Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Quincy Jones in Fashion News & Valentino for Sale?


Quincy Jones, Russell Simmons and Tommy Hilfiger are among those spearheading a concert to raise money to build a memorial to The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on the National Mall.


The Dream Concert will be held Sept. 18 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, the memorial fund announced Tuesday. Performers will be announced in the coming weeks.
The group working to build the King memorial has raised $79 million of the $100 million needed to complete and maintain the memorial.


"I'm honored that such a diverse and committed group of leaders have come together for a concert to help raise the remaining funds," said Harry Johnson, president and chief executive of the memorial fund.
The memorial is slated for a space on the Tidal Basin between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials. It will include a sculpture of King and 14 quotations from the slain civil rights leader. The memorial is scheduled to be completed in 2008.

Also this Week:

MILAN/LONDON Private equity firm Permira (PERM.UL) is in exclusive talks to buy more than half of famed Italian fashion house Valentino (V.MI), it said on Friday, dimming the chances of a bid battle with U.S. rival Carlyle.
Sources close to negotiations said the move by London-based Permira had almost certainly shut out the prospect of Carlyle launching a counter bid for Valentino, whose wardrobe of brands also includes Hugo Boss (BOSG_p.DE) and Marlboro Classics.
Permira said it was negotiating with majority shareholders the Marzotto family to pay 35 euros a share excluding a dividend for 24 percent of Valentino, valuing the company at 2.6 billion euros ($3.5 billion). It already owns 29.6 percent.


Should it succeed, Permira would be forced under Italian law to launch a full takeover of the fashion house famous for dressing stars such as Julia Roberts, Sophia Loren and Jackie Kennedy Onassis in its floor-sweeping gowns.
Valentino stock fell more than 4 percent to 35.2 euros as investors saw the prospect of a bid war ebb. It hit a record on Thursday on expectations Permira and Carlyle would compete for the house founded by Valentino Garavani 45 years ago.


"The game is more or less over," one of the sources close to the negotiations said.
Private equity firms are showing increased interest in the fashion world with no sign of a let-up in booming sales of luxury goods in emerging economies like China, India and Russia.
Shares in Hugo Boss rose nearly 3 percent on Friday amid expectations Permira will be forced to buy the company if it succeeds in its takeover of Valentino Fashion.


FROCK FINANCE
Permira's move follows Change Capital's purchase of Jil Sander from Prada last year while TowerBrook Capital Partners bought out shoemaker Jimmy Choo in February.
Valentino is one of the world's most recognized fashion brands and analysts said private equity had plenty of potential to expand it internationally and into younger, cheaper ranges.
Italian designers Giorgio Armani and Dolce & Gabbana have created money-spinners by launching junior ranges Emporio Armani and D&G which sell skinny jeans for $200.
A Valentino signature red gown can cost $10,000.


Valentino trades at 25.5 times estimated earning for this year compared with 19 times for France's LVMH (LVMH.PA), the world's largest luxury goods group, providing an indication of the potential investors see for the Italian house's growth.

Well that's it for now Hope you enjoyed this one

CJ Henderson www.azanimodels.com

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