My best friend has a daughter with really wide feet and needs a good recommended shoe shop that specializes with wide fittings she is only nine so it needs to be a store with a children%26#039;s department, we have visited clark%26#039;s but nothing fits. and schul but thats not any good either.
Can anyone recommend anywhere in the oxfordshire area?
Does anyone know any good shoe shops in oxfordshire?
try 142 london road, headington,oxfordshire
computer
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
More Funny Thoughts! Star If U Like!?
1)You know that little indestructible black box that is used on planes, why can%26#039;t they make the whole plane out of the same substance?
2)Can fat people go skinny-dipping?
3)Why do we sing %26#039;Take me out to the ball game%26#039;, when we are already there?
4)Why do we teach kids that violence is not the answer and then have them read about wars in school that solved Americas problems?
5)Do stuttering people stutter when they%26#039;re thinking to themselves?
6)In Court, do they still make atheists swear an oath under the bible?
7)Why do police officers wear tight clothes and dressy shoes? wouldn%26#039;t that make them slower when chasing someone?
8)Why does the label on children’s Tylenol tell you not to operate heavy machinery or vehicles when it%26#039;s for children?
9)What if you%26#039;re in hell, and you%26#039;re mad at someone, where do you tell them to go?
10)Do bald people wash their head with shampoo or soap?
More Funny Thoughts! Star If U Like!?
i liked the ones you posted ;] . since you shared, i%26#039;ll share some that i know ;D
-- why do we yell heads up when we%26#039;re actually suppose to duck when something comes flying at your face?
-- did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog%26#039;s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
-- if corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
-- If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?
-- why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?
-- who was the first person to say, %26quot;See that chicken there? I%26#039;m gonna eat the next thing that comes outta its butt.
-- who was the first person to look at a cow and say, %26quot;I think I%26#039;ll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?
-- why do your friends ask where are you when they just called your house number.
Reply:Emylin B..... You got that from Dane Cook Report It
Reply:hey good point
on #6 what do they do to ppl of other religions
lets say I had to testify wouldn%26#039;t I have to swear on a quran?
Reply:Those were pretty good. I liked # 4 and #10 the most.
Reply:LOL. Something to wonder about, huh? LOL.
Good Post.
Reply:Sorry I heard most of them already.
Reply:great buddy..
Reply:I hate People that Point to their watch whane they want to know what time it is.
I dont point to my croch Whn I have to piss.
I hate people that When they are in the Movies and they are all like did you see that?
Nah.
I Paid 9 bucks to stare at the floor.
Reply:1)The box is not indestructable, it is just extremely durable and is small enough to protect its contents which are also extremely durable.
If the plane were made to the standards of the box, it would be to heavy to fly.
2)%26quot;Skinny%26quot; refers to wearing only your skin.
3)%26quot;Take me out to the ballgame%26quot; are lyrics to a song from the 1890%26#039;s, there is a long preamble to the song that are hardly ever sung. The chorus was adopted by fans at the ballpark after the song was a hit.
5)No.
6)You can choose not to swear on the bible, I dont know how the alternate oath goes, I just heard of this recently.
7)Opinion- I think part of the attraction of becoming a cop is wearing a uniform.
8)Because it%26#039;s labeled %26quot;childrens%26quot; does that mean no adult will ever take it? It%26#039;s probably mandated by law just like for adult medications.
9)Good question, why dont you go there and find out and get back to me?
10)Shampoo is for hair, I%26#039;m guessing soap.
Reply:LOL good questions i like #8 IDK why tho
Reply:LOL!!! SOOOO TRUE!!!
Reply:funny!! 9/10
Reply:Niiice.... I give you 5 stars!!! Think of some more!!! i like 1%26amp;2 the best!! =]=] Happy Saturday!
Reply:Certainly somethiong to ponder.
Reply:I%26#039;ve heard them all before... Also if they made the whole plane out of the same substance as the black box it would be too heavy to fly...
tax credit
2)Can fat people go skinny-dipping?
3)Why do we sing %26#039;Take me out to the ball game%26#039;, when we are already there?
4)Why do we teach kids that violence is not the answer and then have them read about wars in school that solved Americas problems?
5)Do stuttering people stutter when they%26#039;re thinking to themselves?
6)In Court, do they still make atheists swear an oath under the bible?
7)Why do police officers wear tight clothes and dressy shoes? wouldn%26#039;t that make them slower when chasing someone?
8)Why does the label on children’s Tylenol tell you not to operate heavy machinery or vehicles when it%26#039;s for children?
9)What if you%26#039;re in hell, and you%26#039;re mad at someone, where do you tell them to go?
10)Do bald people wash their head with shampoo or soap?
More Funny Thoughts! Star If U Like!?
i liked the ones you posted ;] . since you shared, i%26#039;ll share some that i know ;D
-- why do we yell heads up when we%26#039;re actually suppose to duck when something comes flying at your face?
-- did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog%26#039;s face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
-- if corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, then what is baby oil made from?
-- If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?
-- why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?
-- who was the first person to say, %26quot;See that chicken there? I%26#039;m gonna eat the next thing that comes outta its butt.
-- who was the first person to look at a cow and say, %26quot;I think I%26#039;ll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?
-- why do your friends ask where are you when they just called your house number.
