BERGDORF GOODMAN NYC RENOVATES ITS FIFTH AVENUE STORE

Bergdorf Goodman NYC, prestigious Fifth Avenue store, has undergone its largest renovation since the late 1990s, creating a new jewellery salon and improving customers’ shopping experience. Executive vice president Linda Fargo oversaw the project, and executed by architect Michael Neumann, the refreshed space is just as much a work of art as the jewelry showcased throughout.

The duo chose for the new decor matte and pearl grey color palette to refresh the walls and stone flooring worthy of the chic heels that would glide across it. Touches of marble, as well luxury steel and antiqued-bronze metals give the final glam to the renovated floor.

The look of the new space is refined and softly feminine. “I always like to have something old, something new,” Fargo says. “For instance, the first floor of Bergdorf Goodman will never not have a chandelier. It might be a new chandelier, but we won’t use modern light fixtures.” A private room, the walls panelled in faceted Koto wood, serves as a sort of VIP corridor for those who would like a more private shopping experience when trying on six-figure gems.

The specially created fine-jewelry viewing room provides an intimate space for customers to view the exclusive jewelry pieces on display. The room is outfitted with fabric-paneled walls, plush seats, and custom chandeliers made from rock crystal and cut crystal. In addition,Bergdorf Goodman is adding several new designers to the mix—now offering pieces from Bulgari, Piaget, Daniela Villegas, and Yannis Sergakis.

The Great Department Store Wars of 2015 know that this particular facelift is just one of many initiatives Bergdorf Goodman and its competitors have planned over the next five years — seeking to bring back the magic to businesses built on nostalgia. Saks, too, is undergoing a major overhaul, pouring $250 million into the renovation of its Fifth Avenue store. Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom are entering the New York City market for the first time in their respective histories, while Barneys New York is continuing to reposition itself with the opening of its downtown Manhattan flagship in 2016.