WOMEN’S ACTIVE WEAR BRAND ATHLETA JOINS GAP INC.’S ONLINE PORTFOLIO

SAN FRANCISCO – April 17, 2009 – Continuing to expand its product offerings to customers, Gap Inc. today announced that its newest brand, Athleta, is now available through the company’s online platform.

Athleta, a popular women’s sports and active apparel brand, takes its place as the “fifth tab” on the company’s unique Universality online platform, providing a shopping experience that’s simple, easy and convenient. Customers can now shop the Athleta brand alongside Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy and Piperlime – with one shopping cart and a flat shipping rate of $7. Read more

Robert Allen Opens Online Outlet Center

NEW YORK, April 14 / — The Robert Allen Group, for over seventy years the leading designer and marketer of decorative fabrics to the trade, is offering the public its first opportunity ever to purchase luxurious and creatively constructed Robert Allen and Beacon Hill fabrics and trim at a new Online Outlet Center. Closeouts of discontinued designs of these renowned brands as well as Robert Allen @ Home and Robert Allen Contract fabrics are now offered at deeply discounted prices at www.robertallenoutlet.com .

“We have tens of thousands of designs in inventory at our South Carolina distribution center,” said Jeff Cordover, president of The Robert Allen Group. “We have allocated fabric and trim we are discontinuing to the Outlet Center in order to clear out our remaining yardage and make room for new product.” Read more

Sears and Kmart Designers Team Up at the Fifth Annual Design on a Dime Benefit

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. and NEW YORK, April 15 / — Kmart and Sears will partner with Housing Works Thrift Shops to present the fifth annual Design on a Dime benefit event on May 7-9 in New York City. Both Kmart and Sears will showcase four stylized vignettes with designs from their forthcoming fall 2009 home collections. The exclusive previews will celebrate the creative work of Jaclyn Smith, Ty Pennington, an impressive team of top designers from the Sears Holdings Home Design office, and a new collection from Country Living Magazine. More than 200 designers collaborate each season to bring the best trends and inspirations in both home and apparel to customers who shop Sears and Kmart.

TV design star Ty Pennington will offer attendees a hands-on, sneak peek at Ty Pennington Style, bringing customers up-close and personal to forthcoming trends for fall 2009. His space will feature the hottest colors, palettes, techniques and styles for the season. In addition, Pennington will show how easy and affordable it is to incorporate the latest trends in your home. Read more

NOVAFW OPEN INVITATION FOR FASHION DESIGNERS

We are thrilled to invite you to participate as a designer for our Annual Spring Northern Virginia Fashion Week (NOVAFW) taking place from September 26 to October 2, 2009. As the producers of this event, it is paramount to our success to establish a long lasting and mutually beneficial opportunity with you and your prestigious and globally recognized brand. NOVA Fashion Week has designed an exceptional event that ensures maximum exposure and debuts your brand to your targeted audience.
 
Our Fall NOVA Fashion Week, held from February 23 to March 1, 2009, at the George Washington Masonic Memorial, was a smashing success. Nearly 2,000 attendees surveyed the exquisite fall designer fashions presented by 16 designers from six countries. During this event, the spotlight was also directed toward one of NOVAFW’s models, who was filmed and will be featured in a CNN documentary. NOVAFW’s launch reached over 20,000 people across the D.C. Metro Area and nationally, and the anticipation and popularity for the spring event is steadily mounting with a industry reach of 150,000 people because of the partnership we have recently secured.
 
NOVA Fashion Week is unique among its contemporaries, featuring college scholarship opportunities for student designers who wish to pursue a career in fashion. If interested, we can provide details for this September’s NOVA Fashion Week as well as additional highlights from February’s launch.
 
NOVA Fashion Week is dedicated to:
· enhancing the fashion industry by showcasing new talent
· creating a nationally recognized Fashion Week, while increasing economic opportunities for Northern
Virginia and local designers
· promoting individuality and diversity within the fashion industry
 
We value the opportunity to work with you as a designer, and are more than willing to discuss and customize designer opportunities that marry the mission of NOVA Fashion Week and the current goals for your company brand.
 
For more details on presenting your SPRING line at fashion week, please inquire by replying to this email.

OMEGA Flagship Boutique Opens in NYC

On April 4th, OMEGA opened the doors to its flagship store on Fifth Ave. This is the first-ever New York City boutique for OMEGA, a Swatch Group brand, that boasts celebrity fans such as Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie and George Clooney, and is the official timekeeper of the Olympics.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, as well as mark the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing, the new limited edition Platinum Speedmaster Professional Apollo 11 Moonwatch will initially be available exclusively at the New York City boutique. Also, the original OMEGA watch worn by JFK, which the new launch is modeled after, will be exclusively displayed at the store. Read more

AccuWeather, Inc. and United Stations Radio Networks, Inc. Announce New Partnership

STATE COLLEGE, PA  – April 2, 2009 — AccuWeather, Inc. announced today a strategic partnership with the United Stations Radio Networks, Inc. (USRN), to enhance services to The AccuWeather Radio Network.  The partnership is a multi-year agreement that appoints  USRN to serve as AccuWeather’s affiliate relations and advertising sales team throughout the United States.  

USRN will be responsible for recruiting new affiliates for the AccuWeather Radio Network and monetization of radio spots.  This partnership will also lead to new opportunities for AccuWeather  affiliates.  Planned are exciting weather news segments and features presented by nationally known personalities, barter based web services, and barter based mobile services, all of which will empower radio stations in building and retaining their audience.  Read more