WWDTUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015 ■ $3.00 ■ WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY

PHOTO BY GIOVANNI GIANNONI

Winning RibbonWinning RibbonRaf’s Dior

Raf Simons has become fascinated by the concept of invoking the past to create something new. For the powerful Dior couture collection he showed on Monday, Simons fused references from the Fifties, Sixties and Seventies. His embroidered stunner here de-froths a Fifties party

silhouette with precision pleats and graphic ribbon stripes, with dazzling second-skin boots adding a daring jolt. For more on Dior’s modern revivalist extravaganza, see pages 4 and 5.

By DAVID MOIN

DRESS BARN IS dressing up its selling floors and corralling de-signers into the mix.

“It all starts with dresses. It’s our highest market share busi-ness,” said Jeffrey Gerstel, presi-dent of Dress Barn, in an exclu-sive interview about the retailer’s upcoming Dressbar multichan-nel concept. Dressbar launches March 4 with shops-in-shop, dressbar.com, a freestanding pop-up shop at 102 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan’s Flatiron neighbor-

hood, and an array of dresses cre-ated by Carmen Marc Valvo, Heidi Weisel and Michael Smaldone from Adrianna Papell, marking the chain’s fi rst designer collabora-tions. “We are taking runway looks and translating them to value cus-tomers,” Gerstel said.

Each designer is creating six to 10 exclusive dresses, priced $42 to $70, under the labels Luxe by Carmen Marc Valvo, Mixt by Heidi Weisel, and Lovely by Adrianna Papell. Valvo is known for evening gowns, fl orals and pleating; Weisel is known for her knits, cashmere

SLOWING DOWN A SLOW TIME

DIOR

Retailers Cross FingersAs Juno Hits Northeast

By WWD STAFF

STORES AND MALLS will get buried by snow from winter storm Juno, but retailers are catching a break with the timing.

While the overall economic im-pact is expected to be in the billions of dollars, retail industry executives said their losses would be mitigated by the storm occurring midweek in-stead of on a weekend, and during a slow traffi c, low-volume time of year. While clearing snow, retailers are still clearing merchandise and tran-sitioning into spring goods while gift-card redemptions and returns of holiday gifts to stores trail off. January is considered one of, if not the smallest, revenue months for most retailers. In addition, online sales could get a lift due to store closings and transportation issues.

As of midafternoon Monday, with metro New York and much of the Northeast facing one of its biggest snowstorms in some time, the industry was anxiously watch-ing the weather and trying to de-cide on early closures and delayed openings in the days ahead.

The heart of the deluge was expected late in the afternoon Monday and through rush hour on Tuesday. Accumulations of two to three feet were being pre-dicted in many areas. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced New York City schools would be closed Tuesday and all non-emergency vehicles were ordered to stay off the streets after 11 p.m. The New York State Thruway was to close at 10 p.m. Monday and Connecticut issued a statewide travel ban beginning at 9 p.m.

SEE PAGE 9

Dress Barn Sharpens Image,Adds Designer Collaborations

SEE PAGE 2

SOFÍA’S CHOICESOFÍA VERGARA IS PARTING WAYS

WITH KMART AFTER FOUR

YEARS. PAGE 2

PRE-FALL AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT DESIGNS FROM MIU MIU AS WELL AS BALMAIN AND BALENCIAGA. PAGE 8

SHOE DOWN IN PARISBERLUTI GOT ITS PARTY GUESTS OFF THEIR FEET — OR AT LEAST INTO THEIR SOCKS. PAGE 10

COUTURE SPRING 2015

PARIS

WWD.COM2 WWD TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

CLARIFICATION

Due to bad weather conditions, the private funeral service for Vince Camuto, chief creative offi cer and chief executive offi cer of the Camuto Group, has been postponed until Wednesday.

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Dress Barn Raises the Bar on Dresses

Sofía Vergara Ends Kmart DealBy MARCY MEDINA

SOFÍA VERGARA has ended her four-year rela-tionship with Kmart, the fi rst retailer to open the door for the actress to get into the celebrity licens-ing game. “I am currently focusing on enhancing my brand on a global level and realized the time had come to move in a different direction,” Vergara told WWD. “I am very grateful for the experience and loved everyone’s insight and appreciate all their ef-forts over the past four years.”

Vergara’s licensing and brand endorsements range from beauty to accessories to home, and she added,

“I am really looking forward to pursuing new op-portunities in the apparel world.” To date, her ros-ter includes Cover Girl, for which she has served as brand ambassador since 2011; Head and Shoulders, where she has the same role; Sofi a Vergara Furniture Collection at Rooms to Go, which launched in 2013 (it was sublicensed by Art Van and The Brick last year); So Sofi a Collection for Kay Jewelers, which made its debut in late 2014, and Sofi a by Sofi a Vergara fra-grance, which launched in May. Her second fragrance will launch globally in August.

The Colombian bombshell also has the Warner Bros. movie “Hot Pursuit,” costarring Reese Witherspoon, hitting theaters on May 8.

and mixing fabrics in unexpected ways, and Smaldone creates dress-es that transition from one occa-sion to the next, day into evening.

Among the 25 designers con-sidered, “We decided on those we felt understood the body of a woman in her 40s, someone who had a personality that custom-ers could relate to and would be able to get out and connect with customers,” Gerstel said. “We wanted a connection. They will make store appearances and ap-pear on the Web site, telling their stories to the customers.” With its less than 2 percent share of the dress market, “There’s a tremen-dous amount of market share we can win,” Gerstel said.

In another collaboration, Tuleste is creating True by Tuleste jewelry to complement the Dressbar dress-es. “We do have plans to welcome other designers into this concept as

long as it stays relevant,” said Lori Wagner, Dress Barn’s chief market-ing offi cer and executive vice presi-dent of e-commerce.

Though cutting-edge fashion is not its calling card, the 830-unit Dress Barn is seeking to raise the profile and productivity of the chain’s most important category and cast a stylish glow over the entire business. Dress Barn was founded in 1962 by Roslyn Jaffe, in a converted barn in Stamford, Conn. It’s a business that doesn’t often get credit for catering to middle-aged and older middle-income working women and housewives of all body types with on-trend casual, career and spe-cial-occasion apparel and prices that are attractive to the consumer. The typical Dress Barn customer is in her 40s and wears a size 12. It’s lived with an image undercut by the brand name which doesn’t evoke the most fl attering impres-sion. At one time, executives con-sidered changing the name to something more fashionable but determined it’s such a familiar, longstanding nameplate that a switch could confuse shoppers.

The chain hasn’t had the kind of convulsions seen at other

big specialty chains like Wet Seal, Gap, Talbots, New York & Co., American Apparel and Abercrombie & Fitch and has had a conservative profi le, with fash-ion and discounting. The company does run two major clearances yearly and rewards customers with discount coupons, though unlike most department and specialty stores, “We are really not in the promotional game taking 40 per-cent off everyday,” Wagner said. “Everyday value is our message as opposed to price promotions.”

