The Style File Daily Cheat Sheet

Jil Sander's Navy, Limelight Marketplace, Nordstrom and Target Grow, Price of Cotton Increasing, Polo and Target Report Strong Quarter

(wwd) Jil Sander Navy Spring 2011

"Prints, color and California are not words typically associated with Jil Sander, a collection anchored in strict devotion to minimalism and precision cuts. Yet those concepts unite in Jil Sander Navy, Raf Simons’ new casual collection that the Milan-based company is launching for spring 2011." see more

(wsj) Cotton Tale: Apparel Prices Set to Rise

"After a decade of deflation, the cost of producing apparel is on the rise. Prices for cotton are up about 55% from a year earlier. "We are facing a very serious problem in terms of increased cotton prices,"Abercrombie & Fitch Co. Chief Executive Michael Jeffries said Tuesday. The increases are making it harder for the high-priced teen retailer to restore margins already eroded by steep markdowns and depressed sales."

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(wwd) Polo, Target Beat on Gains

"Better apparel sales helped both Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. and Target Corp. come in ahead of Wall Street expectations Wednesday. Polo’s net more than doubled in its fourth quarter to $114.1 million, or $1.13 a share, from $44.5 million, or 44 cents a share, in 2009. Target grew its first quarter bottom line by 28.6 percent to $671 million, or 90 cents a diluted share, from $522 million, or 69 cents a share, a year ago." read more

(nyt)Limelight Marketplace

It was an Episcopalian place of worship, then a drug rehab center, briefly a nightclub, and now a pricey specialty  marketplace in the heart of Chelsea. There are a range of shops, everything from a bakery to an antique store, including a shop for dog bone shaped cookies for your 6 inch teacup poodle. The maze of shops will keep you looking for hours, but we do have to agree, the black and white theme is vertigo inducing!       read more

Gap and Nordstrom talk Growth

"Coming out of the recession, Gap has no debt, $2.3 billion in cash, a clearer grasp of what apparel customers want in the lean economy, remodeled and relocated U.S. and Canadian stores, and online sales in Canada poised to launch, Murphy said."

“As consumers sit on the sidelines, we have to give them a reason to part with their dollars,” said Nordstrom. “This forced us to evolve our product offering. We continue to see improvement with bringing in fresh new product every day."  Reflecting on recent improvements in the business — such as the 43.2 percent increase in first-quarter profit reported last week and the 10 percent improvement in 2009 earnings — Nordstrom said, “It’s a lot better to be here today than it was a year ago.”” read more

The Style File Daily Cheat Sheet

(NBC) Express Goes Public with Lunchtime Fashion Show in Wall Street

"Express went public today, and to celebrate 30 years in the biz, models rang the bell at the NYSE and this afternoon, they'll host a fashion show on Wall Street itself. Headliners Alek Wek, Isabel Goulart and Flavia de Oliveira will lead the catwalk down the main thoroughfare of the financial district at 12:30pm, before taking to the streets with "mystery" gift cards loaded with up to $75 -- according to Modelinia, there'll be thousands up for grabs."

(WWD) Zac Posen May Show in Paris

"The designer told a visitor to his showroom Tuesday that he will show his spring 2011 ready-to-wear collection in Paris where, he said, “they understand my clothes.” Posen cited as an additional reason for the move his inability to secure his preferred time slot during New York Fashion Week."

(WWD) Nordstrom Earnings Up in First Quarter

"Reporting after the markets closed Thursday, the high-end retailer said first-quarter earnings for the period ended May 1 jumped to $116 million, from $81 million.Sales rose 16.6 percent to $1.99 billion from $1.71 billion, while same-store sales rose 13.7 percent."

(WSJ) At Gap, Two Brands on Mend, One to Go

"While Gap Inc.'s Old Navy and Banana Republic divisions are showing signs of life, the Gap brand itself continues to struggle with styles that consumers find easy to ignore.This week, Gap is expected to post its first quarterly same-store sales rose in more than five years—the first of Mr. Robinson's tenure. But a rise, for the quarter ended May 1, would come with the caveat that last year's quarter was especially bad. The question is whether Mr. Robinson can build on the gains and convince people inside and outside the company that a turnaround is under way."

(WWD) Urban Outfitters Profits Leap

"Urban Outfitters, which operates the Anthropologie, Free People, Leifsdottir, Terrain and Urban Outfitters brands, on Thursday reported record first-quarter earnings of $53 million. Net income was 31 cents a diluted share, a 72 percent increase over last year’s 18 cents, when earnings totaled $31 million. Glen Senk, chief executive officer of Urban Outfitters Inc., said  “We achieved record sales and earnings, but to do so within the greater context of our longer-term goals of investing in store productivity, e-commerce penetration, international expansion and new brands, is even more satisfying.""