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The French Riviera’s indie innovator Simon Porte Jacquemus, 34, is today named winner of the Neiman Marcus Award for Innovation in the Field of Fashion. The French designer, who founded his independent house 15 years ago, will join fellow awardees Maria Grazia Chiuri of Dior and Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli at a ceremony to be held during Paris Fashion Week next month.
The Neiman Marcus nod comes barely a week after Jacquemus’s well-received see-now, buy-now Spring/Summer 2024 show at the Fondation Maeght in the South of France. According to Neiman Marcus, it is Jacquemus’s largest wholesale distributor in the US market — and this award signals plans for a meaningful expansion.
“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,” Neiman Marcus’s chief merchandising officer Lana Todorovich says of the designer. “We are excited to amplify Simon’s influence.”
Of his award, Jacquemus said: “It’s a beautiful sign for an independent brand and all the people working with us. We are driven by passion and creativity, nothing else… [Neiman Marcus’s partnership] really means that you can start from nowhere and succeed internationally without being part of a luxury group.”
The Neiman Marcus awards were launched in 1938, and returned in 2023 following a seven-year hiatus. Past winners include Christian Dior himself, Karl Lagerfeld (twice) and Brunello Cucinelli last year upon its relaunch. The function of the awards is to catalyse consumer buzz — what Net-a-Porter founder Natalie Massenet once termed “sizzle” — in order to distinguish Neiman Marcus within an increasingly turbulent wholesale market.
Geoffroy van Raemdonck, CEO of Neiman Marcus Group, says the awards are a key pillar of its “retail-tainment” strategy, designed to attract customers through exclusive activations and brand engagements. “Our goal is for the awards to be more than just a recognition program, but really a modernised platform focused on connecting our customers with immersive experiences and exclusive collections from our top brand partners.” The 116-year-old retail group, which was founded in Dallas, Texas, reported revenues of $4.9 billion in 2022.
Jacquemus entered the Neiman Marcus offer in Spring 2022 via handbags and small leather goods, a category in which the retailer says the brand’s sales have grown “exponentially”. Following the award, Neiman Marcus said it will “significantly” increase its distribution of the Frenchman’s brand and launch its menswear line. In a release, it elaborated: “Jacquemus will develop an exclusive expression of the brand for Neiman Marcus customers later this year.”
As well as Jacquemus, two much more venerable houses will be honoured at next month’s ceremony, due to be held at the Ritz Paris. Dior’s creative director for womenswear, couture and accessories, Maria Grazia Chiuri, will be awarded the retailer’s prize for Distinguished Service. Schiaparelli creative director Daniel Roseberry will be handed the statuette for Creative Impact.
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