Page 2
Thief snared by ringing underwear
JOHANNESBURG - A thief who tucked a stolen mobile phone into his underpants to hide it from the law has been caught out by officers who called the device and heard it ringing inside his trousers, South African police say.
The 18-year-old man was arrested on Thursday near the east coast city of East London after police saw him rob a woman at gunpoint on her way to church, police spokeswoman Michelle Matroos said.
"They searched him, but they didn't get (her) cell phone back. While they were in the charge room one of the officers decided to call the number. ... They heard the phone go off, and when they searched the suspect they found it in his
underpants.
8/13
Agent Provocateur Opens in NY
The falling snow and slushy streets didn't deter the frenzy of press and fashion folk who headed downtown to the opening of New York's first freestanding Agent Provocateur boutique.
The naughty knicker enthusiasts were delighted with the store, which opens to the public today (Dec. 6th). Pink and black lace wall covering, chandeliers, heavy drapes, red open flower cushioned chairs, a mirrored deco vanity table and wall displays of erotic undies completed the atmosphere of the bawdy boudoir, which follows the launch of their New York Henri Bendel opening less than a month ago.
"We're expecting as many men in here as women," an Agent Provocateur staffer said in her tight pink nurse style uniform complete with fishnets, pink fluffy mules and the requisite playful push up bra. "Especially with the holidays approaching, people love to give sexy, smutty gifts. The side tie panties are expected to be huge sellers," she added.
Agent Provocateur founder Joe Corre (son of Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren) insisted on serving L'esprit, a Napoleon brandy that goes for $5,000 a pop, and from Napoleon's private stash no less.
Joe and wife and business partner Serena Rees thanked Courvoisier, who supplied the lavish liquor, by designing a Courvoisier corset, a front-fastening, back-tie number in blue and gold. While guests warmed their cockles from the cold drinking the good stuff, they were entertained by the Va Va Voom girls, who danced and shimmied wearing Agent Provocateur attire.
Started in 1994 because the daring duo wanted to create something "high quality lingerie with creative flair to stimulate, enchant and arouse," Agent Provocateur now has three stores in London and three in the U.S.
Agent Provocateur, 133 Mercer Street, NYC.
What makes men chase women they have no intention of
marrying? The same urge that makes dogs chase cars they have no intention
of driving.
9/24
Araks goes out....
Lately, Kirsten Dunst has taken to wearing her nightgowns out on the town. She rolled into the Chelsea lounge Lot 61 looking like she'd just rolled out of bed, albeit more adorably pulled-together than the rest of us, in a peacock-colored, lace-trimmed chemise.
It's not that the fashionable film star is having a Vinnie Gigante moment - rather, she's just discovered the lingerie line Araks. And, like Sarah Jessica Parker, Chloe Sevigny, Cindy Crawford, Brittany Murphy, and Amanda Peet before her, she simply can't keep the lush cotton lovelies sequestered inside the bedroom.
"I wanted to create a line that was luxurious, but easy," says 28-year-old Parsons-grad Araks Yeramyan of the company she launched almost three years ago. Coming off an internship with Marc Jacobs, Yeramyan knew only that she loved color and cotton. Beyond that, lingerie was an alien concept. "I wore Hanro panties and Wacoal bras. I had never even heard of La Petite Coquette!" she admits.
Nevertheless, the designer sketched onto cards her ideas of SweeTart-colored hipster briefs and bloused camisoles, designating them with beautiful old-world names like Isabella and Antonia, and sent them out. She mailed one deck of cards -- on a whim -- to Sarah Jessica Parker, and before Yeramyan had even started production on the samples, she received a massive 22-piece order from the "Sex & The City" star.
And while SJP could have never known the line is composed of quite possibly the softest cotton around, it was clear that Araks' delicately-trimmed intimates were too sweet (and affordable) not to stock up on. And, for that matter, not wear... everywhere.
Taking the sweet factor one step forward, Araks has just introduced the "Boy Luv" hipster, a scallop-trimmed brief embroidered with the name of a significant other, just in time for the gift-giving season. The stitching takes about two weeks and is available at Nisa and La Petite Coquette in NYC. Araks lingerie is available at Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Curve, Fred Segal, and Calypso St.
Barth.
10/12
Four Letter Words
A young couple got married & went on
a cruise for their honeymoon.
When they got back from the honeymoon, the bride immediately called her
mother, who lived a couple of hours away.
"Well, darling," said her mother, "how was the
honeymoon?"
"Oh, mother," she replied, "the honeymoon was wonderful! So
romantic, we had a terrific time! But, mother, as soon as we returned, Sam
began using really horrible language...stuff I'd never heard
before...really terrible 4-letter words... You've got to come and get me
and take me home...PLEASE MOTHER!" And
the new bride began to sob over the telephone.
"But, Darling," the mother countered, "WHAT 4-letter
words?"
"I can't tell you, mother," said the daughter, "they're too
awful! COME AND GET ME, PLEASE!"
"Darling daughter, you must tell me what has you so upset...tell
mother the 4-letter words!"
Still sobbing, the bride said, "Mother...words like
DUST...WASH....IRON...COOK..."
