Neiman Marcus PR and Marketing: How the Brand Sells Luxury
Neiman Marcus built its brand on publicity rather than discounts. Its Christmas Book began in 1926 as a 16-page booklet, and its Fantasy Gifts began in 1959 as an answer to a press inquiry, together turning a Dallas department store into a national name. In 2026 the brand faces a harder test: its parent Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 in January and emerged in June as Exemplar Luxury Group.
How did Neiman Marcus become a household name?
Neiman Marcus became a household name through two publicity franchises, the Christmas Book and the Fantasy Gifts, rather than through mass advertising. The Christmas Book started in 1926 as a Christmas card for the store's best customers, according to the company's 2020 announcement of its 94th edition.
The Fantasy Gifts followed in 1959. Stanley Marcus and his brother Edward, answering press questions about unusual presents, offered a Black Angus steer delivered live or as steaks, with a silver-plated serving cart. Newspapers well beyond Dallas ran the story, and the store began repeating the idea every year.
The Christmas Book marked the company's 100th anniversary in 2007, when NBC News reported it was mailed to 1.8 million people. Ginger Reeder, then a Neiman Marcus spokeswoman, said in that coverage that the gifts capture some of the fun of the holidays that adults tend to give up.
Reeder also chose the Fantasy Gifts herself while running corporate communications. She told the Dallas Observer that she had done it for 11 years, and that each big feature on the book brought a new wave of makers offering gift ideas. In a 2014 interview with KERA, the North Texas public radio station, Reeder said most Fantasy Gift items are made on consignment rather than stocked, so the store develops a gift only after choosing the idea.
What tactics define Neiman Marcus PR and marketing?
Neiman Marcus PR and marketing rests on five repeatable tactics: a collectible catalog, a headline-ready gift program, a loyalty tie-in, charity attachments and named creative partners. The table below shows each tactic with a dated example from public reporting.
Tactic
Dated example
Why it works as PR
Collectible catalog
Christmas Book first published in 1926; the 2023 edition was billed as the 97th
Gives the press a yearly event to cover and gives customers a reason to keep the book.
Headline gift program
Fantasy Gifts since 1959; the 2023 set was the 64th annual
One-of-a-kind items with large price tags invite coverage without a paid media buy.
Loyalty tie-in
In 2019, buying a Fantasy Gift with a Neiman Marcus credit card brought InCircle President's Circle membership, and an InCircle-only gift, a private-jet trip, debuted
Connects the publicity franchise to the credit card program.
Charity attachment
A portion of Fantasy Gift sales goes to the Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation, which funds youth arts experiences (D Magazine, 2015; NBC, 2023)
Adds a second story angle beyond price.
Named creative partners
2019 unveiling videos starring actress Rachel Brosnahan, plus a Jeff Staple collaboration
Famous names make an unveiling bookable for entertainment and lifestyle press.
Neiman Marcus has also taken the gifts out of the catalog. In 2015 it put five Fantasy Gifts on display at Roosevelt Field Mall on Long Island ahead of a store opening there. Spokesperson Mimi Sterling told Fortune the display was meant to create excitement beyond regular advertising and to capture holiday foot traffic.
The company has used partnerships the same way. According to Neiman Marcus's March 2019 announcement, The Art of Travel was a March-to-May collection of more than 500 exclusives, built with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Tourism Ireland, MSC Cruises and Audley Travel. In its 2023 holiday announcement, the company said it would host more than 500 events, from Breakfast with Santa to trunk shows. For comparison with other retail loyalty and brand programs, see Sephora's marketing strategy.
What happened to Neiman Marcus in 2026?
Neiman Marcus spent the first half of 2026 inside Chapter 11 and came out as one of three banners under a new parent, Exemplar Luxury Group. The path started in 2024, when Saks Fifth Avenue's parent bought Neiman Marcus Group for $2.65 billion and renamed itself Saks Global, the Associated Press reported.
