Winter Style with Adidas Outdoors and Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH

The Adidas Outdoors Climawarm Nuvic Jacket is just the long down jacket I was looking for. I was surprised at how lightweight this jacket is, yet how warm it is on. It's made with climawarm® technology, which keeps you warm and comfortable in cold weather. It's also easily packable to take on trips. 

The jacket has a hood, side zip pickets and a zip pocket on the left sleeve, great for stashing a metro or credit card and cash. The overlapping baffle design provides enhanced insulation. The water-resistant down still maintains warmth even when the jacket is wet. There are even heat seal inserts on the neck and cuffs to keep warm air inside.

I'm amazed at how well the XS fit. Other long down jackets I have tried either had an oversized fit or the sleeves were too long. This down jacket has a tailored fit, and since it stays insulated and warm, there's no need to wear clothing in layers with this jacket. 

This puffer jacket was the perfect outer layer to pair with a super comfy Pure Navy Plaid Curved-Hem Shirtdress in Black White and Ava & Aiden Jord Metallic Bow Detail Pumps in Gold both from Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth, and Spanx Faux Leather Leggings. 

Photos by Ari Weling

- Kim Weling

Saks Fifth Avenue Flagship Unveils New Beauty Floor

The future of beauty just opened today on the second floor of the Saks Fifth Avenue Flagship in NYC! Beauty on 2 is a one-of-a-kind destination for world-class services and luxury brands you can't find anywhere else. 

The new, 32,000-square-foot beauty space includes more than 120 color cosmetics, skincare, fragrance and wellness brands —58 of which are new to the floor. With a significant focus on experiences, the floor is approximately 40-percent larger and now includes 15 new spa rooms along with services such as medi-spa treatments, facials, massages, manicures, brow services, a flower shop and more. By moving the Beauty department to the second floor, Saks is evolving the way customers shop and experience beauty.

The Saks Store Planning and Design team, in collaboration with Gensler, spearheaded the design focusing on opening up the space, creating broad sightlines across the floor and modernizing traditional finishes that complement the brand's heritage. The team used custom agglomerate white stone flooring from Italy throughout and restored original windows facing Fifth Avenue, 49th Street, and 50th Street, allowing natural light to the floor and north and south facing views of the city.

TREATMENTS AND EXPERIENCES
Saks curated exciting treatments and luxury experiences for customers with services including:

• FaceGym, the original non-invasive facial workout, exclusive to Saks and the first shop in the United States.
• Dedicated spa rooms for CHANEL, Clé de Peau Beauté, Dior, Kiehl's Since 1851, La Mer, La Prairie, Martine de Richeville, SKINNEY MedSpa and Sisley Paris.
• Brow and lash styling by Blink Brow Bar London, CoolSculpting and laser hair removal by SKINNEY MedSpa and manicures and meditation by sundays.
• Martine de Richeville's signature slimming, deep-tissue massage, Rémodelage, —a Saks exclusive and brand-first space in the United States.
• Hand-tied floral arrangements by EB Florals, revolving around the composition of the fragrances and their seasonal availability.

BRANDS
Anchor shops Aesop, CHANEL, Christian Louboutin Beauté, Dior, Giorgio Armani, Givenchy, Gucci, Kiehl's Since 1851, La Mer, La Prairie, Sisley Paris, and Tom Ford, brought new concepts to Saks featuring the latest in technology or exclusive designs. Highlights include:

• First of its kind CHANEL spa room modeled after the CHANEL au Ritz Hotel Spa in Paris.
• Dior spa room modeled after the Dior Institut at the Plaza Athenée in Paris.
• Ex Nihilo Osmologue for demi bespoke fragrances.
• Gucci's first new beauty concept store in the United States.
• A Guerlain Parfumeur boutique offering 110 iconic creations where visitors can choose their own scent through a digital consultation and personalize their own bottle.

Nearly all makeup and skincare brands at Saks provide a selection of complimentary services, known as "Beautiful Discoveries" including mini facials, eye treatments, hand massages, makeup and skincare coaching, and more. The floor will offer exclusive fragrances from Bond No. 9, By Kilian, Clive Christian, EB Florals, Ex Nihilo, Hermès, Roja Dove and more as well as feature an Apothecary concept including a 160-square-foot curated boutique of niche beauty products and expert favorites from 30 brands. Saks Fifth Avenue will launch new and exclusives brands including Orveda's gender-neutral range with 18 highly innovative and unique products as well as Floraïku, luxury fragrance inspired by Japan, and Valmont skincare and fragrance.

SERVICE
The department boasts a dedicated concierge who can direct visitors to specific brands, shops or products and book treatments. Clients can also easily reserve services on Saks.com. SaksFirst Beauty members can pick up their quarterly rewards at the beauty concierge counter and a beauty curator is available onsite to assess a customer's skin and recommend skincare treatment options.

EVENTS
Saks New York will host a series of beauty and wellness events in its 850-square-foot flexible event space with industry influencers, ranging from noted doctors to fitness empire founders and more. The space will also host master classes, public appearances, small private gatherings and visual installations.

Saks New York is located at 611 Fifth Avenue at 50th Street, and is open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For additional information on the new location, visit the Saks New York store and events page on saks.com.

