Libby Edelman returns to Brown Shoe Co

Libby Edelman is back at Brown Shoe Co. after a nine-month sabbatical, but her eponymous footwear line will not be making a return.

Instead, Edelman said she would serve as a "jack of all trades," working alongside husband and business partner Sam Edelman on his namesake brand, as well as the new juniors' line, Circus, and yet-to-be-announced upcoming projects. Her role will have a special focus on licensing, Edelman said.

"Sam has a lot on his plate, so I am coming back to help him," added the designer, who spent her time off traveling to Peru and Mexico. During the break, she first volunteered with Soles4Souls, then focused on photography, including attending a workshop with acclaimed photographer Mary Ellen Mark. "I got to step away and be creative and just sort of clear my head, clean the palate, and now I'm coming back."

As for the nixing of her own line, Edelman was upbeat. "I'll be able to be a little bit more objective because I won't be entrenched in one thing," she said.


The designer, who announced her departure in early November, was unofficially back on the job this week, but won't formally rejoin the Sam Edelman team until September. "Next week I plan on shopping the city while everyone is in Las Vegas [for FN Platform]," she added. "I'm very excited to be back."

The designer also is creating a photography book compiled from the many images she captured while on sabbatical. "[The hiatus] gave me a chance to start the book project, and I'll finish in my free time," Edelman said. "It will take about a year to complete because now I've got a lot on my plate."

Ann Inc. Profits Rise 24%, really?

Ann Inc., driven by strong performance at both its Loft and Ann Taylor divisions, reported a 34 percent increase in earnings per diluted share to 63 cents from 47 cents in the year-ago quarter. Net income rose 24 percent to $30.7 million, versus $24.8 million a year ago.

Total sales last quarter were $594.9 million, compared with $558.2 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2011.
 
Comparable-store sales increased 4.7 percent. At Ann Taylor, comparable sales increased 5.6 percent, reflecting increases of 3.2 percent at Ann Taylor stores, 29 percent in e-commerce and 2.1 percent at the outlets. Loft’s comparable sales were up 4.2 percent, reflecting increases of 4.1 percent at the stores, 14.6 percent in e-commerce and 0.3 percent at the outlets.
“At the Ann Taylor brand, performance accelerated significantly from the first quarter, reflecting stronger sales and profitability, including positive comps in the Ann Taylor stores channel and continued profitable growth in the e-commerce and factory outlet channels,” said Kay Krill, president and chief executive officer. “Loft also delivered excellent sales and profitability results, including strong margin and continued solid comp growth on top of last year’s double-digit increase.”

By brand, Ann Taylor totaled $233.3 million in sales, compared to $217.9 million in the second quarter of 2011. Loft posted $361.6 million in the second quarter of 2012, compared with net sales of $340.3 million in the year-ago quarter.

The company projected $2.39 billion in sales for fiscal 2012, reflecting a comparable sales increase in the mid-single digits. The gross margin rate is expected to be about 55 percent, and the company expects to have about 985 stores at fiscal year-end.
Source: WWD

Nicki Minaj Now Owned by Arden

It's not what you think, with its purchase Tuesday of the fragrance licenses of Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj from Give Back Brands LLC, Elizabeth Arden Inc. is giving Coty Inc. a run for its money.

The news follows Arden’s May 31 announcement that it had acquired the global fragrance licenses of Ed Hardy, True Religion and BCBG Max Azria from New Wave Fragrances LLC.

Nicki Minaj’s (real name Onika Tanya Maraj) first fragrance is set for a September launch. These moves will meet head on with Coty as it prepares to launch its first Lady Gaga fragrance in the fall, following the debut of Madonna’s blockbuster Truth or Dare scent in late March. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed
 
Justin Bieber’s first fragrance, Someday, was launched in spring 2011 and became the number-one women’s fragrance launch in U.S. department stores, with annual sales of $39 million according to NPD Group figures cited by Give Back Brands. A second fragrance, Girlfriend, will be launched in Macy’s on Monday and in other national retailers on June 25, Kathy Widmer, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Elizabeth Arden..


In a memo to employees dated Tuesday, E. Scott Beattie, chairman and chief executive officer of Elizabeth Arden, said: “We are pleased to announce that today we signed an agreement to acquire the licenses for the Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj fragrance brands from Give Back Brands.…The marketing and creative activities for these fragrance brands will continue to be managed externally by their existing team. Sales, finance and operational activities will be absorbed by the respective Elizabeth Arden functions. These brands represent another opportunity to grow our extensive fragrance portfolio through both new licenses and fragrance acquisitions.”