Dress Barn reported $1 billion in sales for the fi scal year ended July 14, 2014, virtually fl at with the prior year. Operating profi ts rose to $39.4 million from $30.3 million. It’s part of the $5 billion Ascena Retail Group (called Dress Barn Inc. until January 2011) which also runs Lane Bryant, Maurices, Catherines and Justice.

Initially, Dressbar will be in 25

Dress Barn stores, with a rollout to hundreds of locations over time anticipated. The Dressbar fi xturing, mannequins and signs will be distinctive from the rest of the store, and iPads will be displayed to help shoppers and associates fi nd and learn about products. All Dress Barn dresses — under the DB or designer la-bels — will be in the Dressbar, with the exception of the new DbRsvp in-house label for eve-ning gowns and cocktail dresses, introduced last fall for online selling and the pop-up shop, which is the sole freestanding Dressbar and will be open until May 31. No other free-standing Dressbars are planned.

Branding expert and store designer Robin Kramer of the Kramer Design Group worked on the Dressbar format, which will occupy about 25 percent of the space in Dress Barn stores, which average 7,500 square feet. Kramer is also working on re-branding and modernizing the entire store, details of which will be revealed later in the year. “The idea of Dressbar is really to maximize the core product,” Kramer told WWD. “It’s like a bar. You sit at it, look online, the

mannequins are right there and you get service from the salesperson.”

Dressbar.com will have e-com-merce, editorial content and social interaction, and will be advertised in Marie Claire, InStyle and O, The Oprah Magazine, signaling Dress Barn’s return to advertising for the fi rst time since 2011. “Dressbar will be that central area in the store where women will gather,” Wagner said. “There’s technology at the bar, where you will be able to go online and get robust content about the designers, dress trends, fashion trends, lots of fashion tips and videos. We plan on being the number-one destination for dresses. In our value sector, there are very few [retailers] giving this level of design at our price points. We feel it’s a real differentiator.”

Beyond the first wave of Dressbars, “We want to continue to roll out Dressbars where it makes the most sense,” Wagner said. “Any new store will be built with one. Retrofi tting old stores is a process.” At all stores, including those not retrofi tted right away, dresses are being moved to the front where there will be some de-

gree of Dressbar designation. On dressbar.com, women will be able to search for dresses by occasion, like for a picnic, job interview or a date, or by mood like “feeling fl irty” or “feeling caffeinated.”

Executives said Dressbar is as much about selling dresses as it is for creating a connection with customers. The site will feature chats, Q&As with designers, styl-ist Cate Sheehy and recollections from customers about their favor-ite dresses and what they wore on special occasions. “A woman en-gages in dresses very differently from how she engages in other categories,” Wagner said. “A dress is tied back to a very emotional oc-casion, like that perfect fi rst date.”

ON WWD.COM

THE BRIEFING BOXIN TODAY’S WWD

With the metro New York area and much of the Northeast facing one of its biggest snowstorms ever, the retail and fashion industries are making decisions about early closures. PAGE 1

Dress Barn is dressing up its selling fl oors with what will be called the Dressbar, launching March 4, and also corralling designers into the mix. PAGE 1

After its men’s show in Paris over the weekend, Berluti literally knocked guests’ shoes off during a lavish dinner and shoe-polishing party, removing their footwear and coats. PAGE 10

Although the Sundance Film Festival is winding down, celebrities are still celebrating cinematic excellence with parties, screenings and musical performances. PAGE 10

Alice Eve came up with a novel way to beat New Year’s blues this year: She tied the knot with Alex Cowper-Smith on Dec. 31 wearing a custom-made Temperley dress. PAGE 11

An eclectic crowd gathered at the Chateau Marmont on Friday for the release of Kate and Laura Mulleavy and Gia Coppola’s new sneaker collaboration with Superga. PAGE 11

Mulberry’s spring campaign marks a new direction for the British luxury label, with model Georgia May Jagger making her fi rst appearance as the face of the brand. PAGE 11

Creative director Raf Simons said he was aiming for “sensory overload” with the tent where Dior staged its Paris haute couture show on Monday. PAGE 11

Benjamin Millepied and Natalie Portman from Dior Haute Couture front row. For more, see WWD.com.

RUNWAY: “It’s incredible. It looks like sort of a rose mirror funhouse,” Natalie Portman said at Dior’s haute couture show. For more, see WWD.com.

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TO E-MAIL REPORTERS AND EDITORS AT WWD, THE ADDRESS IS FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME@FAIRCHILDFASHION.COM, USING THE INDIVIDUAL’S NAME. WWD IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. COPYRIGHT ©2014 FAIRCHILD PUBLISHING, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 209, NO. 17. TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015. WWD (ISSN 0149-5380) is published daily (except Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, with one additional issue in January, June, August, September, October, November and December, and two additional issues in April and three additional issues in February) by Fairchild Media, LLC, which is a division of Penske Business Media, LLC. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: 11175 Santa Monica Blvd., 9th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90025. Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, CA, and at additional mailing offi ces. Canada Post: return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 503, RPO West Beaver Cre, Rich-Hill, ON L4B 4R6. POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO WWD, P.O. Box 6356, Harlan, IA, 51593. FOR SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGES, ADJUSTMENTS, OR BACK ISSUE INQUIRIES: Please write to WWD, P.O. Box 6356, Harlan, IA, 51593, call 866-401-7801, or e-mail customer service at wwdPrint@cdsfulfi llment.com. Please include both new and old addresses as printed on most recent label. For New York Hand Delivery Service address changes or inquiries, please contact Mitchell’s NY at 1-800-662-2275, option 7. Subscribers: If the Post Offi ce alerts us that your magazine is undeliverable, we have no further obligation unless we receive a corrected address within one year. If during your subscription term or up to one year after the magazine becomes undeliverable, you are ever dissatisfi ed with your subscription, let us know. You will receive a full refund on all unmailed issues. First copy of new subscription will be mailed within four weeks after receipt of order. Address all editorial, business and production correspondence to WWD, 475 Fifth Ave., 15th Floor, New York, NY 10017. For permissions requests, please call 212-630-5656, or fax request to 212-630-5883. For reprints, please e-mail FFM_Reprints@pmc.com or call Wright’s Media 877-652-5295. For reuse permissions, please e-mail FFM_Contenlicensing@pmc.com or call 800-897-8666. Visit us online at www.wwd.com. To subscribe to other Fairchild Media, LLC magazines on the World Wide Web, visit www.wwd.com/subscriptions. WWD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RETURN OR LOSS OF, OR FOR DAMAGE OR ANY OTHER INJURY TO, UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS, UNSOLICITED ART WORK (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DRAWINGS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND TRANSPARENCIES), OR ANY OTHER UNSOLICITED MATERIALS. THOSE SUBMITTING MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, ART WORK, OR OTHER MATERIALS FOR CONSIDERATION SHOULD NOT SEND ORIGINALS, UNLESS SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED TO DO SO BY WWD IN WRITING. MANUSCRIPTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIALS SUBMITTED MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A SELF-ADDRESSED STAMPED ENVELOPE.

