Neiman Marcus Soars in Atlanta

Best Overall EntryNeiman Marcus AtlantaDesign: Charles Sparks + Company, Westchester, Ill.

Neiman Marcus continues to set the pace in luxury retailing with its stunning store in Atlanta’s Lenox Square Mall. The 203,960-sq.-ft. show-place was selected as Store of the Year in Chain Store Age’s 27th annual design competition. It also took top honors in the department store category. The project, designed by Charles Sparks + Company, Westchester, Ill., involved a major remodel and expansion of the existing store. A contemporary design creates an inviting, comfortably modern environment, with no hard edges. The new format was planned for ease of navigation, and uses “moments of luxury,” or places of emphasis, to move shoppers between the different areas.

Clean lines and a sense of modern sophistication inform every detail of the design. An overall palette of neutral colors and lush textures was used throughout the space. Crisp white expanses dominate the design, with surprise accents of hot-citrus hues.

Artisan lighting, introduced in several departments, enhances the mood. In the intimate-apparel area, it takes the form of hundreds of hand-twisted glass ribbons that are suspended in a large central concentric pattern. The ribbons cast a shimmering light in the space.

In the designer jewelry department, sleek glass cubes with textured hammered glass backs are suspended in floor-to-ceiling screen dividers. Vitrines and showcases are set at multiple heights and create a more animated visual horizon.

While the primary objective of the remodel was to reallocate space and re-align categories to maximize productivity, it succeeds in creating a new environment, one that enhances Neiman Marcus’ position as the premier luxury retailer in the market.