Reply:Emylin B..... You got that from Dane Cook Report It
Reply:hey good point
on #6 what do they do to ppl of other religions
lets say I had to testify wouldn%26#039;t I have to swear on a quran?
Reply:Those were pretty good. I liked # 4 and #10 the most.
Reply:LOL. Something to wonder about, huh? LOL.
Good Post.
Reply:Sorry I heard most of them already.
Reply:great buddy..
Reply:I hate People that Point to their watch whane they want to know what time it is.
I dont point to my croch Whn I have to piss.
I hate people that When they are in the Movies and they are all like did you see that?
Nah.
I Paid 9 bucks to stare at the floor.
Reply:1)The box is not indestructable, it is just extremely durable and is small enough to protect its contents which are also extremely durable.
If the plane were made to the standards of the box, it would be to heavy to fly.
2)%26quot;Skinny%26quot; refers to wearing only your skin.
3)%26quot;Take me out to the ballgame%26quot; are lyrics to a song from the 1890%26#039;s, there is a long preamble to the song that are hardly ever sung. The chorus was adopted by fans at the ballpark after the song was a hit.
5)No.
6)You can choose not to swear on the bible, I dont know how the alternate oath goes, I just heard of this recently.
7)Opinion- I think part of the attraction of becoming a cop is wearing a uniform.
8)Because it%26#039;s labeled %26quot;childrens%26quot; does that mean no adult will ever take it? It%26#039;s probably mandated by law just like for adult medications.
9)Good question, why dont you go there and find out and get back to me?
10)Shampoo is for hair, I%26#039;m guessing soap.
Reply:LOL good questions i like #8 IDK why tho
Reply:LOL!!! SOOOO TRUE!!!
Reply:funny!! 9/10
Reply:Niiice.... I give you 5 stars!!! Think of some more!!! i like 1%26amp;2 the best!! =]=] Happy Saturday!
Reply:Certainly somethiong to ponder.
Reply:I%26#039;ve heard them all before... Also if they made the whole plane out of the same substance as the black box it would be too heavy to fly...
tax credit
Why do people have to be so mean ??? Excuuuse me, it was Percy Ross not RossPerot?
I am not asking for a hand out, just asking for help. Yet most of the people who answered my ? have been mean, just mean. Renting is not the same as owning. It must be people who already own who are so mean. I am not asking for a free home, never was. Maybe if you were to live in my world, you would%26#039;nt be so mean. It is not my fault I am disabled, nor my children%26#039;s, so why do we have to suffer. As they say, Walk a mile in my shoes, then tell me what you would do to give your kids a sence of security. There father already gave up and just dis owned them, so excuse me for trying to give them some hope of having a REAL HOME.
Why do people have to be so mean ??? Excuuuse me, it was Percy Ross not RossPerot?
ur right no one knows what u%26#039;ve been through. go thru vocational rehabilitation in ur area, they are usually connected with united way. they can help u with so many things. best wishes.
Shoes Agents
Why do people have to be so mean ??? Excuuuse me, it was Percy Ross not RossPerot?
ur right no one knows what u%26#039;ve been through. go thru vocational rehabilitation in ur area, they are usually connected with united way. they can help u with so many things. best wishes.
Shoes Agents
Has anyone had a dog that steals?
I have a lab/boxer mix that steals. Her mother and sister live next door and she goes over and plays. The problem is she steals from the neighbors. Dog toys, their children%26#039;s toys, vegtables from gardens, apples from the porch, and more. She has brought home shoes, socks, baseball caps, tool kits, newspapers, gloves, and more. I hate to fence her in, because she does like to play and the neighbors love her, but obviously that would be a solution.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get her to stop, other than fence?
Has anyone had a dog that steals?
I had a dog that used to steal socks from the laundry room and from people%26#039;s luggage. It was funny. He never took anything but socks and he never damaged them, just took them and walked around with them pleased as punch.
I remember seeing a report on a cat (I think in England) who used to wander into people%26#039;s homes and collect stuffed animals and bring them home. He had quite a large pile.
Since she is taking things from a variety of places, fencing her in is the cure. She can still go visit the neighbors but you may have to go with her and teach her the off command.
Over time, it may cure her of taking other people%26#039;s toys.
Reply:not yet but i am trying to teach my whippet to steal wallets hehehe. its normal,just catch her in the act and reprimand her.
Reply:I had a chinchilla that would get in my friends purses and take things. We knew where he stashed everything but it was cute.
Reply:That%26#039;s bad parenting there! Where do you live that it%26#039;s ok for a dog to roam?
But my dog steals inside the house. She%26#039;s just trying to be sweet, bringing me stuff from other rooms.
Reply:My dog does that she is only 1 year old. She will take our laundry and give it to another person. If she keeps this up what you do is take the thing from her and sternly say NO! then bring it back. It worked for our dog we got her to put laundry away now.
Reply:yes. i made a sandwich, set it on the counter, went to wash my hands and when i came back my german shephard was eating it. dogs certainly do have a mind of their own, don%26#039;t they?
