Hugo Brand Stays On Growth Track

PHOT

O BY

ROD

OLFO

MAR

TINE

Z; M

ODEL

: JAC

OB S

COTT

AT

NY M

ODEL

S; G

ROOM

ING

BY A

NDY

STAR

KWEA

THER

FOR

LVA

ARTI

STS;

STY

LED

BY A

LEX

BADI

A

Weiner RoastNew York’s infamous Mayoral candidate only looks marginally better fully clothed. Page MW6

MAN OF THE WEEK

by MELISSA DRIER

BERLIN — Like any true red-blooded 20-year-old, Hugo is on the move. The most progressive brand in the Hugo Boss group is forging an exciting path of discovery, par-ticularly in the Americas.

To celebrate its 20th birthday this sum-mer and give a clear message of what Hugo stands for, 20 iconic Hugo pieces hit the shelves of the brand’s stores and selected re-tail partners in mid-July. Cool but uncompli-cated, the men’s lineup includes a typically slim, two-button black wool suit, a white shirt with a skinny black placket that looks like an integrated tie, a Brando-worthy black leather motorcycle jacket, skinny signature red Japanese denim jeans and polished black leather oxfords with red laces. Prices top off at $995 for the suit and wind down to $95 for a photo-printed T-shirt.

In another move to mark its two de-cades, Hugo embarked on a “Red Never Follows” search for 20 “urban creatives” whose artwork reflects the label’s un-conventional and often irreverent spirit. This culminated in a pop-up exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery that made its debut Tuesday and will run through Sept. 1. (See related story, page MW6.)

The digitally minded label also created a special Web site for the urban creative proj-ect and the icon products at redneverfollows.com. The U.S. launch later this summer of the newest Hugo men’s scent, Hugo Red, should add further spice to this year’s festivities.

As important as turning 20 may be, Hugo’s recent strides and future potential in North and South America are possibly even more reason to celebrate.

Edgy, urban and openly addressing a younger and trimmer men’s customer than its solid — and at that time rather staid — older brother Hugo Boss, Hugo came on the scene in 1993. It was a tiny business at first, though the introduction of a Hugo women’s collection in 1998 marked the Metzingen, Germany, giant’s first foray into the wom-en’s market. From the start, Hugo’s corpo-rate raison d’être has been to demonstrate the group’s most advanced style competen-cies. While growth has been steady, Hugo has been allowed to remain comparatively small in Boss terms, in both fit and subse-quent consumer reach. Indeed, Boss ex-ecutives say being small and different is part of the label’s DNA. Hugo currently has sales of around $300 million.

Marketed in the States from the onset, Hugo has really come into focus there in the last three to four years, according to Mark Brashear, chief executive officer of Hugo Boss Americas. The brand’s lean, minimal-ist aesthetic might have been a tough sell in the early days, but “with the migration of the fashion trend to a slimmer, cleaner look, Hugo fits that bill,” he said.

MARKING 20 YEARS

{Continued on page MW4}

Dark Shadows

August 1, 2013

Retail expansion centers on North and South America.

Forget summer pastels and bright shades. A

darker palette rules the spring designer market, allowing for a great play

for suit separates and the reinvention of a youthful

dandy, as seen here in this Haider Ackermann silk

bomber and shirt paired with Ermenegildo Zegna

pants. For more, see pages MW2 and MW3.

Haider Ackermann’s silk and wool burgundy bomber jacket and cotton and silk shirt, with Ermenegildo Zegna’s wool pants.

PLUSUmberto Angeloni’s

Caruso label being added to Bloomingdale’s

in New York and San Francisco. Page MW7

Men’s WeekMW2 WWD THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2013

Going Dark burgundies, navies

Deepand deep purples are some of

the key shades that dominate the somber yet elegant color palette

for spring. — ALEX BADIA

Louis Vuitton’s cotton parka

and Salvatore Ferragamo’s

polyamide shorts.

Costume National’s cotton blazer and Dior Homme’s wool pants.

Calvin Klein Collection’s Neoprene T-shirt.

Calvin Klein Collection’s Neoprene T-shirt and wool pants.

Dries Van Noten’s wool

sweater, cotton pants and

sandals.

Kris Van Assche’s wool jacket, Prada’s viscose and cotton shirt and Ermenegildo Zegna’s wool pants.