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{Continued from page one}

A rendering of Dressbar.

Jeff Gerstel; DbRsvp fl oral print, shantung strapless dress with matching bolero jacket.

FOR MORE IMAGES, SEE

WWD.com/retail-news.

In memory of

VINCE CAMUTO 1936-2015

LOVING HUSBAND, FATHER AND FRIEND

Please join us as we celebrate the life of Vince Camuto.

MEMORIAL SERVICE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2015, 10AM

St. Ignatius of Loyola 980 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10028

4 WWD TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

The Bold and the Beautiful

COUTURE SPRING 2015

PARIS

Dior: “They have no fear.” Raf Simons referred to the women of his atelier “and men, too,” while sitting in his curtained-off backstage mini salon.

The conversation came in response to a question about his development as a couturier. “All of these people we work with are so inspiring,” he said. “They challenge me as much as I challenge them.”

Not known to cower in fashion’s safety zones, Simons acknowledged the atelier in both a gracious and accurate fashion. For fall, the mutual challenge converged into a feast of bravado and skill, a dizzying snapshot of why the couture genre matters.

Simons is a thinking designer, more intellectual than emotional. But that doesn’t mean he can’t layer a fantasy concoction onto a base of guipure. Recently, he has challenged his own biases by exploring retro, breaking down elements of various eras and seeking to reinvent them. Here he worked a midcentury triptych. He studied specifi c sartorial references as well as more amorphous auras of three decades, drawing on Fifties’ romance, Sixties’ experimentation and the wild freedom of the Seventies. He funneled all through his modernist eye and the bastions of imagination realized that are the Dior ateliers.

The powerful results awed and charmed simultaneously, and sometimes confounded. They also struck a hallelujah chorus of revival; fashion daring is not dead — it just fell dormant during the endless, early winter of pre-fall.

The decades of Simons’ focus were vastly different culturally, their prevailing fashions refl ective of those swings. In conversation, he invoked the names of Miyake and Paco Rabanne, while noting the elegance of Dior’s Marc Bohan, yet wondering what the more experimental Mr. Dior might have produced had he lived and worked longer. But Simons never wallowed in historical accuracy. Rather, he celebrated what compels him about each decade, cherry-picking, mixing, distorting, magnifying the dissonance into a collection as captivating in its variety as in its execution.

Thus, the catwalk (or, more accurately, the trippy, tiered white metal scaffolding built atop plush pink carpeting refl ected every which way by a mirrored ceiling) featured deb-worthy party dresses, Space-Age shifts, plastic-fantastic printed coats and psychedelic catsuits that delighted or dismayed, depending upon the viewer’s fl ash threshold for high optics. The embroideries, the fabric mélanges, the plastic prints were executed to complex perfection, texture upon texture, surfaces complementing or clashing on a case-by-case basis. Among the many stunners: pleated, embroidered ribbon dresses, plastic coats over intensely embroidered guipure dresses, the occasional shock of simplicity, as in a short green wool coat with only a single vertical strip of silver decoration. Everything was shown with second-skin stretch boots. Whether short, thigh-high, black or bright, these grounded the fl amboyance while shooting a dose of subversion into the lineup’s more overtly romantic moments.

Along the way, the retro receded into a treatise on modern chic.

— BRIDGET FOLEY

WWD.COM5WWD TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

The Bold and the BeautifulFOR MORE, SEE

WWD.com/runway.

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Atelier Versace: Fashion knows few if any aesthetics more airtight than that of Versace. When you think Versace, you think sexy. All-out, unabashed, fl amboyant sexy, the kind of sexy that values fun and provocation in equal measure. The customer for sartorial sex Versace-style crosses generations (see Versace front row, Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson.) She’s pleased with her body, and why not? (See Versace front row, Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson.) She revels in showing it off (see Versace front row, Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson).

That customer’s primary goal when dressing is to heat up the room; she neither expects nor cares a whit about the fashion envelope and whether it needs pushing. In that way, she’s both a comfort and challenge to Donatella Versace. In the Atelier Versace collection she showed on Sunday night, the designer was intent on a forward push — within reason. Though the collection was virtually all evening (depending upon what you call a skintight plunging-neck, one-strap, one-sleeve jumpsuit with fl amboyantly fl ared legs), for a good portion of it she rejected any hint of sparkle and shine.

Instead, Versace engaged in what she called “an exploration of cut and the curves of the body.” And explore she did, turning out more curves than a relaunched Spirograph. Some were as simple as a smoking with one side a traditional lapel and one, a collarless off-the-shoulder line, while others twisted, turned, looped and circled with a bravado that would make the class geometry geek blush. All of this curvature was an antiembroidery path to surface decoration, using the fabric and the models’ skin to create fl uid, free-form patterns. An interesting idea, yes. But it grew tired fast, at times too tricked out, even though Versace inserted some hot-hued, full-skirted outliers into her mostly black, white and hourglass lineup.

A bigger issue: the fi t. Versace’s is usually impeccable, as warranted by the couture genre and the designer’s second-skin silhouettes. Here, though, several looks bunched and crinkled too noticeably as the models walked, just too many curves for these most glorious of bodies to handle.

— BRIDGET FOLEY

Schiaparelli: Go team! Awaiting the offi cial appointment of its new creative director, now identifi ed as Alessandro Michele, Gucci credited its in-house design team for its latest collection. Ditto for Schiaparelli, yet to name a successor to Marco Zanini, who logged two collections for the Place Vendôme house, resurrected after a 60-year slumber by Italian entrepreneur Diego Della Valle.

Also joining team Schiaparelli this couture season was French photographer and advertising guru Jean-Paul Goude, who in turn enlisted a choir, Les Chérubins, whose 15 teenage members stood in windows ringing the show set and added their sweet voices to Ravel’s “Bolero.”

It made for a spirited fashion performance, backing a fi ne collection that registered as “Schiaparelli lite.” For the team used a light hand to etch the late Italian designer’s legacy, focusing mainly on fi lmy dresses bearing quirky prints and intricate embroideries.

The act of dressmaking was a predominant motif. Fancy ball-end headpins were scattered as a print on silk dresses, while actual pins pierced a demonstrative off-kilter bow that sprouted on the back of a jacket. Painted lady hands daintily hoisted ribbons or fastened a crystal necklace on a green silk dress. The telltale shocking pink, which drenched the show space in a strange light, appeared as a harlequin patchwork on a vermilion gown daringly scooped out on the back.

The design team did not abandon the template Zanini had begun to defi ne, relying on whimsical, archive-inspired prints — this time antique mirrors and colorful hearts

— and including jumpsuits and handsome tuxedos in the Schiaparelli lexicon.

