Saks Fifth Avenue is reinventing its West Coast flagship experience with the unveiling of its new Beverly Hills women’s store, arguing its service-based approach is the store’s “crown jewel” as department stores attempt to come up with ways to stay relevant amid changing retail trends of the 21st century.
“Los Angeles has really become an exciting fashion destination, not just for retailers, but for our brand partners, so it all felt right for us to reopen our beautiful new women’s flagship and invest in this market,” John Antonini, director of stores at Saks Fifth Avenue, said.
The store, located at 9570 Wilshire Blvd., spans 130,000 square feet across six floors, filling the carapace of the former Barneys New York store, which shuttered in 2020 after the company filed for bankruptcy.
Saks leased the property shortly thereafter and, following a $52 million transformation in partnership with Amsterdam-based design firm Arcadis, the store welcomed customers through it refurbished doors on Feb. 8.
“Saks making the investment to reopen a 130,000-square-foot department store in an era where people are kind of writing off the department store is a big flag to put in the ground, and it’s really exciting,” said Jack Nathan, an assistant vice president at Kennedy Wilson Brokerage who specializes in high-street retail. “I think the fact that they did make that decision to have this brand-new rebound department store goes a long way in supporting the strength of Los Angeles luxury in Beverly Hills.”
The new store offers a curated assortment of women’s designer ready-to-wear, shoes, handbags, jewelry, beauty and accessories from both iconic luxury brands and emerging designers, including more than 25 brands that are new to Saks Fifth Avenue Beverly Hills, according to the fashion empire.
Service-based approach
Perhaps the most coveted element of the store lies on the fifth floor, home to Saks’ legendary Fifth Avenue Club.
The club features…
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