Dubai later this month — billed as the first trip to the emirate for Lanvin’s creative director. The designer is to host a fashion discussion for a group of VIP women on April 15, and present looks from his fall collection via informal modeling, including a five-look capsule collection designed especially for the Middle East region. Lanvin is also planning a cocktail party for a wider audience, including local press, later that evening. Chalhoub Group is the French house’s partner in the region.

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SoulCycle Launches App

SOULCYCLE LAUNCHES APP: It will now be easier than ever for fashion’s most dedicated indoor cyclers to book their bikes. Today, SoulCycle will launch its first app in the Apple iOS store and a corresponding campaign online, #OhAppyDay. The optimized booking experience will hopefully lessen some of the stress riders have to endure when booking for the week opens up every Monday at noon. If a desired class is already filled up, they can be added to the wait-list with just one tap, and “favorite” and bookmarking features let riders find classes quickly without having to navigate through the entire site. For those who opt in, a Monday morning push notification will go out to gently remind riders that it’s almost time to sign up.

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Retail Outlook Bright Despite 1st-Quarter Snags

A strong U.S. dollar, the lingering impact of the West Coast ports shutdown and lousy weather in March are expected to weigh-down profits of public companies in a variety of industries — but retailers may get some spring in their step at last as pent-up demand and higher consumer confidence buoy the sector. Analysts and economists are essentially writing off the first quarter for retailers, saying better times are ahead. Meanwhile, one analyst sees retail going through a “major transformation” and the innovators are from an unlikely channel: department stores. On the broader earnings front, Estimize.com, which tracks all sectors of the S&P 500, said in its second-quarter profit preview that “you’d have to be living under a rock not to know about the tepid expectations.” The Estimize.com consensus expects the accumulative average profits of the S&P 500 to show a decline of 1.5 percent year-over-year and said “this would be the lowest growth rate since 2009.” The topline is also pegged for a decline — about 1 percent down from the same period last year. That said, Estimize.com noted there’s strength in the consumer discretionary sector “with earnings growth expected to hit 15.4 percent and revenues of 7 percent.” Within this area,

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In the Spotlight: Haxby London

NAME: Haxby London HISTORY: The brand made its debut at Pitti Uomo in January and its first season will be for fall. NICHE: The collection of modern, luxe sportswear is inspired by British sartorial heritage. The label offers exclusive fabrications, updated silhouettes and a subdued color palette designed to appeal to the advanced contemporary customer. KEY ITEMS: Bombers in rubber, leather and tech fabrics; cashmere-blend hooded topcoats; updated shirts, fleece dress pants, and textured knit sweaters. PRICE POINTS: Woven shirts will range in price from $235 to $285, a rubber leather bomber is $1,285 and the cashmere/wool hooded topcoat is $1,985. COMPETITION: Burberry, Dunhill, Neil Barrett and Tomas Maier

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Isabel Marant Talks Barneys, Business and Brand Identity

Isabel Marant has a clear memory of her first experience with Barneys New York. “It was 1996 or 1997. I came to do my first show in America,” the Paris-based designer said last week as the retailer put the finishing touches on windows dedicated to her spring line. “It was not my very first collection, but it was at my very beginning. I remember this perfectly because I was trying on the clothes for Terence [Bogan, former buyer for Co-op, who predates much of the current executive team]. We had a lot of fun.” It took a few seasons for Barneys to actually place an order, but it did and now the store can’t get enough of her. In fact, Marant’s business has never been bigger or better with the retailer, according to Daniella Vitale, Barneys’ chief operating officer and senior executive vice president. “She’s so successful with us not only because of the aesthetic and the clothes and the spirit, but because it’s not available everywhere,” said Vitale. “She has very few of her own stores and that’s what makes it covetable to us. It’s harder and harder to find things like that.” To celebrate Marant, the store is currently devoting

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