Neiman Marcus is marking 30 years of its “The Art of Fashion” campaign by making it the focus of fall marketing.
The Art of Fashion format each year pairs Neiman’s with an individual who creates fashion imagery, such as a photographer or creative director, to produce a multimedia presentation of the most sought-after fashions of the season. For this fall, The Art of Fashion features photos and a short film by Tyler Mitchell and styles from Schiaparelli — a Neiman Marcus exclusive — as well as Amiri, Loewe and Christopher John Rogers, among other designer labels.
“Neiman Marcus has an indisputable history of collaborating with the greatest talents and we are thrilled that Tyler Mitchell has joined us this season to mark the next phase of The Art of Fashion,” said Nabil Aliffi, Neiman’s chief brand officer.
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The Art of Fashion appears in Neiman’s catalogue, called “The Book,” and on Neiman’s digital channels. The Art of Fashion launched in 1994 with Richard Avedon. Subsequently, Helmut Newton and Lillian Bassman were among the other talents who participated.
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“It was not an easy task to choose the photographer to be part of the 30th edition of The Art of Fashion,” Aliffi said. “But Tyler Mitchell’s work is instantly recognizable. It really captures the romance of fashion. His work is being collected by museums. It is interesting to [collaborate] with an image maker that works within the fashion world but whose impact stretches beyond that.”
Aliffi said Mitchell has an affinity with the Neiman Marcus brand that goes way back. “When I was on set with him, he shared that his first memory of Neiman Marcus was shopping Neiman’s in Atlanta with his mom. That speaks to how we approach our creative partners. We work with people who love Neiman Marcus, and often have a history with it.”
For 29 years, The Art of Fashion utilized still photography only. But for the current campaign, there’s photography and a 90-second film entitled, “Extraordinary Pursuits,” both by Mitchell. The video depicts a romanticized Neiman Marcus store, which is actually a set. The protagonist is played by actor Ayo Edebiri, who in the film while searching for a new hat embarks on a journey of self-discovery and self-expression. Others in the film are actor Colman Domingo, journalist Amy Fine Collins, models Alex Consani and Roberto Sipos, and Alexis Stiles, an executive at the Spencer Stuart search firm. Asked why Stiles is included, Aliffi said, “She’s a top client. It would [be] remiss by us not to acknowledge that a lot of our inspiration comes from our clients who have such a strong sense of personal style.”
As part of the campaign, Neiman’s has partnered with Joshua Kamei, whose Instagram account, @ladiesofmadisonave, focuses on women with extraordinary style. “He stops these women in the street and interviews them on how they pull together their looks and their favorite brands,” Aliffi said. “His Instagram account is gaining popularity.”
Kamei is taking over Neiman’s social media account as part of the campaign rollout, and has interviewed those appearing in Mitchell’s film. “He has a very unique, specific style of interviewing,” observed Aliffi.
In addition, Neiman’s 3,000 stylists across the country are inviting clients to explore clothes featured in The Art of Fashion. Events will be held in the stores for the clients. “It’s not about sharing one garment or a special bag. It is really about helping clients find their personal style, head-to-toe,” Aliffi said.