The workmanship was striking: 3-D ribbon embroideries fl apping on a white sequin dress; tiny feathers hewn into starfi sh dotting a net of black tulle, and a halter top fashioned from a tumble of navy stars embroidered together.

Stephen Jones contributed quirky wire baseball caps, propped on the frizziest hairstyles imaginable by James Pecis. Now all this team needs is a quarterback.

— MILES SOCHA

Rad Hourani: Rad Hourani is among those indie designers who have bid adieu to the fashion week format, rejecting its constraints and deeming it untimely in the age of live-streams and social media. To present his trans-seasonal couture lineup, the designer opted for an exhibition instead.

“It’s not logical for me to work on a collection for

six months and show it in six minutes, with everybody rushing backstage, and not really taking the time to look at what it is,” he explained, likening couture to sculpture.

The new format must have uplifted Hourani, who brought unexpected color variations (lilac, turquoise, blue and red) into his habitual black and white. He worked ultrasoft plastic, which mimicked the texture of leather, and used nylon to adorn some artfully tailored numbers: pleated and re-pleated blazers with large lapels, and collarless tops and vests that Hourani treated like origami. Depending on the styling, one look could suit a man or a woman.

The exhibition, which will run through Jan. 30 at the Canadian Cultural Center, also showcases photographs and a video showing the couture looks in motion. — PAULINA SZMYDKE

Dice Kayek: Dice Kayek’s architectural approach to fashion was evident from the fi rst exit:

a sculptural coatdress in navy gabardine that swooped around and hovered over the body.

Designer Ece Ege did several versions of this construction — throwing puffy sleeves or more complicated folding into the equation, which at times got too gimmicky, as with a pleated black tulle skirt worn under a squared, armorlike shoulder piece that shimmered with embroidered acrylic gemstones.

The blown-up proportions were meant as reinterpretations of the doll illustrations and doll sculptures of artists Hans Bellmer, Annette Messager and Louise Bourgeois — minus their hypersexual, distorted anatomy, that is. In fact, they resembled little cocoons for cute little girls and worked best when kept simple. Two silhouettes intrigued: a tuxedo jacket with detached pockets and broad lapels in black tone-on-tone silk and satin, and a playful white gabardine number, half dress, half jacket — more feminine than girlie. — P.S.

Atelier Versace

Schiaparelli

Rad Hourani

Dice Kayek

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COUTURE SPRING 2015

PARIS

WWD.COM7WWD TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

At the Woolmark Co.’s Wool Lab, spring is inspired by Africa’s Sapeurs and Monte Carlo elegance; Grace Kelly is the Monte Carlo fabric cover photo.

By SOFIA CELESTE

MILAN — The next edition of the Milano Unica textile fair, set for Feb. 4 to 6, will take place amid an inclement macro-economic climate, with exports falling off and the central bank reducing Italy’s economic growth forecasts.

Earlier this month, Italy’s central bank slashed the country’s growth fore-cast for 2015 to 0.4 percent from a 1.3 percent forecast made in July. The euro zone’s third-largest economy is expect-ed to report another period of negative economic performance for the fourth quarter of 2014 after a three-year-long recession. According to Italy’s statistics offi ce, Istat, exports fell 1.1 percent in November, weighed down mostly by a decrease in exports to non-European Union trade partners.

Organizers said there are 357 exhibi-tors registered for the fair. That com-pares with 398 exhibitors present at the February 2014 edition and 410 who were present at the September edition of the fair. They expect between 15,000 and 17,000 visitors, compared with 19,000 visitors in February 2014 and 21,800 visi-tors in September 2014.

In line with central banks, Italy’s prominent textile makers set to un-furl their spring collections at Milano Unica’s Fieramilanocity venue here are cautious on the year ahead.

“The current market situation is not ideal, but we believe that 2015 will be a positive year,” said Guglielmo Miani, chief executive offi cer of premium cot-ton fabrics maker Larusmiani.

Miani said the focus is on the European and U.S. markets, with the hope that the strong dollar versus the weak euro will stimulate Chinese luxury brands to purchase more Italian fabrics.

“This will be particularly true with U.S. brands that have always enjoyed buying high-end quality fabrics from Italy,” Miani said. “We always strive to select and use the best products avail-able in the market in order to constantly improve our quality level standards.”

High-end Italian woolen mill Vitale Barberis Canonico, a family-run com-pany with 350 years of history, noted a slowdown in key markets like Russia, Hong Kong and China.

“For 2015, we’re expecting a weak recovery, helped by a weaker euro, by a more stable China and by a consequent increase in tourism,” said the company, adding that in 2014, it increased sales

about 10 percent over 2013 levels.“In 2015, we’re expecting an increase

from 3 to 5 percent,” the Vitale Barberis Canonico’s press offi ce added.

China continues to be a concern for cotton shirt fabric maker Canclini Tessile SpA, after seeing a slight de-crease in sales of its premium luxury shirting fabrics to Chinese customers.

Overall, Canclini saw a 25 percent rise in 2014 sales compared with 2013. During the last year, the company also made major investments in order to up-date machinery, streamline production and reinforce its sales team. In 2015, it expects to see the fruits of its labors.

“We expect an increase in 2015, when all these improvements will have an even further signifi cant impact,” said Mauro Canclini, the company’s style director.

Other major textile makers like wool mill Tollegno 1900 also said it booked double-digit growth in 2014, compared with 2013.

“In 2015, we expect to maintain the market share we cornered in 2014,” said Lincoln Germanetti, ceo of Tollegno 1900.

Larusmiani will extend its range of luxury denim, cotton blends and per-formance fabrics such as its Ice Cotton line. Canclini will widen its color and pattern ranges, representing a refreshed Seventies mood and vintage feeling.

Alternative fabrics maker Alcantara said its spring collection was inspired by life on remote islands such as Japan’s

TEXTILES

Italy’s Economy Clouds Milano Unica

Kyushu and Italy’s Stromboli. This year, it continues to work on making 100 per-cent carbon-neutral materials made in Italy. Tollegno 1900 said it will launch its Tekno-wool line of stretch wool and nylon material that is perfect for travel suits.

Overall, Milano Unica’s creative team has proposed a “neo-modernist” approach for prints. Under this umbrella, there will be two subthemes: Designed Simplicity and Artistic Boldness, which supports pop-art-inspired jungle prints, abstract motifs and the use of primary colors.

Lincoln Germanetti

Looks from Alcantara.

WWD.COM7WWD TUESDAY, JUNE 24, 2014

By ALESSIA BANI

Some places to check out while in town.

TO STAY: Al Palazzo del Marchese di Camugliano hotelNewly restored, the Palazzo di Camugliano opened a few months ago in the center of Florence near the famed Santa Maria Novella church and exclusive shopping hub Via Tornabuoni. Furnished with four-poster beds and fireplaces in a Renaissance style, each of the 10 rooms is specially designed with its own frescoes and colors. The suites overlook the roof garden brimming with plants, including mimosa, oak and cork trees.

