ROOTS TAKES OFF ON THE RUNWAY

New styles acclaimed at recent Montreal fashion and design festival

The venue was ideal, the weather cooperative and the audience highly appreciative. To say nothing of the beautiful models and of course the impressive clothes they paraded down the runway. That was the scene at the recent 2006 Montreal Fashion and Design Festival where Roots presented current and upcoming creations on an outdoor stage downtown on McGill College Avenue. Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman helped oversee the show after which he personally gave the models gifts in the form of the Roots clothes they displayed.

This was the second time that Roots took part in the Festival, the largest public fashion happening in North America.

Items shown will be available this fall at Roots stores and online.

(The pictures seen were taken by Allen McInnis .)

LOOK WHO DROPPED IN

Eric Idol was in Toronto recently to attend the Toronto production of Spamalot. This new musical based on the motion picture Monty Python and the Holy Grail won a Tony award for best musical in 2005. The production is being staged at Toronto's Cannon Theatre. While in Toronto he enjoyed a visit our flagship Bloor Street store with his two nieces.

For more information on Spamalot visit Mirvish.com

AIDING THE AIDS FIGHT

Roots an official sponsor of major international conference

Next month, Roots will be the official outfitter and a sponsor of the world's largest conference on AIDS. The 16th International AIDS Conference will take place in Toronto from August 13-18, with some 20,000 delegates from around the world expected to attend the event. To show its support for the bi-annual gathering, Roots has agreed to subsidize the costs of the merchandise being provided to organizers.

At the initiative of Roots Co-Founder Don Green, Roots will be producing apparel for the conference’s volunteer staff and for sale to delegates. A portion of the sales will help pay for staging the conference. Made in Canada, the Roots apparel includes T-shirts and baseball caps. Along with Don, David Jackson, Account Manager in the Business-to-Business Department, Graphic Artist Stephanie Briers, and Women's Merchandise Manager Julie O'Neill were all instrumental in bringing this project to fruition.

In addition, Roots will be making shirts for the youth portion of the conference and will produce a special event T-shirt for a major rock concert at the Rogers Centre in connection with the conference.

"The shirts will be available in multiple colours with messages on them that promote awareness to the younger generation," says David. "They will make a very strong statement for an important cause."

For more information on the conference please visit www.aids2006.org

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Influential trend monitor features Roots on its website

Earlier this week, Roots caught the attention of the trends monitoring team at the UK-based Worth Global Style Network. The highly respected WGSN hosts an online subscription service that provides information to major style companies and media focusing on fashion retail trends from the latest catwalks, major trade shows, and street fashion.

The Roots men’s zipped hoodie with a chest appliqué figured prominently on the WGSN site as a Street Shot of the so-called “hot west coast menswear trends”. Street Shot is part of the Fast Track section in the Trends Info category of the website. Items featured are selected by the WGSN team, which scours different metropolitan areas to highlight upcoming trends.

View Roots Hoodies (USA | Canada)

THE HOT LIST

A fast look at what’s flying off the shelves at Roots stores
Based on the latest sales figures from stores in Canada and the United States, here are the 25 top-selling products:

1. Men’s Cargo Shorts
2. Women’s V-neck Henley Tank
3. Men’s Italy Support T-shirt* (Buy it now: Canada)
4. Men’s Short Sleeves Graphic T-shirt
5. Women’s Pima Ringer Tee with Canada logo* (Buy it now: USA | Canada)
6. Women’s Italia Support World Cup T-shirt* (Buy it now: Canada)
7. Women’s Surf Heather T-shirt8. Women’s Essential Long Rib Tank
9. Women’s Canadiana Hoody* (Buy it now: USA | Canada)
10. Women’s Roots Vintage T-shirt* (Buy it now: USA | Canada)
11. Girls Glorious Crew T-shirt
12. Boys Crocs
13. Girls Crocs
14. Boys Italy Soccer T-shirt
15. Babies Rachel Ruched Dress
16. Babies Canada Day Campy
17. Babies Rachel Polo Dress
18. Babies Canada Shortall
19. Babies Canada Short Sleeves Ringer T-shirt
20. Roots Bottled Water (355 ml)
21. Beaver Canvas Tote
22. Havaiana Flip Flops
23. Che Cap
24. Crocs Beach Clogs
25. New Small Emily Tribe Leather Bag* (Buy it now: USA | Canada)

*Indicates items available on www.roots.com USA and Canada

GOOD THINGS FOR BAD BOYS

In the heat of summer, Roots and prominent movie producer team up for annual hockey event in Las Vegas

Continuing its association of many years, Roots will be supplying products for the 12th Annual Jerry Bruckheimer Bad Boys Invitational Hockey Tournament once again this summer. Jerry Bruckheimer is a highly accomplished American film and TV producer. He is also an avid hockey fan and conducts the Bad Boys hockey tournament every year.

