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NEW YORK, August 2014 – Gap is encouraging moms and dads around the world to share their experiences of parenthood and celebrate ‘kids being kids’ through social media.

Today Gap is launching the inaugural GapKids Class of 2014, a contest inviting parents to submit photos of their kids for the chance to be featured in a 2015 GapKids marketing campaign. This is Gap’s next generation of Casting Call, the successful program that engaged moms and dads for six years. GapKids Class of 2014 commences the back to school season by honoring kids who represent the free spirit of childhood, with all its perfect imperfections. Every one who enters will receive a socially sharable moving image video of their child that encapsulates the GapKids aesthetic.

In addition to sharing social content, Gap has built a new @GapKids social network as a place for parents to explore content. Called “the cutest place on the Internet”, the @GapKids Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest channels were built with parents in mind and have a modern yet classic aesthetic that represents GapKids and babyGap. Through a series of style collectives, brand moments, inspirational content, and adorable kids, the aim is to tell meaningful, visual stories optimized for the Internet, where kids and babies rule.

“At Gap we recognize the pride that all parents take in their kids on the first day of school and we are excited to help them celebrate and share that joy with the annual GapKids Class,” said Seth Farbman, Chief Global Marketing Officer of Gap. “By creating the @GapKids social channels, we are offering great outfits and giving parents a place to be entertained and inspired. It is the cutest place on the Internet.”

GapKids Class of 2014 Submission Process

As part of the submission process, Gap is asking parents to submit three charismatic photos of their child between now and September 15. After a submission is processed, parents will be emailed a 15-second video of their child’s photos. Each socially compatible video will have a GapKids inspired aesthetic and emphasize the expressions of kids being kids. Details on where and how to enter can be found on the newly launched @GapKids Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest channels and at www.GapKidsClass.com.

Entry Phase: From August 12 – September 15, parents can upload three photos of their baby (ages four and under) or kid (ages five to 12) along with contact information. Submissions are accepted on www.GapKidsClass.com. Photos can be submitted through Instagram, Facebook, mobile phone or desktop. Once processed, parents will receive a video via email as a confirmation that their submission was received with a socially sharable URL to the GapKids inspired video.

Finalist Phase: During the month of October, a panel of Gap judges in each global region will narrow down the field of submissions to 20 finalists – 10 babies/toddlers (five girls and five boys) for babyGap and 10 kids (five girls and five boys) for GapKids. Parents of regional finalists will receive a questionnaire to fill out for additional content needs.

Winner Phase: In November, the four winners of each region will be announced on the Gap digital channels. The winners will participate in a photoshoot taking place in their region and they will be featured in a Gap marketing campaign in early 2015.

About Gap
Gap is a global apparel and accessories brand focused on delivering casual, American style. The brand offers classic iconic clothing that helps customers express their individuality through its Gap, GapKids, babyGap, GapMaternity and GapBody collections. With an optimistic point of view and belief that everyone can make their creative mark in the world, Gap embodies what it means to be bright. Founded in San Francisco in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher, the brand has grown from one store to over 1,700 company-operated and franchise retail locations around the world. Gap is the namesake brand for leading global specialty retailer, Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) which includes Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta, and Intermix. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.

TORONTO, ON – Mercedes-Benz Start Up is beginning its fourth year of operations and the next nationwide search for fashion’s rising stars starts this summer with three stops: Victoria (British Columbia) on August 12 and 13, Gatineau (Quebec) on August 18 and 19, and Burlington (Ontario) on August 20 and 21. As the program prepares to enter its next phase, IMG Fashion and Mercedes-Benz Canada are pleased to announce the evolution of the Mercedes-Benz Start Up program.

Launched in 2011 in response to an industry need to discover, mentor and foster the careers of Canada’s emerging fashion designers; the program set out to weave across the country and provide these designers a platform to succeed in their own local environment. Through a wide-ranging network of professional mentors, designers were given access to expertise that would help them hone their craft and prepare for the world of fashion business.

Commencing today, the fully re-launched, Mercedes-BenzStartUp.com website, is the place for designers to apply to the program and where fashion fans can keep up to date on designer and program news. To be eligible to participate, designers must have a registered Canadian business that has been operating for less than five years.

If their application is accepted, designers will present their collection and business plan to a seasoned judging panel that will consult, assess and evaluate whether the designer is ready for the next step. From there, a select group of designers will have the opportunity to move forward and present their collection on the local runway the following day. This three-city semi-final phase will produce six designers who will then participate in the national finale at World MasterCard Fashion Week in October 2014.

At this finale, one of the finalists will be chosen as the Awarded Designer. This designer will receive continued mentorship from the panel of experts, editorial coverage across leading domestic and international publications, a fully produced solo runway show in Toronto at the Fall Collections in March 2015. And new this season, the Awarded Designer will also receive a $30,000 bursary that will be administered by an experienced mentoring team who will guide and support the designer’s vision while ensuring that the funds are used most equitably.

“Each year the Mercedes-Benz Start Up program gains momentum and evolves in order to meet the current needs of the industry landscape,” says Jarrad Clark, VP and Global Creative Director, IMG Fashion Events and Properties. “While the mentoring of designers in order to teach them how to establish long-term sustainable business remains the main goal of MBSU, the new additional monetary award, makes it possible for us to give designers much needed financial support, while also teaching them how to spend their money wisely.”

Mercedes-Benz Canada’s Director of Communications and Public Relations, JoAnne Caza said, “It has been extremely gratifying and rewarding to see the progress of many very talented emerging Canadian designers as they participated in the Mercedes-Benz Start Up program over the course of the last three years. We are thrilled by how well the overall program has been accepted by the fashion industry at large and by these new designers who now better understand its mandate and want to be part of it. We are delighted to be fully committed for another three years and we have made several important changes that will ensure a more robust infrastructure that will ultimately benefit even more emerging Canadian designers.”

Past Awarded Designers, Martin Lim, DUY, Malorie Urbanovitch and Cécile Raizonville of Matière Noire, received international accolades and have enjoyed many exclusive benefits and opportunities through the program, demonstrating the numerous advantages and tangible benefits to potential program participants for the 2014-2015 cycle.

About Mercedes-Benz Start Up (MBSU):
Developed and managed by IMG Fashion and launched in 2011, Mercedes-Benz Start Up is an ongoing initiative that provides a national platform to discover and support emerging Canadian fashion designers. Now in its fourth year, the program travels from coast to coast, identifying the next generation of rising Canadian talent and provides them access to fashion business experts to help them hone a broad range of skills. Designers gain the knowledge and skill set required to develop a sustainable career in the fashion industry, while elevating their professional profiles through unique and exclusive opportunities.

This season Galatasaray will play in a new kit infused with their history, character and status as a modern European club.

Galatasaray are proud to be Turkey’s most powerful club, which has been achieved through their bravery, charisma and innovation.

Their new traditionally red and yellow home shirt boasts a dynamic graphic, inspired by the kit worn by Metin Oktay one of the club’s legendary players.

These graphics create a sense of speed and movement to honor the lion, one of Galatasaray’s proud symbols.

The shirt also features a constructed red v-neck collar and yellow cuffs on the sleeves. Kit is completed by the red shorts with a yellow stripe and red socks with a yellow band at the top.

Galatasaray away jersey for the new season has been inspired by the first ever white kit they wore in 2000, year of the club’s biggest successes in both Turkish league and international arena.

The new away shirt is a clean and classic white, while Galatasaray’s home colors are represented in the red double crew neck collar with a yellow trim, and high red cuffs also with a yellow trim. Away shorts and socks are white with red details.

Both home and away jerseys have an inner pennant tab in red and yellow halves with the bold statement: ‘Ilklerin Ve Enlerin Takimi’ (The club of firsts and mosts), to celebrate Galatasaray’s status as Turkey’s leading and most successful club.

While this new kit features Nike’s signature style and passion, it has also been designed to offer players the very latest in performance innovation, kit technology and environmental sustainability.

NIKE DRI-FIT TECHNOLOGY
Nike Dri-Fit technology draws sweat away from the body to the exterior of the shirts and shorts where it quickly evaporates. This allows players to perform at their absolute best by remaining cooler, drier and more comfortable.

The laser-cut ventilation holes and mesh panels featured in key areas of the kit also improves performance by increasing air circulation to the players’ bodies and regulating their temperatures throughout ninety minutes on the pitch.

The kits are made of a new dual-knit fabric consisting of both cotton and recycled polyester, which as well as removing sweat offers a softer feel and an overall more flattering appearance.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Nike continues to place environmental sustainability at the heart of their kits, which are again made from recycled polyester this year. These kits have been created to provide both unrivalled performance benefits and lower environmental impact.

The kits are made from recycled plastic water bottles. The shorts are 100 percent recycled polyester; the shirts are 96 percent recycled polyester, while the socks are 78 percent.

