How old are you? I’m never going to tell you that. Okay. Let’s talk about how you’re kind of a big deal. Oh, no no. I’m not. Did you see that I was quoted in the Style section today? It was that piece about Tulum becoming a fashion mecca. See? You’re a big deal. I could tell by the coat. Everyone stops me about this coat. I’m really proud that it’s fake fur. People in the elevator stand there trying to figure out what kind of animal has spots like that, but no animal has spots like that. It’s 100 percent acrylic. What do you do? I run a consulting firm called Vernon Company. I was at Calvin Klein for half of my career, doing marketing, branding, licensing; when I left I was executive vice president. I worked there in the early ’90s, then Prada recruited me. Then Calvin tried to get me back, and I went back. Did you have anything to do with giving us Marky Mark in his underwear? Of course. That was my first year there. He’d walk through the office speaking his hip-hop slang. Now he won’t talk about it. Because he’s too busy preaching against masturbation? Why wouldn’t he? He’s married to Rhea Durham. [Laughs] Talking about Mark Wahlberg is boring. It was an amazing campaign that wasn’t my idea. My role was putting those ads on the sides of buses. We were the first in fashion to do that. A lot of teenage girls were really grateful to you for that. Yeah, we changed the face of outdoor ads. Then everyone started doing it. What do you do when you’re not masterminding ad campaigns? I’m very interested in culture—I go to the theater a lot, and I love the food scene in New York. Jean Georges is one of my absolute favorites, and you’ll also find me at Indochine, Waverly, Minetta…I love my West Village spots. Oh, and I’m at the Standard all the time, too. Are you a shoes-in-the-oven type? What do you mean, shoes in the oven? You know, you store your shoes there because you never cook at home? Not at all. I do cook. And I have two huge closets. [Laughs] More from Kim “I just saw an amazing play called Stick Fly. It’s the playwright’s first major play and it is so well written.”  READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon was invited to speak at the Luxury Lab conference hosted by LoveBrand and sponsored by BMW,Conde Nast, L'Oreal, Absolut Elyx, and AeroMexico. During this 2 day conference held in Mexico City, Ms Vernon Presented on "What is Luxury?". Using Vernon Company surveys, brand research and case studies she created a very successful presentation for the executives of L'Oreal and Future Lab along with the Latin American luxury executives in fashion, accessories, hospitality, beauty and design.   READ FULL STORY