Roots will supply 150 sleeveless T-shirts to be given away to the players. Made from 100% cotton, the T-shirts come with a screen-printed Bad Boys Hockey logo on the chest and a Roots logo at the bottom. Coordinated by David Jackson of the Business-to-Business Department, the T-shirts are made in Toronto and will be shipped to Las Vegas next week.

The event, which is to be held at the end of this month, is expected to have some 200 participants including Hollywood celebrities and NHL players. Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman, who is also an old friend of Jerry Bruckheimer, will be participating in the event.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY

A guide to just-launched Roots products

BORN TO ROCK
Retro style in vogue for Roots kids

It’s rock and roll time for kids this fall as retro-inspired 1970s styles for tiny tots hit Roots stores next week.

Designed by Elsa De Souza, Senior Designer, Babies and coordinated by Marisa Battaglia, Merchandise Manager, Babies and Kids, the first fall delivery is called Down To Earth. It includes a range of classic T-shirt styles like the Loud and Proud tee, Future Rock Star tee, Born to Rock tee and the Naia style colour block tee. They are made from 100% cotton jersey and feature graphic prints inspired by the late Sixties, early Seventies ideals of peace and love. Other details include multi-colour topstitching and slit seams on the sleeve and bottom hems.

Made in China, the tees are available at Roots stores all over Canada and the United States (sorry at this time Roots Kids and Baby items are not available online).

Another style in the same category is the Gorgeous Sweater. It is made from 100% cotton sweater knit fabric and comes with a chest print. The style is sold in Roots stores in Canada. All the above styles are available in sizes S – 5T (babies, 3-6 months – kids, 5 years)

Retail price: Loud and Proud tee, Future Rock Star tee, Born to Rock tee - $12.95; Naia tee - $22.95; Gorgeous Sweater - $29.95

GREEN TIP # 13

The latest in our series of easy ways to help the environment

Off...and still running? Have you ever heard of "vampire energy use?" It describes all the appliances in your house that suck energy even when they're turned off. This includes televisions, DVD players, microwaves and computers. Vampire energy can mean big-time spending for your family. Although it's probably not reasonable to expect you to unplug the microwave every time you're finished nuking a snack, the computer is another story. To help ward off the "vampire," plug your electronics into a power strip rather than a wall outlet. Then, when you've turned off the TV, flick the off switch on the power strip. (Source: National Post)

HEALTH TIP #10

The latest in our series of easy ways to stay healthy

Manage stress: Don’t sweat the small stuff. Count your blessings and nurture “yin” (calm) in the evening. If you feel like you’re caught in a cycle of stress that you can’t break, consider working with a Naturopath or other natural health care provider to get help in bringing your body and mind back into balance.

Provided by Jeff Hirst, a professional trainer, co-owner of Training Zone (trainingzone@hotmail.com), and a former Olympic diver. Jeff is an acclaimed sports instructor and is highly knowledgeable about health and fitness.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Recent letters from the world of Roots

THE MEANING OF CUSTOMER SERVICE
I am writing you to provide feedback and bring to your attention a superb customer service experience that your representative Marie-Eve Lanteigne provided in your Champlain Place store in Dieppe, New Brunswick.

Last week, I accidentally tore the knee out of my R33 cargo shorts. These are the most stylish and functional shorts I’ve ever had the pleasure to wear for summer or cruisewear. I called your Champlain store concerned that I might not have the opportunity to replace them this late in the season. Not that long ago, one would be hard pressed to find anything attractive in stock, the right size or in season this time of year from any designer sportswear merchant.

Marie-Eve answered the phone, was totally empathetic to the situation and offered to call other Roots stores in the Maritimes to have a pair couriered in if available in my size and color preference. To my amazement, within ten minutes she called back advising me that a pair would arrive from your Halifax store within two business days. In my shopping experience, this is exceptional.

When I arrived to buy the replacement pair, Marie-Eve and her manager were so wonderfully accommodating, I ended up buying add-ons and spent twice the amount of the purchase price of the shorts.

I have worked in the higher-end fashion industry as well as in blue chip corporations like Xerox, AT&T and Asurion. This is exactly what merchants hope will happen on a return or drop by. Your staff represent your company very well and I wished to make you aware of this. Not all shopping experiences in this day and age are so positive or leave customers feeling this way about a company. But your staff in Moncton, Halifax and Toronto always make shopping a total pleasure and I have spent thousands in your stores because of it.

S. MacCallum
Moncton, New Brunswick