The palace, built in the 16th century, houses an archive sure to be a draw for those interested in the history

of Florence, from the origins of the Niccolini family, still the owners of the hotel today, to their estate in Tuscany’s Camugliano.

Al Palazzo del Marchese di Camugliano15 Via del MoroTel.: +39-055-265-4578E-mail: info@palazzodicamugliano.comWeb: palazzodicamugliano.com

TO SEE: “Denim Italiano: Italian Denim Makers” exhibition“Denim Italiano: Italian Denim Makers” is the brainchild of an agreement between Pitti Immagine and the Milano Unica trade show, with a focus

on the production chain of Italian denim, its international reach and the new opportunities in the global market. Previewed during Pitti Uomo in June, the project will take place as an exhibition-event at Pitti Filati next month and then move on to Milano Unica in September.

Under the artistic direction of fashion designers Angelo Figus and Maurizio Brocchetto, “Denim Italiano” will showcase several garments and accessories in denim. The items come from a wardrobe specifically created for the project by a group of 30 Italian denim companies — textile mills, apparel and accessories manufacturers, embroidery shops and laundries — that

represent the denim chain in Italy.All the products will be labeled

“Denim Italiano: Italian Denim Makers” and will be available in stores.

“Denim Italiano: Italian Denim Makers”Central stand at Pitti Filati 75Fortezza da Basso1 Viale F. StrozziJuly 2 to 4Hours: Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.Tel.: +39-055-369-3257E-mail: info@pittimmagine.comWeb: pittimmagine.com

TO EAT: 7 Brothers ice-cream parlorNear Palazzo Vecchio, in the heart of the historical center of Florence, the tradition of Italian ice cream meets the New Yorker style at 7 Brothers, the city’s new ice cream parlor.

In a modern twist, ice cream can be personalized freely. Each customer starts a “route” from the choice of waffle cone or cup, steps into the flavors’ selection area and concludes with different garnishes from jam, fresh fruit and grains to chocolate chips and cookies, among others.

As a guarantee of high quality, the raw materials are rigorously all Italian and customers serve themselves directly from the machines.

7 Brothers63-65, Viale della CondottaHours: Monday to Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Thursday and Sunday

from 11 a.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.Tel.: +39-055-0516-656E-mail: info@sevenbrothers.euWeb: sevenbrothers.eu

TO SHOP: Desigual storeThe first official Desigual store in Florence is located in the historical city center, in a new fashion district near

Ponte Vecchio, the Medieval stone bridge on the Arno River.

The 1,884-square-foot store is located in a former bank and the original structure of the building creates three different areas characterized by a fun design. The first part of the store has a ceiling covered with bottles, gliding panels and quirky wallpaper; a second room is decorated with flowers hanging from the ceiling, and the third, more elegant corner is marked by a huge modern art chandelier.

Desigual Florence Santa Maria41R, Via Porta Santa MariaHours: Monday to Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.Tel.: +39-055-2654-464Web: desigual.com

Florence Finds

A room at Al Palazzo del Marchese di Camugliano.

Stretch jeans.

Inside the Desigual store.

Building a personal treat.

8 WWD TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

Miu Miu: Did Sherlock Holmes spend his adolescent years as a Boy Scout? Miuccia Prada might argue yes. For Miu Miu pre-fall, shown in a witty installation at the Palais d’Iéna, Prada integrated elements derived from imagery of 1920s Scouts, all properly turned out in snazzy walking shorts, with a practical swagger (and a British check or two) that nodded toward the great god of Scotland Yard.

Prada is something of a detective herself, uncovering seemingly unrelated, offbeat references and spinning them into engaging narratives delivered with her signature artistic-commercial alchemy. Here she worked multiple contrasts. Against her joint masculine inspirations, she juxtaposed dresses in Sixties upholstery prints. Though feminine, these were far from frothy, the patterns swinging more geometric than girly. She mixed in cozy jacquard grandpa sweaters snazzed up with Lurex, and accessories galore. Miu Miu’s new bags are

generously proportioned, some worked in graphic leather prints. And fi nishing the tale: jaunty caps along with fl oral knee socks and chunky, decorated mary janes with a hint of naughty — because every girl crosses the line sometimes. Scout’s honor.

— BRIDGET FOLEY

Balenciaga: Legacy and currency. Elegance and attitude. French chic and American cool. Contrast defi nes Alexander Wang’s presence and purpose at Balenciaga. It was probably inevitable that Wang would at some point deal with the concept head-on. For pre-fall he did so boldly and with considerable panache, both within individual looks and across groups.

The umbrella juxtaposition was that of sophistication against street. At its most ladifi ed, it appeared in tailored, neutral-toned silk cady pieces brushed with strokes of fanciful color. Far racier were precision lingerie looks inset with metal

grommets to tough-chic effect. Wang also applied his premise to a “fur capsule.” He worked the humble T-shirt along with bomber, peacoat and other outerwear standards in shirred mink, all engaging expressions of the street-chic fusion. — B.F.

Balmain: Confi dent about adding a touch of romance to his pre-fall collection for Balmain, Olivier Rousteing introduced his fi rst fl ower prints for the house. A painterly, wallpaperlike motif of anemones and buttercups in bright red or blue appeared all over velvet jackets with matching fl uid dresses, as well as on a long gown and his palazzo pants — a look he is clearly pushing.

Channeling the glamour of Seventies Parisian couture, silhouettes didn’t forsake the label’s signature sexiness, but they were loosened up in terms of shape. With nary a shoulder pad in sight, except for in a sleek jumpsuit whose torso was draped in black jersey knit over polka-dotted tulle, the collection was fi lled with generous proportions, as in the mustard-yellow belted coats with dropped shoulders. Heavy embroidery was worked in big, chunky crystals in emerald and ruby tones, or as cascades of sparkling fringe dripping from short dresses.

In light of planned fl agship openings, Rousteing said he wanted to give his customer a wider offering. In particular, he developed knitwear ranging from a viscose evening dress to more accessible graphic sweaters.

— LAURENT FOLCHER

Roberto Cavalli: Romantic flowers and bold tiger stripes took center stage in Roberto Cavalli’s elegant collection for pre-fall. The former appeared on a feminine silk georgette maxidress with a plunging V-neck and a soft scarf, as well as on a crepe de chine blouse worn with fitted Lurex-cotton pants. The latter gave an audacious spin to an Australian Red Fox fur vest embellished with shaved beaver intarsia, worn over a cropped crepe de chine jumpsuit with long, fluid silk georgette sleeves. Also in the lineup: Cavalli’s signature tailored tuxedos, including a style in textured wool with silk duchesse lapels and gold micro-chain decorations. — ALESSANDRA TURRA

Miu Miu

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FOR MORE PRE-FALL 2015, SEE

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An estimated 50 million people will be affected by the storm, which brought heavy snow and wind to Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

Nevertheless, “In the grand scheme of things, it’s really not that huge of a deal,” said Evan Gold, senior vice president of client services at Planalytics, which ana-lyzes the impact of weather on businesses. “It’s disruptive, but from a retail perspec-tive, I don’t believe it’s going to be hugely significant because of the time of year that it’s occurring and the days of the week it’s happening on. There’s just not as much money at play and for many people it’s an opportunity to clear some winter goods.”