PHOTOS BY RODOLFO MARTINEZ

Men’s Week MW3WWD THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2013

Kris Van Assche’s wool jacket, Prada’s viscose and

cotton shirt and Ermenegildo Zegna’s wool pants.

Haider Ackermann’s silk and wool burgundy bomber jacket and cotton and silk shirt, with Ermenegildo Zegna’s wool pants.

Opening Ceremony’s cotton parka and cotton shorts and Dries Van Noten cotton and silk blazer.

Versace’s wool and cotton jacket and Kris Van Assche’s wool shorts.

Dries Van Noten’s wool sweater and cotton pants.

MOD

EL: J

ACOB

SCO

TT A

T NY

MOD

ELS;

GRO

OMIN

G BY

AND

Y ST

ARKW

EATH

ER F

OR LV

A AR

TIST

S; F

ASHI

ON A

SSIS

TANT

: LUI

S CA

MPU

ZANO

; FAS

HION

INTE

RN: R

ICAR

DO H

ERNA

NDEZ

Men’s WeekMW4 WWD THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2013

BERLIN — After a difficult start to 2013, Hugo Boss was back on track in the second quarter, posting double-digit increases in sales and earnings.

Net income attributable to equity hold-ers for the quarter ended June 30 surged 30 percent to 52.2 million euros, or $68.2 mil-lion, with earnings before interest and taxes increasing 27 percent to 75.5 million euros, or $98.6 million. Sales gained 10 percent (11 percent on a currency-neutral basis) to reach 531.7 million euros, or $694.3 million.

Dollar figures are converted from euros at average exchange rates for the periods in question.

Boss said all regions and distribution channels contributed to the positive sales development in the second quarter. Sales in Europe were up 13 percent. Growth in the U.S. drove sales in the Americas up 7 per-cent, while improved performance in China, particularly Hong Kong, boosted Asian sales 3 percent. On a currency-neutral basis, sales for the regions were up 14 percent, 9 per-cent and 7 percent, respectively.

The group’s wholesale business also picked up 5 percent in the quarter, reflect-ing positive effects of the new collection cycle. The Metzingen, Germany-based group’s own retail business (including out-lets and online) moved ahead 13 percent, with comp-store sales growth at 2 percent.

Although Boss said the improved second-

quarter performance compensated for neg-atively impacted first-quarter results, the weak first quarter was nonetheless reflected in its first-half figures. Net income attribut-able to equity holders was flat for the first six months at 133.8 million euros, or $175.7 million. EBIT was down 1 percent to 186.9

million euros, or $245.5 million, and group sales inched up 3 percent to reach 1.13 bil-lion euros, or $1.48 billion.

In the six-month period, wholesale sales slipped 7 percent. Boss noted the group’s wholesale business was dominated by changes in delivery cycles, a difficult mar-ket environment and takeovers of shops-in-shop from wholesale partners. Boss took over 42 shops-in-shop, which, among other things, allowed the concession model to be expanded in Spain, the U.K. and the U.S., Boss said. The group’s own retail business was up 14 percent for the period, and now represents more than 52 percent of group sales, up from 47 percent in the period a year previously. Thirty-three new stores opened in the first six months of the year, countered by 14 closures. The group cur-rently operates 901 own retail stores.

By brand, Hugo posted the strongest growth in the six-month period, with sales up 11 percent. Boss sales rose 3 percent and Boss Green 4 percent, while Boss Orange registered a decline of 4 percent.

For the year ahead, Boss reconfirmed its sales and earnings targets for 2013. The group is expecting high-single-digit sales growth on a currency-neutral basis for 2013, supported by all regions. Its wholesale busi-ness is expected to decline at a mid-single-digit percentage rate due to a difficult mar-ket environment and a higher-than-expected number of takeovers. Boss is expecting to take over almost 100 units this year, includ-ing 37 Saks shops-in-shop.

The group’s retail business is again ex-pected to deliver double-digit growth and remain the main sales driver. Fifty new directly operated stores are slated to open this year, with a strong focus on Europe. High-single-digit growth is forecast for operating profit (EBITDA before special items), driven by the expansion and im-proved management of its own retail busi-ness. Net income is also expected to rise, Boss said in its six-month report.

