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WAR DRUMS AT KIDS' BOUTIQUE
by By RICHARD JOHNSON
with Paula Froelich and Chris Wilson
BON Jovi drummer
Tico Torres is trying to oust the designer of his clothing line
for kids, Rock Star Baby, now that it's turning a profit.
In 2000, Torres,
formerly married to supermodel Eva Herzigova, started the luxury
children's wear company with designer Cinzia Spalletti, who also
launched Halston's baby line and worked for Donatella Versace and
Giorgio Armani.
Their ad campaign
features the likes of Jon Bon Jovi and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler
holding well-turned-out tots. Last year, they staged a fashion show
at the Puck Building featuring Mick Jagger's sexy model daughter
Elizabeth and hot-blooded hotel heiress Nicky Hilton.
Since then,
the line has caught on with stores like Nordstrom, Saks, Henri Bendel
and Fred Segal. Rock Star Baby now makes healthy profits. All of
a sudden, Torres has decided he no longer needs Spalletti and is
trying to drum her out of the business.
Spalletti alleges
Torres is trying to replace her with his hot new 24-year-old Venezuelan
model wife, Malejandra, who barely speaks English and has never
had a real job in her life.
Earlier this
month, Torres, with Malejandra in tow, entered their Elizabeth Street
store/studio and yelled at the employees, "I own this company. Everyone
eats from my plate. And if you want to continue working here you
have to kiss my a- -and my wife's a- - too," Spalletti says.
After she complained,
Torres said he was shutting the company down. On Monday, things
came to a head when Torres had some henchmen change the locks on
the door.
Spalletti went
around the corner to her lawyer Robert Hantman's office, who called
police. The cops made Torres' hirelings change the locks back and
told them they could not lawfully bar Spalletti from entering.
Yesterday, Spalletti
sued Torres in Manhattan Supreme Court, alleging he has "attempted
to use his wealth, power and celebrity status to oust [me] by sheer
intimidation and force." She maintains she did all the work and
came up with all the designs while Torres merely put some money
into the business and promoted it.
Torres' lawyer,
Dorothy Weber, was in court yesterday and could not be reached.
His rep at Island Records did not have a comment.
"I'm shocked,"
Spalletti told PAGE SIX's Jared Paul Stern. "What is going on is
so totally unfair. I worked my butt off. I think the way he's acting
is really pathetic."
"Even rock
stars have to pay the price for trying to bully a young lady into
the street," Hantman says. "The company is her whole life and we
hope for a fair resolution."
(Found on an online news group.)
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