US textile output was down
by 2.6% in January-August 2002 while apparel output declined by 7.4%.
Exports fell, despite a weaker dollar, and weak demand in the domestic
market forced down clothing prices to a four year low. US imports
surged-especially from China-as quotas were liberalised. Softer demand and
Chinese competition have also hit exports from Mexico. In Argentina the
industry is suffering despite the depreciation of the peso. The
Argentinean crisis has also hit the industry in Brazil. Colombia has
raised sales to Andean markets but exports to the USA and the EU have
fallen.
In the EU, textile output fell in 2001 despite a big rise in the trade
surplus. Clothing held up better as exporters made gains in Russia,
Romania and Hong Kong. Imports from Eastern Europe surged in advance of EU
enlargement, although EU membership is causing concern among East European
companies. So is the end of quota protection in 2005. The region's trade
surplus is already shrinking as Asian suppliers make inroads. Many plan to
move east. Closer ties with the West are, however, boosting South African
exports, aided by the weaker rand and the African Growth and Opportunity
Act (AGOA). Trade is also growing with other Southern African Development
Community (SADC) members. But trade agreements have also led to higher
imports.
Lingerie 2002
Estimates that the total UK retail sales of women's hosiery, corsetry and lingerie to be £1.77bn ($2.7 Billion US) in 2001. This represents a 6.9% rise since 2000.
The market is made up of the hosiery, corsetry and lingerie sectors. Retail sales for hosiery and lingerie stood at £624m and £552m respectively, in 2001. Brassières alone account for 33.4% of the market, with retail sales of £589m ($910m US) in 2001.
The UK clothing industry benefited from a sustained High Street boom during 2001 and in the first quarter of 2002. The lingerie market has been no exception. High levels of personal borrowing, based on low interest rates, have boosted consumer confidence, allowing the retail market to expand notably. This resulted in an increase in demand for lingerie between 2001 and 2002. During this period of growth the major retail players have maintained their dominance. However, they are increasingly coming under pressure from the UK's supermarket giants - Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury's and Safeway - all of which are now present in the clothing and lingerie market.
The sale of brassières alone has outstripped the growth of other lingerie items, mainly due to the trend amongst younger women to combine brassières with sheer outer garments. This reflects the lingerie market's development into a mainstream, open industry that echoes UK women's modern independence. However, the fiercely competitive nature of the fashion industry and the fickle nature of consumer trends could potentially pose a threat to future growth in the lingerie market.
The development of new fabrics and the use of new materials in lingerie will provide an opportunity for companies to diversify their product range further. The market will also benefit from the growth of boutique shops, which have a more flexible and responsive approach to consumer trends.
However, although retail sales have risen, manufacturing sales have decreased significantly. Sales of the lingerie and corsetry sectors to non-EU countries have fallen by 14.4%, and sales to EU countries have dropped 10.6% between 2000 and 2001. Imports of lingerie and corsetry have risen by 5.4% overall, and by 8.3% from non-EU countries. This partly reflects the globalisation of the industry, but also the pattern of UK manufacturing companies transferring operations to overseas locations, in an attempt to reduce operational costs. Although UK manufacturers' sales are likely to continue to decrease, the market as a whole will remain buoyant, with retail sales of lingerie, corsetry and hosiery driving this trend. Consumers' willingness to embrace higher ticket prices in return for designer labels will be a major factor underpinning market growth.
***********************************************
Advertise
in the McPete Sez
Newsletter,
reach over 7,600 Lingerie
Retailers twice
monthly.
************************************************
The McPete
Sez Mail Bag
From our Readers
To our Readers
For our Readers
Inquiry's:
Hello Everyone, Pete,
I have to say that your newsletter is the best and most
informative of all the apparel news I receive and I receive letters from
all over the world!
I have recently become the United
States representative for Australian jewelry designer Gregory Bolton. His
hand made limited edition pieces have pulled me out of my hiatus. It’s
been years since I’ve been a rep and I use to use the “Salesman
Guide” books to find clients. I originally purchased copies at Magic but
haven’t been able to find them. Does any one here know how to contact
them or if they exist anymore? Your help is greatly appreciated. Kind
Regards, Tushell@BadAttitude.com
Would like to inquire about where to purchase or order a silk, hooded bedjacket made by cocoon of Germany. Please reply by e-mail. Thank you! I am in Atlanta, Ga
eprather@mindspring.com
Hi Mr McKeown, I am a business student from Germany and at the moment I am conducting a market study about the US Night- and Bodywear market for one of my courses. I found some interesting market information on your web page and that's why I wanted to ask you, if you could provide any further market information (about retailers, the industry in general, the market volume, distribution channels, ....) for me. Thanks in advance and all the best Katrin Heinz
Heinzkatrin@aol.com
If
you have the answer.....Give
it"
If
you have something to say..
"Say it".
If you have a question......"Ask
it"
Some of our readers will have the answer.
Remember, our readers are in the same
Industry.
Retailers, Manufacturers and Sales Representatives
Do you have any show dates for
2002
Do you have any show dates that you would like posted for
2003? if so please e-mail them to me for posting in our show
section. Thank You
End of Page 2
