Lookbooks

[Model: Jenna Sauers]

• Behold the financial woes of some models. It’s not always the case that attractive models who work for agencies turn a profit. In fact, it seems some agencies are taking advantage of young models who're burning to be in the business. Here’s the case of Jenna Sauers: freelance writer, Jezebel editor and former-model. (dismagazine)

• It's nothing new – at one store you’re a 4, at another you’re an 8 and the next a 10. Baffled women carry armloads of apparel to changing rooms to try and solve the fitting conundrum. Now a handful of retailers are addressing this problem by offering more informative label details, designing multiple versions of a garment to fit different body types, and one company is offering full body scans to find the right fit. (NYT)

• Once-childhood TV stars Mary-Kate and Ashley Olson have quietly been building a fashion empire. The soon to be 25 year-olds now spend their days on a factory floor amongst racks of clothing, working tirelessly on their womenswear brand, The Row. Spotlight on behind-the-scenes with Mary-Kate and Ashley. (Newsweek)

• Swiss watch sales are on the rise, growing more than 11 percent in year-on-year comparables with sales of $1.4 billion. The Swiss watch industry is on pace for a standout year, as it posted a 14.7 percent gain this first quarter, which was more than in its best year ever, 2008. (WWD)

• For its newest Mother’s Day campaign, Macy’s is turning to Facebook. The “Thank-a-Mom Movement” offers Macy's Facebook fans the option to send free personalized e-cards to their mothers. For every card sent, Macy’s has pledged to donate $5 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Go Red for Women movement, and more of up to $400,000. (MediaPost)

• Puma’s net income has risen 7.1 percent this first quarter, bringing its total to $109.5 million. This gain has shifted its full year sales target to over $4 billion. In performance, the company was powered by a 42 percent boost in accessories sales. (WWD)