Reply:LOL. I%26#039;m sorry but I%26#039;m having this picture of this dog taking all this stuff and it sounds so cute. I know it probably isn%26#039;t, but its not really stealing as dogs don%26#039;t have any concept of %26quot;ownership%26quot;. Ownership to them is whoever has it at the current moment. That is why one dog will take a bone from another if the first dog doesn%26#039;t protest and now both dogs understand that for the time being the bone %26quot;belongs%26quot; to that second dog. So he doesn%26#039;t really understand it is something wrong - he just sees something that looks fun to play with and takes it.
Reply:Are there not leash laws in your city? To let your dog roam free is dangerous and not fair to your dog, your neighbors and could bring about the end of your dog at an early age. She is facing death from traffic, getting into something poisonous to dogs, being attacked by other dogs that run in packs.... She is more likely to pick up fleas, ticks, ear mites and diseases. We don%26#039;t confine our dogs to be mean or to limit their fun, but because we love them and want to protect them so they have a long and happy life. Confine your dog now before you are gathering her body up to bring home and bury.
Reply:My boxer is 4.5 months, and they are known for grabbing something and running off with it. I always said she would make a great pick pocket dog! She does it so sly! She walks by and See%26#039;s my slipper on the floor, grabs it ever so slowly, and then dashes off with it. It%26#039;s in their breed.
Reply:Wait....you let your dog loose in your neighborhood? That%26#039;s pretty scary. What if she got hit by a car, attacked by another dog, or stolen??
Stealing toys from your neighbors should be the least of your worries.
Hmmmmmmmmmm
Reply:Dogs don%26#039;t get this %26quot;meum et tuum%26quot; concept. Dogs gather stuff when given chance.
treatment
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get her to stop, other than fence?
Has anyone had a dog that steals?
I had a dog that used to steal socks from the laundry room and from people%26#039;s luggage. It was funny. He never took anything but socks and he never damaged them, just took them and walked around with them pleased as punch.
I remember seeing a report on a cat (I think in England) who used to wander into people%26#039;s homes and collect stuffed animals and bring them home. He had quite a large pile.
Since she is taking things from a variety of places, fencing her in is the cure. She can still go visit the neighbors but you may have to go with her and teach her the off command.
Over time, it may cure her of taking other people%26#039;s toys.
Reply:not yet but i am trying to teach my whippet to steal wallets hehehe. its normal,just catch her in the act and reprimand her.
Reply:I had a chinchilla that would get in my friends purses and take things. We knew where he stashed everything but it was cute.
Reply:That%26#039;s bad parenting there! Where do you live that it%26#039;s ok for a dog to roam?
But my dog steals inside the house. She%26#039;s just trying to be sweet, bringing me stuff from other rooms.
Reply:My dog does that she is only 1 year old. She will take our laundry and give it to another person. If she keeps this up what you do is take the thing from her and sternly say NO! then bring it back. It worked for our dog we got her to put laundry away now.
Reply:yes. i made a sandwich, set it on the counter, went to wash my hands and when i came back my german shephard was eating it. dogs certainly do have a mind of their own, don%26#039;t they?
Reply:LOL. I%26#039;m sorry but I%26#039;m having this picture of this dog taking all this stuff and it sounds so cute. I know it probably isn%26#039;t, but its not really stealing as dogs don%26#039;t have any concept of %26quot;ownership%26quot;. Ownership to them is whoever has it at the current moment. That is why one dog will take a bone from another if the first dog doesn%26#039;t protest and now both dogs understand that for the time being the bone %26quot;belongs%26quot; to that second dog. So he doesn%26#039;t really understand it is something wrong - he just sees something that looks fun to play with and takes it.
Reply:Are there not leash laws in your city? To let your dog roam free is dangerous and not fair to your dog, your neighbors and could bring about the end of your dog at an early age. She is facing death from traffic, getting into something poisonous to dogs, being attacked by other dogs that run in packs.... She is more likely to pick up fleas, ticks, ear mites and diseases. We don%26#039;t confine our dogs to be mean or to limit their fun, but because we love them and want to protect them so they have a long and happy life. Confine your dog now before you are gathering her body up to bring home and bury.
Reply:My boxer is 4.5 months, and they are known for grabbing something and running off with it. I always said she would make a great pick pocket dog! She does it so sly! She walks by and See%26#039;s my slipper on the floor, grabs it ever so slowly, and then dashes off with it. It%26#039;s in their breed.
Reply:Wait....you let your dog loose in your neighborhood? That%26#039;s pretty scary. What if she got hit by a car, attacked by another dog, or stolen??
Stealing toys from your neighbors should be the least of your worries.
Hmmmmmmmmmm
Reply:Dogs don%26#039;t get this %26quot;meum et tuum%26quot; concept. Dogs gather stuff when given chance.
treatment
What do Dudley Ranall pem "Ballad of Birmingham" mean?
Mother dear, may I go downtown Instead of out to play, And march the streets of Birmingham In a freedom March today?%26quot;
%26quot;No baby, no you may not go, for the dogs are fierce and wild, And clubs and hoses, guns and jail Aren%26#039;t good for a little child%26quot;.
%26quot;But mother, I won%26#039;t be alone. Other children will go with me, And march the streets of Birmingham To make our country free%26quot;.
%26quot;No baby, no you may not go, For I fear those guns will fire. But you may go to church instead And sing in the children%26#039;s choir.
She has combed and brushed her night-dark hair, and bathed rose petal sweet, And drawn white gloves on her small brown Hands, And white shoes on her feet.
the mother smiled to know her child Was in a sacred place, But that smile was the last smile To come upon her face.
