The legendary and fashionable New York department store, Bergdorf Goodman is a treasure trove of all things exquisite. Among organised retail spaces, it is at the top for luxury marketing. For those who walk in through its doors, it is like walking into a treasure trove. So it is but natural that brands aspire to be here. Yes, everyone wants to be at Bergdorf Goodman, but not everyone is able to make it here. Yet, five Indian brands – Janavi India, MUNNU by Gem Palace, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Verandah and VAK – have been able to make it here and more importantly, continue keeping their space.
So why does everyone want to be at Bergdorf Goodman (BG)? Once you walk into Bergdorf, everything you will buy there will be special, right from the home shopping section to the Café on top floor. It’s a big window to the world. Growing up, Anjali Patel Mehta had been regaled by stories of Bergdorf Goodman by her grandmother. Though Patel Mehta had visited the United States as a child, she didn’t really understand what her grandmother meant by BG being “a very authentic place for unique global finds” until she stepped into the store when she was 17 years old. “I had the benefit and the privilege of actually seeing what `global luxury finds’ mean,” says Anjali Patel Mehta, founder, Verandah. “Bergdorf has great storytelling, it has a very inimitable style and is a very much curated taste of the best global fashion and vintage finds and one-offs much like Ali Baba’s treasure trove. It has been my favourite store of finds,” she says. “My grandmother would tell me if you can ever afford it, buy one jacket from there when you grow up,” she adds.
“It’s a great show window,” says Jyotika Jhalani, founder Janavi India. Patel Mehta agrees. “Royalty shops there. North Americans, South Americans, Westerners and Indians, everyone. I see it as a window to the world,” she says. According to Vishal Kothari, founder and designer of VAK, “Bergdorf has an amazing clientele – not just the chic New York locals, but incredible clients from all over the world. It is so legendary that Arabs from all the four GCC countries, Londoners and even wealthy Indian travelers come here. They also attract high-end tourists who make one off purchases,” says Kothari.
Unlike traditional jewelers who rely on established clientele visiting their boutiques, Bergdorf’s legendary reputation draws a diverse range of discerning clients. This unique dynamic provides an unparalleled platform for brands. “It’s different here – you get these one off clients who come and buy. That’s’ something you don’t see in traditional standalone stores,” he adds. “I think if you are creating a unique product, or kind of the best in class product, it (BG) is hands down the best large format store in the world. I think of it like the top of the totem pole,” says Patel Mehta. The areas within it are well curated like shop in shops so everyone finds what they need and they have a great team of personal shoppers who assist.
About Bergdorf Goodman
Founded in 1899 by French tailor Herman Bergdorf, the company was renamed Bergdorf Goodman in 1901 after Bergdorf’s apprentice, Edwin Goodman of Lockport, New York, bought part ownership in the business. By 1914, Goodman became the first couturier to introduce ready-to -wear, making Bergdorf Goodman a destination for American and French fashion. In 1928, Goodman erected the current Beaux Arts Style building on Fifth Avenue between 57th and 58th Street, which had previously been the location of Cornelius Vanderbilt II’s family home.
In the early 1950’s, Goodman’s son Andrew took over the business, and eventually sold it in 1972 to what would become the Carter Hawley Hale Stores, which also owned a store called Neiman Marcus. Then in 1987, the two brands were spun off into the Neiman Marcus Group. In 1990, Bergdorf Goodman moved its men’s business across the street to make way for more women’s fashion. In 2002, the building underwent major restorations including a restoration of the main floor of the women’s store. The following year, in 2003, the store introduced new boutiques for Chanel, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent. The Bergdorf Goodman’s men’s store features Loro Piana, Kiton, Brunello Cucinelli, John Lobb, Thom Browne to mention a few.
Over the years, Bergdorf has become a destination for the chic set. Anyone walking down Fifth Avenue in New York will recall the stores iconic windows, which are more than a marketing tool – they are a heady mix of art, advertising, fashion and fantasy.
