Lucky Brand Jean detail | Source: Light Hack

New Lucky Brand CEO Seeks Sharper Focus (WWD)
“If the late Gap co-founder Donald Fisher taught Lucky Brand chief executive officer David DeMattei one thing, it’s that retail companies buy inventory and sell inventory… Four months after joining Lucky, DeMattei is applying his 25 years of retail experience gained at Williams-Sonoma, J. Crew, Gap and Banana Republic to turn Lucky around.”

Polo Ralph Lauren Profit Doubles (WSJ)
“Polo Ralph Lauren Corp.’s fiscal fourth-quarter profit more than doubled, and margins rose to a record, but the luxury-goods company warned of pressure from the falling euro and rising raw-material and labor costs.”

American Apparel shares tumble 41% as same-store sales fall (LA Times)
“The Los Angeles clothing company says in reporting preliminary first-quarter results that it may have trouble complying with a credit agreement. It posts an operating loss of $17.6 million.”

Beyond The Blues: Denim Brand Accessories (WWD)
“Accessories appear to be the new frontier for a spate of denim lines eager to increase their exposure and capitalize on brand awareness through such products as shoes, bags, watches and eyewear.”

Are You Wearing a Watercolor? (WSJ)
“Stores and runways this spring are full of clothes with intricate prints—not just flowers but unique, often enigmatic designs resembling artwork. Behind this profusion of patterns is a familiar piece of technology: a printer not unlike the one sitting on your desk.”

House of Holland for Levi's Spring/Summer 2010 | Source: Levi's

Levi’s Shoots for the High-End Hipster (WSJ)
“The 157-year-old company is trying to reinvent itself as not just a purveyor of basics but as an edgier brand suitable for the fashion cognoscenti.”

Polo Ralph Lauren: The Winning Streak Continues (Smart Trend)
“Shares of Polo Ralph Lauren traded near a new 52-week high yesterday, touching a price of $90.89. Approximately 758,000 shares traded hands yesterday vs. average 30-day volume of 1.1 million shares.”

The go-to girl for fortysomething fashion (Times)
“Jenna Lyons, 41, the creative director — and according to many saviour — of J. Crew, the American clothing chain to which Michelle Obama, among others, turns when she needs a chic wardrobe reality check.”

Alexander McQueen: First Book to go on Sale (Telegraph)
“Entitled “Alexander McQueen, Genius of a Generation”, the 128-page volume traces McQueen’s remarkable life story, from a child… to his final, fabulous – but unfinished – fall/winter 2010/11 collection.”

Prabal Gurung: Not About the Fame (Fashionologie)
“‘I came from the school of thought [where] I believe in paying your dues, learning your craft, knowing what it takes to make a good collection… it’s been ten-plus years of hard work.’”

Zac Posen Backstage | Source: NY Times

The Trials of a Former Boy Wonder (NY Times)
“There was a time when brashness was a refreshing change in New York fashion, which had been dominated by a handful of aging mega-brands until Mr. Posen planted his flag in the biggest, most expensive tent in Bryant Park. But his extravagant success came so quickly…  that his setbacks echo all the more loudly.”

Polo Ralph Lauren profit rises as it warns of Asia hit (Market Watch)
“Polo Ralph Lauren Corp. reported a better-than-expected 5.5% increase in its fiscal third quarter profit… still investors looked beyond that to focus on what the company’s investment in Asia would mean for its fourth-quarter profit.”

Prosecutors Ask Insolvency For Burani Holder (WSJ)
“Troubled Italian apparel maker Mariella Burani Fashion Group SpA faced a new challenge Monday as prosecutors in Milan asked for insolvency proceedings to begin for one of its key shareholders.”

W Hotels to Name a Fashion Director (WSJ)
“Putting a new spin on the term “designer hotel,” boutique chain W Hotels is hiring a fashion director to amp up its style credentials and its profile within the fashion industry.”

TV’s baddest boss is back (CNN)
“Despite its moniker, reality television has rarely been intended to give you the real story. It deals in characters (sometimes caricatures) and is usually edited to prove a point. In the case of Kelly Cutrone, however, what you see is what you get.”