Saks to grow Fifth Avenue Club format in major markets

Saks Fifth Avenue is bringing its luxury personal shopping and styling service to a wider audience through new standalone locations.

The upscale department store retailer plans to have 20 standalone locations by yearend. The concept, which offers personal shopping and styling appointments in addition to special events and trunk shows, is typically located inside existing Saks Fifth Avenue stores. 

The expansion comes one year after the launch of its Fifth Avenue Club concept of private standalone suites in hotels and resorts across the United States. The newest Fifth Avenue Club location opened this week in Austin, Texas, and additional openings are scheduled throughout the summer in Fort Worth, Texas, St. Petersburg, Fla. and Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., building on recent openings in Savannah, Ga., Denver and Minneapolis.

"The success of our standalone Fifth Avenue Club suites illustrates that luxury clients are increasingly seeking one-on-one fashion expertise tailored just for them,” said Larry Bruce, president of Saks Fifth Avenue stores. “Since the introduction of this concept last year, we are proud to have cultivated a new, engaged client base and a skilled stylist team that delivers one-of-a-kind personal shopping and styling tailored to the unique lifestyles of our customers within each community. We look forward to continued expansion of the highly personalized service and the expertly curated luxury assortment that Saks is known for to even more clients across the U.S.”

Through the Fifth Avenue Club, clients connect with a stylist for a consultation to discuss style preferences, wardrobe needs, sizing and designer preferences. Women’s ready-to-wear is the leading category amongst visitors to the suites.

Saks Fifth Avenue says it leveraged insights from existing customers to identify high-potential markets to expand the Fifth Avenue Club to new locations. The openings also further Saks Fifth Avenue’s continued partnership with leading luxury resort operator Marriott International and its portfolio of brands including The Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis Hotels & Resorts, where nearly half of the locations are located.