Each kit is made using an average of 18 recycled plastic bottles, and over the last four years Nike has diverted almost two billion of these bottles from landfills to produce their kits. By using recycled polyester Nike is also reducing the energy consumed in the entire process by up to 30 percent.

A NEW AND UPDATED PERFECT FIT
Nike took 3D body scans of many of the world’s leading footballers to create a kit with an updated and perfect new fit. The new fit allows the body to move more naturally within the kit, and so effortlessly improves players’ comfort and performance.

The Nike Elite Match fit sock for 2014 also boasts a sleeker and updated design created especially for football. Nike’s designers spoke to many of today’s elite players to gain an insight in to what they wanted from a sock during a game.

There are now strategically cushioned zones to provide comfort and protection around the big toe and the anklebones where the majority of impact occurs,while arch support provides a firm foundation for the foot to prevent any slipping. There is less material on the sock to enhance players’ touch, while flex grooves on the ankle and top of the foot prevent bunching.

CINCINNATI –In a world where innovation constantly improves people’s lives, puts them in control and gives them more of what they love on demand, consumers can now enjoy those benefits in clothing care. Today, P&G (NYSE: PG) and Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE: WHR), two of the world’s leading companies for laundry care, are excited to announce the introduction of SWASH™. SWASH™ is a revolutionary at-home clothing care system that reduces wrinkles, refreshes fabric, restores the fit lost after wear and preserves clothing, in just ten minutes with the push of a button. The SWASH™ system, designed to fit into a living space such as a bedroom or closet, allows people to reduce or eliminate ironing, save on dry cleaning and better care for and preserve clothes – even hard to care for favorite pieces.

FILLING AN UNMET NEED FOR MEN AND WOMEN
P&G and Whirlpool identified a number of trends that prompted the development of SWASHTM. They discovered that people are reluctant to excessively launder or dry clean their clothing for fear of damage. This has led to the adoption of unique clothing care measures like showering with denim, freezing cashmere and putting clothing in a salad spinner to dry. At the same time, people have become resigned to the high cost and inconvenience of processes like dry cleaning, ironing or steaming. (People who dry clean at least once a month spend over $750 a year on the service and 80% of consumers report that they don’t enjoy ironing.) The trend of re-wearing clothing between washes is also on the rise.

“We have talked to thousands of people over the years that have told us they are yearning for a better way to care for clothing in between laundering and dry cleaning. Until today there hasn’t been an effective solution. I am thrilled to share that SWASHTM is just that and more,” said Charles Pierce, group president of P&G New Business Creation. “SWASHTM gets clothes ready to wear quickly, effectively, easily and without requiring extensive resources. In the amount of time it takes one to shower, clothing will be ready to wear.”

HOW THE SWASH SYSTEM TRANSFORMS THE WAY YOU CARE FOR CLOTHES

The SWASHTM system uses an integrated tension system to gently hold clothes in place, while an advanced spray technology applies a uniquely designed solution to the clothing from the SWASH PODSTM cup. Then, a rapid thermal drying function combines an express heat system with airflow recirculation to dry clothes quickly.

“People want a simpler and quicker way to care for clothing,” said Brett Dibkey, vice president of Whirlpool Corporation’s Integrated Business Units. “With the introduction of the SWASHTM system, we’ve harnessed the strength of the two leaders in the laundry category to bring forward a truly innovative solution that will change the way people across the country care for their favorite pieces of clothing.”

The SWASHTM system plugs directly into a standard 120-volt wall outlet and requires no water, plumbing, pipes, vents, special hook-ups or professional installation. SWASHTM can be used on such fabrics as denim, wool, polyester, lycra, cotton, cashmere, sequins, delicate beading and lace. The SWASHTM system’s core benefits are:

De-wrinkle: Removes light wrinkles for a clean look
Reduces the need to steam or iron clothes before wear by precisely holding clothing in place to allow the formula in the SWASH PODSTM cups to gently relax fabrics as the rapid drying system leaves them ready to wear.
Refresh: Neutralizes odors and leaves clothes smelling clean
Effectively removes unpleasant smells from fabrics by neutralizing odors, releasing them from fabrics and carrying them away from garments. The SWASH PODSTM cups add a delightful, fresh scent.
Restore: Restores the fit of clothes that’s lost after wear
Over time and as clothes are worn – especially sweaters and jeans – the fibers in them become stretched out, contributing to clothes looking as though they have lost their perfect fit. The formula in the SWASH PODSTM cups penetrates the stretched fabric fibers and then restores the fit to clothes that’s lost after wear.
Preserve: Extends the life of garments
Gentle on clothes and doesn’t wash away dyes. It prevents stress that causes pilling and fiber loss and uses optimal heat to provide the best care for clothing without causing damage. The SWASHTM system is great for use on delicate and embellished clothing that people are often reluctant to care for at home.
UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE OF HOLLYWOOD’S POWER STYLISTS

Over the next year, famed Hollywood stylist Kate Young will be collaborating with P&G and Whirlpool to spread the word about this new device that is positioned to become the ultimate clothing care accessory for fashion lovers across the country.

“I have always loved clothing and fashion. The best feeling is having confidence in what you’re wearing, yet so often we’re limited in our choices because garments are wrinkled, don’t smell fresh or no longer look like they did when you purchased them. There is also the boring practicality of avoiding spectacular purchases because their care seems too difficult,” says Kate Young. “SWASHTM helps eliminate those issues – allowing you to make the most of your closet, shop a little more freely and always look and feel your best. I’ve been using it both personally and professionally and it’s a total game-changer.”

Kate Young, P&G and Whirlpool will unveil the new SWASHTM system this evening at an exclusive event at The Standard hotel in New York City for hundreds of style enthusiasts. The event will feature a preview of fall’s hottest fashions styled by Kate Young and Bloomingdale’s.

AVAILABILITY

The SWASHTM system is now available for pre-order exclusively at Bloomingdale’s stores and on Bloomingdales.com and will be featured at select Delta Sky Club lounges. The SWASHTM system will be broadly available for sale nationwide at retailers, such as Best Buy and Bed Bath & Beyond, starting in September 2014. SWASHTM will be available in Shadow and Linen with a suggested retail price of $499. The SWASH PODSTM cups will be available in multiple scents – Awaken, Recharge and Unwind – with the suggested retail price of $6.99 for 12 cups.

About Procter & Gamble
P&G serves approximately 4.8 billion people around the world with its brands. The Company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Always®, Ambi Pur®, Ariel®, Bounty®, Charmin®, Crest®, Dawn®, Downy®, Duracell®, Fairy®, Febreze®, Gain®, Gillette®, Head & Shoulders®, Lenor®, Olay®, Oral-B®, Pampers®, Pantene®, SK-II®, Tide®, Vicks®, Wella® and Whisper®. The P&G community includes operations in approximately 70 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About Whirlpool Corporation
Whirlpool Corporation is the world’s leading global manufacturer and marketer of major home appliances, with annual sales of approximately $19 billion in 2013, 69,000 employees, and 59 manufacturing and technology research centers around the world. The company markets Whirlpool®, Maytag®, KitchenAid®, Jenn-Air®, Amana®, Brastemp®, Consul®, Bauknecht® and other major brand names. We earn the trust of consumers in nearly every country by focusing on what matters most. Additional information about the company can be found at http://www.whirlpoolcorp.com

– See more at: http://news.pg.com/press-release/pg-corporate-announcements/pg-and-whirlpool-introduce-swash-only-10-minute-clothing-ca#sthash.z1RYheyL.dpuf

NEW YORK, — Hearst Brand Development announced today the exclusive launch of Seventeen Magazine’s fashion collection at Sears. The addition of the Seventeen Fashion Collection to its brand portfolio is designed to make Sears the ultimate destination for teens to get stylish looks, offering apparel, accessories and footwear to create the perfect ensemble. Beginning July 15, the full collection will be available at 450 Sears stores nationwide as well as on Sears.com. Shop Your Way members and customers can shop the collection, enter sweeps, and explore exclusive content from Seventeen Magazine at shopyourway.com.

Seventeen
The new line is designed to align with readers’ personalities and suit every style for every girl, with a mix of playful key trends and everyday pieces—from flirty boho and sporty cool to pretty sweet and girly prep. The line, which features 83 pieces in total, includes printed leggings, denim vests, military jackets, boho dresses, comfortable cardigans and feminine blouses, as well as accessories, handbags, jewelry and footwear, all at an extremely affordable price point, retailing for under $50.

“Seventeen Magazine is a trusted leader in the teen market and fashion is one of its core pillars, so a clothing line is a natural extension for the brand,” said Glen Ellen Brown, Vice President of Hearst Brand Development. “Sears’ digital capabilities, along with its enormous distribution in an integrated retail model makes the Seventeen collaboration a natural fit, providing teens easy access to on-trend and affordable apparel, available across every platform.”

