Looking for Cool

Fifth Avenue is humming. New stores abound. The new environments are exciting, dynamic and cool. Open glass facades capture customers’ eyes, attention and interest when they’re still across the street. New technologies, social media and interactive presentations engage customers and create relationships with them. Experiential environments take customers to another place and perhaps another time; they tell exciting and captivating stories. A plethora of mannequins meet, greet, show and sell. Sustainable design is no longer merely appreciated, but rather expected. New and exciting surface treatments are adding texture and new tactile experiences. Art work adorns retail environments, both on selling floors and in windows, from Joe Fresh to Saks Fifth Avenue.

All of this is cool … somewhat. But who knows how to connect with customers better than Saks Fifth Avenue or Ralph Lauren? Who engages them, creates relationships with them better than Saks Fifth Avenue and Ralph Lauren? Who demonstrates repeatedly that they care?

Every October for the past 15 years, Saks holds its “Key to the Cure” fundraising event to benefit local women’s cancer charities. This year, in a collaborative effort with another New York institution and their neighbors down the block, “Saturday Night Live,” they once again held their Key to the Cure campaign.

Together, they celebrated the 40^th anniversary of the renowned comedy extravaganza in conjunction with the Key to the Cure initiative. Iconic SNL cast members, both past and present, including Will Ferrell, Vanessa Bayer, Ana Gasteyer, Cecily Strong and Colin Jost, were photographed wearing Rag & Bone limited-edition designed t-shirts. All proceeds from the sale of the $35 tees go to the Entertainment Industry Foundation’s Women’s Cancer Research Fund. In addition, during the event the venerable Saks Fifth Avenue windows featured a tip of the hat to SNL and this very worthy cause. Each window portrayed an iconic cast member and the Key to the Cure logo. Since the inception of the Key to the Cure campaign, Saks has donated more than $35 million to cancer research.

Similarly, Ralph Lauren joins the fight against cancer with his worldwide Pink Pony campaign. The goal is to reduce disparities in cancer care in medically underserved communities and ensure that treatment is available at an early, more curable stage. Mr. Lauren has said, “Breast cancer is not just a woman’s issue – it affects all of us: brothers, husbands, fathers, children and friends. Pink Pony is our effort in the fight against cancer.” 25 percent of the proceeds of Pink Pony merchandise purchased in the U.S. benefit the Pink Pony Fund of the Ralph Lauren Foundation.

Now that’s cool!

Eric Feigenbaum is a recognized leader in the visual merchandising and store design industries with both domestic and international design experience.  He served as corporate director of visual merchandising for Stern’s Department Store, a division of Federated Department Stores, from 1986 to 1995. After Stern’s, he assumed the position of director of visual merchandising for WalkerGroup/CNI, an architectural design firm in New York. Currently, he serves as the chair of the Visual Merchandising Department at LIM College (New York), and was also an adjunct professor of Store Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology. In addition to being the New York Editor of VMSD magazine, Eric is a founding member of PAVE (A Partnership for Planning and Visual Education). Currently, he is also president and director of creative services for his own retail design company, Embrace Design.