Despite recessionary conditions in core European markets, Boss is maintaining am-bitious growth plans for the midterm. The group aims to reach 3 billion euros in sales, up from 2.35 billion euros in 2012, and 750 bil-lion euros in operating profit in 2015, based on organic growth of its existing brand portfolio.

— MELISSA DRIER

It’s showing in the brand’s performance. Boss doesn’t break out sales figures for Hugo, but industry sources estimate the brand generates about 10 percent of total group turnover. In 2012, that would amount to about $302 million. Brashear said Hugo has been leading overall Boss growth rates for the Americas, which in 2012 rose 23 percent (14 percent in currency-adjusted terms) to 558.7 million euros, or $718.5 mil-lion. In the first half of 2013, group sales in the Americas rose 6 percent to 262.9 million euros, or $345.3 million. On a global basis, Hugo sales outpaced the other Boss brands in the six-month period, regis-tering growth of 11 percent compared with growth of 3 percent for Boss and 4 percent for Boss Green, and a de-cline of 4 percent for Boss Orange.

Dollar figures are converted from euros at average ex-change rates for the period in question.

“Boss services the mod-ern component [of the men’s wear market], Hugo the contemporary, which in terms of percentages has more growth poten-tial for sure,” he said. Especially since Hugo has “such a relatively small market share of that con-sumer. We haven’t yet tapped our potential.”

As with the Hugo Boss Group, company-owned retail is a major growth driver for Hugo, which in 2013 opened freestanding stores in San Diego, Dadeland Mall outside Miami, Boston and Costa Mesa, Calif. These join ex-isting Hugo stores in Miami, West Hollywood and SoHo in New York. In 2014, two new Hugo stores are set to open, in Houston and Santa Monica, Calif. In Canada, Hugo has flagships in Vancouver and Toronto.

Hugo areas are now featured in 13 Hugo Boss directly operated stores in the U.S. There, as well as in shop-ping centers where both Hugo Boss and Hugo are present, “we’ve seen the brands can easily coexist and not can-nibalize each other,” Brashear said. “It shows we have a broader reach than [we] imagined.”

The brand also is carried in

about 100 wholesale doors in the U.S., with a “strong presence” at Saks Fifth Avenue, which opened its first hard shops in New York and Los Angeles, as well as Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom.

“Hugo’s luxurious, modern aesthetic resonates with the Saks customer,” com-mented Tom Ott, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of men’s wear for Saks Fifth Avenue.

David Fisher, executive vice presi-dent and gmm of men’s and young world at Bloomingdale’s, added, “Hugo is a brand

which is integral to the success of almost any men’s wear retailer. They have con-

sistently found a way to blend design, quality and accessibility into their products, and the results, year after

year, prove they are masters at broad-ening their appeal.”

Brashear noted that Hugo’s already future-oriented style components, such as the col-lection’s frequent use of tech-nical fabrics as well as its modernist silhouettes, will help it maintain its strength in the contemporary cat-egory. The design team, he said, is always working to “offer the customer inno-vations, whether related to comfort, aesthetics or practical function.”

The brand’s business is still suit dominated, but to less of an extent than its big brother Boss. “Our sportswear, footwear and

bags are very much on trend, and that business is growing by 20 to 30 percent a year,” he

said. As for those lean signa-ture suits, today’s contemporary customer “wears suiting different-ly. He likes to mix and match, and Hugo allows him to,” Brashear said.

Brashear thinks demographic trends are helping to expand Hugo’s spread. “We see strong fol-lowings with key customer groups,” he said, such as Asian consumers, who he noted are “discovering Hugo in cities like Vancouver, Seattle and Los Angeles on the West Coast.”

But if Hugo is appealing to an ever-growing group of contemporary men’s fashion customers in North America, the brand “resonates even

more strongly in South America. They love its stricter style aesthetic and body

consciousness,” Brashear stated. Hugo launched in Mexico this May with

a directly operated store, and a second is slated to open in 2014, as are Hugo stores in Panama, Colombia, Chile and Peru. In Brazil, the brand makes its home within five Hugo Boss company-owned stores and will enter a sixth in 2014.

