Global Vibes

WGSN APPOINTS

UNITED KINGDOM: International trend agency Worth Global Style Network (WGSN) has named Susanna Kempe as its new chief executive officer. Kempe, former CEO of parent company Emap Network, will continue as Emap’s chief marketing and strategy officer. Prior to joining Emap she was CMO of knowledge and skills company Informa. Kempe has lived and worked all over the world including the US – where she was president of the Council on Education in Management and VP of marketing at training provider American Institute – Germany, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK.

ESCADA ON THE ROPES
GERMANY: Frankfurt-headquartered luxury women’s label Escada has declared bankruptcy after failing to gather enough support for a bond exchange. According to reports in international media, the group lost €92 million ($A160 million) in the first half of the fiscal year. The company, founded in 1976, operates 182 of its own stores and 225 franchise shops across 60 countries. The announcement is the latest in a string of global fashion companies to strike trouble, with couture house Christian Lacroix trying to find a buyer and Milan fashion brand Gianfranco Ferre also being placed into administration.

CLAIBORNE CUTS
UNITED STATES: American apparel giant Liz Claiborne has announced a radical cost cutting program that will see it reduce costs by $US100 million ($A118.6 million). The company, which operates brands including Mexx and Juicy Couture, said half of the $US100 million would involve cutting costs in the division that sells through department stores, $25 million would be removed from the arm that sells Liz brands directly to consumers and the other $US25 million from Liz’s troubled Mexx operation, which sells mainly in Europe and is due to get a new management team.

ASIAN CHANGES
THAILAND: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has announced plans to expand its textiles and apparel sector. The cluster claims regional integration would offer opportunities for expanding inter-ASEAN trade as well as exports to the global market. The program would encourage shared expertise, boost market share and help protect the interests of the six million workers involved in the industry, the association said.