Empire x Saks Fifth Avenue
Entertainment Partnership & Brand Activation · VP Fashion Director, Saks Fifth Avenue
Objective
Lead Saks Fifth Avenue's first major partnership with a TV studio — built around the Season 2 launch of Fox's Empire — extending across both men's and women's departments. Reach a culturally relevant audience the brand had not previously engaged.
Actions
Built internal alignment for the partnership across executive stakeholders, including initial skepticism about category fit. Directed a multi-platform activation across the Saks Fifth Avenue New York and Beverly Hills flagships. Designed Empire-themed window installations at both stores from September 10 through October 7, 2015. Featured Empire across the Saks Fall magalog cover and editorial, saks.com, and Saks social channels. Built the 'How to Build an Empire' consumer contest with a behind-the-scenes tour as the prize. Curated product assortments across both departments reflecting Empire's editorial aesthetic. Produced a VIP cast event with red-carpet activation along Fifth Avenue.
Results
Activated Fifth Avenue with a street-level red-carpet moment that drew crowd response. Drove cross-department engagement bridging menswear and women's. Introduced Saks to a new customer demographic the brand had not historically engaged. Generated extensive press across entertainment, fashion, and trade media — including License Global, Fashion Bomb Daily, PR Newswire, Black Film, and The Knockturnal. Established a template for future entertainment partnerships at Saks.