For when she heard the explosion, Her eyes grew wet and wild. She raced through the street of Birmingham Calling for her child.
She clawed through bits of glass and brick, Then lifted out a shoe.
What do Dudley Ranall pem %26quot;Ballad of Birmingham%26quot; mean?
its about one of the 4 little black girls who went to the church that was bombed and she died
its sayin she never came home, and the mom found her shoe in the rubble of the bombed church.
and its also talkin bout all the segreation in birmingham
this poem is so sad :( but its one of my favorites)
computer virus
%26quot;No baby, no you may not go, for the dogs are fierce and wild, And clubs and hoses, guns and jail Aren%26#039;t good for a little child%26quot;.
%26quot;But mother, I won%26#039;t be alone. Other children will go with me, And march the streets of Birmingham To make our country free%26quot;.
%26quot;No baby, no you may not go, For I fear those guns will fire. But you may go to church instead And sing in the children%26#039;s choir.
She has combed and brushed her night-dark hair, and bathed rose petal sweet, And drawn white gloves on her small brown Hands, And white shoes on her feet.
the mother smiled to know her child Was in a sacred place, But that smile was the last smile To come upon her face.
For when she heard the explosion, Her eyes grew wet and wild. She raced through the street of Birmingham Calling for her child.
She clawed through bits of glass and brick, Then lifted out a shoe.
What do Dudley Ranall pem %26quot;Ballad of Birmingham%26quot; mean?
its about one of the 4 little black girls who went to the church that was bombed and she died
its sayin she never came home, and the mom found her shoe in the rubble of the bombed church.
and its also talkin bout all the segreation in birmingham
this poem is so sad :( but its one of my favorites)
computer virus
Advanced 6th grade math hw. Please help?
ok here r the questions:
1. Lisa and Judy read mystery novels. Judy has read 3 fewer than 5 times as many as Lisa. Judy has read 17 mysteries. How many has Lisa read?
2. A pair of boots cost $10 more than twice the cost of a pair of shoes. The boots cost $76.50. How much do the shoes cost?
3. You want to go to Africa for a photo safari. YOu need $2,800. You can get $1,000 from your savings and family nd you can save $30 per week. How mant weeks will it take you to save up for the trip?
4. A movie ticket for an adult costs $8, and a child%26#039;s ticket costs $5.50. One adult is taking a group of children to the movies. She has $35. How many children can she take with her to the movies?
5. The computer club sells 50 more than 3 times the number of pins the chess club sells. The computer club sells 134 pins. How many pins does the chess club sell?
Advanced 6th grade math hw. Please help?
1) 4
because 17=5x-3
20=5x, x=4
2) 2x+10=76.50
2x=66.50
x=33.25
3) 2800-1000=1800/30=60
4) 35-8=27/5.50=4.9 so she can take 4 kids
5) 134=3x+50
84=3x
x=28
Reply:1=4 equation L*5-3=18
2=33.25 eq.
3=60
4=4
5=28
good luck on test tommorow
Reply:1.) (17+3)/5=4 books
2.) (76.50-10)/2=$33.25
3.) (2800-1000)/30=60 weeks
4.) (35-8)/5.50= about 5 children
5.) (134-50)/3=28 pins
books
1. Lisa and Judy read mystery novels. Judy has read 3 fewer than 5 times as many as Lisa. Judy has read 17 mysteries. How many has Lisa read?
2. A pair of boots cost $10 more than twice the cost of a pair of shoes. The boots cost $76.50. How much do the shoes cost?
3. You want to go to Africa for a photo safari. YOu need $2,800. You can get $1,000 from your savings and family nd you can save $30 per week. How mant weeks will it take you to save up for the trip?
4. A movie ticket for an adult costs $8, and a child%26#039;s ticket costs $5.50. One adult is taking a group of children to the movies. She has $35. How many children can she take with her to the movies?
5. The computer club sells 50 more than 3 times the number of pins the chess club sells. The computer club sells 134 pins. How many pins does the chess club sell?
Advanced 6th grade math hw. Please help?
1) 4
because 17=5x-3
20=5x, x=4
2) 2x+10=76.50
2x=66.50
x=33.25
3) 2800-1000=1800/30=60
4) 35-8=27/5.50=4.9 so she can take 4 kids
5) 134=3x+50
84=3x
x=28
Reply:1=4 equation L*5-3=18
2=33.25 eq.
3=60
4=4
5=28
good luck on test tommorow
Reply:1.) (17+3)/5=4 books
2.) (76.50-10)/2=$33.25
3.) (2800-1000)/30=60 weeks
4.) (35-8)/5.50= about 5 children
5.) (134-50)/3=28 pins
books
How does the article make distinction between firms? use these distionctions to analyze and gain insights?
Abstract (Summary)
Instead, Giancarlo Di Risio, Versace%26#039;s bespectacled chief executive, presided over an evening that highlighted luxury goods: Parked at one end of the courtyard was a half-million-dollar Lamborghini Murcielago with a black-and-white leather interior by Versace. A huge poster showed an AgustaWestland helicopter with a Versace-designed cabin. Stacked nearby was luggage embossed with the brand%26#039;s Greek motif, with pieces starting at about $4,000.