With slogans like “Don’t imitate, innovate,” “Your fragrance, your rules,” “It’s your turn” and the most recent, “Red means go,” Procter & Gamble Prestige’s Hugo fragrance fran-chise has been an important communicator of the rebellious Hugo attitude. Daring to be different has also earned Hugo a larger share in the group’s fragrance business. Industry sources estimate Hugo contributes about 20 to 30 percent of total Hugo Boss fragrance sales, compared with its 10 percent in apparel.

Actor-musician-entrepreneur Jared Leto, now the face of Hugo Man, Hugo Just Different and the soon-to-be-launched Hugo Red fragrances, is but one of a coterie of hip Hugo-clad celebrities. Actor Ryan Kwanten of “True Blood” wears Hugo, he said, be-cause “they seem to have tapped into the modern man — combining the class of the past with the fearlessness of the future.”

Hugo Boss Profit Soars in Q2

Americas Key to Hugo’s Growth

7%HUGO BOSS’ SALES GROWTH

IN THE AMERICAS.

{Continued from page MW1}

A look from the fall collection.

The SoHo store.

Jeremy Renner

in Hugo.

SOHO

PHO

TO B

Y GA

RY L

UPTO

N; R

ENNE

R BY

LUI

S OR

TIZ/

CLAS

OS/L

ATIN

CONT

ENT/

GETT

Y IM

AGES

MOVADO GROUP CONGRATULATES HUGO BOSS ON THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY

OF ITS HUGO BRAND

Men’s WeekMW6 WWD THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2013

by JULIA NEEL

LONDON — With two decades behind it, Hugo — Hugo Boss’ contemporary offshoot — is celebrating its birthday by bringing together 20 contemporary creative talents for a pop-up exhibition at London’s Saatchi Gallery, where Hugo Boss is the ongoing spe-cial projects partner.

The brand enlisted the assistance of Berlin-based cultural community Platoon and its global network of experts to recruit the 20 artists and collectives, whose work is on display until Sept. 1 in an exhibition called “Red Never Follows.”

“The curatorial focus lies in the visual attraction, the playful interaction and the inspiring innovation,” said Hugo Boss’ head of cultural affairs, Dr. Hjoerdis Kettenbach. “The edgy, artistic approach of the exhibi-tion expresses the spirit of Hugo. Urban creativity reaches into strategies and genres on the edge of design, science and lifestyle worldwide. Each individual or collective represents the most innovative approach within their diverse creative scenes.”

According to Kettenbach, the artists and

creatives on exhibit were chosen because “they all share the curiosity of not following, and the desire to find new ways of creative expression — either visually, technically or through interaction with the audience. To reveal the resulting inspirational potential is the main objective of this project.”

While some of the works were commis-sioned for the project, others were preexist-ing but “are nevertheless representative of the Hugo mind-set” — resonating with the brand’s principles of innovation, rebellion and individuality, the company said.

At the rebellious end of the spectrum is a video installation from Dutch artist Iepe Rubingh, who staged a guerrilla paint-ing event in Berlin in 2010, during which 2,000 cars unwittingly helped to apply 500 liters of water-based environmentally friendly paint to the asphalt “canvas” of Rosenthaler Platz. The paint was distrib-uted by baskets tipped over by cyclists, who had to be ferried away in haste before they were arrested by local police.

“We had a truck waiting around the cor-ner, where they could drive into once they had deposited their paint on the street. Then the truck drove away, not leaving any trace of the bicycles,” explained Rubingh during a preview of the exhibition. “We didn’t ask permission, I guess it was a criminal act. But it rained the next day, so it all washed away.”

The theme of rebellion is also at play in French street artist Victor Ash’s giant graf-fiti dog biting its own tail, which Ash was commissioned to paint directly onto the wall at the gallery. “I truly liked the idea of ‘Red Never Follows,’” Ash told WWD. “So I thought about following, and how a dog is al-ways following people. Then I thought about the idea of following yourself, and then I pictured a dog following his tail so he turns around following himself.”

Among the other works commissioned is a red plastic dome by Marco Barotti that

creates music based on the heart rate of its inhabitants, and a film by Bart Hess called “Mutants” that shows a latex-encased body moving in a slow and beautiful struggle as lights play out on the plastic surface.

