If Carrie Bradshaw saw the new shoe department at New York City's Saks Fifth Avenue, I think she would go into cardiac arrest. Just last month, Saks Fifth Avenue opened its newly-remodeled shoe department. It is now on the eighth floor of the building, located at 611 Fifth Ave. This shoe department is so big and fancy it has its own zip code. Yes, that's right, its own zip code - 10022-SHOE. The massive department is a sign that shopping is becoming a luxury activity.
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Today, shopping has become more than a means of getting what you need; it has become a luxury experience. Unfortunately, this experience is limited to those who have the funds to buy all of Bloomingdales on their Black Card. Stores are beginning to realize that to attract the highest-spending customers, they need to provide the highest forms of customer service. Customer service that includes custom tailoring, closing down the store so VIP customers have the shop all to themselves, and, of course, champagne. Los Angeles shopping meccas, such as Lisa Kline and Kitson, have special "paparazzi shades" that they pull down if they decide to close a store for a celebrity to shop.
The luxury shopping market extends far beyond everyday wear. In fact, some of the most deluxe shopping is for a dress that women will wear on the most important day of their lives. Yes, we're talking about bridal-gown shopping. And the owners of the most exclusive bridal gown stores know exactly what they're doing - take Suky, the well-known and respected bridal gown store on the prestigious Main Line outside of Philadelphia. Suky specializes in high-fashion designers, such as Vera Wang, Monique Lhuillier and Badgley Mischka, and attracts wealthy customers from all over the country.
From the moment you walk through Suky's glassy front doors and into its receiving area, you realize your experience will be unlike one you would get running around the annual sale at David's Bridal. At least two sales assistants ensure their customers get everything they need, whether it is Starbucks coffee from down the road, bagels and lox or pastries from around the corner. Photographs are often taken of the bride-to-be in all of her favorite gowns, and consultation is provided based on what the bride loves and likes. To top it all off, fine champagne is served to celebrate the bride's final decision. This service comes at a price - few of the dresses in Suky are less than $10,000 and the appointments are not easy to get.
So what does it take to become a high-class, luxury shopper? Just proof that you're worth it - meaning you have a Black Card, an entourage, the paparazzi on your tail and your own dazzling personality. The fashion industry has adjusted to suit its high-class customers and is making its services more and more extravagant.
Needless to say, shopping is no longer an activity that burns off calories. It is now a luxury experience, equivalent to a day at the spa.
