Anvil Knitwear is a USA-based apparel supplier with a long-standing commitment to sustainability. Indeed, the principle of sustainability is incorporated into every aspect of the company's business from product design to manufacturing and distribution. Since the company was established in 1976 as a maker of T-shirts, it has expanded its product range and now specialises in the design, manufacture, marketing and distribution of activewear and accessories for the imprinted or decorated segment of the apparel cheap bracelets. Its products also include headwear, tote bags, towels and bath robes. Throughout this expansion, the company has supported environmental initiatives by promoting the conversion of acreage from conventional cotton to organic cotton and the recycling of plastic beverage bottles. It also supports good causes, having donated money to breast cancer research and helped to fund the building of homes in rural Nicaragua.

In 2007 Anvil launched a range of activewear made from eco-friendly tiffanys, including organic cotton and recycled polyester. Since then it has been filling a gap in an increasingly eco-conscious marketplace. In 2009 it teamed up with the fashion designer Vivienne Westwood to design a limited edition T-shirt to promote REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) a UN conservation effort aimed at stopping the greenhouse gas emissions associated with deforestation. Also in 2009 the company launched TrackMyT.com, a web site which enables users to track the origins of their T-shirts and the processes used for their manufacture.

Financially, times have not always been easy for Anvil. At the end of 2006, faced with competition from firms which had moved their manufacturing operations to low cost countries, the company was forced to apply for protection from its creditors under cheap bangles 11 of the US bankruptcy code. But by the beginning of the following year, it had succeeded in restructuring its debt-laden balance sheet and eliminating approximately US$200 mn in debt. Going forward, with a more secure financial position, the company will continue to focus its efforts on minimising the impact of its operations on the environment and thereby maintain its status as one of the apparel industry's most environmentally friendly and socially responsible companies.

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA posted a slim increase in 2008 annual sales and flat profit -- a relatively solid result in light of consumer spending -- showing that size matters when it comes to surviving the global economic downturn.

The company's diversified portfolio, which includes Hennessey Cognac, fashion house Louis Vuitton and the Sephora cosmetics retail chain, helped stem the effects of the slowdown. Still, the company declined to project results for 2009, citing the cheap bangles economy, and analysts said this year could be worse than 2008.

The Paris-based group, the world's biggest luxury retailer by revenue, said sales increased 4% to 17.2 billion euros ($22.1 billion) for the year ended Dec. 31, compared with the previous year, and that full-year profit was flat at 2 billion euros.

For the fourth quarter, LVMH's sales increased 4% to 5.2 billion eurso -- a better performance than most competitors, all of whom have lamented the consumer belt-tightening during the holiday period.

"These are a strong set of results," said Luca Solca, luxury tiffanys at Bernstein Research. "It shows that scale is very important in this industry, especially in a downturn."

LVMH Chief Executive Bernard Arnault remained upbeat about managing in the economic situation, saying that the group would maintain investments in marketing and new products over the coming year. "We are looking to increase our market share," he said during a news conference. Mr. Arnault added that he would try to keep layoffs at the company to a minimum but didn't provide specifics.

LVMH's global presence helped offset slumps in cheap bracelets markets. Sales rose 2% in the U.S. and fell 10% in Japan. Elsewhere in Asia, LVMH saw a 19% increase in revenue.

There were a couple weak spots. The wine and spirits division reported a 3% decline in sales to 3.1 billion euros, hurt by falling demand for Champagne, especially in the U.S. The watch and jewelry business struggled in the last quarter of 2008 as demand for high-price baubles tapered off.

The group's fashion and leather-goods business remained the company's strong suit, with sales of Fendi bags and Louis Vuitton purses helping to boost sales 7%. The perfume and cosmetics division also performed well.

Antoine Belge, a luxury analyst at HSBC, described Louis Vuitton's performance as "extraordinary." But he warned that LVMH's profits would not grow indefinitely. "We foresee a worsening of results in 2009," Mr. Belge said.

