Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks' New York flagship Grand Renovation are integral pieces of its new business model, creating the ultimate shopping destination in New York City with unparalleled service and merchandise. It has reimagined the department store concept with the revolutionary migration of beauty to the second floor in May 2018, allowing for the handbag and leather goods assortment to triple in size on the main floor.
The recent opening of the main floor and the completion of The Vault (see below) are the latest step in Saks' New York flagship $250 million Grand Renovation, and follows:
- L'Avenue at Saks, an upscale Parisian dining experience in store designed by Philippe Starck; the destination marks the first venture for L'Avenue outside Paris (February 2019 -see below)
- Beauty on 2, an experiential makeup, skincare, fragrance and wellness destination (May 2018)
- Jewelry on 2, the jewelry lover's ultimate destination featuring a mix of established and emerging jewelry designers (May 2018)
- L3 Designer, a one-of-a-kind destination for extraordinary fashion from around the world (September 2017)
- L5, The Collective and The Advance, a destination for fresh contemporary fashion (Summer 2017)
- L4, home to designer collections (August 2016)
- Select shops in 10022-SHOE on 8, Saks' famed shoe salon so big it needed its own zip code (2015)
Saks is set to debut the additional phase of the Grand Renovation later in 2019: men.
The design agency
In a redesign of Saks Fifth Avenue's renowned flagship, Gensler agency collaborated with the Saks Fifth Avenue Design and Planning team on blending the company's heritage with the latest innovations to redefine the customer's journey. The teams realized the new vision for the iconic ground floor by creating openings in the floor and ceiling to unite the cellar, first, and second levels. The atrium becomes a stage for interior visual elements, art installations, and live performances. Custom terrazzo flooring along with transparent and opaque high-design fixturing guides the customer down runway-inspired aisles. The women's designer floors and Fifth Avenue Club, expanded to encompass floors three and four, feature gallery-like spaces that highlight Saks' collection.
The escalator
As a centerpiece of the overhaul, Saks unveiled a new escalator created by Dutch firm OMA and designed by Rem Koolhaas. Iridescent dichroic film coating the escalators changes colors when viewed from different angles in the flagship. OMA's stair connects the ground, first and lower levels of Saks Fifth Avenue and creates a diamond-shaped atrium, with the first floor visible from the ground level.
The Vault
The Vault is a new floor dedicated to fine jewelry and watches. Located on the lower level, the new environment offers customers an exclusive, private jewelry shopping experience. The Vault houses a preeminent assortment of more than 25 brands, 20 of which are new to Saks New York, including one-of-a-kind and limited edition pieces, as well as the largest selection of men's watches Saks has ever offered.
The Vault is accessed by a Rem Koolhaas-designed escalator, creating seamless access between the recently completed main floor, as well as Beauty and Jewelry on 2. The department features six high fine jewelry shop-in-shops, eight vendor-designed watch shops, and two additional private VIP rooms. The Vault also includes the International Lounge, which offers a multilingual concierge service for global visitors, daily store tours and jewelry and watch repair services. A centrally located Exhibition Space will serve as an area to feature brand partners, guest curators, special collaborations and more.
The restaurant
Back in February 2019, Saks Fifth Avenue unveiled L'Avenue, a Philippe Starck–designed restaurant that presents vintage Parisian glamour with a contemporary edge. The restaurant, whichspan two of the upper floors of the department store and is accessible from the store's ninth floor or via a street-level entrance at 8 East 50th Street, offers two unique settings for diners —The Salon and The Chalet. Separating the space into two aesthetic zones feels on-brand for Starck, who has been known to explore a range of different styles for projects that come together in an almost dreamlike cornucopia of ideas.