The company found it increasingly tough to squeeze profits out of highly perishable fashions as production costs rose in Italy. In 1997, Mr. Versace was murdered outside his Miami villa. The firm%26#039;s finances went into a tailspin, and it was forced to shelve plans to go public. Mr. Versace%26#039;s 50% stake in the label went to his niece, Ms. Versace%26#039;s then-preteen daughter Allegra Versace Beck, shifting the balance of power. Though Ms. Versace owns only 20% of the company, she was seen to exert huge influence because of her daughter%26#039;s stake. A third sibling, Santo Versace, owns the remaining 30% of the company. Ms. Versace Beck, now 20 years old, manages her stake with the help of advisers.
%26quot;I said to Di Risio, %26#039;This is not going to work. This is going to die,%26#039;%26quot; recalled Ms. Versace. But, she said, %26quot;I was wrong, and he was right. We sell more now.%26quot;
» Jump to indexing (document details)
Full Text (1463 words)
(c) 2007 Dow Jones %26amp; Company, Inc. Reproduced with permission of copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Milan -- When Italian fashion house Gianni Versace SpA recently threw a cocktail party in the courtyard of its 16th-century palazzo to promote its latest creations, designer Donatella Versace ducked out of the soiree early, flanked by bodyguards.
Instead, Giancarlo Di Risio, Versace%26#039;s bespectacled chief executive, presided over an evening that highlighted luxury goods: Parked at one end of the courtyard was a half-million-dollar Lamborghini Murcielago with a black-and-white leather interior by Versace. A huge poster showed an AgustaWestland helicopter with a Versace-designed cabin. Stacked nearby was luggage embossed with the brand%26#039;s Greek motif, with pieces starting at about $4,000.
Mr. Di Risio is trying to shift Versace%26#039;s attention away from clothes and to accessories, home interiors and other lifestyle products that will bring in new streams of revenue and offset fickle fashion cycles. %26quot;Fashion does not exist at Versace,%26quot; he said, describing his strategy in an interview before the reception.
The new approach is bearing fruit. Versace swung back into the black last year, posting a $25.4 million profit after years of losses, and has shaken off millions in debt. Driving that turnaround were rising sales in the lucrative accessories Mr. Di Risio is pushing.
Yet the effects of the makeover have touched the core of the company%26#039;s identity. Ms. Versace has begun taming the flamboyant clothing designs that once set her and the fashion house apart from the crowd. %26quot;I no longer recognize myself in that kind of woman,%26quot; the 52-year-old Ms. Versace said in a telephone interview.
The culture shift at Versace highlights how an increasingly competitive fashion industry is forcing even the most freewheeling players to embrace a corporate culture. Many labels, including LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton%26#039;s smaller brands like Celine and Marc Jacobs, have also been toning down their looks to appeal to a wider swath of consumers. Designers who once called the shots are ceding authority to executives who run the numbers.
%26quot;In the beginning, it was a shock for me,%26quot; Ms. Versace said. %26quot;When you tell a person who is used to being in power -- to saying yes or no on everything -- to take a step back, it%26#039;s not easy. But it was necessary.%26quot;
Tweaking a label%26#039;s aesthetics carries risks. If pushed too far, transformations risk alienating loyal customers, says Robert Burke, head of New York-based luxury-goods consultancy Robert Burke Associates and the former fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman. %26quot;You will always want to see a fashion edge to Versace,%26quot; he says.
Yet for family-owned fashion labels like Versace, pressure to make more money is high. They compete with publicly traded conglomerates such as LVMH and PPR SA%26#039;s Gucci Group, which have the financial heft to expand with stores in the emerging markets of China, India and Russia -- seen as fueling the industry%26#039;s growth.
A number of Italy%26#039;s top family-owned fashion houses, including Versace, Prada SpA and Salvatore Ferragamo SpA, are considering stock- market listings in the next couple of years. %26quot;An IPO would be the best way to raise money and implant in these countries,%26quot; says Peter Farren, a luxury-goods analyst at the French investment firm Bryan Garnier.
At Versace, a sobering realization is spurring Mr. Di Risio%26#039;s moves: The clothes that once made the brand are now struggling to make money.
In its heyday in the early 1990s, Versace stayed ahead of the fashion mainstream with lavish catwalk shows that celebrated the racy designs of founder Gianni Versace. The label amassed collections of real estate and artwork that enhanced the family%26#039;s jet-setter status.
The company found it increasingly tough to squeeze profits out of highly perishable fashions as production costs rose in Italy. In 1997, Mr. Versace was murdered outside his Miami villa. The firm%26#039;s finances went into a tailspin, and it was forced to shelve plans to go public. Mr. Versace%26#039;s 50% stake in the label went to his niece, Ms. Versace%26#039;s then-preteen daughter Allegra Versace Beck, shifting the balance of power. Though Ms. Versace owns only 20% of the company, she was seen to exert huge influence because of her daughter%26#039;s stake. A third sibling, Santo Versace, owns the remaining 30% of the company. Ms. Versace Beck, now 20 years old, manages her stake with the help of advisers.
The Versace stakeholders decided the company needed a CEO who could turn the company around. Fabio Cacciatori, at one time an outside financial consultant for the company, became CEO in September 2003 but resigned in December. The company named Versace%26#039;s then-Chief Financial Officer Daniele Ballestrazzi interim CEO as it searched for new leadership.