Mr Arnault said it was too early to predict the group's performance this year. "I hope are sales will continue to grow forever, but in this climate, you never know," he said.

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA posted a slim increase in 2008 annual sales and flat profit, showing that size matters when it comes to surviving the global economic downturn.

The company's diversified portfolio, which includes Hennessey Cognac, fashion house Louis Vuitton and the Sephora cosmetics retail chain, helped stem the effects of the slowdown. Still, the company declined to project results for 2009, citing the uncertain economy, and analysts said this year could be worse than 2008.

The Paris-based group, the world's biggest luxury retailer by revenue, said sales increased 4% to 17.2 billion euros ($22.1 billion) for the year ended Dec. 31, compared with the previous year, and that full-year profit was flat at 2 billion euros. Results cheap money clips damped partly by unfavorable currency fluctuations, particularly in the first half of the year

For the fourth quarter, LVMH's sales increased 4% to 5.2 billion euros -- a better performance than most competitors, all of whom have lamented the consumer belt-tightening during the holiday period. LVMH is often considered a bellwether for the luxury-goods industry.

"These are a strong set of results," said Luca tiffany, luxury analyst at Bernstein Research. "It shows that scale is very important in this industry, especially in a downturn."

Mr. Solca said LVMH's resilience is linked to the group's strong presence in a range of products, from skin cream to spirits and jewelry, coupled with the performance of star brands such as Louis Vuitton and Hennessy Cognac.

Overall, the luxury-goods industry, which for the first part of 2008 had proven quite resistant to the global financial crisis and its economic repercussions, has been struggling lately, especially in the U.S. Another luxury-goods producer, Cie. Financiere Richemont SA, owner of Cartier, recorded a 7% decrease in sales in the fourth period of 2008 and warned that it saw "no cause for optimism" in the current economic climate. Italian jeweler Bulgari SpA said sales fell 10% in the same fourth-quarter period.

LVMH Chief Executive Bernard Arnault remained cheap pendants about managing in the economic situation, saying that the group would maintain investments in marketing and new products over the coming year. "We are looking to increase our market share," he said during a news conference. Mr. Arnault added that he would try to keep layoffs at the company to a minimum but didn't provide specifics.

Mr. Arnault said LVMH's global presence had helped offset slumps in weaker markets. Sales rose 2% in the U.S. and fell 10% in Japan. Elsewhere in Asia, LVMH saw a 19% increase in revenue.

Weaknesses in LVMH's vast portfolio did emerge. The company's wine and spirits division reported a 3% decline in sales to 3.1 billion euros, hurt by falling demand for Champagne, especially in the U.S. The group also warned that its watch and jewelry business struggled in the last quarter of 2008 as demand for high-price baubles tapered off.

The group's fashion and leather-goods business remained the company's strong suit, with sales of Fendi bags and Louis Vuitton purses helping to boost sales 7%. The perfume and cosmetics division also performed well, aided by the strong performance of its Christian Dior line.

Analysts say LVMH isn't immune to a downturn. The last slump, in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York, nearly wiped out the group's profit, and last December the group canceled the opening of a Louis Vuitton flagship store in Japan.

Antoine Belge, a luxury analyst at HSBC, described Louis Vuitton's performance as "extraordinary." But he warned that LVMH's profits wouldn't grow indefinitely. "We foresee a worsening of results in 2009," Mr. Belge said.

In a sign of the uncertainty of the times, LVMH said it wouldn't set targets for 2009. Mr Arnault said it was too early to predict the group's performance this year.

Thrifty consumers and the loss of several department store leases contributed to a 20 percent sales decrease for Finlay Enterprises Inc. in the fourth quarter.

Sales for the three months ended Jan. 31 were $306.7 million, down from $383.1 million in the same 2007 quarter. Specialty nameplates Carlyle, Congress and Bailey Banks & Biddle, which Finlay acquired in November 2007 from Zale Corp., contributed sales of $99.1 million in the quarter. Finlay said comparable-store sales fell 19.6 percent. Comparable results exclude the Macy's Inc. and Lord & Taylor LLC in-store shops that were scheduled to close on Jan. 31.

