65 department managers from around the country flew to New York for a three-day seminar to be introduced to the Saks Fifth Avenue Men’s Collection. On Monday morning, the retailer staged a fashion show for around 130 executives on the sixth floor of its flagship store.
The private brand is arguably the most important launch at the store for the fall season. In the works for nearly two years, The Mens Collection encompasses all categories of men’s product — everything from ties, shoes and socks to suits, cashmere sweaters and outerwear. It’s also the first sign of a new company initiative to bolster private label and proprietary brands.
“It’s a fashion collection, not just dumb-dumb basics,” said Eric Jennings, men’s fashion director.
Jennings believes the collection also will attract a new customer, one that might have been intimidated to shop Saks in the past. “There are guys who see us as too expensive and trendy, but this makes us more approachable.”
Tom Ott, senior vice president and general merchandise manager of men’s said Saks started looking at creating its own collection in 2007. “We saw a void in the marketplace as the better Italian collections kept raising prices, and we also had a call from our customers and sales associates for Saks Fifth Avenue product,” he said. Although Saks had always had private label goods in men’s, they were primarily classification-oriented and “not pulled together,” he continued.
The comprehensive line will be offered in each of the 48 Saks stores.
The collection was a joint effort between Saks’ men’s merchant team and consultant Peter Rizzo, a men’s wear veteran whose career includes stints at Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman Men, Polo Ralph Lauren and I.C. Isaacs.
The collection will be featured in the store’s Fifth Avenue windows on Aug. 19 and also will be a significant part of Saks’ fall advertising and marketing campaign.