New Saks Look

Proclaiming itself revitalized and updated for the 21st Century, luxury retailer Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises (New York) has unveiled a redesigned logo.

The new look, to be officially unveiled in January 2007 will appear in advertising, on shopping bags and in a wide array of other merchandise and marketing materials.

“Our customers can count on us as a consistent source of fashion, style and quality,” said Steve Sadove, ceo of parent company Saks Inc. (Birmingham, Ala.). “The updated logo gives us a modern look that is sure to resonate with our customers and contribute to the resurgence of Saks Fifth Avenue.”

The new mark was developed by Pentagram Design Inc. (London and New York), in an effort spearheaded by Pentagram partner Michael Bierut, graphic designer and a protégé of Massimo Vignelli, who created an ornate calligraphy logo for Saks Fifth Avenue in 1973. The refined mark incorporates an homage to that and other classic Saks Fifth Avenue script logotypes and the geometry of the perfect square, a shape that has become central to the identity of Saks Fifth Avenue, from its catalogues to its employee pins.

“Our initial point of departure was the ornate calligraphy logo created for Saks Fifth Avenue by Massimo Vignelli in 1973,” said Terron Schaefer, Saks group senior vp, creative and marketing. “The idea was to create an enduring logo for the future by drawing upon the rich heritage of Saks Fifth Avenue.”

Complementing the freshly minted logo will be a comprehensive branding program, highlighted by a signature visual vocabulary. To create it, Bierut split the logo into 64 unique square pieces, which he then re-sized, rotated and re-combined to yield a scrambled tableau that is both novel and familiar. He dubbed the squares “DNA” because they constitute the essential elements of the unique identity of Saks Fifth Avenue, reflecting both the logo and the brand.

The new visuals will appear on everything from stationery and storefronts to charge cards and shopping bags. Taking it even further, Saks is collaborating with several designers — such as Diane von Furstenberg, Christian Louboutin, Albert Kriemler of Akris, George Sharp of Ellen Tracy and the design team of Moncler — to develop unique and exclusive items, each incorporating the new DNA.

“Graphic, bold and sophisticated, the new branding initiative is not only a redesigned logo but a new visual language,” said Schaefer. “Similar to the Burberry Nova Check and the Louis Vuitton LV, it will become an enduring icon, synonymous with Saks Fifth Avenue style.”