"After a recent trip to India, Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez thought about what their Proenza Schouler girl needs for resort — which went beyond the expected saris and rich embellishments. So they chose to use Bandhani tie-dyeing techniques and sweet tie closures rather than buttons and hardware. The cool tie-dye looks range from easy Ts to lightweight dresses, while textured gold dresses are rich and luxe. And beachy Baja tops and tailored coats make the perfect toppers."
"After years of talking up in-season shows, Donna Karan finally practiced what she’s been preaching on Thursday. Her first Urban Zen presentation, held in the rooftop garden of the Greenwich Street building that houses the line’s store, featured 13 models in sexy, draped pieces, grounded in T-shirt dressing from the collection that’s currently in stores. “For me, Urban Zen is about bringing it to the consumer,” said Karan. “I wanted to give an immediate experience.”
Neiman Rating Raised, Barneys Unchanged
"Neiman Marcus Inc. got a thumbs-up from one ratings agency Thursday, while Barneys New York Inc. received a less flattering assessment from another.
"Moody’s Investors Service upgraded Neiman’s corporate family rating to “B3” from “Caa1” based on a “solid recovery in credit metrics,” while Standard & Poor’s Ratings Service took Barneys off CreditWatch without changing its “CCC” rating. However, S&P lowered its issue-level rating on Barneys to “CCC-minus” from “CCC” and lowered its recovery rating to 5 from 3 “based on our view that the company’s valuation has diminished over the past few years.” Barneys was placed on CreditWatch with positive implications on April 22. “The negative rating outlook reflects our concern that Barneys’ capital structure is unsustainable and that some sort of restructuring is a likely outcome,” wrote S&P credit analyst David Kuntz. He cited the store’s “weak liquidity position, participation in the narrow luxury segment, small store base, absence of a chief executive officer since mid-2008, highly leveraged capital structure and thin cash flow protection measures” in his research note explaining the action." read more
Uma Thurman Named Ambassador to Key to the Cure
"Uma Thurman and Donna Karan are teaming to combat women’s cancer. Saks Fifth Avenue and The Breast Cancer Research Foundation tapped the actress as this year’s ambassador to the retailer’s annual Key to the Cure initiative. Karan designed the limited edition T-shirt that will be sold as part of the campaign and benefits a slew of organizations devoted to the fight against cancer. It’s a cause that Thurman and Karan take very seriously. Both have known women affected by the disease, and Thurman was particularly inspired to step up her efforts in the fight against it when she attended the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Central Park in September and shot the starting gun. “It was amazing to see so many women, both survivors and nonsurvivors alike, united in this effort,” said Thurman. “When [Key to the Cure] was presented to me, I thought, ‘This is something I want to make the time to do, something that matters a lot to me.’” Thurman joins past celebrity ambassadors including Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, Hilary Swank, Heidi Klum, Glenn Close, Renée Zellweger and Nicole Kidman. Like them, Thurman is to appear in a national public service announcement sporting the Karan-designed T-shirt, which will be placed in September and October issues of fashion and lifestyle publications." read more