Seattle Fashion Retailers Feel The Gulf War's Reverberations

The war in the Persian Gulf is keeping Middle Eastern customers and New York socialites - some of their best private clientele - away from the French haute couture shows in Paris this week, but there also are reverberations of war here at home.

A number of Seattle-area retailers say they have changed their travel plans.

Says Jacqui Cohen, owner of Jordan's on Fifth Avenue: ``I usually see menswear in Europe at this time, but I canceled the trip and saw just those European firms who showed capsule collections in New York.

``I'll do the same with women's wear,'' she adds. ``I'll probably carry more stock from Japan, particularly from Issey Miyake, Matsuda and A.T.

``I was in Paris at a time several years ago when there were terrorist attacks. A friend and I were on the subway when about 20 policeman wearing gas masks and leading dogs got on. It was frightening. We got off as fast as we could and ran.''

Dita Friedlander of Dita's on Broadway is in Belgium buying knit wear right now.

``She left before the war started,'' said her daughter, Sam Friedlander. ``We haven't been able to reach her. All of our spring merchandise from Europe and Israel has already been delivered. But we'll just have to play it by ear for fall. I was to leave on a trip to Los Angeles the day the war started and I canceled.''

Kay Smith-Blum, co-owner of Butch Blum on Fifth Avenue, said they also have canceled all buying trips to Europe.

``A number of design houses who show in Paris also will show in New York this year,'' says Smith-Blum. ``We're cooling our heels right now. Hussein is so unpredictable that we don't know what we will do in July.

``But even for our trips to New York, we are booking flights into Newark, which is less likely to be attacked by terrorists than John F. Kennedy.''

But Gina and Cristina Medina of The Mediterranean said they will be leaving for Italy in February to buy ready-to-wear for fall.

``We have no choice,'' said Gina Medina, who with her husband founded the store. ``So much of our merchandise comes from Italy. But I am very concerned. Already the airlines have changed our flight three times.''

Nancy Hollinger, co-owner of Pino's, which carries Italian imports exclusively, usually attends the March ready-to-wear openings in Milan.

``I don't know if I will this time or not,'' she said. ``I think because of the American cancellations, the designers will be forced to show in New York.''

However, her partner, Stephanie Benagiano, lives in Rome and might be able to go to the Milan shows. ``But the amount of buying we do would be overwhelming for one person,'' Hollinger said.

Susan Alsup, a Nordstrom spokeswoman, said domestic travel will continue as usual. ``We do not have anyone at the couture shows going on now (in Paris) because we do not buy the couture. As far as the March ready-to-wear shows are concerned, it is too early to tell. We are monitoring the situation closely.''

Dave Fisher, a spokesman for Frederick & Nelson, said the store has no buyers in Europe at the moment, but a housewares meeting that was to be held in Europe has been rescheduled for Dallas.

Part of the fallout is an increased number of buyers looking at clothing here, according to one woman. Mary Dalma, who is showing the Paul Stanley line at the Market Week event going on this week at the Seattle Trade Center, said traffic has been good.

``Many of the local buyers who usually hit the Los Angeles market canceled those trips and are seeing the clothes here.''

Marilyn Kirkby's column appears Wednesday in the Style section of The Times.