• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, September 27, 2024

Fancy some contemporary photography with your new shoes? Saks Fifth Avenue hopes so, with the luxury department store offering 100 limited-edition prints. From a range of notable artists, the new collection is another way for the department store to flex its authority on all things luxury. Some stores are also adding a team of dedicated art advisors to provide customers with art selection services.

“Fashion and art are two highly coveted categories within the luxury space,” says Tracy Margolies, Saks’ chief merchandising officer, in the store’s announcement. "Appealing to both art enthusiasts and collectors alike, Saks is opening a new door for artists to reach a luxury audience.”

The collection is kicking off first in New York, where many works appear in the store’s windows, and in Beverly Hills. It will expand to Boca Raton, Brickell (a neighborhood in Miami), Chicago, Houston, New Jersey and San Francisco later this fall.  

Select stores will feature a pop-up gallery space that displays a curated selection of pieces and a digital catalog of the full assortment. And by scanning a QR code, people can use the “See in Your Space” feature for an augmented-reality version of the work.

The store is also splashing the images across digital channels, marketing them through email and social content.

The collection includes lithography, engraving, silkscreen printing and photography, with work from such established artists as Sol LeWitt, Eva Lootz, Alex Katz, and Christo. Some of the pieces are exclusive to Saks.

Saks, owned by HBC, is in the midst of an ownership transition. Earlier this summer, HBC announced it would acquire Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman for $2.65 billion, establishing what it is calling a “technology-powered luxury retail company” called Saks Global. That company will include the luxury retail and real estate assets of Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Off 5^th, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman. Each company is expected to continue operating as its own brand.