Craig Johnson, president of Customer Growth Partners, noted that storms come with advance notice, unlike many natural disasters. “The bottom line is that they don’t destroy demand, they displace it, moving it forward, backward and online,” he said. “There’s a warning and a chance to shop before the event.”

Based on the storm’s track, Johnson estimated that about 15 percent of U.S. households would be affected by the storm, or about 47.5 million people in about 17.3 million households. “For ap-parel and housewares, the effect is pretty neutral,” he said. “If you hadn’t done so already, this might be the incentive to buy a pair of boots, heavy-duty gloves or a good warm jacket, but this won’t drive much in the way of incremental demand.”

While boots appeared to be the stron-gest sellers in a fairly strong winter foot-wear season, outerwear has been softer, except at off-pricers like Burlington Stores, TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Johnson noted that stores with weak outerwear seasons might be able to “close out the fourth quar-ter on something of a high note. If anyone needs parkas, this is the time to get them.”

He pointed out that Lands’ End Inc. cited weakness in its cold-weather assortment as it provided downbeat guidance last week. “That’s not surprising,” he said. “Much of the country has had a mild winter.”

Do-it-yourself retailers like The Home Depot and stores with cold-weather equipment, like Sears and Costco, real-ized benefits before the storm, and the DIY retailers could realize benefits after it, if people resolve to prepare better for the next storm or need home repairs.

“This isn’t a busy retail period,” said Bill Martin, founder of the Chicago-based retail analytics firm ShopperTrak. “There’s generally a degree of softness about now, with a little bit of a spike in traffic around Valentine’s Day. This tends to be the quiet after the wearying holiday experience.”

Michael Niemira, chief economist and principal of The Retail Economist LLC, said, “I suppose the good news about the storm is that it’s happening during a light month, but a little goes a long way during a period like this one. It’s a low-volume time. I wouldn’t expect that lost sales will be made up, but it won’t affect year-end inventories all that much because it’s a low-volume period.”

Simon Property Group early Monday cited a few delayed openings including Woodbury Common in Woodbury, N.Y.; Liberty Village in Flemington, N.J., and Crossing premium in Tannersville, Pa.

At Macy’s Inc., decisions on early closings and reopenings “will be on a case-by-case basis, depending on what the local conditions are. We’ll call it as the storm develops,” said corporate spokesman Jim Sluzewski. “There is discussion about closing the New York offices early today.” About 150 stores, including Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Bloomingdale’s outlets, are in the path of the storm, including 59 in New York, 13 in Connecticut, 35 in New Jersey, 31 in Massachusetts, seven in New Hampshire, one in Vermont and two in Maine.

A Wal-Mart Stores Inc. spokesman said: “We will continue to monitor it at the cor-porate office [in Bentonville, Ark.] where we have an emergency operations cen-ter that’s up and running. In the specific

locations, we look to see what public an-nouncements are made and how the areas are being affected. We try to stay open as long as we can, but the safety of our cus-tomers and associates is our top priority.” As of noon Monday, Wal-Mart had not made plans to close stores. “We’re monitoring the situation and will make decisions” as the day progresses, the spokesman said.

“We are closely following the increas-ingly severe weather in the Northeast and are evaluating store closings,” said a Lord & Taylor spokesman. “Our decision will be based on our commitment to our custom-ers’ and associates’ safety. At this time, we have nothing to announce. We will be com-municating to our customers via e-mail, our Web site and social media.”

“Our internal team is tracking it close-ly,” said a Gap Inc. spokeswoman. “The safety of our employees and customers is a top priority. Our local stores will do what’s best for their employees and customers and evaluate on a store- by-store basis.”

At 5 p.m. Monday, Westfield Corp. closed six shopping centers — including Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J.; Westfield South Shore and Westfield Sunrise, both in New York, and Westfield Connecticut Post, Westfield Meriden, and Westfield Trumbull, in Connecticut. The cen-ters normally close at 9:30 p.m. “Department stores, restaurants and cinema hours may vary,” the company said, adding that shop-pers should contact individual businesses to

get the most up-to-date operating hours. The mall operator is using social media to get the word out to shoppers, and said it would eval-uate the situation throughout the day today and post updates at 5 p.m.

Analysts from Cowen & Co. are ex-pecting an impact of less than 0.5 percent of total fourth-quarter traffic.

A spokeswoman for Coach Inc. said the company is still planning on releas-ing second-quarters results today, but said on Monday morning, it was too early to determine how many store closures there might be.

Bob Carbonell, chief credit officer at the Barnard Sands unit of Credit2B, said, “The only good news is that it is a midweek storm and not a weekend one. Groceries and home [improvement stores] will obviously benefit, but every-one else will lose a few days of sales.”

Howard Riefs, director of corpo-rate communications at Sears Holdings Corp., said, “Our foremost concern is for the safety of our associates and our members.” He said the company is ac-tively monitoring and preparing for the weather conditions in the Northeast and that decisions on closures will be made in conjunction with public service advi-sories, he added.

PVH Corp., which owns the Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger brands as well as several heritage labels including Izod and Arrow, closed its offices in the New

York City area in the middle of the day on Monday and was planning to keep them closed all day today. “We are closing our Tri-state area offices early [Monday] to allow for safe travel home and will be closed [Tuesday,]” a spokeswoman said.

Jamie Gorman, president and owner of Only Nine, a New York sportswear company, said, “Today I will close by 4 p.m. We’ll see about tomorrow.

Media companies cautioned their employees to exercise their judgment on Monday and today in light of the winter storm.

Meredith Corp. staffers were advised to remain cautious and work from home if need be. A company spokesman said: “We are a very mobile company, so em-ployees have the option on days such as these to work remotely, and take care of themselves and their families. We are a family-focused company.”

Time Inc. echoed that sentiment and said its offices would remain open.

Employees at Condé Nast received an e-mail from human resources early Monday with the recommendation that they leave the office by 1 p.m.

“According to reports, mass transit services are likely to experience conges-tion and delays this afternoon. The MTA suggests completing travel as early as possible this afternoon in order to avoid potential delays and service suspen-sions,” said Condé Nast senior vice presi-dent of human resources JoAnn Murray.

While Hearst Magazines intends to re-main open today, it sent around an internal memo Monday morning regarding closures in its New York-based headquarters. The building’s cafe, wellness center and news-stand would be closed until Wednesday.