In conjunction with the launch, the unique hashtag #17Style will be utilized across all social media platforms. Sears will additionally offer 10 specialty shops featuring Seventeen signage, charging stations and interactive elements such as digital magazine content and social feeds.

“As we continue to transform the Sears apparel business, we are working to create deeper, exclusive brand relationships that both engage our members and increase the level of fashion across multiple channels,” said Sheila Field, Chief Marketing Officer for Sears Apparel. “By combining the influence and fashion credentials of Seventeen Magazine with the broad reach and integrated retail leadership of Sears we can bring the teen shopper the styles she wants with the enhanced shopping experience she has come to expect.”

The relationship marks the magazine’s first apparel and accessories collection since its inception 70 years ago. Produced by Adjmi Apparel Group, the new collection will arrive just in time for back-to-school shopping.

About Hearst Brand Development
Hearst Brand Development, a division of Hearst Magazines, translates the equities of Hearst’s powerful and diverse magazine portfolio into consumer products. By forming strategic partnerships with top-tier manufacturers and retailers to create and market innovative licensed products, Hearst Brand Development enables readers to make Hearst brands a dynamic part of their lives. In 2012, consumers spent more than $400 million on Hearst branded products across fully diversified retail channels. In 2014, in addition to the Seventeen Fashion Collection, Hearst Brand Development continued to expand its substantial partnerships, while maintaining a strategic focus on new business for brands such as Car & Driver, Cosmopolitan, Country Living, Esquire, Good Housekeeping, House Beautiful, Popular Mechanics, Road & Track, and Veranda.

About Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), is a leading integrated retailer providing merchandise and related services and is part of Shop Your Way, a social shopping experience where members have the ability to earn points and receive benefits across a wide variety of physical and digital formats through shopyourway.com. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 1,320 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes more than 790 Full-line and more than 50 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard — among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation’s largest provider of home services, with more than 14 million service and installation calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.

LAS VEGAS– Nickelodeon Viacom Consumer Products and Monnalisa, a world leader in fashion apparel for infants and kids, today announced their first collaboration for a new fashion collection featuring Nickelodeon’s world-renowned and beloved cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants.

The brand new clothing line for infants and girls will be distributed internationally in more than 70 countries in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, and in the U.S. Monnalisa will officially launch the new collection with a special event at Pitti Bimbo Fashion Week, taking place at the end of June in Florence.

Monnalisa comments on this new collaboration: “The launch of Monnalisa Fun meets the need for a metropolitan, international, and casual way of dressing with a practical aspect, but for young fashion lovers! In this new line we have put color, joy and energy,” said Barbara Bertocci, Creative Director at Monnalisa SpA. “For its debut we chose to partner with a cartoon character full of optimism like SpongeBob. We are very enthusiastic about this partnership.”

Ron Johnson, EVP of Nickelodeon Viacom International Consumer Products adds: “SpongeBob SquarePants is beloved by all generations. He is universally relatable, and his innocence and persistent positivity make him appealing to adults and children around the world. We’re thrilled to partner with Monnalisa and to see SpongeBob SquarePants embraced by his youngest fans and their parents.”

SpongeBob SquarePants chronicles the nautical and sometimes nonsensical adventures of SpongeBob SquarePants, an incurably optimistic and earnest sea sponge, and his undersea friends. The series is seen in more than 170 countries and territories and in more than 35 languages. It is the most widely distributed property in Viacom Media Networks history.

About Monnalisa
Monnalisa, a leading high-end childrenswear company, established in 1968 in Arezzo, is distributed in over 60 countries all over the world through its own flagship stores (Milan, Arezzo, Florence, Forte dei Marmi, Naples, New York, Los Angeles), exclusive international department stores and over 1,000 multi-brand boutiques. The company closed 2013 with a turnover of 39 million Euro (forecast for 2014: 40 million Euro) with export taking 65% of the total production. Top-quality and interesting fashion content go alongside noticeable investment in research and development and great sensibility.

About Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP)
Nickelodeon & Viacom Consumer Products (NVCP) manages the world’s third largest licensing business, representing leading properties such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer, and managing merchandising for Nick Jr., Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, and Spike TV outside the US. All related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA)

About Nickelodeon
NICKELODEON is one of the most globally recognized and widely distributed multimedia entertainment brands for kids and family. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company’s portfolio includes television programming and production around the world, plus special events, consumer products, digital offerings, recreation, books, feature films and pro-social initiatives. Nickelodeon’s brands are seen globally in more than 450 million households in over 100 countries and territories via more than 70 locally programmed channels and syndication. Outside of the United States, Nickelodeon is part of Viacom International Media Networks, a division of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.

Global musical artist and producer will.i.am and The Coca-Cola Company are collaborating with other iconic brands to inspire a global movement with the launch of EKOCYCLE™ — a stand-alone brand initiative dedicated to helping encourage recycling behavior and sustainability among consumers through aspirational, yet attainable lifestyle products made in part from recycled material.

The EKOCYCLE brand initiative was developed to educate consumers about everyday recycling choices and empower their purchasing decisions as part of a social change movement. The initiative supports recycling by helping consumers recognize that items they consider waste today may be a part of a lifestyle product they can use tomorrow. With a dedication to supporting a more sustainable environment, the EKOCYCLE brand initiative will identify products, such as assorted plastic bottles and aluminum cans that can be repurposed into recycled content for fashionable and valuable lifestyle products. It will also encourage demand and use of recycled materials, and reinforce the importance of recycling finished products.

“With the EKOCYCLE brand, I’m on a mission to educate and inspire consumers around the globe to seek out more sustainable lifestyle choices that will ultimately play a part in the movement toward a world with zero waste,” said global musical artist and producer, will.i.am. “By making products that contain recycled materials more attractive to both businesses and consumers, everyone can do their part to keep the cycle going to turn discarded waste into cool, new items. The Coca-Cola Company shares this vision and together working with local communities worldwide we will showcase the greater value of recycling, as well as selecting products that feature recycled materials.”

Beats by Dr. Dre® and New Era® are the first brand partners to join the EKOCYCLE brand initiative in its mission to inspire and educate individuals and communities to live a more sustainable lifestyle. As a part of the partnership, these collaborative efforts will produce on-trend products made partially from recycled materials. Additional EKOCYCLE brand collaborations will be announced later this year.

“The EKOCYCLE brand initiative is a platform that aligns with our vision of zero waste and our focus on sustainability,” said Bea Perez, vice president and chief sustainability officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “Together with will.i.am, we will promote recycling in a unique way with other well-known brands to create lifestyle products that consumers worldwide desire. Today’s generation of young consumers represents an active force and the EKOCYCLE brand aims to be a driver in rallying their support and efforts around a global sustainability movement.”

The Coca-Cola Company will donate its portion of licensing profits from the EKOCYCLE brand initiative to support additional recycling and community improvement organizations.

The Coca-Cola Company will make a minimum $1 million financial commitment over the next five years. This donation is in addition to, and separate from, the charitable commitments of 1 percent of operating profits made through The Coca-Cola Foundation.

Earth911®, host of the largest recycling directory in the U.S. with more than 1.5 million ways to recycle, will provide an interactive and searchable recycling directory for consumers accessible at EKOCYCLE.com.

” Recycling is one of the easiest sustainable actions consumers can take, but without real-time access to local options, people are often left confused and frustrated,” said Raquel Fagan, vice president of media for Earth911. “The EKOCYCLE brand initiative takes a forward-thinking approach and demonstrates how companies can play a role in eliminating this confusion and empowering consumers.”

On August 1, the EKOCYCLE brand will premiere its first :60 television commercial that will air in the U.S. market during the telecast of the Summer Olympic Games. A full-scale marketing, advertising and online campaign will follow.

Consumers can purchase Beats by Dr. Dre® headphones beginning fall of 2012. Other EKOCYCLE products, including New Era® hats, will be available early 2013.

This news is courtesy of www.coca-colacompany.com

DUBLIN, – Opening the 16th annual Global Funds Conference hosted by the Irish Funds Industry Association (IFIA) in Dublin this morning, BNY Mellon President Karen Peetz took to the stage to stress the importance of innovation in the survival of financial services companies around the world. Below is an extract some of the remarks made by Peetz regarding what she describes as the age of the ‘Global Reset’.

“The world is not the same as it was before the financial crisis. Something fundamental has changed. At BNY Mellon, we call this the age of the ‘Global Reset.’ Part of this Global Reset is fallout from the financial crisis, but even bigger forces are reshaping the markets – the debt overhang in the US and Europe, the rise of middle-class consumers in China and other emerging economies, the growth of new markets, shifts in trading patterns, aging populations, and new technologies that are transforming the speed and transparency of financial data.

“New regulations have been introduced around the world and whilst some of these regulations appear to be helpful and may lead to greater transparency, many add to the time and cost of doing business and others impede market growth, forcing all of us to find new ways to grow our businesses. Post-financial crisis, changes in client behaviour, monetary policy and other drivers can make organic growth harder to come by.