Welcome to “peer-to-peer social commerce.” “It’s a new paradigm,” said Dearrick Knupp, chief executive officer of Shop My Label, a Web site launching today enabling individuals to become merchants online by building their own fashion boutiques and making a commission off the sales without requiring them to have a Web site, to possess any technical expertise, to purchase inventory or even to pay a start-up fee. Under the Shop My Label business model, anybody over age 14 can create an online fashion boutique that’s curated from an assemblage of brands and retailers organized by Shop My Label. The boutique would be named by the person running it and viral marketed via social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, YouTube and their own blogs. Though Shop My Label’s business model is new, it’s not unique. Another Web site called StyleOwner, which sources say has some big backers and retail experts behind it, is launching imminently as well, with a similar format. For both, it’s all about converting those who spend a lot of time social networking or blogging into “social-preneurs” curating shops online with the brands they like, selling to people they know and trust, as if they’re personal shoppers, and making money from it. For brands and retailers, which have been grappling with how to monetize social networking and capitalize more off viral marketing, there’s potential to generate revenues and new customers. “Everybody is talking about customer-centricity. This is what Shop My Label is really about,” explained Mortimer Singer, an investor in Shop My Label who is president of Marvin Traub Associates, which is also advising the start-up. “It’s a grassroots system to proactively evangelize your favorite brands.” Atlas Consumer Growth is another investor, while two technology firms, Optaros and Dotbox, are helping develop Shop My Label. Optaros [which worked with Rue La La] did the site architecture and wire-framing, and Dotbox has essentially taken the wire-frames to build the site. Under the Shop My Label model, shopkeepers build their stores by selecting merchandise from 1,000 brands primarily coming from Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as 17 other brands and retailers, among them the Camuto Group, including its Jessica Simpson Collection; Jones New York brands including Nine West and Rachel Rachel Roy, and Delia’s, Alloy, DL1961, and brands from Accessory Network. Shop My Label sees adding a few more brands and retailers each week. “We’re starting with selling fashion, but we could grow into other merchandise areas,” said Deborah Boria, Shop My Label’s president and chief creative officer. Along with Knupp and Boria, Frank Ball of Ball Group retail consultants, and Jay McElynn, formerly with Ball Group, are also co-founders. Ilan Levine, formerly with Venda Inc., Omnicon Media Group and Smart Online is chief technology officer. Shopkeepers will pick their favorite pieces or those they think are right for those shopping their boutiques, or they could create a private boutique for an individual and customize the offering to a single customer. A shop could feature just one brand, such as Jessica Simpson, or multibrands and show outfits that are pulled from different labels. But the pricing is controlled by the retailers and brands providing the merchandise, not those creating the online shops. Shopkeepers can also upload their pictures from Facebook and put them on their shop, and followers can send in comments. “This has been two-and-a-half years in the making,” said Boria. Shopkeepers will get a 5 percent commission on each sale, and incentives when they convince others to also become Shop My Label shopkeepers. Shop My Label itself will get up to 15 percent commission on revenues. “The financial model is revenue sharing — it does eat into retailers’ margins, but retailers are excited by the prospect of new customer acquisition,” said Singer. Shop My Label will offer free shipping, single checkouts integrating different brands selected, inventory data feeds from Shop My Label’s home base in Manhattan’s Union Square at 817 Broadway, including e-mails on item availability and “a dashboard of business information that’s visualized in engaging ways,” Knupp said. The shipping and fulfillment is done by the retail and brand partners, who own the inventory. There’s currently an SML staff of 10 at the offices: a chief technology officer and others in programming, marketing, social media outreach, wrangling brands and retailers to participate, and graphic web design. Product shots to build the shops are from the brands’ and retailers’ Web sites. “The technology enables consumers to be their own shopkeepers, and allows them the freedom to curate their own fashion in a way they have never been able to before,” said Vince Camuto, founder and chief creative officer of the company bearing his name. For the launch, “We are rolling it out to a very private and select list of influencers, top customers and some of our personal connections — over 500 people as potential shopkeepers. If they view Shop My Label as a hobby, they could make a $100 a month. If they really push it, there is an opportunity for much more,” said Knupp, who previously collaborated with Boria on an eco-friendly line called Panda Snack that lasted from 2005 to 2008. The two have backgrounds in branding, sourcing, design and product development. “It’s like an eBay 2.0 if you will — creating a space — but those people needed inventory to sell that maybe came out of the garage,” Knupp said. “Here you don’t even need to obtain the product. It’s there for you to select from.”  READ FULL STORY

"provided they find and accept someone with experience in the industry who can be a leader and stay focused on delivering the right product at the right price. I think they still have time to turn it around and get it on track."  READ FULL STORY

“The amount of media impressions through TV, Twitter and blogs will catapult the Alexander McQueen name to familiarity it never had, whether it translates to more perfume sales or made-to-order dresses, it is nothing but positive.”   READ FULL STORY

"Cathie Black is a talented executive. Her contributions to Hearst are measurable. If she doesn't want to retire and/or consult/speak, Time Inc might benefit from her career experience considering their recent round of miss hires and executive shuffles."  READ FULL STORY

There are 1200 members in New York City alone, yet a total of only 150 votes were cast. Brand consultant expert (and Vernon Company CEO) Kim Vernon, who praised Jamie Pallot’s hosting duties and told us that “it is always wonderful to honor emerging creative talent,” added that it is a “shame that FGI didn’t create online voting, thus only 150 votes were cast…Therefore, it was not a national contest, and the brands are national. Certainly two weeks of snow didn’t help us get there!”  READ FULL STORY