The 93 licensed departments in Macy's North and Northwest divisions generated $120 million in 2007 revenue. The firm will continue to operate 216 counters for Macy's Central, as well as areas in 34 stores in the Bloomingdale's division of Macy's. cheap bangles Bloomingdale's license expired at the end of fiscal 2009 and the Macy's Central license one year later. Licensed departments in Macy's stores accounted for 52 percent of Finlay sales, or $438.6 million, in 2007.

At Lord & Taylor, which is owned by NRDC Equity Partners, the original plan was to close 47 sites because NRDC had planned to replace Finlay with its own Fortunoff fine jewelry departments. When NRDC was reported to be seeking buyers for Fortunoff last cheap cufflinks, negotiations began to continue the Finlay sites as licensed departments. Fortunoff filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last week.

The Lord & Taylor locations generated $44 million in sales in 2007, according to a regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

On a continuing operations basis, sales in 2008 rose 3.2 percent to $862.6 million from $835.9 million in 2007.

While Finlay has been fighting credit battles of tiffany own, it's also listed as one of the creditors of bankrupt Gottschalks Inc., with claims totaling $1.1 million.

That's a low number compared with last year when Americans spent $17 billion to buy gifts for loved ones to celebrate Valentine's Day, according to the National Retail Federation, a Washington, D.C.-based trade association.

As the recession takes a bite out of retail sales, local candy stores, flower shops and jewelers are hoping for the best this Valentine's Day.

"We may lose a little business, but we'll get what we get," laughed Kaye Sweaney, who along with her husband, Jim, co-owns Mardon Jewelers in downtown Riverside. "I don't think it's going to be a banner year and I don't expect sales to be as high as cheap tiffany were two or three years ago; however I don't expect it to be bad either. It will be a moderate Valentine's Day."

Despite the expected $2.3 billion dip in Valentine's Day sales, people will still buy traditional favorites even though they will spend less, according to the federation. Flowers, candy, jewelry and an evening out to dinner top the list of things people will purchase.

"A bad economy won't stop Cupid this Valentine's Day, but it might slow him down," said Tracy Mullin, the federation's president and chief executive officer. "This year more than ever, consumers will look for creative and inexpensive ways to show those they love how much they mean to them."

Consumers will spend an average of $102.50 on Valentine's Day merchandise this year, which is $20.48 less than the average of $122.98 people spent in 2008.

Meanwhile, the owners at Al Johnson Florist in Riverside tiffanys that although sales will be slower than in years past, sales for the upcoming holiday will be good. They plan to hire up to three part-time drivers to help fill orders.

"Valentine's Day sales will be good, same with Mother's Day," said Deborah Howard, Al Johnson Florist co-owner. "Everyone has a mother and everyone has a loved one and everyone splurges on Valentine's Day; this (recession) is no big deal. It's just like everything else; you've to go with the flow and think positively to breed positivity."

Since 2000, Howard and her brother Stephen Howard have run the five-employee, 2,300-square-foot flower shop, which has been a Riverside fixture since 1943. Business has been good over the past nine years, but as the economy worsened, the silver cufflinks worried they would need to reduce their prices.

"We were afraid that we would have to drop our minimum price to $25," Stephen Howard said. "But our orders still average $50 and up."

To help curb a dropoff in sales, the Howards extended their flower delivery service to San Bernardino. Last year, their delivery service suffered because of soaring gas prices. But as the cost of fuel fell, they were able to expand their delivery area and pick up more business.

Feb. 12--Despite the recession, Valentine's Day sales are looking rather rosy, local retailers say.

"We are very fortunate. We seem to be doing quite well," said Debra Hopkins, a designer and manager at Jean and Hall Florists on Cherry Street. "I understand that's not the case for everyone."