“Financial organisations need to change. Microsoft founder Bill Gates has defined the challenge as innovate or die. I prefer not to paint anything in such stark terms, but innovation is increasingly defining which companies thrive and create new jobs and opportunities for their clients and their employees, and those that don’t.

“The case for embracing change in the asset management industry would seem to be unassailable. Active core assets continue to lose share, while alternatives, passives, active specialties, solutions and liability-driven investments are gaining share. That said, despite losing share since the crisis, active core AUM has actually grown in absolute terms. Further, those active core assets remain the bulk of most recurring revenue streams, which is reducing the urgency to change.

“Traditional managers are also asking themselves, do we have the expertise to develop new offerings? Even if we can, will we have the requisite credibility in the marketplace to attract investors? Another concern is investment. Facing rising costs, providers are facing tough choices. Some argue that diverting attention away from traditional offerings will only hasten investors’ migration to other, perhaps less profitable, asset classes.

“I suspect that what tends to hold them back is more primal. It’s fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of change – both on the part of organisations that are afraid they are not equipped to adapt, and on the part of individuals at all levels who wonder about their own places in the new world order – and whether they will even have one. And perhaps the biggest fear – that of failure. That’s a huge obstacle across the financial services industry. Within financial services, there is an institutional aversion to failure. Whether we’re fund managers or service providers, we’re all in the business of doing everything possible to prevent and minimise risks big and small, given the financial cost.

“Taking fear out of the equation, which is freeing, can allow a company to view errors in judgment much more analytically. And if you can be objective about your mistakes and try to see potential, not just failure, then you can use them as a launching pad for innovation. It seems like an incredibly healthy mindset, and speaks to a culture where people will be more apt to bring forward and test ideas.

“To thrive in the decade ahead, I believe our industry needs to follow the lead of some of the most innovative and agile technology companies in the world. We need to take bolder steps to look, act and think more like those groundbreaking companies. We need to empower people to play a more active role in driving innovation and reward them accordingly. We need to apply our strengths to address emerging market opportunities. And we need to look over our shoulders to see where the next challenge is coming from – because it may not be from the usual suspects. The real question is; what are we waiting for?”

About BNY Mellon
BNY Mellon is a global investments company dedicated to helping its clients manage and service their financial assets throughout the investment lifecycle. Whether providing financial services for institutions, corporations or individual investors, BNY Mellon delivers informed investment management and investment services in 35 countries and more than 100 markets. As of March 31, 2014, BNY Mellon had $27.9 trillion in assets under custody and/or administration, and $1.6 trillion in assets under management. BNY Mellon can act as a single point of contact for clients looking to create, trade, hold, manage, service, distribute or restructure investments. BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE: BK). Additional information is available on www.bnymellon.com, or follow us on Twitter @BNYMellon.

NEW YORK, — Coty Inc. and Avon Products, Inc. have entered into a partnership by which select Coty fragrances will be marketed and sold through Avon Brazil’s network of 1.5 million independent sales Representatives.

Brazil, Avon’s largest market, is also the largest fragrance market globally. The deal brings together Avon’s extensive network of Representatives in Brazil and Coty’s portfolio of celebrity and lifestyle fragrance brands in an effort to increase both companies’ global fragrance market share, consumer loyalty and brand appeal in Brazil.

“This commercial partnership allows Coty to expand its geographical reach and strengthen our footprint in the emerging markets, with Brazil being a key driver in our growth strategy,” said Renato Semerari, President, Coty Beauty. “Avon’s extensive experience in Brazil makes the company an ideal partner, and we look forward to working together.”

“We are pleased to enter into this marketing arrangement with Coty as part of our growth strategy in Brazil,” said David Legher, President, Avon Brazil. “Coty’s celebrity and lifestyle fragrances further expand our portfolio of high quality fragrances here, which will help our Representatives increase their earnings and reach a broader consumer base.”

About Coty Inc.
Coty is a leading global beauty company with net revenues of $4.6 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013. Founded in Paris in 1904, Coty is a pure play beauty company with a portfolio of well-known fragrances, color cosmetics and skin & body care products sold in over 130 countries and territories. Coty’s product offerings include such global brands as adidas, Calvin Klein, Chloé, Davidoff, Marc Jacobs, OPI, philosophy, Playboy, Rimmel and Sally Hansen.

About Avon Products, Inc.
Avon, the company for women, is a leading global beauty company, with $10 billion in annual revenue. As one of the world’s largest direct sellers, Avon is sold through more than 6 million active independent Avon Sales Representatives. Avon products are available in over 100 countries, and the product line includes color cosmetics, skincare, fragrance, and fashion and home products, featuring such well-recognized brand names as Avon Color, ANEW, Skin-So-Soft, Advance Techniques, and mark.

This news is courtesy of www.avoncompany.com

Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) today announced it is partnering with Altuzarra – a luxury fashion brand known for merging femininity, sophistication and practicality – on a limited-edition collection of women’s ready-to-wear, accessories and shoes. The collection will be available Sept. 14 at most Target stores in the United States and Canada, as well as Target.com. Additionally, an edited assortment of the Target collection will be available globally at NET-A-PORTER.COM.

“As a designer, I believe firmly in the transformative power of fashion. It has the ability to not only change how you look, but also how you feel,” said Joseph Altuzarra, the brand’s designer and creative director. “I’ve admired the elegance that Target brings to fast fashion. By working together on this capsule collection, we hope to instill a sense of power, confidence and beauty in women everywhere.”

The Altuzarra brand is celebrated for embodying a combination of French sophistication and American ease, appealing to refined, independent women. This fall, Altuzarra’s aesthetic arrives at Target, empowering women to discover the transformative power of fashion at affordable prices. The collection features a mix of iconic Altuzarra silhouettes with designs created specifically for Target. It includes nearly 50 items, ranging in price from $17.99 to $89.99 for apparel and lingerie, and $29.99 to $79.99 for shoes and accessories.

“We’re always on the hunt for designers who we believe will inspire our guests,” said Trish Adams, executive vice president of apparel and home, Target. “Joseph’s passion for making women feel confident in their fashion choices is unrivaled, and this fall, Target’s guests can experience his signature style at prices that are almost too good to be true.”

“We are thrilled to be a part of this collaboration with Target and Altuzarra,” states Alison Loehnis, president, NET-A-PORTER.COM. “The collection is everything we have come to expect from Joseph’s aesthetic – chic, sophisticated and modern. We are so excited to offer NET-A-PORTER customers an opportunity to own these fabulous pieces.”

Season after season, the Altuzarra brand continues to grow in popularity, with a strong celebrity following including Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Bosworth, Cameron Diaz, Michelle Dockery and Cate Blanchett, among others. Born in Paris and raised by a Chinese-American mother and French father, Joseph attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and remained in the United States to begin his design career in New York City. His multicultural influences and early work with prominent designers led him to establish his namesake line in 2008. From there, Joseph quickly became a fashion force, receiving numerous prestigious awards and nominations. In January 2010, he was the recipient of the Ecco Domani Fashion Fund Award and Fashion Group International’s Rising Star of the Year Award. He also received the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA)/Vogue Fashion Fund Award in 2011 and the CFDA Swarovski Award for Womenswear Design in 2012. Most recently, he received a nomination for the 2014 CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year.

More information about Altuzarra for Target is available on ABullseyeView.com. Guests can join in on the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #AltuzarraforTarget.

About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) serves guests at 1,916 stores – 1,789 in the United States and 127 in Canada – and at Target.com. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its profit through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $4 million a week. For more information about Target’s commitment to corporate responsibility, visit target.com/corporateresponsibility.

About NET-A-PORTER.COM
NET-A-PORTER.COM was launched in June 2000 and has since established itself as the world’s premier online luxury fashion destination. Presented in the style of a fashion magazine,
NET-A-PORTER.COM features collections from over 350 of the world’s most coveted designers, including Chloe, Marc Jacobs, Burberry, Miu Miu and Stella McCartney. In 2013, NET-A-PORTER added beauty as a new category. With its acclaimed editorial format, express worldwide shipping to 170 countries (including same-day delivery to Manhattan and London), luxurious packaging and easy returns, NET-A-PORTER.COM offers an unparalleled shopping experience.

GREENSBORO, N.C.– VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) today announced the appointment of Steve Rendle to the newly created role of Senior Vice President, Americas. Since 2011, Rendle has served as Vice President & Group President – Outdoor & Action Sports Americas. His new responsibilities in the Americas will include leadership of the Outdoor & Action Sports, Jeanswear, Imagewear, Sportswear and Contemporary Brands coalitions.

“Steve’s track record of successful growth at VF is outstanding,” said Eric Wiseman, VF Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. “His appointment strengthens our ability to develop powerful brands by connecting with consumers, serving them directly and leading in innovation. As we continue on our path to $17 billion in revenue by 2017, Steve’s consumer-focused leadership will play a crucial role in helping to build sustainable, long-term growth for VF.”