When Versace recruited Mr. Di Risio from LVMH%26#039;s Fendi label in the summer of 2004, the house was saddled with more than $146 million in debt and heading to a net loss of $124 million for the year, on revenue of $416 million. High-end retailers like Bergdorf Goodman had stopped carrying the brand.
Bergdorf Chief Executive Jim Gold recalls that Versace was distributing too widely, diluting its exclusivity, and was overly consumed with making a splash on the runway. While many labels had started delivering retailers fresh designs more frequently, ahead of the runway collections, Versace resisted.
Mr. Di Risio arrived with a new mantra. Clothing that is too fashionable, he told his lieutenants, is bad for business because it eats up capital and goes out of style quickly. Accessories and other leather goods are a better bet because they have a longer shelf life and fatter profit margins.
To reduce Versace%26#039;s dependence on fashion, Mr. Di Risio shut down lines such as Versace Intimates lingerie and Versace Young, a children%26#039;s line. The company sold its unprofitable perfume, jewelry and watchmaking divisions, replacing them with lucrative licensing agreements with U.S. watch group Timex Corp. and Italian perfume and cosmetics maker EuroItalia Srl.
Mr. Di Risio homed in on the company%26#039;s shoes and handbags, which have higher profit margins because they cost less to produce than clothes but are easier to sell to a wide array of customers. Last year, more than 30% of Versace%26#039;s $383 million in revenue came from accessories, compared with 4% when Mr. Di Risio arrived.
He also expanded the label%26#039;s push into home furnishings -- a business that generated sales of $82.5 million in 2006, up 55% from the year before. Versace recently unveiled its %26quot;Jet Seat,%26quot; an aerodynamically-styled leather chair in a high-tech ceramic frame that is sold in Europe for %26lt;euro%26gt;38,000 (about $50,000).
%26quot;It was like taking a blank page and rewriting everything,%26quot; Mr. Di Risio says.
To succeed, however, he had to get Ms. Versace on board. She had hoped to resurrect the costly haute-couture fashion shows the label had discontinued before Mr. Di Risio%26#039;s arrival. But he argued she could more effectively enhance the line%26#039;s exclusivity by holding showings for individual clients.
%26quot;I said to Di Risio, %26#039;This is not going to work. This is going to die,%26#039;%26quot; recalled Ms. Versace. But, she said, %26quot;I was wrong, and he was right. We sell more now.%26quot;
Ms. Versace had to become more conscious of how much time and money the label invests in promoting designs at events like the Oscars. Last year, the designer dressed actresses Hilary Swank, Uma Thurman and Salma Hayek and director Robert Altman%26#039;s wife, Kathryn Reed Altman, who donned a navy-blue sequin gown.
This year, however, Ms. Versace limited herself to one gown, designing a rose-colored dress with a sweeping train for best-actress nominee Penelope Cruz.
For Versace%26#039;s ready-to-wear line, Ms. Versace is going for looks she calls %26quot;a little more understated.%26quot; Bergdorf Goodman will carry her designs in the fall for the first time in years.
Ms. Versace is also working more closely with retailers, adding four more collections beyond the traditional spring and fall runway collections. These are shown to retailers in private visits, giving them a preview of what to expect.
On the financial side, Mr. Di Risio has untangled the company%26#039;s assets from those of the family, selling property he deemed %26quot;nonstrategic%26quot; to pay the company%26#039;s debts. The family%26#039;s Manhattan townhouse was sold for about $35 million, and its contents went up for auction in 2005. The paintings alone -- including works by artists Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Roy Lichtenstein and Julian Schnabel -- fetched more than $11 million dollars.
Flagship stores in New York, London and Milan that Mr. Di Risio described as %26quot;decadent and sad,%26quot; were redone with sleek, minimalist designs.
The label, which operates 82 stores and has 35 franchise operations, plans to open more than 10 boutiques by the end of the year, including seven stores in China alone. When Versace opened the doors of its updated Moscow boutique in April, an array of leather bags, belts and shoes greeted customers at the store%26#039;s lacquered ground-floor entrance. The label%26#039;s ready-to-wear collection was relegated to the upper floor.
How does the article make distinction between firms? use these distionctions to analyze and gain insights?
In my opinion, the Versace label is nothing more than a shadow of it%26#039;s former glory and nothing will bring it back. When Gianni Versace died, so did the distinctive artistic fashion vision of the label. Donattella does not have her brother%26#039;s artistry and does not have his gift for technical innovation. G.Versace introduced light weight fusibles into men%26#039;s and women%26#039;s tailoring, and with that innovation creatively and artistically explored all the styling options offered by this method; ushering in the soft modern italian style of tailoring, which everyone uses. D Versace isn%26#039;t capable of making a creative and technical leap of that size, she has neither the vision, the artistic skill, not the technical expertise. Check the dates and the numbers- Gianni%26#039;s death is when the trouble started.
Reply:Do your own homework douchey.
computer security
Instead, Giancarlo Di Risio, Versace%26#039;s bespectacled chief executive, presided over an evening that highlighted luxury goods: Parked at one end of the courtyard was a half-million-dollar Lamborghini Murcielago with a black-and-white leather interior by Versace. A huge poster showed an AgustaWestland helicopter with a Versace-designed cabin. Stacked nearby was luggage embossed with the brand%26#039;s Greek motif, with pieces starting at about $4,000.
