BEVERLY HILLS, CA - April 3, 2024 - Arcadis, a leading global design and consultancy organization for natural and built assets and the team from Saks Fifth Avenue announced the completed design of the iconic retailer’s highly anticipated 130,000 square-foot West Coast flagship store on Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. The store, located in a former Barneys building, opened in February.
Arcadis and Saks collaborated on the design theme that modernizes the space at 9570 Wilshire Boulevard while honoring the past. In homage to Barneys, the exterior of the building remains largely untouched. Inside, many original features from floor tiles to wall panels have been preserved and revitalized while design influences from the Saks Fifth Avenue flagship location in New York City have been subtly incorporated to align with the brand’s design language. Vivid colors, innovative fixtures and chic furnishings transform the space, creating a new, unique personality.
Andrew Brezina, Principal at Arcadis, said: “The design challenge was to take the good bones from the existing former Barneys building and infuse the Saks brand and DNA into the space, transforming it into a highly experiential shopping destination. From signature finishes to the juxtaposition of shapes and elements, the look and feel of the space is uniquely Saks.”
Architectural highlights include the grand Regency-style marble staircase and central skylight, which are complemented by pearlescent white atrium spaces and reflective columns on each floor, ensuring ample natural light throughout the store enhancing the overall brightness of the shopping environment.
Saks is home to 30 luxury brands including Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Dior. The Fifth Avenue Club, an experiential hub available only to Saks members and their guests, offers private fitting rooms and personalized styling. Among the exclusive features available is The Terrace, an outdoor space on level 5 where VIP customers have access to a bar and private event space overlooking the Hollywood Hills. Level 4’s modern and contemporary space houses the Studio Services department which does wardrobe styling for film and television.
Saks Fifth Avenue offers visitors an upscale shopping experience featuring the most prestigious brands in the world. Classic and distinctive, the West Coast flagship store is set to become the gold standard in luxury retail with all the privileges clients have come to expect from the brand.
In New York City, Arcadis was recently selected as lead consultant on the “Future of Fifth,” a pedestrian-centered redesign of the world-renowned Fifth Avenue corridor.