A New York Times spokeswoman said, “Our offices will be open tomorrow, but we’re encouraging employees, particular-ly on the business side, to work remotely. Obviously, it’s not possible for our entire employee base, but we’re making arrange-ments to ensure that our employees don’t take any unnecessary risks and stay safe.”

“Most apparel folks have anything from 25 to 50 percent of their stores in the path of the storm,” said Gold of Planalytics.

The storm’s economic impact will be felt well beyond the loss of retail sales.

A 2010 study that IHS Global Insight con-ducted for the American Highway Users Alliance found that one day of shutdown of normal business from impassable roads can cost a state $300 million to $700 million. That includes the direct and indirect impacts of the storm on businesses and government. Hourly workers are among the hardest-hit by closures, although a portion of their lost income will be made up with overtime later.

While some purchases at retail will be deferred — or pushed forward — IHS said sales would be lost. The forecast-ing firm said department stores, general merchandise stores and gasoline stations would miss out on some sales.

The study suggested that New York state would lose $700 million for each day a snowstorm shut down business. That included the loss of $88 million in retail sales and another indirect impact equal to $64 million in sales.

New Jersey’s economic losses for each day of shutdown were estimated at $289 million, with $34 million in retail sales lost and an indirect retail sales impact of $25 million.

“In addition to the direct loss of in-come and sales, there is an indirect component associated with the rippling effect through the economy that would have been stimulated by the wages and sales that are lost,” the study said. “We assume that all of the people who lost in-come as a result of the shutdown would have spent the majority of that income in the local economy. Lost sales in the local economy will amount to a potential loss of income by most retailers and their employees. The impact ripples further as retailers and employees curtail their purchasing activity.”

Retailers Reacting to Juno’s Wrath

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{Continued from page one}Pedestrians pass by the Louis Vuitton store in Manhattan during the storm Monday afternoon.

A 2010 study found one day of shutdown from impassable roads can cost a state up to $700 million.

’’’’

The only good news is that it is a midweek storm and not a weekend one. Groceries

and home [improvement stores] will obviously benefit, but everyone

else will lose a few days of sales.— BoB CarBonell, Barnard SandS

10 WWD TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

SARAH SILVERMAN turned up the heat in Park City, Utah, on Sunday night by fl ashing some unintentional skin on the red carpet of her premiere, “I Smile Back,” at the Library Center Theatre. “Whoa, whoa, come on,” she said, as she rearranged her crisp, white button-down. “My hairstylist does the Victoria’s Secret Angels, and he made me look like one.”

It was the kind of self-deprecating remark we’ve come to expect from the raunchy comic. Yet Silverman’s at the festival to defy some of those expectations. In the drama, she plays a suburban housewife and mother of two who has a substance abuse problem. After taking an against-type part a couple of years ago in Sarah Polley’s “Take This Waltz,” Silverman seems intent on making the industry view her as a serious actress. Not so, Silverman said. “I never have a kind of game plan,” she said before delivering her punch line. “I’m too lazy.”

Silverman is not the only comedian who has come to Sundance

seeking broader recognition for her dramatic chops. Kristen Wiig, who’s taken part in a number of small, independent dramas since “Bridesmaids,” was back with “The Diary of a Teenage Girl,” and she has been greeted generally with positive reviews. On Saturday night, Wiig was at the Grey Goose Blue Door Lounge for the premiere, alongside newcomer and costar Bel Powley, who is having an affair with her

character’s boyfriend, Alexander Skarsgård, in

the fi lm. “Bel and I shot all our scenes together at the beginning, so by the time Kristen got to the set, it was like we already had a secret,” the “True Blood” actor said.

Up the street at Cisero’s restaurant,

the cast of “Ten Thousand Saints” celebrated their

screening sans Ethan Hawke, who fl ew

back to Los Angeles to present at the Producers Guild Awards, where his “Boyhood” was upset

by “Birdman” for fi lm of the year. A brooding Emile Hirsch perked up

while chatting with costar Hailee Steinfeld, though later he was involved in an altercation, according to tabloid reports.

Down the street, those without invites crowded the

steps at the Acura tent to catch A$AP Rocky’s brief outdoor performance at the “Dope” after party. Rocky delivered a short set, admitting to the

crowd that performing was “really hard” following the unexpected death of friend Steven Rodriguez, best known as A$AP Yams.

Hollywood started to take a break from awards-season fatigue on Friday, when a slew of fi lms had premieres, including a Chase Sapphire Preferred-hosted cocktail party for “The Overnight,” Patrick Brice’s cringe-inducing comedy starring Adam Scott, Taylor Schilling, Jason Schwartzman and Judith Godrèche as two sets of parents navigating a beyond-awkward playdate. It is one of the festival’s early distribution pick-ups, along with “Dope” and “The Diary of a Teenage Girl.” Scott was soliciting fi lm recommendations from guests, since he’ll be at Sundance all week to promote a second fi lm, “Sleeping With Other People.” “I’m still fi guring out what to see. But tonight I’m really looking forward to going back to my hotel room and watching TV until I fall asleep. I’m not sure I’ll still be up for any

midnight screenings,” he said. A few blocks away at

the Main & Sky Lodge, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association threw a “Next Gen” party for up-and-coming actors, most of whom looked too young to be served alcohol — there was plenty of water and Diet Coke going around. It didn’t mean they weren’t seasoned veterans, though. Tye Sheridan, who fi rst came to Sundance with “Mud” two years ago, has three premieres in a row this year. “Sometimes you get really lucky,” he said.

— JENNY SUNDEL AND MARCY MEDINA

AFTER ITS men’s show in Paris over the weekend, Berluti literally knocked guests’ shoes off. VIPs repaired to a lavish dinner and shoe-polishing party, taking off their footwear along with their coats. “I feel a bit lost without my shoes,” Bryan Ferry confessed, as he had no fancy sock habit to display on

this occasion: “I like yellow in the day and dark blue at night.”

Three long tables were laden with fl owers, crystal candelabra and mysterious wooden containers. “Don’t touch your shoe boxes, please!” zany French TV presenter Mademoiselle Agnès bellowed over a microphone.

Too late: Maurizio Cattelan was already opening canisters, sniffi ng the contents and converting a shoelace into a bracelet.

After guests gobbled up a three-course dinner by chef Thierry Marx, waiters arrived with everyone’s shoes on silver trays, along with stacks of brushes and creams. Agnès barked out more instructions in French and English, making the most of her sultry voice and naughty streak. “Take a brush

and make it penetrate the wax,” she purred. “Concentrate on the toes.”

Oblivious to the instructions, Virginie Mouzat brushed her hair with one of the polishing instruments, while Bergdorf Goodman honcho Joshua Schulman threw up his white-gloved hands and proposed a simpler method: “Step one: Leave shoes outside your hotel room.”

Berluti reprised these Swann Club polishing rituals, the brainchild of founder

Olga Berluti, as the brand, now helmed by Antoine Arnault, marks its 120th anniversary.