- Kim Weling

Saks Fifth Avenue Cirque de Beauté - June 25th

On Thursday, June 25, Saks Fifth Avenue’s New York City flagship invites you to experience Cirque de Beauté: a summer beauty spectacular featuring astonishing age-defying feats, irresistible indulgences and gifts galore with your beauty purchases.

Cirque-inspired talent will be featured along Fifth Avenue in front of the store windows and throughout the beauty floor to celebrate Cirque de Beauté. Highly stylized 15-minute experiential talent acts will rotate throughout the day ranging from the elegant to the avant garde. Featured entertainment will include jugglers, acrobats, contortionists, magicians, stilt walkers and an aerial birdcage to entertain customers and create conversations. In addition, complimentary circus style snacks will be served and a French jazz trio will provide live music.

Customers can preview countless exclusive new summer and fall products including Tom Ford Noir Pour Femme, Bobbi Brown 8-shade lip Palette and Lancome Grandiose Colored Mascaras and Limited-Edition Genefique, to name a few. And celebrity makeup artists will be available to share the inside scoop on summer beauty tips while your favorite beauty brands offer irresistible indulgences from complimentary facials, to hand massages to bottle engraving and beyond. 

Check out the list of Cirque de Beauté event offerings. Plus, receive an exclusive red, white and black cosmetics pouch filled with gifts with your $175 beauty purchase. SaksFirst members will also receive Double Points on all beauty purchases for the day.

WHEN: Thursday, June 25, 10 am – 8:30 pm 

WHERE: Saks Fifth Avenue New York, Fifth Avenue and 50th Street

Beauty on 5 Launch at Saks Fifth Avenue

On November 18th, Saks Fifth Avenue previewed Beauty on 5, their first permanent, one stop location for exclusive services by UK's popular Blink Brow Bar, renowned beauty brand Trish McEvoy and London-based Nails inc. The new beauty concept is New York's newest destination for beauty addicts looking for a quick glamour fix. 

Beauty on 5 allows customers to receive expert advice, host their own Beauty on 5 pamper party, shop exclusive products, and experience an artistic manicure while sipping tea and savoring a curated British menu of light snacks. 

Blink Brow Bar offers specialized services and expertise in bespoke threading, tint, lash and eyebrow services for both men and women. 

Trish McEvoy offers an exclusive menu of make-up services, access to the limited-edition Easy Smokey Eye Collection*, and for the first time ever, custom monogramming on any Makeup Planner® purchase. 

Nails inc. introduces " The Paint Shop by Nails inc", hosting a unique nail art menu designed in collaboration with celebrity nail technicians Lisa Logan and Pattie Yankee. 

Images courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue

- Kim Weling

Agent Provocateur Fatale Fragrance Launch at Saks Fifth Avenue

On Thursday, August 14th I celebrated the fragrance launch of Agent Provocateur Fatale and the opening of the Agent Provocateur Boutique on the 10th floor at Saks Fifth Avenue. 

Fatale is inspired by the 1940's Hollywood femme fatale - mysterious, seductive, sensual and elegant. Mónica Cruz is featured in the campaign imagery, embodying the ultimate femme fatale and representing intense femininity in layers of lace and figure defining lingerie. 

The bold and enticing top note of the Fatale fragrance is a striking blend of spicy Pink Pepper from Madagascar, juxtaposed with succulent Mango and exotic Blackcurrant. The heart of the fragrance is a voluptuous mix of addictive florals - heavenly Gardenia, smoky Indonesian Patchouli and violet-scented Orris Absolute. The base consists of sultry, sensual Skin Musk, creamy Vanilla Orchid, irresistible Chocolate Gourmand and leathery Spanish Labdanum. 

Agent Provocateur Fatale is available in-store and online at Saks Fifth Avenue and at Agent Provocateur Boutiques. 

- Kim Weling

Saks Fifth Avenue Fragrance Library Launch

On Thursday, August 21st, I joined Kate Oldham, Senior Vice President of Cosmetics, Fragrance, Swim and Lingerie for a preview of Saks Fifth Avenue's Fragrance Library, right before it opened to the public. 

The Fragrance Library is a concept shop that features a large-scale installation and offers an assortment of iconic designer fragrances. It is located on the 5th floor of Saks Fifth Avenue at 611 Fifth Avenue in NYC. The Fragrance Library's one-stop shopping experience features a "Fragrance Librarian" scent stylist and a "library cart" mobile gifting station with special gift-wrapping services. 

The Fragrance Library's shelves were stocked with my favorite signature designer scents including: Agent Provocateur Fatale, Balenciaga, Jimmy Choo, Narcisco EDP, Prada Candy and Tom Ford Black Orchid. Additional scents include Armani Si, Burberry Brit, Carven, Calvin Klein Euphoria, Dior J'Adore, Dolce & Gabbana Dolce, Donna Karen Cashmere Mist, Givenchy Dahlia Divin, Jean Paul Gaultier, L'eau D'Issey, Estee Lauder Modern Muse, Marc Jacobs Daisy, Michael Kors Collection, Ralph Lauren Romance and Viktor & Rolf BONBON. 

- Kim Weling