Добавить новость
ru24.net
News in English
Ноябрь
2023

From Intern to Chief Merchandising Officer, Tracy Margolies Has Been at the Center of the Department Store World for Two Decades

0

On Nov. 29, Tracy Margolies will be honored with the Hall of Fame Award at the FNAAs. Below is an article from the Nov. 27 print issue about her journey so far.

From intern to chief merchandising officer, Tracy Margolies has been at the center of the department store world for more than two decades. Through it all, her first love has always been footwear.

A force behind many of the game-changing initiatives at both Saks and Bergdorf Goodman, Margolies has been immersed in shoes since 2005, when Ron Frasch, then Saks’ chief merchant, told her he had a unique opportunity for her to carve a new path. Seizing it, the executive left Bergdorf — where she started her career — for Saks. Soon, the new VP and DMM of women’s footwear was well on her way to becoming a “shoe dog.”

“Tracy started her tenure at Saks in shoes and has been pivotal in redefining the way luxury consumers shop for footwear,” said Saks CEO Marc Metrick.

During her first stint at the department store — at a time when independent shoe designers reigned supreme and footwear was booming — Margolies spearheaded the ambitious rollout of 10022-SHOE, the footwear salon with its own zip code.

“That was a huge milestone in my career. The halo of what it did for Saks and for footwear overall, it was just a wonderful time,” she recalled. “It wasn’t just a functional category. It was fashion, and people were getting that fix.”

After racking up valuable experience at Saks, Margolies went back to Bergdorf in 2012 as SVP and GMM of beauty, contemporary 5F, footwear and handbags. She expanded her expertise in new areas of the business and, less than three years later, headed back down Fifth Avenue to become Saks’ chief merchandising officer.

Since then, Margolies played an instrumental role in the grand renovation of the Saks Fifth Avenue New York flagship, unveiled in 2019, and has championed diverse, next-gen talent through the New Wave at Saks designer accelerator program. Now she’s one of the driving forces behind the retail company’s digital transformation, and continues to oversee merchandising across e-commerce and stores. “The business is always evolving, and you have to like change,” Margolies said.

Here, the executive looks back at some defining professional and personal moments — and offers advice for the next generation of retail leaders.

Margolies with her son Reed

A Fateful Decision in College

“I studied psychology at the University of Maryland and thought I wanted to be a psychologist. One day, I went to the career center and was looking for internships. I saw one at Bloomingdale’s, in the White Flint Mall. Every week I would go — one day I would be in visual, the next day in HR, the next day in the buying office. I decided from then on that I wanted to be a buyer. I was determined from the minute I took that internship. When I graduated college, I started my career at Bergdorf Goodman as an intern, and I was there for the first 10 years.”

The Learning Years

“I remember being hands on with everything. I was like a sponge. I spent a lot of time on the floor like a shopkeeper, being a manager and looking at schedules, and really getting to know the sales associates. One of the first things I learned was how important the customer is. I loved being around products and people. I wasn’t looking at the clock or the time. It was never ‘9 to 5.’ This was something I loved to do. It was more like a hobby.”

Becoming a ‘Shoe Dog’

“Ron Frasch called me and said, ‘I have the most amazing opportunity [at Saks] for you: You’re going to be a shoe dog.’ I loved footwear. I have so many amazing memories being in shoes. Franco Fieramosca, who was at Prada for many years, took me to my first factory. It is an experience I’ll never forget.
He taught me about the quality and the craftsmanship, the soles and the lasts — everything I could ever learn about footwear. I went on a trip with Alexandre Birman in Brazil. I remember being in [the Aquazzura showroom with Edgardo Osorio and Ricardo D’Almeida Figueiredo] and learning about one of their first collections and the fringe boot. I would spend a lot of time on the floor creating our buys. I remember being with George [Malkemus] from Manolo Blahnik looking at swatches and colors and heel heights. We did that with the Christian Louboutin team, too. There’s so much emotion in footwear.”

Marc Metrick, Christian Louboutin, Tracy Margolies Getty Images for Vanity Fair/Sak

A Single Mom by Choice

“I came to the point when I had to make a decision [about my priorities], and I decided to become a single mom by choice. When I had my son, Reed, it was the best thing in the world. I was on a career path and felt very strongly about that. I wasn’t about to put it aside. I do as much as I can for my work and as much I can for my son. It’s more about the quality of time, not as much about the quantity. I’m very present when I’m with him. I try to have a very well-rounded life. I hope I can inspire other women.”

Empowering the Next Generation

“It’s so important to have passion. If you’re passionate and you love what you’re
doing, you’ll be successful. If you’re looking for something long-term, it’s not about a job, it’s about a career. Have as many different experiences as possible. I tried different categories of business and it gave me a macro perspective. Work for as many people as possible — learn the good, bad and ugly. You learn what you want to do as a manager and how you want to treat people. I live by the golden rule. I really believe that.”

The Digital Revolution

“We’re now a digital pure play [retailer], and for me, it’s been exciting to see that journey. We love our stores, but I’ve learned a lot over the past two years. It was great to think about things differently and change my mindset. When you’re too comfortable, it’s not good.”

For 37 years, the annual FN Achievement Awards — often called the “Shoe Oscars” — have celebrated the style stars, best brand stories, ardent philanthropists, emerging talents and industry veterans. The 2023 event is supported by sponsors Authentic Brands Group, Birdies, Caleres, Crocs, FDRA, Nordstrom, Saucony and Vibram.




Moscow.media
Частные объявления сегодня





Rss.plus




Спорт в России и мире

Новости спорта


Новости тенниса
WTA

WTA завершила расследование дела тренера Рыбакиной. Его отстранение оставили в силе






На нейтральной территории: названа страна, где может состояться встреча Путина и Трампа

Никита пожарник отмечают 13 февраля 2025 года по церковному календарю

Винник на Фогеля

Адвокат Винника получил подтверждение от Госдепа США об освобождении россиянина