It’s a brand new function that the Dallas-based Neiman Marcus indicated is a part of its “merchandising and planning team transformation,” involving initiatives so as to add choices, companies and experiences past simply style.
Aiken will lead the prevailing style workforce at Neiman’s, and report back to Lana Todorovich, president and chief merchandising officer of the Neiman Marcus Group. She begins her new job on Aug. 9 and will likely be primarily based in New York, slightly than Dallas.
It’s been greater than two years since Neiman Marcus had a style director. That place was final stuffed by Ken Downing, who held the title of senior vice chairman and style director till he left the shop in March 2019 and have become chief artistic officer of the Triple Five Group, the Canadian developer working three mega retail/leisure complexes: the West Edmonton Mall in Canada, the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. and American Dream in East Rutherford, N.J.
However, Neiman’s executives stated Aiken will play a broader function all through the group, in mild of Neiman’s efforts to evolve into extra of a “luxury lifestyle platform, and to further integrate its three selling channels: stores, e-commerce and remote selling by its 3,000-plus selling associates utilizing the company’s Connect clienteling tool.” Neiman’s now refers to its style workplace as the style and life-style workplace.
Among her duties, Aiken will establish rising manufacturers and tendencies and companies throughout the style and life-style area, and collaborate with manufacturers to broaden unique partnerships, Neiman’s indicated. She will cowl all merchandise classes, males’s, girls’s and children’ included.
“We have been on a journey to find a global fashion leader who is a digital native and will help accelerate the growth of Neiman Marcus’ loyal brand portfolio with a fresh perspective,” Todorovich stated in a press release. “Lisa has a keen understanding of both luxury fashion and emerging brands, coupled with her expertise as a compelling storyteller of seasonal fashion messages and skills on digital platforms. She brings a unique perspective,” stated Todorovich.
According to Neiman’s, it carries greater than 3,000 manufacturers and 50 had been added to the matrix this spring.
There have been recurring reviews that some main designer and luxurious manufacturers have been lowering their factors of distribution throughout the retail business, together with Neiman’s, in favor of their very own shops and web sites. But earlier this week, Neiman Marcus Group chief govt officer Geoffroy van Raemdonck advised WWD that enterprise with Neiman’s high 20 manufacturers had been up roughly 35 p.c within the firm’s third fiscal quarter, which runs from February by way of April, as in comparison with 2019. He additionally stated Neiman’s enterprise is rebounding, significantly in males’s, footwear and purses, and that he sees the demand for luxurious items on the rise this 12 months. About 35 p.c of NMG’s quantity is thru e-commerce. NMG emerged from chapter final September, and now has far much less debt and higher liquidity, which might foster relationships with manufacturers and designers.
Aiken most not too long ago was the style and shopping for director at Moda Operandi. Earlier in her profession, she labored at Net-a-porter and Mytheresa. Neiman’s credited Aiken for “bringing a modernized approach for luxury brands and fashion e-tailers.” She hails from Newcastle upon Tyne within the U.Ok.
“It is a privilege to be joining such a brand at the pinnacle of luxury with a world-renowned heritage but more importantly to be at the forefront of its continued evolution during such a pivotal time,” Aiken stated in a press release.