“I really love the projection [by Felix Bonowski], if only my place was big enough for it,” said “Game of Thrones” star Natalie Dormer, who is just about to start filming the show’s fourth season. She was in an ultralow-cut Hugo dress at the party here Tuesday night to mark the opening of the exhibition. Will any of the “Games” charac-ters ever see a happy ending? “I really can’t say, I’ll get in trouble. But read ahead, you’ll see,” said Dormer.

David Bailey attended the party en fa-mille, surrounded by sons Sascha and Fenton, and wife Catherine. The photogra-pher wasn’t particularly moved by the works on display. “No, not really,” he said when asked if there was anything he’d like to take home with him. “I don’t like gimmicks. I like a nice white background.”

“That thing there looks like a pool

cleaner,” he added in reference to Sonice Development’s wall-drawing robot.

Favorites at the exhibition included Güvenc Özel’s “breathing” installation that moves in response to human thought pat-terns; Christopher Barrett and Luke Taylor’s (Us collective’s) music video and accompa-nying installation for Benga’s song “I Will Never Change,” and the pitch-black room lit with dark lights to show off Jeongmoon Choi’s linear glow-in-the-dark patterns, in which one anonymous partygoer comment-ed, “Big glasses of Champagne and teeny, tiny canapés — just the way it should be.”

For Art’s Sake

PHOT

OS B

Y TI

M J

ENKI

NS

Natalie Dormer

“Drawing robot” by Sonice Development.

Iepe Rubingh

“The Pulse of London” by Marco Barotti and “Plastique Fantastique.”

“Proximity Repulsion” projection by Felix Bonowski.

“Human Machine” by Takahito Irie.

Man ofTHE WEEK

Maybe Weiner is too focused on his alter ego Carlos Danger, but the very entertaining Democratic hopeful for New York City mayor needs to wear a blazer for his body type — and, of course, keep his pants on.

ANTHONY WEINER: C+

The pants have no break. Here’s where an extra inch

would help.

The slightly curly hair helps soften his appearance. And he’s not known for softness.

His narrow frame would welcome a form-fitting shirt, especially around the shoulders. Anyone Googling him knows he has a great torso, but it’s time to hit the pool to build his upper back.

We know he likes living dangerously,

but sticking a cheap pen in his white shirt pocket is just asking

for leakage. Buy a Montblanc.

The swinging tie is too long, even though the geometric pattern is elegant. Learn how to knot it properly, and buy a tie clip to keep things in place.

The high-waisted pant makes his torso

look shorter than it is. He needs a more

contemporary cut for a younger appeal.

When wearing summer wool dress pants, the

politician should avoid long compression

underwear. And in his case, anything that draws attention below the waist is a no-no. Stick to boxers.

PHOT

O BY

ANG

EL C

HEVR

ESTT

/ZUM

APRE

SS.C

OM/C

ORBI

S

Men’s Week MW7WWD THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2013

by RACHEL BROWN

AFTER 24 YEARS of peddling women’s fashions out of his Madison stores in Los Angeles, owner Mark Goldstein decided it was about time he sold something he could wear.

Officially opening Aug. 8, Madison Mens Shop takes over 800 square feet at a space on West Third Street next door to a Madison women’s boutique that Goldstein transformed into Madison Gallery, a women’s de-signer and advanced contemporary destination, in 2011. Two years ear-lier, it started as Diavolina. This will be Madison’s eighth store, joining locations that dot posh neighborhoods across the L.A. landscape from Brentwood to the Pacific Palisades.

“It wasn’t because of a money-making opportunity. I wanted it for me,” said 52-year-old Goldstein. “If it’s successful, it’s successful. I’m not trying to please the market, but I think the market will react favorably.”

The assortment will dabble in suits, but mostly stick to casual fare, and the apparel, shoes and other accessories will contain a mix of American, European and Japanese brands, with an emphasis on those that cultivate an American look. Some of the brands are Rag & Bone, Save Khaki, Acne, Closed, Surface to Air, Sunny Sports, Mason’s, Kitsuné, Canada Goose, BLK DNM, 3x1, Golden Bear, Red Wing, Clarks, Quoddy, Wolverine, Filson, Garrett Leight, Golden Goose, Levi’s Vintage Clothing and Levi’s Made & Crafted. The color palette will be largely black, white, navy and gray.