"Yes, it can still be the champion of the underdogs," said Kim Vernon, a marketing consultant. "Between Saks and Bergdorf Goodman, all have been jockeying for underdogs more than ever. Barneys will continue to be supportive of emerging brands."
She said the retailer can change the merchandise mix and still find ways to remain special. "They've got a big merchandising team that's been there. I think they can maintain being Barneys but can move it toward what more customers want," said Vernon. "My clients tell me he [Mark Lee] is intent on keeping the uniqueness and specialness of Barneys intact."   READ FULL STORY

"Jeans, to many, are the new ‘pant.’ Denim fits, styles and washes have become sophisticated enough that women will wear their favorite jean with a Balenciaga jacket or a Stella McCartney blouse. At the same time, jeans can be dressed down and casual,” explains Kim Vernon, the president and CEO of Vernon Company, a lifestyle brand consultancy and business development firm based in New York. As a solid foundation for a variety of looks, jeans offer bang for every hard earned buck... “When a woman [or man] finds a great fitting jean that makes them feel sexy, confident, and comfortable, they won’t trade down. They will buy multiple pairs in different washes,” notes Vernon... “Brands like J Brand have proven that fit is tantamount in customer loyalty. Customers know the styles by name and by number,” says Vernon.  READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon, president and chief executive officer of the Vernon Co. consultancy, agreed the next six to 12 months will be critical. “It will be a trickle of companies that either disappear, have a complete pause or reinvent themselves as an entirely different entity.”  READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon, founder of the Vernon Co., worked with Posner and Som on the termination of the partnership. “It’s a perfect example of how every business — large or small — is reevaluating strategic plans they made less than 18 months ago,” Vernon said.   READ FULL STORY

As for the buyer, “it can be very attractive because there’s less risk,” said Kim Vernon, president and ceo of Vernon Co., a New York-based brand consultancy that interfaces with investors. “They’re not necessarily responsible for having an operational position.”  READ FULL STORY

“I’ve always loved her iconic role in fashion,” said Kim Vernon, president and chief executive officer of Vernon Co., a brand growth consulting firm that matched de la Falaise with HSN. “I was very excited about HSN’s strategic changes with Mindy Grossman [ceo of IAC Retailing, which owns HSN]. Loulou loved the idea of reaching a lot of people. I went first to HSN and HSN understood it immediately. The idea is to develop a whole lifestyle collection around Loulou.”  READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon has spent much time honing her skills in marketing and advertising, which she is now channeling into Vernon Co. The consultancy is less traditional public relations and more media strategy and brand building. The former Calvin Klein Inc. executive, who launched her firm last October, is taking a multipronged approach: marketing, branding and communication; licensing and alternative distribution channels, and working directly with private equity firms on investment opportunities in the fashion and luxury sectors. "I love brands and products, as long as they have integrity," she said. "And I am not only interested in fashion. I want to help people grow their brands, or help tarnished brands." Until October 2005, Vernon was senior vice president of global advertising and communications at Calvin Klein Inc., where she managed a $250 million marketing budget for the company, which at the time had 35 licensees and a staff of more than 60 in advertising and public relations. Vernon has spent time casually meeting with young designers over the past few months to try to help them raise capital with equity firms. "There's a lot of money out there," she said. "You find agencies that will do licensing deals, and they take the royalty, but don't connect the brand to the product." Her aim, she stressed, was to locate the right opportunities, then guide the partnerships beyond the initial transaction. "We are not just a 'transaction' company, but one that has the integrity and future of the brand in mind," she said. On finding funding for young designers, Vernon, who has a staff of four, said: "I would very much like to be able to raise and create an incubator of promising designers, even in different price points or products, such as shoes, apparel or accessories, where they would be able to receive cash as well as share operational…and management support." Prior to her 10-year stint at CKI, she ran her own marketing and branding company, The Vernon Co., where she consulted on lifestyle Internet brands, and with fashion clients Vera Wang, Club Monaco and Katayone Adeli. Before that, she was vice president of advertising and communications at Prada for two years. Over the past few months, the executive has assembled a roster of clients, including Loulou de la Falaise, Elise Overland, Anne Semonin Skincare, Sokolin Wines and Arctic Water. She is also working on raising equity with Goode Partners, Guggenheim Partners, Hilco, Summit Capital, Towerbrook and Catterton Partners, and on special projects with MAC Cosmetics, Milk Studios, Puig Fashion Group and Yoo Hotel Group. Vernon is on the advisory board of Financo.  READ FULL STORY

