April 2008

Claire Danes new face of Gucci fine jewelry

Claire Danes new face of Gucci fine jewelry
April 29, 2008

Actress Claire Danes is the new face of Gucci fine jewelry.

New York—Actress Claire Danes is excitement over the reins from Drew Barrymore as the newest face for Gucci, Fashion Week Daily has reported.

According to the April 24 report, the 29-year-old, who has recently received critical acclaim for her Broadway debut in Pygmalion, exercise volition appear in the upcoming Gucci fine-jewelry campaign.

Danes is the second honor ad-campaign face for Gucci, following Barrymore’s run from 2007 to 2008.

Famed photographer duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin will once again return to Gucci to shoot the campaign, that will debut in fall fashion magazines.

“Claire Danes is a modern icon,” Gucci Creative Director Frida Giannini told Fashion Week Daily. “For me, she is one of the most interesting not old actresses on the international scene. She is very spontaneous, fresh, and has a carefree attitude, what one. be possible to also be seen in the roles she has chosen. Claire’s sensual, confident beauty and her passionate, independent and strong character embodies today’s Gucci woman.”

The Golden Globe Award-winning actress will next be seen in the Richard Linklater film Me and Orson Welles.

Couture to host Town and Country Design Awards

Couture to host Town and Country Design Awards
April 29, 2008

New York—Couture is again hosting the prestigious Couture Town and Country Design Awards competition, and this year, retailers and the media can cast their votes online, before the show.

This year’s new online system at Couturedesignawards.com elect allow exhibitors to enter their designs online so that retailers and the media can cast their primary vote in send of the bestow, which is being held from May 28-June 2 at the Wynn Las Vegas.

The new technology is a boon for exhibitors, affording them an extra boost in valuable pre-show exposure. In addition, staging the primaries in advance of the show will bestow voters a never-before-seen preview of the entries and generate buzz and excitement for seeing the designs in person.

“Our thought process behind launching the Couturedesignawards.com site was three-fold: to make the awards easy to enter, to increase awareness of the fantastic designs that are in the Couture common and to reach out to as many retailers as we can to give them a chance to promised,” Couture Vice President Lee Arevian said in a media release issued on Tuesday.

By leveraging the viral marketing capabilities inherent in all online competitions, Couture anticipates more voting participation from a greater numbers of retailers and the media. Not only disposition voters be given an additional three weeks to cast their ballots, but they can also reference the designers they see on the site when setting up appointments for the likeness.

“We’re confident that the modernization of the competition is going to increase the number of unusual designs entered,” Town and Country Publisher and Vice President Jim Taylor said. “With the expansion of the Couture community to an increased number of designers, this new system will make the voting process more efficient and give the designers more exposure among important retailers and media.”

Primary online voting begins May 5 and runs through May 21. Votes will be tallied on May 23, and the designs of the top devoted earners in each category will be on display starting May 27 in the Design Corridor before the final round of voting. Award winners will be notified on May 27 and invited to an invitation-only cocktail reception hosted by Town and Country for the presentation of the awards.

despite more information about Couture or the Couture Town and Country Design Awards, contact Lup at (212) 924-5588 or via e-mail at Couture@LupRocks.com.

Garrard, Stephen Webster name new top exec

Garrard, Stephen Webster name new top exec
April 29, 2008

London—Industry veteran Terri Eagle has been named president and chief executive officer of the corporate parent of Garrard Holdings Ltd. and Stephen Webster Ltd., and will hold direct oversight over both businesses.

Eagle most recently served as president and CEO of John Hardy USA. Previously, from 1998 to 2005, she held several senior charge positions at David Yurman, including chief operating officer.

In her new role, Eagle will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of both Garrard and Stephen Webster. Her priorities will comprise accelerating wholesale and exemption sales growth, opening new retail locations and leveraging Garrard’s heritage as Crown Jeweler to the British royal family, being of the kind which well as Stephen Webster’s international reputation being of the class who “jeweler to the stars.”

Eagle will be based in New York and will report to the table of directors for Garrard and Stephen Webster’s holding company.

“Both Stephen Webster and Garrard are extremely fortunate to have someone of Terri’s caliber join our team in a leadership capacity,” Stephen Webster, creative director of Stephen Webster, said in a media release. “She has an incredible track record of brand building and working successfully with many of our existing retail partners to grow their businesses.”

In the release, Eagle spoke of the brands as “iconic” and as having “enormous expansion potential in Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East.”

“We believe there are several promising growth opportunities on the horizon,” she said.

Garrard currently has 17 points of sale, including its London flagship, U.S. flagship in Beverly Hills, Calif., and privilege locations in the Middle East, Russia and South Korea. Stephen Webster has more than 70 points of sale worldwide, including franchise accounts in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Hong Kong; Japan; Russia; South Korea; the United Kingdom; and the United States.

Study: Big-ticket sales continue to tumble

Study: Big-ticket sales continue to tumble
April 28, 2008

New York—Sales of big-ticket items, including appliances, cars, electronics and furniture, are expected to be permanent their downward spiral as the Deloitte Leading Index of Consumer Durables Spending fell for the sixth straight month in March.

The Index, which earliest turned negative in September 2007, suggests that personal-consumption expenditure on durable goods (manufactured goods designed to utmost at least three years) is on a sustained downward trend.

This continuous drop in durable-goods orders generally serves as a reflection of the overall economy, which has been strangled by a severe housing slump and a persisting credit crunch, according to analysts.

“In today’s changing environment, one deed is certain: Product manufacturers who offer consumers the most good designed, most reliable and most trustworthy products will win the day,” Deloitte’s U.S. Consumer Products Leader Pat Conroy said in a media release issued on Monday. “Deloitte research shows that consumers are increasingly turning to friends, families and third parties by reason of their input before making purchases.”

The Index is composed of four components: Consumer Price Index, initial unemployment claims, real wages and new homes sold.

—Consumer Price Index (for urban consumers): This captures the negative effect of rising prices on nominal spending on durables.

—Initial claims for unemployment insurance: This captures the effect of the labor market. A rise in unemployment insurance claims leads to a decline in spending without interruption durables.

—Real hourly earnings: This captures the positive efficiency of rising income forward willingness to spend on durables.

—New single family houses sold: This captures the positive effect of the housing market on durables spending, with a six-month lag.

For more information about Deloitte’s Consumer Products group, visit its Web position, Deloitte.com/us/consumerproducts.