The company found it increasingly tough to squeeze profits out of highly perishable fashions as production costs rose in Italy. In 1997, Mr. Versace was murdered outside his Miami villa. The firm%26#039;s finances went into a tailspin, and it was forced to shelve plans to go public. Mr. Versace%26#039;s 50% stake in the label went to his niece, Ms. Versace%26#039;s then-preteen daughter Allegra Versace Beck, shifting the balance of power. Though Ms. Versace owns only 20% of the company, she was seen to exert huge influence because of her daughter%26#039;s stake. A third sibling, Santo Versace, owns the remaining 30% of the company. Ms. Versace Beck, now 20 years old, manages her stake with the help of advisers.
%26quot;I said to Di Risio, %26#039;This is not going to work. This is going to die,%26#039;%26quot; recalled Ms. Versace. But, she said, %26quot;I was wrong, and he was right. We sell more now.%26quot;
» Jump to indexing (document details)
Full Text (1463 words)
(c) 2007 Dow Jones %26amp; Company, Inc. Reproduced with permission of copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Milan -- When Italian fashion house Gianni Versace SpA recently threw a cocktail party in the courtyard of its 16th-century palazzo to promote its latest creations, designer Donatella Versace ducked out of the soiree early, flanked by bodyguards.
Instead, Giancarlo Di Risio, Versace%26#039;s bespectacled chief executive, presided over an evening that highlighted luxury goods: Parked at one end of the courtyard was a half-million-dollar Lamborghini Murcielago with a black-and-white leather interior by Versace. A huge poster showed an AgustaWestland helicopter with a Versace-designed cabin. Stacked nearby was luggage embossed with the brand%26#039;s Greek motif, with pieces starting at about $4,000.
Mr. Di Risio is trying to shift Versace%26#039;s attention away from clothes and to accessories, home interiors and other lifestyle products that will bring in new streams of revenue and offset fickle fashion cycles. %26quot;Fashion does not exist at Versace,%26quot; he said, describing his strategy in an interview before the reception.
The new approach is bearing fruit. Versace swung back into the black last year, posting a $25.4 million profit after years of losses, and has shaken off millions in debt. Driving that turnaround were rising sales in the lucrative accessories Mr. Di Risio is pushing.
Yet the effects of the makeover have touched the core of the company%26#039;s identity. Ms. Versace has begun taming the flamboyant clothing designs that once set her and the fashion house apart from the crowd. %26quot;I no longer recognize myself in that kind of woman,%26quot; the 52-year-old Ms. Versace said in a telephone interview.
The culture shift at Versace highlights how an increasingly competitive fashion industry is forcing even the most freewheeling players to embrace a corporate culture. Many labels, including LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton%26#039;s smaller brands like Celine and Marc Jacobs, have also been toning down their looks to appeal to a wider swath of consumers. Designers who once called the shots are ceding authority to executives who run the numbers.
%26quot;In the beginning, it was a shock for me,%26quot; Ms. Versace said. %26quot;When you tell a person who is used to being in power -- to saying yes or no on everything -- to take a step back, it%26#039;s not easy. But it was necessary.%26quot;
Tweaking a label%26#039;s aesthetics carries risks. If pushed too far, transformations risk alienating loyal customers, says Robert Burke, head of New York-based luxury-goods consultancy Robert Burke Associates and the former fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman. %26quot;You will always want to see a fashion edge to Versace,%26quot; he says.
Yet for family-owned fashion labels like Versace, pressure to make more money is high. They compete with publicly traded conglomerates such as LVMH and PPR SA%26#039;s Gucci Group, which have the financial heft to expand with stores in the emerging markets of China, India and Russia -- seen as fueling the industry%26#039;s growth.
A number of Italy%26#039;s top family-owned fashion houses, including Versace, Prada SpA and Salvatore Ferragamo SpA, are considering stock- market listings in the next couple of years. %26quot;An IPO would be the best way to raise money and implant in these countries,%26quot; says Peter Farren, a luxury-goods analyst at the French investment firm Bryan Garnier.
At Versace, a sobering realization is spurring Mr. Di Risio%26#039;s moves: The clothes that once made the brand are now struggling to make money.
In its heyday in the early 1990s, Versace stayed ahead of the fashion mainstream with lavish catwalk shows that celebrated the racy designs of founder Gianni Versace. The label amassed collections of real estate and artwork that enhanced the family%26#039;s jet-setter status.
The company found it increasingly tough to squeeze profits out of highly perishable fashions as production costs rose in Italy. In 1997, Mr. Versace was murdered outside his Miami villa. The firm%26#039;s finances went into a tailspin, and it was forced to shelve plans to go public. Mr. Versace%26#039;s 50% stake in the label went to his niece, Ms. Versace%26#039;s then-preteen daughter Allegra Versace Beck, shifting the balance of power. Though Ms. Versace owns only 20% of the company, she was seen to exert huge influence because of her daughter%26#039;s stake. A third sibling, Santo Versace, owns the remaining 30% of the company. Ms. Versace Beck, now 20 years old, manages her stake with the help of advisers.
