One Enchanted Evening: Retail Titans Gather to Fete Josie Natori

Who can gather together Terry Lundgren, Burt Tansky, Pete Nordstrom, Bill Dillard 2nd, Stephen I. Sadove and Michael Gould in one room with nary a punch being thrown?

With a nod to Laura Ingalls, designers are returning to simpler times for spring with gentle slip shapes in soft cottons. Added touches include lacy accents and gentle ruffles, as shown on this cotton voile slipdress from Eberjey.

During an earnings call on Friday, E. Scott Beattie, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Elizabeth Arden Inc., disclosed that his firm has signed a beauty licensing deal with Rocawear, the clothing label cofounded by hip-hop mogul Shawn…

Italian jeweler Damiani SpA’s IPO price has been set at 4 euros per share, or $5.80 at current exchange rates, on the lower end of its preliminary price range.

In his 91 years on earth, Pablo Picasso immersed himself in everything from painting to sculpture to costume design. Not to mention all the women he bedded, wedded, tortured and left.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia recently walked away from a potential acquisition, but, looking forward, executives insist the company is highly interested in acquiring Internet companies…

Bring on the cheeky irreverence. Meet two designers – one new, another a veteran – who are punching up their accessories with finger-wave hats, burlesque headdresses, drunken pearls and Day-Glo neckwear.

Invista Inc. is planning a global marketing and advertising campaign for its trademark Lycra spandex brand and the 100th anniversary of the bra.

Hanesbrands Inc. and the Walt Disney Co. signed a 10-year marketing agreement that will give the Hanes and Champion brands exclusivity in basic apparel, including cotton knits and underwear, at the Walt Disney World Resort.

In today’s highly populated fine jewelry market, where newness often garners more praise than timelessness, Verdura continues to do its own thing.

Costume jewelry appears to be coming into its own. Along with strong sales of diamonds and high jewelry, costume jewelry has been impressive, with growing demand for designer lines.

Designer Lara Bohinc is known in Europe for her chunky costume jewelry and clutch bags laced with metalwork that celebrities such as Madonna, Kate Moss and Christina Aguilera have sported since she launched her line 10 years ago.

The latest brand to join the better handbag market, Sylvie Celine, is about family ties.

The $35 billion accessories market continues to grow at a rapid pace, and some of last year’s standouts will be celebrated at tonight’s 11th annual Accessories Council Excellence Awards.

LeSportsac is upbeat about its new collaboration with Stella McCartney, projecting the 18-month deal will deliver $50 million to $70 million in sales at retail.

While critics complained of sparse glitterati sitting in front rows during New York Fashion Week this year, that wasn’t the case at Catherine Malandrino’s show.

Richard Walsh has joined staffing firm Project Solvers. He will be working with Anne Maxfield, the firm’s co-founder and president on sales and marketing initiatives.

U.S. department and specialty stores cut a combined 6,500 jobs in October, but merchants got some positive economic news – a surprise uptick in overall job growth.

Three months after VF Corp. acquired Lucy Activewear, the brand’s chief executive officer, Mike Edwards, is leaving the firm.

Tom Ford said Friday he will open his first company-owned store, a 9,149-square-foot unit, at Via Pietro Verri, 3 in Milan, in the spring. Ford also said he plans to open stores in London, Zurich, Tokyo, Kuwait and Hong Kong.

About 1,000 volunteers have been pulling together the world’s largest sample sale, 7th on Sale, which will get under way Nov. 15 with a gala at the 69th Regiment Armory here and will be followed with a three-day sale open to the public.

Last week was a tough one on the S&P Retail Index, which lost 4.1 percent to 443.54 on Friday from the prior week’s 462.54.

John Wilson, a 24-year veteran who cut his teeth at Vestimenta, Ferragamo and Nordstrom, is putting the finishing touches on a new retail concept.

French actress Emmanuelle Seigner, who appears in this winter’s Celine campaign, has a new project with the LVMH-owned brand.