''It's like having a personal shopper,'' says Kim Vernon, a senior vice president at Calvin Klein. Vernon, who buys off a daily list e-mailed from Sokolin Wines, says she recently asked David Sokolin (who is a friend) how much she had spent, year-to-date. ''When he told me the number, I was, like, 'Wow.''' Asked just how high that figure is, Vernon answers, ''Well, it's not over $50,000.'' Of course, plenty of California Closets around town hold just as much in the form of Birkins and Balenciagas. ''In my world, it's not an either-or,'' Vernon says. ''There are some cases of wine that are easily the cost of a Fendi bag.'' For example, she recently bought a 1990 Montrose; it's over $5,000 a case, about $450 a bottle. Most of her 2,000-bottle collection is warehoused, with another couple of hundred in a Sub-Zero unit in her loft for everyday drinking, though what she keeps stocked for everyday use is pretty special by any standard. ''Romanee-Conti, that'd be my favorite thing to have,'' she muses, naming what many people consider the top vineyard in Burgundy. ''I'm very proud of my wine knowledge, and I like to think it's a sexy attribute. I went on a date with a very sophisticated guy not long ago -- we were at Wallse -- and he just handed me the list. 'You pick.'''  READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and communications for Calvin Klein Inc., which licenses the name to UCI, noted that many of Klein's iconic scents have been born out of phases of the designer's life. "Eternity was launched when Calvin was marrying Kelly [Klein, his now ex-wife]; CK One was created when Marcie [the designer's daughter] was looking for something young and fun," said Vernon. "Euphoria connects to the new sense of freedom Calvin now has — working with creative aspects, but also traveling and enjoying life."  READ FULL STORY

“We created Obsession Night to infuse some newness into a legendary brand,” said Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and communications for Calvin Klein Inc., which licenses the name to Unilever Cosmetics International. “Obsession always represented provocation, sensuality and a sense of mystery. It was very important to maintain those elements while refreshing the images to reach a younger target.”   READ FULL STORY

“These are sexy young men and women having fun, flirting,” said Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and communications at Calvin Klein. “It’s a new way to communicate with consumers.”  READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon, senior vice president for global advertising and communications for Calvin Klein Inc., said the company was not reevaluating any change of image or tone in Calvin Klein Underwear ads. “I don’t think in the creative community that we are overly concerned or need to make a shift,” said Vernon. “People who do good ads are not trying to use sex to overtly sell products. Now is not the time. The only time [to tone down advertising] was after Sept. 11, but certainly not now.” Vernon further noted that a new campaign for Calvin Klein Sensual Support shapewear featuring Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank, epitomizes the company’s current message in lingerie advertising. “Hilary Swank looks extraordinarily sexy, beautiful and provocative. She looks like a gorgeous woman. The product does not look modest. It’s designed to make a woman look sexy,” said Vernon.   READ FULL STORY

