Neiman Marcus announces Simon Porte Jacquemus as the winner of its Fashion Innovation Award

The Neiman Marcus Award for Innovation in the Field of Fashion goes to Simon Porte Jacquemus, a 34-year-old independent innovator from the French Riviera. The French designer, who established his own independent company fifteen years ago, will attend an event next month at Paris Fashion Week alongside fellow honorees Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli and Maria Grazia Chiuri of Dior.

Jacquemus's well-received see-now, buy-now Spring/Summer 2024 exhibition at the Fondation Maeght in the South of France was barely a week before the Neiman Marcus approval. It is Jacquemus's largest wholesale distributor in the US market, according to Neiman Marcus, and this award suggests ambitions for a significant expansion.

Chief merchandising officer Lana Todorovich of Neiman Marcus says of the designer, "His talent for design and storytelling, coupled with his ability to be both playful and luxurious, has captured the attention of our new luxury clients." "We can't wait to increase Simon's impact."

"It's a beautiful sign for an independent brand and all the people working with us," Jacquemus stated about receiving his prize. Passion and creativity are our only motivators. With [Neiman Marcus's cooperation], it's truly possible to start small and achieve global success without belonging to a privileged clique.

After a seven-year break, the Neiman Marcus awards were reinstated in 2023, having first been presented in 1938. Christian Dior, Karl Lagerfeld (twice), and Brunello Cucinelli were among the previous winners when it was relaunched last year. The purpose of the awards is to create customer excitement, or what Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet referred to as "sizzle," to set Neiman Marcus apart in a wholesale market that is becoming more and more volatile.

The Neiman Marcus Group's CEO, Geoffroy van Raemdonck, claims that the prizes are a fundamental component of their "retailtainment" strategy, which aims to draw clients through unique activations and brand interactions. "Our objective is for the awards to become more than just a program for recognition; rather, we want them to be a modern platform that connects our customers with our top brand partners' exclusive collections and immersive experiences." Founded in Dallas, Texas, the retail firm has 116 years of history and recorded $4.9 billion in revenue in 2022.

Handbags and other small leather products are where Jacquemus first joined the Neiman Marcus lineup in the spring of 2022. According to the shop, the brand's sales have increased "exponentially" in these categories. Neiman Marcus announced after the prize that it will launch its menswear collection and "significantly" expand the Frenchman's brand's distribution. "Jacquemus will develop an exclusive expression of the brand for Neiman Marcus customers later this year," the release continued.

The event, which is scheduled to take place at the Ritz Paris next month, will honor not only Jacquemus but also two considerably more distinguished families. The retailer's honor for Distinguished Service will go to Maria Grazia Chiuri, Dior's creative director for womenswear, couture, and accessories. Daniel Roseberry, creative director at Schiaparelli, will receive the Creative Impact trophy.

Adapted from Vogue Business