Beauty Advisor

Bluemercury hires head of merchandising. Macy's beauty unit taps ex-Bloomingdale's exec Stacie Borteck Dattner for post. 11 minutes ago October 9, 2026 Bluemercury (New York) a luxury beauty retailer and Macy's, Inc. nameplate, has hired Stacie Borteck Dattner as VP/General Merchandise Manager, effective Oct. 12. In that role, Dattner will lead Bluemercury's merchandising strategy, proprietary brands and vendor marketing, the retailer said in a news release. Dattner joins Bluemercury following nearly two decades at Bloomingdale's, where she held a range of senior merchandising and leadership roles, including seven years leading its Beauty and Fragrance Division. Most recently, she served as Senior Principal, Strategic Capital Planning and Brand Integration, with a focus on capital strategy, major store projects and brand integration initiatives. In her new post, Dattner will report directly to Bluemercury CEO Alexandre Choueiri. "As we define the next chapter of Bluemercury, Dattner's expertise will be instrumental in sharpening our point of view on luxury beauty, shaping our assortment and strategy, and creating an even more distinctive experience for our clients," said Choueiri. Macy's bought Bluemercury in 2015, at which time it had nearly 60 stores. Today, the brand has grown to about 180 locations, with the biggest concentrations in California, New Jersey and New York. Drawing on more than 125 years of history serving the retail design market, VMSD magazine provides retail professionals with the most up-to-date, innovative retail design ideas and industry news through its industry-leading magazine, website, social media channels and bulletins. Featured video. MasterClass: 're-sparkling' retail: using store design to build trust, faith and Brand loyalty. HOW CAN WE EMPOWER and inspire senior leaders to see design as an investment for future retail growth? This session, led by retail design expert Ian Johnston from Quinine Design, explores how physical stores remain unmatched in the ability to build trust, faith, and loyalty with your customers, ultimately driving shareholder value. Presented by: Ian Johnston Founder and Creative Director, Quinine Design You may like.

Bloomingdale's tries creative way to lure shoppers back. By Fernanda Tronco TheStreet Updated September 26, 2026 9:28 AM Gift Article Store closures have become increasingly common among retailers as they shrink their footprints to adapt to changing consumer habits and rising costs. Coresight Research projects that 7,900 stores will close in 2026, while 5,500 stores will open, resulting in an estimated net loss of 2,400 stores among chain retailers. Founded in 1861 in New York City, Bloomingdale's is an upscale American department store chain known for its designer labels, luxury goods, and signature "Little Brown Bag" shopping bags. Owned by Macy's, Inc. (M), Bloomingdale's has maintained a fairly stable footprint compared to many retailers, The Wall Street Journal reported. Still, the luxury department-store chain knows the importance of giving consumers ongoing reasons to visit in person. Now, Bloomingdale's is joining a major retail trend by transforming its stores to create new shopping experiences. Bloomingdale's creates immersive experiences to bring customers to stores. Bloomingdale's has partnered with The Ritz-Carlton to transform its New York City 59th Street flagship into Hotel Bloomingdale's, an immersive in-store shopping experience running through Oct. 19, 2026. Hotel Bloomingdale's combines The Ritz-Carlton's hospitality with Bloomingdale's fashion, beauty, wellness, home, and travel brands to encourage product discovery. As part of the launch, Bloomingdale's is unveiling Late Checkout: A Ritz-Carlton Story, featuring a curated assortment of more than 55 brands, including 14 that are new to Bloomingdale's. The assortment is organized into five hotel-inspired destinations: Travel, The Spa, Room Service, Souvenirs, and Newsstand. The experience also includes dedicated windows, pop-ups, activations, and an exclusive 26-piece AQUA x Nicky Hilton collection for women and kids. The immersive experiences showcase some of Bloomingdale's most popular brands and include: * Studio 59: A Ritz-Carlton-inspired hotel bar with destination-inspired cocktails influenced by iconic Ritz-Carlton properties. * La Prairie Spa: A limited-time spa residence and retail experience by La Prairie. * Nespresso Coffee Bar: A luxury hotel lobby café offering premium coffee beverages by Nespresso. * Abbode Customization: Complimentary embroidery for Abbode purchases. For customers unable to visit the Bloomingdale's 59th Street flagship, the retailer will also bring the KILIAN PARIS Bar experience to select stores. The art deco-inspired hotel lounge experience will offer specialty cocktails, mixology classes, immersive fragrance consultations, custom bottle engraving, and complimentary fragrance samples. "We're giving customers new ways to discover, explore, and experience Bloomingdale's through unexpected moments, meaningful interactions, and a dynamic mix of fashion, beauty, wellness, and lifestyle," said Bloomingdale's VP Integrated Marketing Kevin Harter in a company announcement. Retailers host unique experiences to encourage in-store shopping. Bloomingdale's is not the only retailer transforming its stores and creating experiences designed to encourage customers to shop in person. Its parent company, Macy's, has used experiential events as part of its retail strategy for decades. The company hosts major annual events, including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Santaland at Macy's Herald Square, Macy's Fourth of July Fireworks, and Macy's Flower Show. In 2025, JCPenney debuted the first-ever official iHeartRadio Jingle Ball 29-piece apparel collection in partnership with iHeartRadio's long-running holiday concert series. Target has also experimented with more experiential elements in its stores, including seasonally themed displays and decorations, seasonal products and collections, and promotional content across its social media channels. These examples reflect a broader effort among retailers to give shoppers new reasons to visit physical locations. Why retailers are investing in immersive experiences. Retailers' investment in immersive experiences comes as physical stores increasingly function as marketing platforms and experiential destinations alongside their traditional role as places to shop. Experiential retail is a strategy retailers are using to give consumers unique and memorable reasons to visit physical stores that complement what they can experience online. This is one reason brands continue to invest in flagship stores, which are typically larger than standard locations and may feature distinct architecture and design, exclusive merchandise, events, and hospitality experiences. Fernando Aguileta de la Garza, a communications, branding, and fashion culture expert with Elle Education Business, said flagship stores can enhance a brand's image while creating opportunities for direct communication with consumers. "An effective flagship store attracts new customers and keeps the current loyal ones hooked to the brand. The aim of a flagship store is to stimulate the emotional sensations and physical attributes that the brand possesses and showcase them to the customer." Despite ongoing store closures, brick-and-mortar retail remains a significant part of consumer spending. Physical retail accounted for approximately $14.4 trillion of the $18.9 trillion in total retail sales in 2025, according to Euromonitor research cited by EY. That helps explain why retailers such as Bloomingdale's are experimenting with ways to make physical stores destinations rather than simply places to complete a transaction. By combining shopping with hospitality, events, services, and other experiences, retailers are seeking new ways to make the in-store experience more distinctive for consumers. The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc. This story was originally published September 26, 2026 at 9:17 AM.