“When you see Hilary now, she has long, beautiful hair, and she looks like the woman that she is,” said Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and communications for CKI. “When you see these gorgeous, sexy, feminine pictures, I believe they will surprise people.” Swank has had a long relationship with the company, attending some of its fashion shows and wearing Calvin Klein to several awards events, having become friends with Klein — after the designer saw “Boys Don’t Cry” and invited her to lunch — and more recently with designer Francisco Costa. According to Vernon, Swank said on the set that she chose to appear in the campaign partly because it was an unexpected move.  READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon, a spokeswoman for Calvin Klein and its new designer, Francisco Costa, said the company has no such deals but would not rule them out. ''It's a competitive world,'' Ms. Vernon said. ''We do have to have our eyes wide open and be very intellectually honest that we may have to consider ways of working that we never would have in the past.'' Might that mean an offer of cash or an advertising contract? ''Why not,'' Ms. Vernon said. ''If you build that into your budget or your marketing strategy, there is nothing negative about it. It's business.''  READ FULL STORY

“What we really wanted to do is push the look of Natalia a bit further. We wanted to go with really stronger fashion, make her more of a woman, and keep the sexiness as strong as ever,” said Kim Vernon, senior vice president, global advertising and communications at CKI, a division of Phillips-Van Heusen. “We wanted to do something that took the pictures to another level. It’s still moody, but we wanted to push it a bit, and felt Steven [Meisel] could do it.” For the prior two seasons, Klein used Mario Sorrenti as the Collection advertising photographer.  READ FULL STORY

Last season’s top model — Natalia Vodianova — will be conspicuously absent from the New York season with the exception of one big show. That’s because Calvin Klein has landed an exclusive deal with the Russian beauty from DNA to appear only in his show in America, on top of her existing exclusive for his ad campaign. “Natalia is a natural beauty,” said Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and communications at Klein. “Our latest campaign inspired us to make a bigger commitment to working with Natalia on a more exclusive basis going forward.”  READ FULL STORY

“I think the most effective way to market jeans depends on the personality of the brand,” said Kim Vernon, senior vice president, global advertising and communications, at Calvin Klein Inc. “Some brands, like Diesel, have never used sexy advertising, they use humor. For Calvin Klein, going back to Brooke Shields, sexy is good. Sometimes it’s more subtle than others, but Calvin has always been a sexy, modern company and what we do well. It will always be different than what Diesel, Polo or Tommy Hilfiger does. “Large brands like ours have enough volume, so we’re able to advertise. We overlay that with grassroots marketing, and jeans contests at Urban Outfitters, for example.” She said the contests expose the jeans to an entirely different audience that may not shop in Federated Department Stores. She said she also works with celebrities in product placement, and stars such as Adrien Brody and Justin Timberlake wear CK Jeans.  READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and communications at Klein, said the fall ad budget is flat to a year ago. According to TNS Media Intelligence/CMR, Calvin Klein Inc.’s media budget for the second half of 2002 was approximately $10 million for all apparel and home products, excluding fragrances. Fall portfolios, which range from between four and 10 pages, will appear in 271 fashion and lifestyle publications worldwide: 63 in the U.S., Canada and Latin America, 127 in Europe and 81 in Asia.  READ FULL STORY

"Last year’s spring break promotion was very well-attended and the response to our branding events and activities surpassed expectations," said Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and communications. "This year’s challenge was to expand on the interaction with the target by adding branding and promotion, which we have achieved with stronger retail tie-ins, the unprecedented in-room branding, overall hotel connection and the e-mail communication post-spring break. CK brand products will be unavoidable, but integrated into a fun and value-added format."   READ FULL STORY

"Clothes are really important in these pictures. We’re trying to present great pictures that are really strong and feel very Calvin Klein, sexy and romantic," said Kim Vernon, senior vice president, global advertising and communications. The ads are both in color and black and white, and don’t use the graphics that were used the past two seasons. Swiwmear ads will break in February, and jeans, underwear, eyewear and Collection ads debut in March. In addition, ads will appear in many European and Asian magazines. With a flat spring budget, Vernon said the company will continue its lifestyle portfolios of four to six pages in magazines such as W, Vogue, Vanity Fair and Harper’s Bazaar.   READ FULL STORY