Hopkins has a theory as to why men are still buying bouquets in these lean Heart Band pendant.

"Most of them know that regardless of the economy, unless they want the rest of the year to be miserable, they better get in and do something."

Consumers plan to spend an Heart Link lariat of $102.50 on Valentine's Day gifts, down from $122.98 per person last year, according to the National Retail Federation. Total Valentine's Day spending is expected to reach $14.7 billion, the group says.

John Mayer, owner of Lawrence Mayer Florist on Mulberry Street, said volume seems to be about the same as last year. The store ordered 16,000 short-stemmed roses and another 5,000 long-stemmed ones to prepare for Saturday.

"Flowers are really one of the less-expensive Double heart pendant you can do," said Mayer. "They're cheaper than going out to dinner."

For example, Mayer's shop offers a dozen short-stemmed, "cash-and-carry" roses for $20.

"We try to sell the products so there's something in a price range for everyone," Jean and Hall's Hopkins said.

The economy, she said, had the store "a little anxious" when ordering flowers this year until early orders started coming in. The store has almost sold out of promotional arrangements offered through the national online vendor Teleflora, and made-to-order purchases seem to reflect a "typical year," Hopkins said.

"We have people who are buying two or three dozen roses, arranged together," she said.

The National Retail Foundation survey conducted last month showed that 16 percent of consumers planned to buy jewelry for Valentine's Day, compared to 16.8 percent last year.

Stephen Bashinski of Bashinski Jewelers on Riverside Drive said he has been surprised at the early business. Most purchases usually are made closer to the day, he said.

"We're so much busier than we ever thought we would be," Bashinski said. "As long as there is love and romance out there, we're going to be busy."

Richard Rader of C.R. Rader Jewelers on Cherry Street said he expects business to pick up as Valentine's Day draws nearer.

Diamonds may be forever, but apparently diamond buyers are more fickle.

Tiffany, the famed jewelry chain on Fifth Avenue in New York, is struggling even after lowering prices. In Botswana, at one of the biggest diamond mines in the world, the effects are being felt by workers who have been told to remain on an extended Christmas Heart Band pendant to help De Beers, the giant producer, adjust to the sudden slump.

After enjoying more than two decades of almost uninterrupted price increases amid buoyant demand, the global diamond business is suffering along with many other luxury businesses. Retail sales dropped as much as 20 percent over the year-end holidays in the United States, which is responsible for about half of the world's demand for diamonds.

But the industry is different from other luxury businesses because it is based on a commodity. And that commodity is no longer entirely under the control of De Beers, which used to be able to maintain high diamond prices by restricting supply.

Hopes that the growing wealth in India and Folded heart pendant would fill the demand gap were dashed once recession spread to Asia, prompting prices for diamonds to drop by roughly 30 percent from an August peak.

"The whole industry has stalled as it has been hit by the recession," said Christine Gordon, an independent diamond industry analyst in London. "This is going to go on for a while and in the meantime production cuts will be necessary."

De Beers, the world's largest diamond producer, said Friday that sales in the fourth quarter slowed and that 2009 would remain "challenging."

Strong demand for diamonds in the first three quarters of last year helped De Beers increase yearly sales to $6.89 billion, from $6.84 billion. But sales in November and December were "below expectations," Gareth Penny, the company's group managing Frank Gehry Fish necklace, said.

As recently as September, De Beers could not get diamonds out of the ground fast enough. But since the financial crisis took a sharp turn for the worse after the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in mid-September, De Beers has had to reduce production by shortening workweeks, introducing more flexible hours and shifting workers away from digging to mine maintenance.

De Beers, in which the mining giant Anglo American owns a 45 percent stake, controls about 40 percent of the diamond market. The company said in January that it would reduce the production of rough gems by about 50 percent through April.

A De Beers unit also recently shelved a deal to acquire half of a Russian gem miner because of the financial crisis; another subsidiary just terminated a production agreement at a mine in South Africa.