It isn’t easy for any brand to get their products in to Bergdorf. The brand has to be invited in. The store has various business models which it follows with its brands. Many designers and brands are brought in for pop-ups. These brands are observed to see how the store customers accept the brand, and whether there is a fit between the brand and the store. “It is almost like a three-week audition,” says Kothari. While the pop-ups help to keep churning the footfalls, a residency is a sign of stability for the brand.
Indian brands at BG
Jyotika Jhalani’s Janavi India was the first Indian brand at BG. According to Jhalani, the luxurious shawl, scarves and stoles brand has been at BG for 14 years and still counting. “Bergdorf never really carried embroidered scarves. We had created a Bohemian collection which gave a completely new look to the scarves that Bergdorf carried. We were the first in the category. Each year our scarves have become more and more diverse,” says Jhalani. “We have a great display and the clients are constantly looking for new edits to add to their timeless pieces. We would always be sold out,” she adds. Personlisation of accessories plays an important part in holding the clients’ interest. For Janavi’s Pet Project in 2019 and 2023, clients could personalize their shawls or blankets with hand-embroidered immortalisations of their favourite furry friends. According to Jhalani, the Pet Project was well received.
On one of Linda Fargo’s trips to India, Jaipur based Gem Palace’s Siddharth Kasliwal met Fargo, the head of the fashion department at Bergdorf. “We discovered that we had many mutual connections and shared a similar vision for Gem Palace and its potential at Bergdorf. I have long admired Linda’s impeccable curation at Bergdorf, where she has shaped the fashion landscape for over 25 years. Our conversation naturally aligned around the idea of a collaboration between our brands – Gem Palace at Bergdorf. It felt like a perfect match of two timeless institutions,” says Siddharth Kasliwal of Gem Palace. “Bergdorf’s reputation for curating the finest in fashion, accessories, and lifestyle resonates deeply with Gem Palace’s heritage and clientele. Many of our clients who shop at Gem Palace also turn to Bergdorf for their luxury needs—whether it’s clothing, handbags, or other accessories—making it a natural synergy,” he adds. MUNNU by Gem Palace has been at BG since October 2019 with a permanent residency.
The Gem Palace’s Kasliwal family have been the crown jewelers to the Maharajas of India since the mid-18th century. Munnu Kasliwal, co-owner of the Gem Palace, was a jewelry maker who created opulent designs. After his death, his son Siddharth Kasliwal launched a collection as a tribute to his late father.
Having already entered the US market in 2018-19, yet covid played spoil sport for Patel Mehta’s Verandah. In 2021, Patel Mehta relaunched Verandah in Miami post covid. They caught Bergdorf’s eye. “We launched with Bergdorf with our Jharoka collection, Resort ’22 and grateful that we haven’t dropped a season yet. They’ve been quite good to us,” she says. “Even though we had all our certification it took us a 1 ½ years to get onto their Conscious Curation edit,” she adds.
Around this time, designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee started his journey at BG in 2022 when he was invited to do a pop-up of his then new jewellery line. In 2023, he was given a window to showcase the brand’s ready-to-wear collection, a big deal for any brand to get one. In November 2024, the brand was given a dedicated space on the sixth floor of the store for its collection of ready-to-wear, jewellery and accessories. According to Sabyasachi, Bergdorf Goodman has been a key supporter and partner of his brand for many years. “It is a privilege to now bring the entire world of Sabyasachi to a dedicated space encompassing clothing, accessories and jewelry. This presentation marks a special moment where the best of India meets New York’s finest emporium,” says fashion designer, Sabyasachi Mukherjee.