The fi nal fl ourish for a Berluti-style shoe shine is the most spectacular — employing a touch of Champagne to achieve a high sheen. On this night, a 2004 Dom Pérignon was served, which gave Agnès other ideas. “Put the Champagne in your shoes and drink,” she said, hoisting an oxford and toasting her guests.

— MILES SOCHA

Spick and Span

FOR MORE PHOTOS, SEE

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MULBERRY’S NEW BLOOM: Mulberry’s spring campaign marks a new direction for the British luxury label, with model Georgia May Jagger making her fi rst appearance as the face of the brand, and photographers Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin returning to shoot the campaign for the fi rst time since 2004.

The images depict Jagger as if she’s at “an impromptu photo shoot set up in a country house,” the label said. To wit: In one image, Jagger poses with Mulberry’s Delphie bag at the edge of a seamless backdrop, with the house’s ornately paneled walls, gilt-edged furniture and a silver tea set also in the shot. In another, Jagger is shot against the backdrop wearing Mulberry’s Mini Cara backpack, with irises and roses spilling out of the back pocket of her jeans — nodding to the fl oral inspiration for the spring collection — with eclectic objects such as a vintage bicycle, teacups and a chess set in the frame.

Tank was the creative agency for the campaign, with its creative and editorial director, Masoud Golsorkhi, acting as campaign director. Golsorkhi commented that the “sense of slight chaos in the images expresses the relaxed charm of English country living.” Anne-Marie Verdin, brand director of Mulberry, noted that the label is

“being determinedly British as the brand grows its international business.” The styling was by Melanie Ward, with hair by Christiaan Houtenbos and makeup by Dick Page. The campaign will break in the March issues of titles such as British Vogue, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar. Van Lamsweerde and Matadin have also directed a short fi lm of Jagger for Mulberry’s Web site, in which the model moves on the set to the strains of Shocking Blue, a late-Sixties Dutch rock group. — NINA JONES

MEMO PAD

FASHION SCOOPS INFINITE VARIETY: “It’s incredible. It looks like sort of a rose mirror fun house,” Natalie Portman said as she and her husband, Benjamin Millepied, entered the tent where Dior staged its Paris haute couture show on Monday.

Creative director Raf Simons said he was aiming for “sensory overload” with the venue, set up in the garden of the Musée Rodin. The fl oor was covered in pink shag pile carpet, while mirrored wall panels endlessly refl ected a Mikado-like white scaffolding structure.

Elizabeth Olsen, Eva Herzigová, Natalia Vodianova, Tatiana Casiraghi, Aymeline Valade, Marisa Berenson, Peter Marino, Olympia Scarry, Azzedine Alaïa and Clotilde Courau were also among the guests.

Olsen, who arrived early under a fi ne drizzle, said she had just completed “I Saw the Light,” a biopic of country singer Hank Williams in which she plays his wife, Audrey Mae Williams. “I just knew songs kind of accidentally, not realizing that they’re even Hank Williams. But now I just have, like, everything he ever has played,” she said.

Olsen will also be seen this May in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” though she would not reveal how her character, the Scarlet Witch, uses her power to alter reality. The actress admitted there are a few things she would like to change herself: “Honestly, for people to just stop hurting children in schools recklessly.”

Australian model-turned-actress Maddison Brown fl ew in straight from Salt Lake City after promoting her big-screen debut “Strangerland,” directed by Kim Farrant and starring Nicole Kidman, at the Sundance Film Festival.

“It’s been just a crazy few days,” the ebullient teen said. “I just can’t even believe that it happened and it premiered there, and it’s just so exciting. And I’m happy for the director, too. It’s his fi rst fi lm, so to get it at Sundance — it’s an amazing achievement.”

Brown described Kidman as “the jewel in our crown,” before reeling off the names of other famous actors from Down Under, such as Cate

Blanchett and Russell Crowe.“It’s something in the water down

there,” she said. “There’s a lot of up-and-coming talent, too, so it’s an exciting time to be an Australian actor. I think people are sitting up and taking notice.” — JOELLE DIDERICH

TICKLED PINK: Alice Eve came up with a novel way to beat New Year’s blues this year: She tied the knot.

“It was the best start to the year, because I never liked New Year’s Eve and now I love it,” she said at the Schiaparelli haute couture show in Paris on Monday.

The British actress married Alex Cowper-Smith on Dec. 31 wearing a custom-made Temperley dress. “It was the most beautiful dress I’ve ever worn,” she enthused.

Eve confi rmed she would star in the follow-up to “Star Trek Into Darkness,” set to fi lm in Vancouver later this year. She will also be seen alongside Kevin Costner and Gary Oldman in “Criminal,” due out later this year.

Other guests at the display, held off the Place Vendôme, included French comedian Valérie Lemercier, rising actress

Karidja Touré and artist Adel Abdessemed.

As pink light bathed the venue, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy struggled to locate her seat. She thought she had fi nally found it, and began chatting animatedly to her neighbors in Italian. Schiaparelli spokeswoman Farida Khelfa appeared and mock-chided her: “You’re in the wrong seat. It says Carla Sozzani — allo?”

Once settled into her rightful place — next to Italian entrepreneur Diego Della Valle, who owns the brand — Bruni-Sarkozy confi ded she was focusing on music, following her husband’s return to the political spotlight (former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was elected head of the opposition conservative UMP party in November).

“I just fi nished touring, and I’m writing a new album,” the Bulgari brand ambassador said. — J.D.

SNEAKING UP: Considering how multifaceted Kate and Laura Mulleavy and Gia Coppola are, it’s not surprising that an eclectic crowd gathered at the Chateau Marmont on Friday to toast the new sneaker collaboration the sisters launched with Superga, termed simply Rodarte x Superga. And, like their hosts, the guests boasted an array of intriguing projects of their own.

Langley Fox Hemingway, who gave the Mulleavys a hand-drawn self-portrait in lieu of a photo at their show casting last fall, is using the T-shirt as the medium for her next illustrations in an upcoming capsule for Forever 21.

Coppola, who modeled in the look book for the footwear collaboration, is in the midst of writing her follow-up to “Palo Alto,” which will also star James Franco. “He’s my muse,” she said. Staying mum on the plot, she would only reveal that: “I like [something] human and of the heart. [But] I feel it’s still important to have comedy in there.”

Other guests who took a break from their creative endeavors to feast on black truffl e arancini, kale salad, branzino and steak

under the hotel’s candlelit colonnade included musicians Grimes, Miguel, Jenny Lewis and Jesse Jo Stark, along with stylists Johnny Wujek, Shirley Kurata, Samantha Traina and George Kotsiopoulos.

— KHANH T.L. TRAN

FOR MORE SCOOPS, SEE

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Elizabeth Olsen

Alice Eve

Elle Fanning in Rodarte with

Laura Mulleavy.

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