Goldstein described the design sensibility of Madison Mens Shop as edgy Americana. “The edgier guy is doing the preppy thing with a twist today,” he said. “I don’t want to call it preppy. Preppy gets cool every once in a while. I dressed that way in college. At high school in Beverly Hills, it was flared jeans with Lacoste shirts. In college, Polo was becoming big. I’d buy boys’ Polo shirts at Saks and started wearing Top-Siders and things like that. It was late Seventies, early Eighties. That look is hip again, and I like it, if it’s done in the right way.”

Goldstein is steering clear of de-signers such as Balenciaga and Saint Laurent to keep prices down and make Madison Mens Shop a place to buy an everyday wardrobe. He sin-gled out Save Khaki, which he esti-mated sells shirts for $135 and pants for $115, as an entry-level price point brand at the store. But Goldstein also isn’t afraid of stocking pieces from the upper end of the category below designer. Once they are educated about the products, he believes L.A. men will feel comfortable investing in pieces that may cost more than they are used to spending.

“I think the way we buy will appeal to a wide range of people — a skater-punk kid or a well-dressed architect or a celebrity who wants a great-quality jean,” said Goldstein. “When I go out to dinner, people aren’t wearing Saint Laurent. They’re not wearing suits. They’re in high-quality casual.”

Madison’s women’s stores are generating annual sales per square foot in the $1,000 range,

and Goldstein noted that the busi-ness now is flat with last year. “Since the recession, it’s been a progression upwards, but still not where it was. Since the election, this is the first time I’ve seen it go backwards,” he said. At Madison Mens Shop, he continued, “I think we’ll be comparable to the wom-en’s. It will take time. My expecta-tions aren’t $1,000, but I think we will get there.”

Although Goldstein isn’t diving into men’s retailing because of re-cent growth in the men’s category, he acknowledged it was a nice break from the intense competition in the women’s retail sector, where Madison has had to cope with Intermix and Scoop NYC spread-ing in L.A. with similar brands to Madison. “The men’s market is not nearly as oversaturated. That’s a nice feeling,” said Goldstein. “I’m just buying for me, my point of view. I think a lot of guys will come in and identify because it’s really focused. A lot of guys will be ‘that guy.’”

by JEAN E. PALMIERI

UMBERTO ANGELONI has big plans for the Caruso label.

The plans include adding whole-sale distribution in the U.S., expand-ing product offerings beyond tailored clothing, opening retail stores and expanding into China.

In March, Raffaele Caruso SpA was delisted from the Milan Stock Exchange after Angeloni, through Aplomb Srl, his partnership with Ruggero Magnoni, amassed a 92 percent stake in the high-end men’s brand. “I’m in the process of buy-ing the remaining shares,” he said Wednesday from his office in Italy. He said six small regional banks are the only remaining shareholders, “and now that the company is private, it makes no sense [for them to retain their position], so we’re buying them out.”

In addition, the Caruso family is no longer involved with the brand, which was started in 1958, he said. “The family was not able to provide it with pres-ence,” he said.

Instead, Angeloni has put plans in motion to height-en the brand’s exposure — al-beit in a slow, conservative way.

He said the first move was to install a complete manage-ment team, including a head of production. In addition to the Caruso label, the company manu-factures for a large number of high-end labels, including Dior and Lanvin.

Angeloni said the man-ufacturing arm, which em-ploys 700 people, remains

a primary mission of the company.“But the other half of the mis-

sion is to develop the Caruso brand at wholesale, and eventually re-tail,” he said. The brand is 100 percent wholesale right now, and last year it had sales of 64.4 million euros, or $85.4 million at current exchange, its best year to date.

This week, the Bloomingdale’s flagship on 59th Street in New York, as well as its San Francisco unit, installed soft shops for the Caruso label. Caruso is also avail-able at Neiman Marcus in the U.S.

“Bloomingdale’s is focused on introducing newness and quality when it comes to our merchandise, which is paramount to our brand,” said Scott Polworth, vice president and divisional merchandise man-ager of men’s tailored clothing for

the retailer. “Caruso brings a stylish sensibility and excel-lent craftsmanship to the tailored offerings in our men’s store, and we are pleased to have it in both our 59th Street and San Francisco stores.”