The company also announced the following senior management changes: Patrik Frisk, currently Timberland® brand President, has been promoted to Coalition President, Outdoor Americas, with responsibility for The North Face®, Timberland®, JanSport®, lucy® and SmartWool® brands. A successor to Frisk to lead the Timberland® brand in the Americas will be announced in the coming months.

Kevin Bailey, who is currently Vans® brand President, Americas, has been promoted to Coalition President, Action Sports Americas and Vans. In addition to the Vans® brand, Bailey will oversee the Reef® and Eagle Creek® brands.

“VF is an organization of proven leaders and talented associates,” Wiseman continued. “With powerful brands and strong business platforms that unify our organization, we are able to put the right people in the right positions to consistently fuel growth and create value for our shareholders.”

About VF
VF Corporation is a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel and footwear with more than 30 brands. The company’s five largest brands are The North Face®, Vans®, Wrangler®, Timberland®, and Lee®. Other brands include 7 For All Mankind®, Bulwark®, Eagle Creek®, Eastpak®, Ella Moss®, JanSport®, Kipling®, lucy®, Majestic®, Napapijri®, Nautica®, Red Kap®, Reef®, Riders®, Splendid® and SmartWool®. For more information, please visit www.vfc.com.

SAN FRANCISCO – As part of its annual investor meeting, Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) today is providing an overview of its strategic initiatives designed to achieve long-term, profitable growth across its portfolio of brands. The company also will highlight its use of technology, innovation and scale
as competitive advantages as it makes progress toward bridging the growing digital world with its physical stores to create world-class shopping experiences for its customers.

“We have the world’s best collection of American brands coupled with a strong economic model and runway for global growth,” said Glenn Murphy, chairman and chief executive officer, Gap Inc. “As the retail landscape evolves, we continue to deliver on our omni-channel roadmap and focus on owning the shopping experience of the future.”

The company will discuss its plans to continue driving online growth by leveraging technology and innovation combined with top talent to deliver new digital capabilities to customers and make further progress in mobile, personalization and loyalty programs.

Building upon its current omni-channel suite – including reserve in store, find in store and ship from store – later this year, the company will be testing its new order in store capability, which allows customers instant access to expanded product offerings online. Further, the company is announcing the expansion of its reserve in store service to all Gap stores in the United States by the end of the second quarter, enabling online and mobile shoppers to now reserve items at more than 1,000 Gap and Banana Republic store locations.

In addition to its industry-leading omni-channel capabilities, the company will reaffirm its intention to fuel growth and gain share in the $1.4 trillion global apparel market. Murphy and company executives will discuss plans to grow through expansion in Asia, as well as in its global outlet, online and franchise channels. The company also is excited about the long-term potential of its fast-growing Athleta brand.

Building on Old Navy’s recent debut in mainland China and Gap’s growing store base in the world’s second largest apparel market, the company will highlight China as its largest growth initiative where it expects sales to reach $1 billion in three years.

Gap Inc. leaders also will discuss progress against its move to a seamless inventory model and a more responsive global supply chain, both designed to fulfill customer demand with increased speed and flexibility, while unlocking revenue and gross margin potential.

“In the next five years, we plan to leverage our scale to drive our strategic initiatives – including global growth plans, omni-channel strategies, a seamless inventory model and fully responsive supply chain. We expect these initiatives to contribute meaningfully to our revenue growth and operating profit,” Murphy added.

As it has the last number of years, the company also will underscore its continued commitment to delivering against long-term financial objectives.

“Our goal is to strike a good balance between growing the top and bottom line, as well as returning excess cash to shareholders,” said Sabrina Simmons, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Gap Inc. “Over the past five years, we have increased revenue $1.6 billion, grown EPS at a 15 percent compound annual growth rate and returned an average of $1.6 billion in cash per year via share buybacks and dividends.”

“We have a strong financial track record and we remain focused in our approach to drive value – by driving revenue growth with healthy merchandise margins and leveraging expenses to expand operating margin, as measured on a full year basis,” Simmons added.

About Gap Inc.
Gap Inc. is a leading global retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for men, women, and children under the Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, Athleta, and Intermix brands. Fiscal year 2013 net sales were $16.1 billion. Gap Inc. products are available for purchase in more than 90 countries worldwide through about 3,100 company-operated stores, over 350 franchise stores, and e-commerce sites. For more information, please visit www.gapinc.com.

New York, NY – Today, Allure, the beauty expert, launches its dedicated digital video channel, with four new original series featuring makeovers, expert beauty advice, and the inside stories behind the most memorable celebrity beauty looks. The channel extends the reach of Allure’s video library which includes the Backstage Beauty series of trend reports from fashion shows, behind-the-scenes of celebrity cover shoots, and beauty how-to’s.

The content will be widely distributed across all platforms including Allure’s video site on video.allure.com and YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/Allure as well as through syndicated partnerships.

“Beauty is one of the fastest growing categories in video,” said Linda Wells, editor in chief of Allure. “It is a great platform for a mix of entertainment and information. It is an important frontier for beauty and the audience is passionate, opinionated and involved.”

In 2013, beauty-related videos on YouTube garnered 700 million views per month — a 133% increase from 2010’s average of 300 million views per month.

Condé Nast Entertainment’s digital audience grew by 761% in unique visitors from 2012 to 2013.

“The Allure digital channel brings to life the expertise, passion and loyalty that the brand has always shared with its consumers,” said Dawn Ostroff, President, Condé Nast Entertainment. “Premium content for the beauty category’s engaged audiences is a key component of the continued growth of CNE’s digital network.”

New series from Allure include:

Hair Tyrant with Ashley Javier

Ashley Javier operates an invitation-only salon where his customers agree to submit to his vision—and his brutal honesty. In his show, Ashley gives women dramatic makeovers that push them out of their comfort zone for a fresh start. His roster of clients includes Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez, artist Julian Schnabel, and socialite Lauren Bush Lauren.
• Watch the series trailer here: http://video.allure.com/watch/hair-tyrant-series-trailer
• Watch “The Consultation: Putting Your College Style Behind You” here: http://video.allure.com/watch/hair-tyrant-the-consultation-putting-your-college-style-behind-you
• Watch “The Final Look: A Warmer Professional Style” here: http://video.allure.com/watch/hair-tyrant-the-final-look-a-warmer-professional-style

Cassandra to the Rescue

Model Cassandra Bankson became a YouTube sensation after posting a video in which she removed all of her makeup to reveal her severe acne. In her series, Cassandra helps women with varying skin problems use makeup to help them prepare for a big event. In addition to being a talented self-taught makeup artist, Cassandra knows firsthand the emotional impact of having severe skin problems and the positive psychological impact of beautiful makeup.

Beauty Evolution

An extension of a classic, popular in-book franchise feature, Beauty Evolution delves into some of the best (and not-so-best) beauty looks of favorite celebrities, why they’re inspiring, and what lessons viewers can take from their missteps and successes.

Beauty Basics

A new take on the classic how-to, Beauty Basics features tips and techniques that teach women how to recreate popular hair and makeup looks on themselves.
• Watch the series trailer here: http://video.allure.com/watch/beauty-basics-series-trailer
• Watch “How To Do a Smoky Eye” here: http://video.allure.com/watch/beauty-basics-how-to-do-a-smoky-eye

Visit the all-new Allure channel for more video: video.allure.com
Subscribe to the Allure YouTube channel here: www.youtube.com/Allure
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Allure_magazine
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allure
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+Allure
Instagram: http://instagram.com/allure_magazine
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/alluremagazine

About Allure
Allure launched in 1991 as the first and only magazine devoted to beauty. Today, Allure’s print audience is 6.4 million and its average monthly online audience is 2.8 million. Allure has a strong social media presence, tablet editions, mobile apps, content licensing, books, and special issues. Allure is published by Condé Nast. Follow Allure at facebook.com/allure and @Allure_magazine on Twitter and Instagram.

About Condé Nast Entertainment (CNÉ)
Condé Nast creates the world’s best content for the world’s most influential audiences. The company attracts more than 164 million consumers across its twenty industry-leading print and digital media brands: Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, Brides, Self, GQ, The New Yorker, Condé Nast Traveler, Details, Allure, Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Wired, W, Lucky, Golf Digest, Golf World, Teen Vogue and Ars Technica.

The company launched Condé Nast Entertainment in 2011 to develop film, television and digital video programming. Condé Nast also owns Fairchild Fashion Media (FFM) and its portfolio of comprehensive fashion journalism brands: WWD, Style.com, Footwear News, NowManifest, Beauty Inc., M and Fairchild Summits.

