Saks Fifth Avenue 2026 holiday campaign is looking to exude some “Main Character Energy” in and around its historic flagship in Manhattan.
The campaign, which launched Tuesday, follows a group of friends holiday shopping away from the hustle and bustle typically associated with hunting for gifts during the season. Each vignette in the campaign is playful and “captures the delight of sharing holiday traditions with those closest to you…and the spirit of discovery,” Saks said as it revealed the campaign.
Saks also plans to unveil its holiday windows and stage its light show at the flagship on Nov. 23, an extravaganza that typically features a performance on Fifth Avenue blocking traffic, and drawing a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd of thousands. The flagship is located at 611 Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets. The show will be presented by Bread Financial, the official payment sponsor of Saks’ 2026 holiday season.
Six of the windows along the facade of the flagship will depict a holiday journey through New York City with animation. Additional gallery windows will capture elements from the holiday campaign and display fashions. In 2024, Saks canceled the show to cut costs, but the event was picked back up last year.
Holiday campaigns are always important for motivating consumers to shop, showcasing what’s new for the season and a store’s seasonal trappings, and for fueling business through the critical fourth quarter. This year at Saks, its holiday campaign takes on heightened significance considering the retailer, along with its sister Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores, emerged from bankruptcy in June with new owners and management, as well as a healthier balance sheet and fewer locations. Now Saks and its sister brands need to show they’re back on track — and competitive — as they cater to consumers with an appetite for luxury. Holiday will be a major test of customer perception.
Additionally, it’s important for Saks to shine a brighter light on its Manhattan flagship. It now represents a much bigger percentage of the overall Saks business, which shrank from 33 to 15 stores during the bankruptcy.
“Saks Fifth Avenue brings the magic of the holidays to life through extraordinary luxury offerings, personalized service and a spirit of joy and discovery that delights our customers,” said Darcy Penick, president and chief commercial officer of the Exemplar Luxury Group, in a statement. ELG is the new owner of Saks as well as Neiman’s and Bergdorf’s. “With their distinctive tastes and desires at the heart of our approach, we’ve thoughtfully curated our holiday assortment and experiences to inspire every celebration.”
Directed and shot by Nadine Ijewere, the “Main Character Energy” campaign features a stylish cast of creative personalities including Ruby Lyn, Stella Jones, Solange Smith, Luna Yohannan, Divine Mugisha and George McNally moving through the store, discovering gifts for their family and friends and shopping for themselves. According to Saks, the campaign depicts how different levels of the store offer something unforeseen.
“With Main Character Energy, we wanted to capture the joy and magic of the holidays — the unexpected discoveries, moments of delight and sense of possibility that make this time of year so special,” said Cheryl Han, ELG’s chief marketing and digital officer. “Bringing that spirit to life across Saks, from our Fifth Avenue flagship to saks.com, gives us an opportunity to make holiday shopping feel inspiring, playful and full of surprise, inviting our customers to celebrate, find something extraordinary and create memorable moments of their own.”
The Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Gift Guide offers party outfits for women, holiday dressing for men, as well as beauty products, and gifts priced under $200, among other products.
The flagship has set up a holiday market with an assortment of holiday decor, gifts, epicure, snow globes and items sourced from around the world. The format also has some whimsical touches including a life-size Santa and dancing penguins.
Bread Financial will extend the holiday celebration beyond Fifth Avenue with a series of events at select Saks locations.
Saks’ holiday campaign also will support Make-a-Wish through fundraising activity.