The tailored clothing sells for $1,500 to $1,900 off-the-rack, and made-to-

measure is also available. Prices can rise to $2,500 to $3,000, however, depending upon fabric. Angeloni point-ed to the Quattroventi super 150s merino wool from Loro Piana as among the high-est-priced offerings.

What sets Caruso apart from the other luxury Italian labels in the mar-ket is its expertise in man-ufacturing, Angeloni said.

“There are very few Italian brands that have proprietary man-ufacturing, design and fabrics” that can also boast that they offer “truly tailored power suits made in Italy,” Angeloni said. “And it’s not a made-up brand. It has a heritage and a provenance,” he added.

All told, Angeloni said, Caruso is sold at 300 stores worldwide and is available in Europe, Japan and Hong Kong. “But we have no pres-ence in China,” he said. “And that is a market that has propelled some businesses and sustained others.”

He said the plan is to “make Caruso more visible,” but ex-panding distribution will be done through a “rifle approach, not a shotgun approach. We’re not aim-ing for the masses.” In addition to adding select wholesale part-ners, Angeloni said he hopes to find a location for a shop in the U.S. within 24 months. “And it will be in New York, there’s no other place,” he said.

Milan is also a possibility for a retail store, followed by China by the second half of 2014. “There are no multibrand stores in China for our channel,” he said. “So we need our own retail, and it doesn’t make sense to open a shop in China be-fore there are shops in Milan or the States or Tokyo.”

When the stores are added, it will necessitate Caruso offering more than just tailored clothing. Although the brand has a smatter-ing of dress shirts, ties and outer-wear, Angeloni wants to complete the offering with knitwear, leather goods and other accessories, in-cluding a more complete selection of sportswear and furnishings.

Caruso Expands Reach in U.S.

A Caruso mannequin.

The store is on West Third Street.

Madison Mens offers edgy Americana.

PHOT

OS B

Y ST

EFAN

IE K

EENA

N

Men’s Store Added to Madison’s Roster

Armani Casa Gets Role In ‘Paranoia’ Movieby LUISA ZARGANI

MILAN — Giorgio Armani’s col-laboration with Hollywood is one of the most long-standing and fruitful in movie history since the designer’s first fashion smorgasbord for Richard Gere in “American Gigolo” in 1980. Now, for the first time, Armani is dressing a movie set — with a screen credit to boot.

Armani Casa designs will be featured in the tech-thrill-er flick “Paranoia,” directed by Robert Luketic and star-ring Harrison Ford, Liam Hemsworth, Gary Oldman and Amber Heard, to hit theaters in the U.S. on Aug. 8.

Armani worked with produc-tion designer David Brisbin to

incorporate Armani Casa pieces, from sofas and lamps to tables and chairs, into key moments of the film, while also collaborat-ing with costume designer Luca Mosca to create a two-button notch-lapel suit in midnight blue, as well as a two-button notch-lapel blazer in cement gray for the character played by Harrison Ford, Jock Goddard.

“Collaborating with David Brisbin on his vision for this movie provided me with the op-portunity to showcase Armani Casa on film in a way that is absolutely believable and ap-propriate to the story,” said Armani. “Working with Luca Mosca and my longtime friend Harrison Ford to create a ward-robe for a villain was also fun.”

Liam Hemsworth, Embeth Davidtz and Julian McMahon in a scene from the movie.

Allen Questrom Named To Men’s Wearhouse BoardTHE BOARD seat vacated by George Zimmer will be as-sumed by retail veteran Allen Questrom.

On Wednesday, The Men’s Wearhouse said Questrom, the onetime chief executive offi-cer of Federated Department Stores and Neiman Marcus, has been appointed to its board, ef-fective immediately.

Zimmer, Men’s Wearhouse’s founder and its former ceo, re-signed from his board seat last month after he was terminated as executive chairman follow-ing a bitter falling out with cur-rent management.

Doug Ewert, Men’s Wearhouse’s ceo, said Wednesday that Questrom “brings extensive experience in our industry, highlighted by his service as the ceo of several large publicly traded retailers. Allen’s expertise in customer service, merchandis-ing, marketing and finance will be a great benefit for all of our stakeholders.”

The disclosure Wednesday did not include a new date for the company’s annual meeting, which was postponed during the battle with Zimmer.

— J.E.P.