America?s Shopping Malls: Are They Prepared for Terrorism?

NEW YORK — The maiden U.S. exhibition of famed Britpop photographer Rankin promises to be a funky affair: The show, featuring some 270 photos, is situated in an abandoned firehouse in lower Manhattan. Six hundred guests are expected at Wednesday’s…

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — When it comes to security, there’s more than meets the eye at the Mall of America, the 4.2 million-square-foot shopping utopia here that’s getting ready to break ground on a 5 million-square-foot expansion.

A tour of the…

LONDON — There have been threats of terrorism to the public here for decades. Here’s how some agencies and institutions cope.

Harrods Department Store:

“We have an extremely high alert on security,” said a spokesman. “The store has been the…

NEW YORK — While China is already a major supplier of textiles and apparel to the U.S. — for the year ended in March, it was the number-two importer in dollars behind Mexico — its manufacturers believe there’s still plenty of room for them to…

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim DeMint’s day of political judgment is today.

In a primary to select the Republic candidate for South Carolina’s fourth district seat in the House, he’s facing Phil Bradley, a state public utility commissioner who can thank…

PARIS — Economic angst shrouded business at last week’s Expofil yarn fair outside Paris.

Coming off a difficult season blotted by Sept. 11, vendors said business remained uncertain and slow. They said European clients, especially in the luxury…

NEW YORK — After Material World’s ill-timed show, which fell on Sept. 11 last year, the exhibit is attempting to bounce back. It announced last week its intent to partner with the American Apparel & Footwear Association to promote the sourcing…

JOINT MARKETING: Hornwood Inc. and Lee Fashion Fabrics Inc. have agreed to form a joint venture marketing company set to begin operations on Aug. 26. The venture will combine Lee Fashion’s export business, overseas production capability and marketing…

DALLAS — Bridges, airports and, most recently, subways have all been identified by the government as possible targets for terrorists. But experts say another major public forum should be near the top of the list — America’s malls.

Shopping…

WASHINGTON — Retailers scored a victory Monday when the Supreme Court cleared the way for a lower court to hear a multibillion-dollar lawsuit against Visa and MasterCard over the types of credit card services merchants must offer.

At stake is…

NEW YORK — Part of what made James Galanos an important designer also made him legendarily difficult: his persistence in thinking he could always do it better. But those who hope he has mellowed in the four years since his retirement are in for a…

Dispatch from the social world: On Thursday, Pia Getty gave birth to a son, Maximus, in London — it’s her fourth child — and Kalliope Karella gave birth to a son, Brando, in New York — her first. And a social thunderbolt shot out of London last…

NEW YORK — For those who sat alone at the lunch table, for those whose houses were wrapped with TP, for those who scowled through their senior year portraits — the time has come. Independent curator James Fuentes and jewelry designer Waris have…

Talk about a shower. Thursday night’s storm sent down rain by the bucketful, though it didn’t stop chic New Yorkers from making their rounds. Like those diligent postal carriers of yore — you know, neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night — …

Every summer has that song — the one inescapable tune that comes to define the season. Think Sisqo’s “Thong Song” in 2000 or Nelly’s “Ride Wit Me” in 2001, which coincided all too perfectly with Lizzie Grubman’s wild ride. (Remember? “If you wanna…

NEW YORK — Sunny days on the boat, balmy nights on the beach — it’s all a part of getting away. And for resort, Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui have cooked up chic looks for any locale. For his signature and Marc by Marc Jacobs lines, Jacobs did lots of…

SOMETHING BREWING AT WACOAL: Barbara Lipton, a Saks Fifth Avenue executive, will become vice president of merchandising and design for the licensed Donna Karan division of Wacoal America, on June 24, WWD has learned.

Lipton will be responsible for…

NEW YORK — It’s party time, so slip into that little black dress, strap on those heels and get ready to dance. Marc Jacobs is offering plenty of flirty choices for resort, from sexy fitted looks with beadwork to more demure frilly frocks. Here, his…

NEW YORK — Calvin Klein Inc. said Monday that it will integrate all its worldwide advertising, marketing and public relations functions under the direction of Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and communications.

Vernon…

NEW YORK — Nordstrom Inc. has one more subsidiary but one less family member in the business.

The firm said late Monday that Dan Nordstrom has resigned as chief executive of Nordstrom.com and Mike Smith has relinquished his post as president of…

NRF SEEKS BUSH PORT PRESSURE: Concerned importers are urging President Bush to use his bully pulpit to pressure the West Coast warehouse and dock workers union and ocean freighter association to sign a new contract and avoid a potentially damaging…

AUSTIN — A heightened sense of urgency seemed to hover over the National Retail Federation’s Loss Prevention Conference & Exhibition, held here last week.

In light of FBI warnings of possible terrorism aimed at American shopping centers, the…

NEW YORK — Is it that bad being a store manager, considered one of the toughest jobs in retailing? Not at all for Joe Cardamone, store manager of the J.C. Penney in the Bay Plaza Mall, by Co-op City in The Bronx. He is running one of the…

OUT OF VOGUE: Wendy Hirschberg, Vogue’s fractious fashion market director, whose tempestuous phone calls to showrooms became the stuff of legend, quit on Monday, as she said, “to focus on other things.” And though few at Vogue were said to be upset…