"When you look at Jessica, she can be very glamorous and sophisticated and can look young, modern and playful," said Kim Vernon, who recently was named senior vice president of global advertising and communications at Calvin Klein Inc. "She has great potential because of her versatility, how flexible she is [physically and mentally] and how she participates in the creative. She really takes pleasure in the shoot."  READ FULL STORY

Calvin Klein Inc. said Monday that it will integrate all its worldwide advertising, marketing and public relations functions under the direction of Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and communications. Vernon continues to report to Tom Murry, president and chief operating officer of CKI. As reported, Calvin Klein's U.S. public relations had been headed by Virginia Smith, vice president of public relations, who resigned and whose last day is Friday. She had reported directly to Murry. Noona Smith-Peterson continues to direct Calvin Klein's European PR efforts, based in Milan. The new integrated service group, reporting to Vernon, will be responsible for media strategy and creative campaign development; marketing; strategic planning for the promotion of brands and brand positioning, and all communications and public relations functions. The group is responsible for all Calvin Klein-trademarked products -- whether company owned or operated by strategic partners, both in the U.S. and abroad. "What we're announcing today has to do with our overall strategy to bring advertising, marketing, the communications and public relations areas under one person's leadership worldwide," said Calvin Klein, in a statement. Vernon rejoined CKI in 2001 as senior vice president, global advertising from her own marketing and branding consultancy, The Vernon Co. Prior to that, she was vice president of advertising and communications at Prada for two years and from 1992 to 1996, was vice president at Klein's in-house ad agency, CRK Advertising. Earlier, she was retail marketing director at Escada and ad manager at Bergdorf Goodman."  READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and marketing at Calvin Klein Inc., believes that the dynamics between editors and publishers are important. "I think when the publisher and editor have a strong relationship, it absolutely matters in the success of the magazine." She believes several of the new publishing couples will be successful, such as Tom Florio and Anna Wintour at Vogue, and Ron Galotti and Cooper at GQ. She also thinks Cindy Lewis and Glenda Bailey, publisher and editor in chief, respectively, at Harper's Bazaar, will be strong.  READ FULL STORY

"Market share as a concept for magazines has become a really big deal," said Kim Vernon, senior vice president of global advertising and marketing at Calvin Klein Inc. "Overall ad page growth is down, and budgets are flat. The only thing they can do in this market is to fight for market share." One of the promotions CKI participated in this winter was the GQ Lounge in Hollywood. "They've gotten a few top advertisers to add a branded element to it. It's brand promotion in a subtle way. GQ decorated the cabana areas and re-dressed it. Models were serving you in our clothes," she said.  READ FULL STORY

''The marketplace has become very competitive due to the economy and consumer brands being more efficient and more conservative, in that situation, the strongest magazine brands and the strongest publishing teams have a huge advantage,'' said Kim Vernon, senior vice president for global advertising and communications for Calvin Klein in New York. ''Quite possibly some of the books that are having their best years ever, quite possibly have some of the strongest teams. And they have the leverage to take pages away from other brands.''  READ FULL STORY

''The environment is very competitive right now for magazine publishers,'' said Kim Vernon, senior vice president at CRK Advertising in New York, the internal agency for Calvin Klein, which is participating in the GQ lounge. ''Every client is looking for additional ways to justify spending large sums of money in a particular title.'' Calvin Klein is redecorating the cabana area of the lounge with furnishings like wall decorations featuring a new Klein logo and photographs of models wearing Klein clothes.  READ FULL STORY

For his spring Collection and CK Jeans campaigns, which break in March magazines, Klein unveils a new red and blue logo that looks like it's hand-drawn. "It's not intentionally patriotic," said Kim Vernon, senior vice president, CRK Advertising, Klein's in-house agency. "It's red and blue, but it works with the black-and-white photographs."   READ FULL STORY

Kim Vernon, senior vice president, CRK Advertising, Calvin Klein's in-house agency: "I think Glenda understands delivering the information the consumer wants and also having a lot of inspirational pages. No magazine editor re-creates a magazine in one month. It could take two months to ruin one."  READ FULL STORY