For more information, visit www.condenast.com

NEW YORK & LONDON, — Stylus Media Group today announced the acquisition of Decoded Fashion, a New York-based company focused on creating global events that accelerate innovation at the

Stylus Media Group is expanding with the acquisition of Decoded Fashion, a New York-based company focused on creating global events that accelerate innovation at the intersection of fashion and retail. Financial terms were not disclosed. Decoded Fashion will continue to be lead by founder Liz Bacelar. Hearst Corporation owns a 20 percent stake in Stylus.

Decoded Fashion connects fashion leaders with the best new and established technology and fosters creative partnerships between startups, designers, retailers and media professionals. The company is responsible for staging the World’s First Fashion Hackathon, summits and startup showcases in 12 countries. Under Stylus, Decoded Fashion will accelerate the expansion of its event series in the U.S., Europe, Asia and South America, connecting thousands of decision makers and fueling dozens of collaborations between brands and tech companies.

Commenting on the acquisition, Stylus CEO and Founder Marc Worth said, “Decoded Fashion has quickly become the catalyst for must-attend events and regularly secures guests from the highest ranks of the worlds of fashion, retail and design. Decoded Fashion has a well-earned credibility amongst the fashion industry for staging events that matter. Stylus Media Group is expected to be an all-seeing source of consumer behavior, design trends, innovation breakthroughs and business understanding. The synergy between these two companies is clear.”

“We are the only ones bringing together innovative startup founders at all stages with fashion and retail executives from around the globe,” Bacelar said. “Our rapid growth is a result of creative events with top decision-makers, built around the most relevant content to the industry. Working with Stylus will support our goals to bring valuable insider content on technologies that are changing the face of the fashion industry.”

Worth was the co-founder of WGSN, which he sold to EMAP for £150m in 2005. “We know designers need to seek out ideas to inspire their creativity,” Worth said. “They need face-to-face events, networking, trend analysis and advisory, and a window into a world of inspiration. Decoded Fashion quickly became recognized as a platform for much needed innovation in the industry.”

The first Decoded Fashion Summit was produced in New York on April 2012, with the support of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Eight months later, the event launched in London with The Fashion Pitch competition, offering $50,000 in investment for the best fashion startup.

Last October, Decoded Fashion launched in Milan with the support of ePitti and Pitti Imagine, showcasing an expo with top startups from around the globe and launching a Mentorship Hub.

In 2013, Decoded Fashion produced the World’s First Fashion Hackathon—a 24-hour competition in which 600 participants created B2B fashion apps with the goal of winning $10,000. Winners were selected during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, a week later. The summit was the first and only tech event ever held in the tents. Last October, Decoded Fashion launched in Milan with the support of ePitti and Pitti Imagine, showcasing an expo with top startups from around the globe and launching a Mentorship Hub, where brand executives had the chance to mentor a select group of tech founders.

Aside from summits in New York, London and Milan, Decoded Fashion also produces a networking series, DF Meetups, currently hosted in 12 countries. Hosting cities include Paris, Toronto, Sydney, Berlin, Dublin, Sao Paulo and Singapore.

As well as providing online access to information consultancy services, research and analysis to creative professionals from over 350 of the world’s leading brands, Stylus hosts regular seminars and industry roundtable discussions. Decoded Fashion, as part of the Stylus Media Group, will help expand Stylus’ offering, building on its current schedule of activities in London, Paris, New York and Milan to deliver regular fashion industry events.

About Stylus Media Group
Stylus provides business intelligence to consumer companies in order to inspire new ideas and improve profitability. An online business resource, Stylus (Stylus.com) is used by more than 350 leading companies in the automotive, fashion & beauty, electronics, home & industrial design, media & technology, hospitality, architecture and advertising industries. Users across 50 countries rely on the Stylus editorial content to learn about consumer behavior, global industry events and new ideas for product design and consumer services. Stylus is headquartered in London and has offices in New York and Los Angeles.

About Decoded Fashion
Decoded Fashion is the top global event series on connecting emerging technologies and decision-makers in Fashion, Beauty and Retail. Its summits include hackathons and startup competitions in New York, London & Milan. These events are produced with top industry partners including the CFDA, British Fashion Council, IMG and Pitti Imagine. Decoded Fashion also hosts a global networking series—DF Meetups—in 12 countries, including France, Canada, Australia, Germany, Ireland, Brazil and Singapore. Decoded Fashion is headquartered in New York, and has offices in London and Milan.

This news is courtesy of www.hearst.com

Air Products (NYSE:APD) today introduced its new OxyForce™ cellular active at In-Cosmetics in Hamburg, Germany. OxyForce cellular active is a high-performance energizing solution formulated to enhance the supply of molecular oxygen to skin cells.

The upper skin layers rely on, and are almost exclusively supplied by, atmospheric molecular oxygen. OxyForce cellular active can promote the supply of oxygen to those skin cells to reduce wrinkle depth while enhancing skin smoothness and supporting natural collagen production.

”OxyForce cellular active demonstrates how Air Products can leverage its unique portfolio of delivery technologies to achieve meaningful skin care benefits – in this case to enable measurable results by nourishing the skin with something as basic but key-to-life as oxygen,” said Solomon Lemma, global business manager for Personal Care at Air Products.

OxyForce cellular active is part of Air Products’ personal care platform that was launched in 2006. Since that time, the business has grown to be acknowledged as a specialist in delivery systems technology for cosmetic applications. Its proprietary technology platforms are able to target skin sites that range from the skin surface to within skin cells. Leveraging these technologies, the business offers over 80 active and functional commercial ingredients to the personal care industry, including those under the ROVISOME®, Cellular Actives™, Intelimer®, and Deposilk® brands. These technologies are also employed in customer-specific solutions.

About Air Products
Air Products (NYSE:APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. Recognized as one of the world’s most innovative companies by both Thomson Reuters and Forbes magazine, more than 21,000 employees in over 50 countries supply effective solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2013, Air Products had sales of $10.2 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

This news is courtesy of www.airproducts.com

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis., – Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) today announced Elie Tahari will design the retailer’s fifth DesigNation limited-edition collection. Regarded as one of the most sought-after talents in luxury fashion, Elie Tahari’s DesigNation collection will draw creative inspiration from New York City, a place the designer has called home for over 40 years. The capsule collection mirroring the sophisticated, urban chic vibe of the city will feature apparel for her and will be available exclusively at Kohl’s and Kohls.com beginning fall 2014.

“I am thrilled to partner with Kohl’s to create an accessible collection that draws influence from the iconic architecture and vibrant energy of the streets of New York City, a place that has provided me with endless inspiration throughout my career” said Elie Tahari. “Every woman should feel confident and beautiful in what she wears, so each piece in this DesigNation collection will reflect an alluring femininity with a sleek downtown edge that allows a woman’s true beauty to shine through.”

Renowned for his keen ability to keep the same design integrity throughout every collection, Tahari is noted for using delicate, luxurious fabrics, subtle textures and intricate detailing in his clothing. His DesigNation collection will feature this same aesthetic and will include dresses, sweaters, knit tops and bottoms in shades of blue, black and ivory, all at an incredible value. Retail prices for the collection will range from $40 to $175.

“2014 marks Elie Tahari’s 40th anniversary and we are excited to commemorate this celebratory year by partnering with him to offer women everywhere the signature Elie Tahari style and quality at an affordable price point,” said Michelle Gass, Kohl’s chief customer officer. “For the past four decades, Tahari has excelled at dressing the ‘modern woman’ and we are confident our customers will embrace the elegant sophistication of this exclusive DesigNation collection.”

Launched in fall 2012, Kohl’s DesigNation collections make designer style accessible and affordable by bringing the latest runway-inspired looks to real life. Each collaboration offers a fresh point of view that combines an iconic designer aesthetic with influence from various global destinations. Through these collections Kohl’s meets its objective of providing amazing product at incredible savings to customers. Past designers include Narciso Rodriguez, Derek Lam and Catherine Malandrino with the upcoming collaboration with Peter Som launching on April 10, 2014. For more information on Elie Tahari for DesigNation, visit http://www.kohls.com/feature/elietahari.jsp.

About Elie Tahari
Elie Tahari is a privately held corporation with a global presence on five continents and in more than 600 stores worldwide. Additionally, Elie Tahari has free standing US collection boutiques in cities including New York, Las Vegas, Boston, Atlanta, East Hampton, Boca Raton and Dallas as well as internationally in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Elie Tahari has come to define modern sophistication with the brands inspired collections of understated grace and elegance. To see the latest from the Elie Tahari Collection, please visit www.elietahari.com.

About Kohl’s
Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and home products in an exciting shopping environment. With a commitment to environmental
leadership, Kohl’s operates 1,162 stores in 49 states. In support of the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more than $257 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl’s Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl’s
Department Stores, Inc. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.Kohls.com

This news is courtesy of www.kohlscorporation.com

FREMONT, Calif.,- Ongoing innovation at Men’s Wearhouse has led to the launch of its omni-channel inventory program, which gives customers visibility and access to all merchandise within the company’s distribution center and its 900+ retail locations from one location. Now, regardless of whether a customer is shopping in a single store or online, they can see all merchandise available to them throughout the company and pick up any item at the store of their choosing.