“We’ve been keen observers of Justin Bieber’s fragrance and his participation in it,” said Widmer. “When you look at the combination of Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift’s Wonderstruck, together they accounted for half of the U.S. growth in fragrance last season. Our growth agenda allowed for a certain amount of acquisitions and when this became available we recognized it was a great opportunity. It made sense to us given the size and breadth of our celebrity portfolio.” Arden is building a celebrity portfolio which rivals Coty’s: in addition to Bieber and Minaj, Arden now holds the fragrance licenses of Elizabeth Taylor, Britney Spears, Mariah Carey and Usher, as well as Swift.

One major department store retailer (translation Macy's), speaking not for attribution, confirmed that Arden is already a major player in the celebrity fragrance field and this move will only bolster its market competitiveness. “They are doing a good job,” the retailer said, “and this will just make them stronger.” In addition, Arden’s well-developed infrastructure and highly organized back-office operation seems certain to make the acquired business run more efficiently.

GIRBAUD’S Files Chap 11

Marithé + François Girbaud has filed for the French equivalent of Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, a spokeswoman for the French denim brand said.

Representatives of the label, which last year mandated Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild to open its capital to outside investors, attended a hearing at a commercial court on Thursday aimed at extending the observation period allowing potential buyers to step in. The spokeswoman declined to give further details, but said the company planned to issue a statement in the next few days.

Marithé + François Girbaud has been losing steam since the global economic downturn, posting consolidated sales of 100 million euros, or $132.7 million at average exchange, in 2010. The brand had its heyday in the Eighties, when it became known as a pioneer in denim washes, in particular stone washing. 

Michael Kors At The "Y"

Michael Kors knows all too well how there isn't a rule in fashion as to how you've got to chart your course. And he wasn't afraid to spell out his own experiences to hammer home that point during a Q&A with Fern Mallis Wednesday night at 92Y.
The designer cringed describing how he presented a Christopher Street Women collection during an interview with Donna Karan in her Anne Klein days. As a boy, he appeared in Lucky Charms commercials, among others, and truth be told he and his mother, who also modeled, would come into Manhattan from Long Island for go-sees. "This is hard to believe now but she would put me in a cab with a slip of paper with the address of where I was going. Today if she did that, she'd be on the front page of the Post — Child Abuser," Kors said.

At the age of 11, he opened the Iron Butterfly Boutique in the basement of his house, selling his own homemade candles, hammered copper bracelets and other one-offs. No subject seemed taboo — Kors mentioned how he told his mother at the age of five that her wedding dress was "too busy" and he described hiding his bare-chested, sunburned self in the ocean for a good hour after spotting Ricky and Ralph Lauren looking taut and tan in Round Hill in Jamaica not that long ago.

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Eddie Bauer names New CEO

Eddie Bauer on Tuesday named Michael R. Egeck president and chief executive officer.

Egeck, 53, was most recently chief executive at Hurley International, a division of Nike Inc.

M. Boland to join America Eagle Outfitters

Wow! I know some people in the industry that have tried to recruit her for many of their CFO openings.
Robert Hanson has imported talent from San Francisco to fill American Eagle Outfitters Inc.’s top financial spot. Mary Boland will join AEO July 9 as executive vice president and chief financial and administrative officer. Boland, who has been senior vice president of finance for the global Levi’s brand at San Francisco-based Levi Strauss & Co., will succeed Joan Hilson, whose departure as cfo was revealed two weeks ago.


Hanson joined AEO as ceo on Jan. 30 following more than two decades with Levi’s, most recently as global president of the Levi’s brand. Boland will be responsible for finance, investor relations, merchandise planning and allocation, strategy planning and other administrative functions. She will report to Hanson. Prior to joining Levi’s in 2006, Boland was with General Motors Corp., where she rose to cfo of North America during a more than 20-year tenure. “Mary brings 30 years of broad-based financial and operating experience, with a proven track record in the global apparel industry,” Hanson said. “Mary is an influential, disciplined financial leader, with a strong ROI focus. I’m confident she will have a positive impact at AEO as we look to strengthen our financial results and achieve consistent, long-term profitable growth.” AEO disclosed Hilson’s departure at the same time it said it had decided to shutter its struggling 77kids children’s retail concept.