Other producers are also suffering. Alrosa, the Russian state-run diamond miner, sharply reduced its annual profit forecast in December, citing falling demand. And the jewelry retailer Fortunoff and a smaller rival, Shane, have filed for bankruptcy protection.

But the seeds of the diamond industry's troubles were planted even before the downturn, as producers accumulated a large inventory and took on excessive debt.

The production overhang is mainly the result of a strategic change at De Beers about 10 years ago. When Cecil Rhodes, the swashbuckling British-born businessman, founded De Beers in the 19th century, the company established a tight grip on the diamond market and kept the price of diamonds on a steady upward arc by buying excess supply.

The system worked wonders for decades but became unsustainable as competition from smaller miners increased and demand for other luxury goods replaced consumer appetite for gemstones. De Beers changed its strategy and started to sell rough diamonds at 10 annual auctions, but it was still stuck with a stockpile of roughly $4 billion in diamonds.

The immediate outlook is grim. Chaim Even-Zohar, manager of Tacy, an industry consulting firm in Israel, said he expected demand for rough diamonds to decline by at least 60 percent this year, leading to a further price drop of about 25 percent.

Recent price declines prompted Angola and other countries whose economies rely heavily on the industry to consider buying diamonds to keep them off the market. Indeed, Russia has already bought some products from Alrosa.

In Botswana, where the mining giant Debswana is a joint venture between De Beers and the government, lawmakers have warned of the devastating effects a mine closure or a fire sale of assets could have on the country's economic, social and development projects, since diamonds account for about two-thirds of its exports.

The $20 billion industry is grappling with corporate debt levels that ballooned to a combined $22 billion in 2008. The reluctance of banks to lend coincides with a drop in the value of diamonds that companies use as a security for loans.

The immediate outlook for the industry might look bleak, but some analysts said that once the production overhang worked itself through the system, prices would recover. Without new discoveries, Mr. Even-Zohar expects the world to run out of new diamonds within 20 years.

As demand recovers, any diamond shortage would drive up prices and revive mining. "The long-term fundamentals look good," Mr. Even-Zohar said. "But in the meantime countries and populations will suffer."

Saks Fifth Avenue's jewelry department is lined with items like $3,000 David Yurman bracelets and $1,600 Anthony Nak earrings, and Cecille Villacorta was good at getting customers to buy them.

From 2000 to 2006, she brought in more than $27 million in sales, more than any of the other sales associates at the luxury department chain's flagship store in Manhattan. In fact, she was the highest-grossing saleswoman in the store's history, according to her Return to Tiffany mini heart tags bracelet, and was paid nearly $400,000 in her last year there.

But exactly how Ms. Villacorta, 52, of Manhattan, managed to rack up such sales figures is up for debate -- and at the heart of her trial on charges of grand larceny and falsifying business records, which began Thursday in State Supreme Court in Manhattan.

Her lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, said in his opening statement that Ms. Villacorta endeared herself to customers by showing that she cared. She would learn their tastes and call them at home when an item that she thought they might like came in. She researched various types of jewelry and sent pictures to clients to gauge their interest, he said.

"She took a genuine interest in these customers," he said. "Tiffany 1837 Round lock pendant why she was so successful."

The prosecutor, David Nasar, offered another explanation for Ms. Villacorta's success: theft.

In his opening statement, Mr. Nasar said Ms. Villacorta would credit Tiffany Cushion Drop earrings to customers for items they had never actually returned.

For instance, she would log into the store's computer system and enter information indicating that a person was returning, say, a $4,300 Gucci watch. A credit for that amount would show up on that person's credit card statement.

In another scheme, Mr. Nasar said, Ms. Villacorta would credit customers with rebates for buying a large number of gift cards, even though they never actually bought them.

Ms. Villacorta carried out these schemes, Mr. Nasar said, to keep her customers happy and coming back to her.

"By doing this she was buying good will," Mr. Nasar said. "She was willing to steal to make a sale."