The Versace stakeholders decided the company needed a CEO who could turn the company around. Fabio Cacciatori, at one time an outside financial consultant for the company, became CEO in September 2003 but resigned in December. The company named Versace%26#039;s then-Chief Financial Officer Daniele Ballestrazzi interim CEO as it searched for new leadership.
When Versace recruited Mr. Di Risio from LVMH%26#039;s Fendi label in the summer of 2004, the house was saddled with more than $146 million in debt and heading to a net loss of $124 million for the year, on revenue of $416 million. High-end retailers like Bergdorf Goodman had stopped carrying the brand.
Bergdorf Chief Executive Jim Gold recalls that Versace was distributing too widely, diluting its exclusivity, and was overly consumed with making a splash on the runway. While many labels had started delivering retailers fresh designs more frequently, ahead of the runway collections, Versace resisted.
Mr. Di Risio arrived with a new mantra. Clothing that is too fashionable, he told his lieutenants, is bad for business because it eats up capital and goes out of style quickly. Accessories and other leather goods are a better bet because they have a longer shelf life and fatter profit margins.
To reduce Versace%26#039;s dependence on fashion, Mr. Di Risio shut down lines such as Versace Intimates lingerie and Versace Young, a children%26#039;s line. The company sold its unprofitable perfume, jewelry and watchmaking divisions, replacing them with lucrative licensing agreements with U.S. watch group Timex Corp. and Italian perfume and cosmetics maker EuroItalia Srl.
Mr. Di Risio homed in on the company%26#039;s shoes and handbags, which have higher profit margins because they cost less to produce than clothes but are easier to sell to a wide array of customers. Last year, more than 30% of Versace%26#039;s $383 million in revenue came from accessories, compared with 4% when Mr. Di Risio arrived.
He also expanded the label%26#039;s push into home furnishings -- a business that generated sales of $82.5 million in 2006, up 55% from the year before. Versace recently unveiled its %26quot;Jet Seat,%26quot; an aerodynamically-styled leather chair in a high-tech ceramic frame that is sold in Europe for %26lt;euro%26gt;38,000 (about $50,000).
%26quot;It was like taking a blank page and rewriting everything,%26quot; Mr. Di Risio says.
To succeed, however, he had to get Ms. Versace on board. She had hoped to resurrect the costly haute-couture fashion shows the label had discontinued before Mr. Di Risio%26#039;s arrival. But he argued she could more effectively enhance the line%26#039;s exclusivity by holding showings for individual clients.
%26quot;I said to Di Risio, %26#039;This is not going to work. This is going to die,%26#039;%26quot; recalled Ms. Versace. But, she said, %26quot;I was wrong, and he was right. We sell more now.%26quot;
Ms. Versace had to become more conscious of how much time and money the label invests in promoting designs at events like the Oscars. Last year, the designer dressed actresses Hilary Swank, Uma Thurman and Salma Hayek and director Robert Altman%26#039;s wife, Kathryn Reed Altman, who donned a navy-blue sequin gown.
This year, however, Ms. Versace limited herself to one gown, designing a rose-colored dress with a sweeping train for best-actress nominee Penelope Cruz.
For Versace%26#039;s ready-to-wear line, Ms. Versace is going for looks she calls %26quot;a little more understated.%26quot; Bergdorf Goodman will carry her designs in the fall for the first time in years.
Ms. Versace is also working more closely with retailers, adding four more collections beyond the traditional spring and fall runway collections. These are shown to retailers in private visits, giving them a preview of what to expect.
On the financial side, Mr. Di Risio has untangled the company%26#039;s assets from those of the family, selling property he deemed %26quot;nonstrategic%26quot; to pay the company%26#039;s debts. The family%26#039;s Manhattan townhouse was sold for about $35 million, and its contents went up for auction in 2005. The paintings alone -- including works by artists Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Roy Lichtenstein and Julian Schnabel -- fetched more than $11 million dollars.
Flagship stores in New York, London and Milan that Mr. Di Risio described as %26quot;decadent and sad,%26quot; were redone with sleek, minimalist designs.
The label, which operates 82 stores and has 35 franchise operations, plans to open more than 10 boutiques by the end of the year, including seven stores in China alone. When Versace opened the doors of its updated Moscow boutique in April, an array of leather bags, belts and shoes greeted customers at the store%26#039;s lacquered ground-floor entrance. The label%26#039;s ready-to-wear collection was relegated to the upper floor.
How does the article make distinction between firms? use these distionctions to analyze and gain insights?
In my opinion, the Versace label is nothing more than a shadow of it%26#039;s former glory and nothing will bring it back. When Gianni Versace died, so did the distinctive artistic fashion vision of the label. Donattella does not have her brother%26#039;s artistry and does not have his gift for technical innovation. G.Versace introduced light weight fusibles into men%26#039;s and women%26#039;s tailoring, and with that innovation creatively and artistically explored all the styling options offered by this method; ushering in the soft modern italian style of tailoring, which everyone uses. D Versace isn%26#039;t capable of making a creative and technical leap of that size, she has neither the vision, the artistic skill, not the technical expertise. Check the dates and the numbers- Gianni%26#039;s death is when the trouble started.
Reply:Do your own homework douchey.
computer security
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)