To facilitate this endless aisle experience, Men’s Wearhouse has developed an employee-facing custom mobile app called “Find-It” and has introduced iPads in over 650 retail locations for employee use. The Find-It app utilizes the company’s eCommerce website www.menswearhouse.com. It allows an employee to check inventory levels across the entire network and add an item to the customer’s order regardless of its location.

Online customers now have the option of shopping nearby stores’ inventory as well as the company’s distribution center to expand the merchandise choices available to them from menswearhouse.com. If they find an item they like at a nearby store location, they can reserve it online and pick it up at that store when it’s convenient. Once an online customer selects merchandise from a local store, they will be notified within an hour when the item has been located and put on hold at the selected store for pick-up. This not only saves time for the customer, but allows the stores to provide better customer service by being a step ahead in the sales process.

After a successful pilot in the Houston market, Men’s Wearhouse launched the reserve online, pick up in-store program in all stores company-wide.

“By giving our customers visibility to each store’s inventory, we can better serve their needs,” said Adam Harris, Director of Innovation at Men’s Wearhouse. “The Find-It app and reserve online, pick up in-store rollout allows us to provide a truly omni-channel experience for ultimate convenience. And this is just the tip of the iceberg – by putting iPads in the hands of our employees in over 650 stores, we can rollout a multitude of other apps to increase efficiencies, improve productivity and continue to provide world class customer service to our customers.”

About Men’s Wearhouse
Founded in 1973, Men’s Wearhouse is one of North America’s largest specialty retailers of men’s apparel with 1,133 stores. The Men’s Wearhouse, Moores and K&G stores carry a full selection of suits, sport coats, furnishings and accessories in exclusive and non-exclusive merchandise brands and Men’s Wearhouse and Tux stores carry a limited selection. Most K&G stores carry a full selection of women’s apparel. Tuxedo rentals are available in the Men’s Wearhouse, Moores and Men’s Wearhouse and Tux stores. Additionally, Men’s Wearhouse operates a global corporate apparel and workwear group consisting of Twin Hill in the United States and Dimensions, Alexandra and Yaffy in the United Kingdom. For additional information on Men’s Wearhouse, please visit the Company’s websites at www.menswearhouse.com, www.mooresclothing.com, www.kgstores.com, www.twinhill.com, www.dimensions.co.uk and www.alexandra.co.uk.

This news is courtesy of www.menswearhouse.com

(Las Vegas) – Caesars Palace was a sea of black and white and beautiful hair when 2,500 cosmetology students arrived for Paul Mitchell Schools’ 29th annual Caper event. The 3-day educational extravaganza featured world-class hair shows, hands-on classrooms, and inspiration from the likes of singer-songwriter Marie Osmond, comedian and inspirational speaker Kathy Buckley, deaf actor John Autry, and motivational speaker and author Lizzie Velasquez. The students (they call them “future professionals”) earned their way by selling specially packaged Paul Mitchell products, practicing valuable retail and sales skills that will be vital in their future careers. Hosted by Paul Mitchell Co-owners John Paul DeJoria and Angus Mitchell, Paul Mitchell Schools’ Dean and Cofounder Winn Claybaugh, and Paul Mitchell Global Artistic Director Robert Cromeans, the smoke-free, alcohol-free event included top artists and educators in and out of the Paul Mitchell world.

On Monday, future professionals checked in, picked up their swag bags, and visited the Mall and Career Connection to mingle with salon reps and practice their interview skills. With the addition of Slovenia’s Mic Styling salons, this year’s Career Connection went international. At the Peace, Love, and Happiness Lounge, students relaxed and watched mini demonstrations in styling, cutting, and makeup. “To me, one of the best things about Caper is that the education begins the minute the students arrive,” Robert Cromeans said.

Tuesday’s main-stage presentation opened with a warm welcome from co-hosts John Paul, Robert, Winn, and Angus. Surprise guest Marie Osmond dropped by to thank the audience for supporting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, which she cofounded 30 years ago. “You couldn’t be with a better organization,” Marie said, referring to Paul Mitchell Schools and the annual FUNraising campaign that has donated over $850,000 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals to date.

Caper’s “Decades of Style” theme continued with five fashion presentations featuring Paul Mitchell Vice President of Education Stephanie Kocielski and many other Paul Mitchell artists, educators, artistic directors, students, and staff, plus a special presentation by NAHA Lifetime Achievement Award winner Vivienne Mackinder. Alongside their mentors, students also took the stage in four of the segments, appearing as models or members of the student Design Team: they did hair, makeup, and modeling in the barbering and long-hair segments, they cut hair in the color segment, and they modeled in Vivienne Mackinder’s presentation.

The rest of Tuesday’s show was dedicated to inspiration and motivation. Gifted comedienne, award-winning actress, accomplished author, and renowned inspirational speaker Kathy Buckley returned to Caper for the third year to share her powerful message of courage and hope. Billed as America’s first hearing-impaired comedienne, Kathy has appeared on The Tonight Show, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, Entertainment Tonight, and Extra. Born deaf but misdiagnosed as mentally retarded, Kathy’s inspiring story and tireless work for the No Limits theater program for deaf children have made her a long-time favorite among Paul Mitchell future professionals. John Autry, a young deaf actor widely known for his appearances on Glee, joined Kathy and a group of school owners to perform John Lennon’s “Imagine” in sign language. “John is the reason we have No Limits today,” Kathy said. To date, Paul Mitchell Schools have donated $406,250 to No Limits.

Making her first Caper appearance, Lizzie Velasquez has a rare medical condition that doesn’t let her gain weight or create muscle. At age 24, she weighs about 60 pounds and has zero percent body fat. When an Internet video calling her “The World’s Ugliest Woman” went viral, Lizzie set out to discover what truly makes people beautiful. Now a popular author, speaker, and college graduate whose recent appearance at Austin’s TEDx conference garnered over 4 million video hits, Lizzie shared her story at Caper 2014.

Day one ended with a favorite Paul Mitchell tradition: the White Party, where Future Professionals enjoyed “photo ops” with their favorite educators.

The final day of Caper featured hands-on classroom rotations: cosmetology students rotated through three 2-hour classes (Cutting, Color, Look and Learn), while skin care students spent their day in Hands-On Makeup. A grand finale presentation starred the show teams from A Robert Cromeans Salon (with special guest Angus Mitchell), Lunatic Fringe, Kelly Cardenas Salons, and Supercuts.

This news is courtesy of www.paulmitchelle.edu

BOLINGBROOK, Ill.- Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ:ULTA) today announced financial results for the thirteen week period (“Fourth Quarter”) and fifty-two week period (“Fiscal Year”) ended February 1, 2014, which compares to the fourteen and fifty-three week periods ended February 2, 2013.

“Ulta Beauty achieved excellent top line growth in the fourth quarter,” said Mary Dillon, Chief Executive Officer. “We delivered earnings growth consistent with our expectations and made significant progress with our key growth strategies. I am very proud of the team’s accomplishments during 2013, including the completion of the most ambitious store opening program in our company’s history; the addition of 25 significant new brands contributing to 7.9% annual comparable store sales growth; exciting growth in our loyalty program, now 13 million members strong; and rapid growth in Ulta.com, driven by major steps forward in our e-commerce platform and fulfillment capabilities.”

For the Fourth Quarter:

Net sales increased 14.4% to $868.1 million from $758.8 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. Excluding the sales for the 53rd week of fiscal 2012 of approximately $55 million, sales increased 23.3%;
Comparable sales (sales for stores open at least 14 months and e-commerce sales) increased 9.2% compared to an increase of 8.6% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. This comparable sales performance benefited by approximately 200 basis points due to the negative impact of Super Storm Sandy and the timing impact of the 53rd week of fiscal 2012.
E-commerce comparable sales grew 82.5%, representing 260 basis points of the total company comparable sales increase of 9.2%;
Gross profit decreased 40 basis points to 33.8% from 34.2% in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012;
Selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expense as a percentage of net sales increased 20 basis points to 20.5% compared to 20.3% in the fourth quarter of 2012;
Preopening expenses decreased to $1.8 million, compared to $1.9 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. Real estate activity in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 included 11 new stores compared to 13 new stores and one remodel in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012;
Operating income increased 10.0% to $114.1 million, or 13.1% of net sales, compared to $103.8 million, or 13.7% of net sales, in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012;
Net income increased 9.5% to $70.7 million compared to $64.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012;
Income per diluted share increased 9.0% to $1.09 compared to $1.00 in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. Excluding the approximately $0.05 earnings per share benefit of the 53rd week in fiscal 2012, income per dilutive share increased 14.7%.
For the Fiscal Year 2013:

Net sales increased 20.3% to $2,670.6 million from $2,220.3 million in fiscal 2012. Excluding the sales for the 53rd week in fiscal 2012 of approximately $55 million, sales increased 23.3%;
Comparable sales (sales for stores open at least 14 months and e-commerce sales) increased 7.9% compared to an increase of 9.3% in fiscal 2012;
E-commerce comparable sales grew 76.6%, representing 180 basis points of the total company comparable sales increase of 7.9%;
Gross profit decreased 10 basis points to 35.2% compared to 35.3% in fiscal 2012;
SG&A expense as a percentage of net sales increased 30 basis points to 22.3% compared to 22.0% in fiscal 2012;
Pre-opening expense increased to $17.3 million compared to $14.8 million in fiscal 2012. Real estate activity for fiscal 2013 included 127 new stores, 4 relocations and 7 remodels compared to 102 new stores, 3 relocations and 21 remodels in fiscal 2012;
Operating income increased 17.0% to $327.6 million, or 12.3% of net sales, compared to $280.0 million, or 12.6% of net sales, in fiscal 2012;
Net income increased 17.6% to $202.8 million compared to $172.5 million in fiscal 2012;
Income per diluted share increased 17.5% to $3.15 compared to $2.68 in fiscal 2012. Non-GAAP income per diluted share adjusted for severance expense in the third quarter of fiscal 2013 and the impact of the 53rd week in fiscal 2012 increased 20.2%. A reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP results is presented in Exhibit 5.
Balance Sheet and Cash Flow

Merchandise inventories at the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 totaled $457.9 million, compared to $361.1 million at the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, representing an increase of $96.8 million. Average inventory per store increased 3.3% for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012.

Store Expansion

During the fourth quarter, the Company opened 11 stores located in Capitola, CA; Eureka, CA; Glendale, WI; Irvine, CA; Lafayette, LA; Lakeland, FL; Longview, WA; Manassas, VA; Meriden, CT; Orlando, FL and San Rafael, CA. The Company ended the fourth quarter with 675 stores and square footage of 7,158,286, which represents a 22% increase in square footage compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012.

Outlook

For fiscal 2014, the Company plans to:

achieve comparable sales growth of approximately 4% to 6%, including the impact of the e-commerce business;
expand square footage by 15% with the opening of 100 net new stores;
increase total sales in the mid-teens percentage range;
remodel 12 locations;
deliver earnings per share growth in the mid-teens percentage range, including incremental investments representing approximately $0.10 of earnings per share to fund brand awareness and guest experience initiatives, and excluding any potential accretion from share repurchases;
incur capital expenditures of approximately $265 million in fiscal 2014, compared to $226 million in fiscal 2013; and
generate free cash flow in excess of $100 million.
For the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company currently expects net sales in the range of $693 million to $704 million, compared to actual net sales of $582.7 million in the first quarter of fiscal 2013. Comparable sales for the first quarter of 2014, including e-commerce sales, are expected to increase 5% to 7%. The Company reported a comparable sales increase of 6.7% in the first quarter of 2013.

Income per diluted share for the first quarter of fiscal 2014 is estimated to be in the range of $0.70 to $0.75. This compares to income per diluted share for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 of $0.65.

“From a position of strength, we are making important investments to support the long-term growth and success of Ulta Beauty,” said Mary Dillon. “We are building the right supply chain and systems to support 1,200 stores and a much larger e-commerce business, we are developing our customer loyalty programs and CRM capabilities, we are investing in brand awareness to drive new customer acquisition, and we are working to deliver a differentiated customer experience. All of these initiatives are designed to drive sustainable growth and create shareholder value.”

About Ulta Beauty

Ulta Beauty is the largest beauty retailer that provides one-stop shopping for prestige, mass and salon products and salon services in the United States. Ulta Beauty provides affordable indulgence to its customers by combining unmatched product breadth, value and convenience with the distinctive environment and experience of a specialty retailer. Ulta Beauty offers a unique combination of over 20,000 prestige and mass beauty products across the categories of cosmetics, fragrance, hair care, skincare, bath and body products and salon styling tools, as well as salon hair care products. Ulta Beauty also offers a full-service salon in all of its stores. As of February 1, 2014, Ulta operates 675 retail stores across 46 states and also distributes its products through the Company’s website.

This news is courtesy of www.ultra.com.

British ELLE has created a ground-breaking, futuristic new office. This center of collaboration allows the 42-person team to “hot-desk” in a revolutionary glass “fashion cupboard” and is an extension of ELLE’s innovative 360-degree workflow.

The ELLE Fashion Cupboard content hub, a virtual space that last year helped drive the magazine’s Facebook following to over 2 million likes, is the center of ELLE’s content creation every day and is now a physical reality in ELLE’s central London offices.

Since last October, when we implemented hot-desking—the ability to occupy a different desk each day—our productivity has increased tenfold. We are on deadline for print and digital and we have been able to be more reactive on a daily basis. The award-winning editorial team is the first luxury fashion magazine group trained to produce content across all ELLE U.K. brand platforms, from mobile to print, on a 24/7 basis.

Alongside the new space came a new staff structure. I created new roles: workflow director, content director, and one dedicated digital-only role—digital director, which is a strategy and analytics role—but other than that, the team works on every part of the brand. The environment has encouraged a really creative process where everyone’s ideas are relevant and everyone is multi-skilled. I think I am the only editor in chief in the industry without an office—I sit daily with my hot-desking team.

The entire ELLE team, from sub-editors to heads of department, is trained in CMS, analytics and SEO to generate and upload content. Everyone works across print and digital in our one-team approach. Top-line managers were trained first, and in turn, they trained their teams, creating a collective responsibility for all ELLE content.

“The authority of the print team across the site has engaged consumers and clients in an even greater way than we initially hoped,” says Workflow Director Christina Simone.

Since we created a fully integrated team, with all the editorial team generating digital content on a daily basis, we have seen a 30 percent increase in desktop traffic, a 108 percent increase in mobile traffic and a 52 percent increase in online revenue.

The ELLE team works on laptops and uses Bluetooth and AirPlay to stream elleuk.com’s Google Analytics and Chartbeat to two big wall-mounted screens. This set-up encourages everyone to feel responsible for driving traffic.

Once a week, the team holds an all-staff conference, talking through plans across everything, from mobile to magazine. Instead of a just a small number of people on the editorial team seeing the pieces that define the season and, as a result, the print product, now the entire team is aware of our editorial direction and future plans. This informs decisions in a “hot-desk” environment.

A look inside the ELLE U.K. Fashion Cupboard
The Fashion Cupboard is also used for sponsorship activity, in the form of sponsored rails and other clever commercial content, for which the market is being sold for the first time. We also hold trend presentations with external businesses in the cupboard, from entertainment to technology teams.

The ELLE office build was fully funded by advertisers. Louis Vuitton officially opened the ELLE Fashion Cupboard in November of last year, with a host of merchandise-based activity and a Fashion Cupboard pop-up at high-end U.K. department store Selfridges.

ELLE’s expert fashion and beauty teams curate daily fashion and style content from the cupboard directly to ELLE’s Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook followers, giving the consumer unprecedented and exclusive access behind the scenes of one of the world’s busiest fashion cupboards.

And, for the first time ever, we are able to showcase non-fashion and beauty content in the Cupboard. Our forthcoming book club launch will feature ‘shelfies’: guest-edited lists from contributors, shot in the ELLE Fashion Cupboard. Moreover, we host ELLE Running Club events in the space and shoot beauty product linked to our new ELLE Insider subscriber club.

Online, the concept for the ELLE Fashion Cupboard is to bring the consumer and commercial partners closer to the magazine. It’s an innovative idea to sell commercially and engage the consumer, driving her to the print and digital products. Last year, the #ELLEFashionCupboard and #ELLEBeautyCupboard had a total combined Twitter reach of 371 million. It is content you can only get at elleuk.com.

The ELLE team has also built the Fashion Cupboard’s own playful online ‘pop-up’ on both mobile and desktop—a live-feed automatically refreshed every 45 minutes. Consumers shake ‘bubbles’ on their mobile phones to repopulate the content, which includes fashion, beauty, social media and an aggregated ELLE Instagram feed.

This is a modern, innovative office with a playful and useful feel, which is what today’s consumer expects. Our content is linked across all platforms and that keeps readers closer to the brand in challenging newsstand times. And we work much faster and more efficiently as a team. The atmosphere in the office is upbeat and collaborative.

ELLE 360 is providing a template for ELLE teams across the 44-edition strong network. Several foreign editions have visited the office with a view to adopting aspects of the workflow. (British ELLE is the number one syndicated edition globally.)

This is a brand rapidly evolving to fit with the consumer’s new way of consuming media, and our mission is to change consumer behavior, rather than reflect it. We have created an environment where excellence is expected and our goal is to be first and best across all our platforms. This way of working is enabling us to do that.

This news is courtesy of www.hearst.com