The debt from that deal became the problem. Saks Global missed an interest payment of more than $100 million in December 2025, and CEO Marc Metrick stepped down in early January, according to the Associated Press. The company filed for Chapter 11 in the Southern District of Texas on January 13, 2026, with about $1.75 billion in financing commitments.
Geoffroy van Raemdonck, who had been CEO of Neiman Marcus Group before the deal, took over as CEO. Saks Global then closed the Horchow site and its five remaining Last Call clearance centers, NBC News reported in February.
The company emerged on June 26, 2026. Van Raemdonck told the Associated Press it was "a brand new day" for the three banners, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. Neiman Marcus now has 33 stores, down from 36 before the bankruptcy, while Saks Fifth Avenue has 15 and Saks Off Fifth about a dozen, according to the Associated Press.
The backdrop is weak. Bain & Co. projected in November 2025 that global luxury goods sales would shrink for a second straight year in 2026, according to the Associated Press. Women's Wear Daily reported that the company's five-year plan aims to differentiate the merchandising and marketing of Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. Rival Nordstrom's public relations history shows a different path for a department store.
Which promotions and PR ideas fit Neiman Marcus now?
Eight promotions and PR ideas fit Neiman Marcus now, and the strongest starts with the 100th Christmas Book. These are Everything-PR's proposals, not announced Neiman Marcus plans, and none depends on opening new stores.
Idea
How it works
Press hook
Centennial Christmas Book
Reprint the 1926 booklet as a gift with purchase and show the archive in stores
The company counted the 2023 book as the 97th edition, so a 2026 book would be the 100th if the numbering continues.
Fantasy Gifts open call
Invite makers to submit gift ideas through a public page and showcase finalists
Reeder said features brought makers with ideas, so a formal call turns that habit into a story.
Dallas homecoming event
Hold a heritage event in Dallas built on the 1907 founding story and the Stanley Marcus archive
Local press interest in a Dallas brand whose downtown flagship has since closed, according to UPI.
Store-by-store InCircle events
Run local events in the 33 remaining stores with local charities
Local television and newspapers cover events in their own markets; the 2023 plan already counted more than 500.
Brand partner exclusives
Announce named designer capsules sold only at Neiman Marcus
Trade press reads each named partner as a sign that vendors are shipping again.
Charity running total
Publish the cumulative amount given to the Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation from Fantasy Gifts
One verified number gives reporters a statistic to quote.
Travel capsules
Revisit The Art of Travel with tourism partners for holiday and resort seasons
Travel sections and creators use destination photography.
Gift advisor video series
Present personal gift advisors in short unveil videos, as the 2019 Rachel Brosnahan series did for the gifts
Personalized service is the focus the company named at emergence.
Sequence matters. The centennial book, the charity total and the open call need no new inventory, so they can run first while store counts and vendor terms settle.
What can other retailers copy from Neiman Marcus?
Other retailers can copy the Neiman Marcus method of turning one yearly product into a press event, though not the extravagance. The company created news on its own calendar through a catalog that arrives every year, gifts priced to be quoted, and partners whose names fit a headline.
The Neiman Marcus Christmas Book started in 1926 as a 16-page booklet, sent as a Christmas card to the store's best customers, according to the company.
What are Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts?
Neiman Marcus Fantasy Gifts are one-of-a-kind, high-priced gifts offered each year since 1959. A portion of sales goes to the Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation.
Who owns Neiman Marcus in 2026?
Exemplar Luxury Group, the company formerly called Saks Global, owns Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. It emerged from Chapter 11 on June 26, 2026.
How many Neiman Marcus stores are open?
Neiman Marcus has 33 stores after emerging from bankruptcy, according to the Associated Press on June 27, 2026. The count was 36 before the bankruptcy.
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team is the staff byline for news, analysis and features on communications, reputation, AI visibility and digital discovery. Everything-PR has published since 2009. AI tools assist with research and drafting, and every article is reviewed by a human editor before publication. Coverage follows the Editorial Policy, and substantive corrections are noted on the article under the Corrections Policy.
