What: Saks Global positions menswear growth as a key strategic priority, targeting expansion beyond its current 35% share of sales through enhanced customer experience and styling services.

Why it is important: This strategy exemplifies the transformation of luxury retail, where personal service and data analytics converge to drive growth, particularly in underdeveloped categories like menswear.

Saks Global's ambitious menswear strategy, unveiled at Pitti Uomo, represents a significant pivot in the company's post-merger evolution. The initiative aims to grow menswear beyond its current 35% share of sales across Saks Fifth Avenue's e-commerce and 70 US stores. Under the leadership of Emily Essner and Paolo Riva, the strategy emphasizes the role of personal styling and expert guidance, recognizing that male customers often prefer in-store experiences and value detailed product knowledge. The company's 3,500 expert stylists are central to this approach, providing personalised assistance for specific occasions while leveraging data-driven insights. This transformation occurs against a backdrop of significant financial challenges, including recent losses and vendor payment issues. However, the company maintains its commitment to growth through strategic initiatives, including the recent $350 million in new financing and partnerships with technology giants Amazon and Salesforce. The strategy also aligns with broader efforts to differentiate the group's retail brands while sharing customer data and insights across platforms, demonstrating how luxury retail is evolving to balance personalisation with operational efficiency.

IADS Notes: Saks Global's focus on menswear as a growth driver, announced at Pitti Uomo in June 2025, represents a strategic pivot in the company's post-merger transformation. This initiative builds upon February 2025's comprehensive reset of the multi-brand luxury distribution model, which included a 25% reduction in brand partnerships and new payment terms. The menswear strategy aligns with April 2025's broader transformation plan, which emphasised AI integration and operational consolidation to achieve $500 million in annual cost savings. By May 2025, the company had expanded its vision through a partnership with Authentic Brands Group to create a $9 billion luxury ecosystem, demonstrating how traditional retail boundaries are being redefined through strategic collaboration. This evolution from pure merchandise distribution to a technology-enabled, multi-faceted luxury platform reflects Saks Global's attempt to balance financial challenges with innovation in customer experience.

Could menswear turn the tide for Saks Global?