Neiman Marcus is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its “The Art of Fashion” campaign by making it the focus of its fall marketing.
Each year, the Art of Fashion format sees Neiman’s partner with individuals who create fashion imagery, such as photographers and creative directors, to create a multimedia presentation of the season’s most popular looks. This fall, Art of Fashion will feature photography and short films by Tyler Mitchell, as well as styles from designer labels such as Schiaparelli, Amiri, Loewe and Christopher John Rogers, available exclusively at Neiman Marcus.
“Neiman Marcus has an undeniable history of collaborating with the greatest talent, and we’re thrilled to have Tyler Mitchell join us this season to mark the next chapter of The Art of Fashion,” said Nabil Arifi, Neiman’s chief brand officer.
Art of Fashion is featured in Neiman’s catalogue “The Book” and on Neiman’s digital channels. Art of Fashion was launched in 1994 with the help of Richard Avedon, and has since included other talented artists such as Helmut Newton and Lillian Bassman.
“Choosing a photographer for the 30th Art of Fashion wasn’t an easy task,” Arifi said, “but Tyler Mitchell’s work is instantly recognizable. He really captures the romance of fashion, and his work is in museum collections. It’s been interesting[to collaborate with]an image-maker who is active in the fashion world but whose influence reaches beyond.”
Arifi said Mitchell’s affinity for the Neiman Marcus brand goes back a long way: “When I was on set with him, he said his first memory of Neiman Marcus was shopping at Neiman’s in Atlanta with his mother. That speaks to the way we treat our creative partners. We work with people who love Neiman Marcus and have a history with Neiman Marcus.”
For 29 years, Art of Fashion has used only still images. But the current campaign features photography and a 90-second film by Mitchell entitled “Extraordinary Pursuits,” which depicts a romantic Neiman Marcus store that is actually the set. The protagonist, played by actor Ayo Edebiri, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and self-expression as he searches for a new hat in the film. Other characters featured in the film include actor Colman Domingo, journalist Amy Fine Collins, models Alex Consani and Roberto Sipos, and recruiting firm Spencer Stuart executive Alexis Stiles. When asked why he chose Stiles, Arifi replied, “She’s a top client. We’d be remiss not to acknowledge that a lot of our inspiration comes from clients who have a very strong personal sense of style.”
As part of the campaign, Neiman’s partnered with Joshua Kamei, whose Instagram account @ladiesofmadisonave focuses on women with exceptional style. “He stops women on the street and interviews them about how they combine their style with the brands they love,” Arifi said. “His Instagram account is taking off.”
As part of his campaign, Kamei has taken over Neiman’s social media accounts and is interviewing people who appear in Mitchell’s films. “He has a very unique and distinctive interviewing style,” Arifi said.
Additionally, Neiman’s 3,000 stylists across the U.S. will invite customers to wear the clothes featured in “The Art of Fashion.” Events will be held in stores for customers. “This isn’t about introducing one outfit or a special bag. It’s really about helping customers find their style from head to toe,” Arifi said.
