The Fifth Avenue institution marks its milestone with more than 850 exclusive styles, anniversary windows, a new Assouline book, and a season of celebrations
Bergdorf Goodman is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a season-long program spanning exclusive fashion, Fifth Avenue window installations, original content, publishing, and in-store experiences. Founded in 1901, the New York retailer is using the milestone to look back at more than a century of fashion history while emphasizing the relationships with designers, clients, and sales associates that continue to shape its identity.
“125 years is not merely a milestone, it is a testament to the enduring relevance of Bergdorf Goodman and our unwavering commitment to extraordinary luxury, unparalleled service and the customers who inspire us every day,” said president Tracy Margolies. The anniversary reflects a history that began with an atelier and evolved into one of American luxury retail’s most recognizable institutions, with Bergdorf playing an important role in introducing and supporting designers including Michael Kors, Thom Browne, Tom Ford, Brunello Cucinelli, Diotima, and Zankov.
That legacy forms the basis of the retailer’s “A Very Bergdorf’s Celebration.” A series of filmed conversations brings together figures with longstanding connections to the store, including Kate Young, Michael Kors, Candice Bergen, and Diotima founder and Proenza Schouler creative director Rachel Scott. Meanwhile, Bergdorf’s Fifth Avenue windows have been transformed in signature lavender, combining archival imagery, anniversary graphics, and Fall fashion across the women’s and men’s stores.
Fashion itself provides the centerpiece. More than 100 brands have created anniversary exclusives encompassing over 850 styles. Alaïa references the late designer’s 1982 Bergdorf Goodman show, while Michael Kors Collection marks both Bergdorf’s 125th and Kors’ own 45th anniversary with a day-to-night capsule. Akris revisits eveningwear from its archives, Libertine depicts details of the Fifth Avenue landmark, and Roger Vivier introduces a ten-piece capsule that includes a Flower Strass bag embellished with 125 crystals. Schiaparelli, Manolo Blahnik, Brioni, Brunello Cucinelli, Kiton, Creed, and Verdura are among the other participating houses.
The anniversary is also being documented in Very Bergdorf, a new Assouline volume with an introduction by Wendy Goodman. Organized around more than 80 defining moments, the book traces the personalities, fashion, windows, and creative collaborations that have contributed to the mythology surrounding the Fifth Avenue store.
Bergdorf officially toasted the milestone on September 9 with an in-store celebration attended by designers, clients, and figures from across fashion and culture, including Michael Kors, Christopher John Rogers, Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Wes Gordon, Padma Lakshmi, Nicky Hilton, and Rachel Zoe. Natalia Dyer, Bec Lauder, and Hari Nef attended in pieces from Valentino’s anniversary exclusives, while Ravyn Lenae closed the evening with a live performance.
At 125, Bergdorf Goodman’s greatest asset may be less its history than its ability to continually reactivate it. The exclusives, archival references, windows, and designer partnerships make the anniversary more than a retrospective, reinforcing the department store’s longstanding role as a meeting point between fashion commerce and fashion culture. Even the smaller touches — from a lavender delivery van to anniversary cocktails at BG Restaurant — turn the milestone into something customers can participate in rather than simply look back on.