Kothari’s journey with BG began in September 2022, when he was invited for a three-week pop-up in their fine jewelry room. “We did pretty decently, so they were confident about VAK. They wanted to have something long term after that,” he says. Following the success of his initial showcase, VAK was invited for a three-month Fall residency and placed in BG’s Curated Jewel Room for the Fall-Winter 2023 season. “This was our best period,” says Kothari. “We sold really well during the Fall-Winter season. With 25 pieces showcased in the vitrine, VAK achieved impressive results – selling nearly 50 per cent of the collection, both in-store and through orders, by the end of the six month period,” he adds. The strong performance led to another extension, taking VAK into the Spring-Summer 2024 season. For this, BG encouraged the launch of a new collection and Kothari introduced the `Shattered’ collection, VAK’s modern take on fine jewelery that embodies the beauty of fragmentation.
Constant re-evaluation
Once in, there is a constant re-evaluation of the brand’s collection. They want to know who you are, your setting, your quality, who is your customer, and where else do you retail. “Quality to craftsmanship, distribution adjacencies are also considered. They like exclusive, and high quality products. If you are over distributed, you need to be a very well-known brand,” says Patel Mehta.
Where in the store the brand is located in BG is also very important. The Bergdorf windows are iconic. MUNNU be Gem Palace and Sabyasachi have been the two Indian brands to have had the privilege of having a window for their brands. MUNNU by Gem Place and VAK are both showcased in the jewelry salon, a space dedicated to luxury fine jewelry. “We share the space with esteemed brands like Boucheron, Buccellati, and David Webb,” says Kasliwal.
Janavi is on the ground floor in the Accessories section, next to the hand bags. Sabyasachi and Verandah are on the sixth floor. While Verandah is in the Getaway section, adjacent to brands such as Etro, Missoni, Erdem JoAnn Ortiz and other brands, Sabyasachi has its own dedicated space to showcase the designer’s collection.
As Bergdorf is all about special finds, Linda’s Shop is a space where sometimes a brand gets featured. According to Jhalani and Patel Mehta, both their respective brands, Janavi and Verandah pieces have been featured in Linda’s Shop. Linda’s Shop is a space on the fourth floor created and curated by Linda Fargo, fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman.
Once in at BG, what does it take to continue being at BG? According to Patel Mehta, “One has to be able to maintain a sell through and have a strong understanding of your brand’s customer. It is as important to take feedback stores like them have to give designers,” she says. Janavi’s Jhalani agrees. “The brand needs to maintain its DNA while constantly showing fresh and innovative product,” says Jhalani.
Kothari describes his partnership with Bergdorf as amazing, and emphasizes the support the store provides. “It’s very important when there are 100 brands in one place. Bergdorf has been a strong supporter of VAK, which makes all the difference,” he says. Beyond sales, being at Bergdorf offers VAK a global stage to reach new and diverse audiences. “Just being at Bergdorf is a big plus for any brand. It validates the quality of our products,” says Kothari, recounting how a client at his Mumbai atelier remarked that VAK’s presence at Bergdorf reassures her of the brand’s quality. This validation extends globally particularly with clients from the Middle East. “When the Royal families of the Middle East see that VAK is at Bergdorf, they recognize the quality of my product. That is another major benefit of being at Bergdorf – it will open the door for customers to at least come and see the stuff,” says Kothari.
According to Patel Mehta, Verandah’s direct to consumer clientele has also strengthened in part due to discovery at Bergdorf. “Many of the 1 per cent in India shop there through personal shoppers, so funnily enough our profile in India went up when we started stocking at Bergdorf. But it is important to get that validation and provenance,” she says. Moving ahead, Verandah will be doing their first trunk show at BG later this year for having three years of provenance with the store.
While these select niche Indian brands have been able to make it to Bergdorf, here’s hoping that they continue to maintain their spot in this iconic retail establishment. Will we see more Indian brands at BG? “The way luxury in India is poised, there are opportunities for based in India designers and brands to have a global presence. We have such amazing product. On market trips abroad I do share anecdotally that Indian luxury customers are sometimes the hardest people to please. Because we have access to almost everything and can create anything. So luxury is actually sitting in Bombay at exclusive trunk shows. That’s discovery,” says Patel Mehta.