SOM MOVE: Could Peter Som be heading to Tommy Hilfiger? According to sources, Hilfiger has been in discussions with Som to bring in the designer on a part-time creative consultant basis. Few details could be learned, and officials at Som and Hilfiger couldn’t be reached for comment. As far back as 2007, Hilfiger told WWD he was looking for a creative director, and at the time, was speaking to Miguel Adrover, among others. Som has been rebuilding his own line after leaving Bill Blass, where he was creative director of women’s, last year, and ending the relationship between him and his then-backer, Lord & Taylor subsidiary Creative Design Studios. He has since inked a licensing deal with Milan-based clothing manufacturer Margon and New York multiline showroom ADC.
WITH HONORS: The Appeal of Conscience Foundation is tipping its hat to three leaders in their fields for its 2009 annual Awards Dinner. On Sept. 22, the organization, which promotes religious freedom and human rights worldwide, will honor LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton chairman and chief executive officer Bernard Arnault, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and The Coca-Cola Company chairman and ceo Muhtar Kent. Brown will take home the organization’s “Appeal of Conscience World Statesman Award,” while Arnault and Kent will both be honored with the “Appeal of Conscience Award.”
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The black-tie gala will take place at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, and honorary co-chairs include former President Clinton.
MODELS ON CALL: One hundred of-the-moment models and ones from yesteryear will stand shoulder-to-shoulder wearing Fashion’s Night Out T-shirts for a photo shoot Sept. 9 in front of the Bryant Park tents. Patrick Demarchelier will be calling the shots, directing Iman and her daughter Chanel, Alek Wek, Daria Werbowy, Erin Wasson, Lily Donaldson, Helena Christensen, Irina Lazareanu and others. Not wanting to be outdone, each model will wear her shirt as she sees fit.
THIS JUST IN: Speaking of Fashion’s Night Out, Justin Timberlake is scheduled to pop in at Saks Fifth Avenue in the SnAKS cafe on 5, to celebrate the launch of The William Rast pop-up shop, also on 5. Timberlake cofounded the Rast brand with Trace Ayala, who will be at Saks that night as well. Both the men’s and women’s William Rast pop-up shops on 7 will be in business for about a month. The first 150 people to spend $200 on William Rast on Sept. 10 will be invited to attend the event with the co-founders, to benefit the 9/11 Fund.
“UGLY BETTY” MARKDOWNS: The recession has hit the closet of editrix Wilhelmina Slater of ABC’s “Ugly Betty,” the role played by Vanessa Williams. “With the economic situation what it is, we scaled down in terms of the type of clothing that we’re getting,” said Williams, who has been nominated for two Emmys, during a visit to Dallas on Tuesday night. “There was a Naeem Kahn dress that went for $3,000, and they watched it and watched and by the time we got it, it was like $800. So we are being mindful of the budget and waiting for markdowns on Ugly Betty.”
Still, Williams said she’s worn Rachel Roy, Giambattista Valli, Dolce & Gabbana and some vintage Thierry Mugler for the third season, which premieres Oct. 9. “With the Mugler, which we did a lot last season, we’ve gone through a lot of stuff that is late Eighties, early Nineties, which is fantastic — a lot of stuff I used to wear when I was recording back in the day,” she noted. “So I would have déjà vu moments of, ‘Didn’t I wear this on stage already?’” Williams was in Dallas to copromote Dress for Success and its benefactor, Botox, which has donated $250,000 to the charity.
MOVING DAY?: MAGIC executives were mum but retailers at the show were buzzing about a change in venue for the next edition. Specialty stores said MAGIC and Project will finally be housed together at the Mandalay Bay starting in February. MAGIC is on now at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and Project is at the Sands Expo Center. Retailers said MAGIC is negotiating with the three locations to finalize its plans at which time it will make an announcement. Chris DeMoulin, president of MAGIC, had no comment but did say he was pleased with the current show, which ended its three-day run on Wednesday. He said exhibitor numbers, attendees and square footage were all up and the organization was pleased with the results. If the big move happens, it would be the first time MAGIC and Project show in the same place. It would definitely please retailers who often complain about having to run all over town when shopping the market in Las Vegas