The Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows are arguably the most ambitious and grand in all of New York and I am always eager to check them out. Imagine my delight when I was able to get a sneak peek a few days before they opened to the public when happening to pass by just as they were being examined by the stylists: The curtains were partially pulled back and I was enchanted by the glimpses I got of fabulous fashion and over-the-top styling. I made a trip back once they officially opened and snapped the photos below… The theme this year is animals, and each window had its own take on the theme, from Brass Menagerie to my favorite, Testing the Waters. If you’re in New York, you must really go see them for yourself—the depth and detail is hard to convey in a photo (particularly one taken on a phone). While you’re at it, step inside to take in all of the fabulous fashions. Even though it’s a store for the 1%, anyone can browse, spritz on the Tom Ford perfumes, swipe on some YSL Rouge Volupte, and feel like a million bucks.
The Kelly Wearstler designed BG restaurant on the 7th floor is one of my favorite spots in New York. Sofía Vergara could have been quoting me when she said in this month’s InStyle, “My happy place is BG, the restaurant on the seventh floor of Bergdorf Goodman. It’s all full of beautiful people… drinking good wine.” The cocktails might be a bit pricey, but a) they’re delicious, and b) to sit in that setting, with that view… Priceless.
In addition to the gorgeous window displays, the luxe surroundings, and the fantastic cocktails, Bergdorf Goodman delivers on customer service like no other. I mean, I guess if you’re paying a month’s rent on something, you’d hope they’d be polite, but in NYC retail, that’s not always the case… The Beau wanted to spoil me with a Proenza Schouler PS1 bag for our anniversary this past February and didn’t know they carried them at BG, so bought it at… Well, let’s just say it’s another midtown department store… And sadly didn’t feel good about it, as he went relatively ignored at the counter and then was treated rather rudely during checkout. He gave me the gift, told me the story, and we promptly returned the bag, then walked over to Bergdorf’s where we were fawned over and got the bag under much happier circumstances. Okay, but sales people kissing up to you when you’re buying something expensive, that shouldn’t be so rare, right? Fast-forward 8 months and the clasp of my investment bag breaks, coincidentally, in the elevator at Bergdorf’s. We brought it to the counter to see if they could recommend a repair shop, and before we knew it, they were replacing my beat-up, broken PS1 with a brand new one, right off the shelf. Now that’s customer service.
