Neiman Marcus to honour Simon Porte Jacquemus

American luxury department store Neiman Marcus has announced that Simon Porte Jacquemus, founder and creative director of Parisian contemporary fashion label Jacquemus, will be honoured with the Neiman Marcus Award for Innovation in the Field of Fashion.

Jacquemus is being recognised for “ingenuity and vision,” explained Neiman Marcus in a statement, and for being a leader with "significant social currency who has defined the cultural agenda and captured the fashion industry with a revolutionary approach” to building an independent brand.

Geoffroy van Raemdonck, chief executive officer at the Neiman Marcus Group, said: "Simon is a once-in-a-generation innovator whose vision, design skills, and business prowess have resulted in one of fashion's most imaginative brands that has quickly resonated with our customers.

"Neiman Marcus shares his pioneering, experience-driven strategy with over-the-top moments like fantasy gifts and 'retail-tainment' activations to create magic for our customers."

The luxury retailer added that Jacquemus challenges the status quo with his “distinct show presentation, marketing, and merchandising tactics,” like the larger-than-life Jacquemus handbag-cars, which were seen zipping through the streets of Paris last spring, and his autumn/winter 2023 show set against the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles and the 'Jacquemus 24/24' vending machine pop-ups.

Lana Todorovich, chief merchandising officer at Neiman Marcus, added: "Simon has built a powerful brand rooted in French spirit with stunning fashion that intimately connects with his engaged brand loyalists.

"His talent for design and storytelling, coupled with his ability to be both playful and luxurious in his design, has captured the attention of our new luxury clients. Neiman Marcus has a long history of empowering talent, and we are excited to amplify Simon's influence and bring his coveted designs to our customers."

Neiman Marcus Awards to honour Simon Porte Jacquemus, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Daniel Roseberry

Neiman Marcus brought back its annual awards programme last year and added two new categories for innovation and creative impact to its Innovation in the Field of Fashion accolade to support the integrated retailer's growth strategy, ‘Revolutionising Luxury Experiences’.

Jacquemus will be honoured alongside Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri and Daniel Roseberry from Schiaparelli, who were previously announced as the recipients of the Neiman Marcus Awards for Distinguished Service and Creative Impact, respectively. The three will receive the honours during Paris Fashion Week on March 3 at the Ritz Paris.

Commenting on the honour, Jacquemus said: "I am really happy to receive the Neiman Marcus Award, it's a beautiful recognition for the brand and my team. As an independent designer, I was always keen on being innovative and creative in the design of my collections and also in my communication.

“It's always about communicating and creating experiences with our community in a unique way. Jacquemus was always supported by the American market, and especially Neiman Marcus since many years. I warmly thank Neiman Marcus team for this great support and this award."

As part of the honour, Jacquemus will also develop an exclusive “expression of the brand” for Neiman Marcus customers later this year to support the retailer's "retail-tainment" strategy.

In 2023, the Neiman Marcus Awards were won by Jonathan Anderson, Amina Muaddi and Brunello Cucinelli. Anderson, creative director of Loewe and his standalone label JW Anderson, received the Creative Impact in the Field of Fashion, accessories designer Muaddi was awarded the Neiman Marcus Award for Innovation in the Field of Fashion, and Cucinelli was the recipient of the Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion accolade for his profound influence on luxury lifestyle fashion.