Essay About Upscale Womens Mini-Department Store And Pay Homage

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Henri Bendel is an upscale womens mini-department store devoted to providing a boutique
experience. The store is housed in an old townhouse on fifth avenue, so one is immediately
aware that this is an iconic store and Bendels plays on this: their signature brown and white
striped shopping bag has stayed the same for years and carries the spirit of the iconic brand – the
building was granted landmark-status by Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis in the early ninetees. The
Lalique glass windows, original architecture, works of art, and staircases evoke the sense that
you are in a building with a rich history as Henri Bendel has long been a destination for wealthy
women, established in 1895. Even with this kind of recognition, Henri Bendel still feels
exclusive – many designers are up-and-coming labels that mingle with better- known designer
product. In addition to feeling exclusive, the store does have a youthful vibe despite its age.
Accessories and clothing are appealing to a younger audience – more so than Bergdorf Goodman
for example – another historic womens luxury department store. Colorful window displays and
in-store displays ad to this vibe. They are competing with local department stores that have an
equally exclusive air about them – Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys chief among them. They are
technically department stores because they offer multiple departments of merchandise, but they
are very niche in their target: Bendel focuses on expensive womens accessories, clothing and
cosmetics. Bergdorf Goodman and Barneys are larger in size; therefore Bendels has the added
challenge of maintaining its position as a premier luxury destination through marketing itself as a
unique experience. This is done through their private label – from candles to cashmere sweaters
that pay homage to its own branding, much like their shopping bag the brown stripes are key in
the presentation of these items and resonate throughout the store; and accessories that only they
carry like Beirn Chevron bags for example – obscure names that also exist in the clothing
department. While competition from Bergdorf that carries old-guard names like Gucci and