Bergdorf Goodman names Lanessa Elrod president as Tracy Margolies steps aside

Bergdorf Goodman has named Lanessa Elrod its new president, poaching her from Louis Vuitton Americas where she served as president and chief executive. The change is effective Monday, and Elrod succeeds Tracy Margolies, who moves to executive adviser at parent company Exemplar Luxury Group.

The return of Elrod marks a homecoming of sorts. Her early career ran through ELG's banners: she was a ready-to-wear buyer at Neiman's from 1997 to 2003, then at Saks from 2003 to 2005, before becoming senior buyer for handbags and accessories at Bergdorf's between 2005 and 2010.

From Saks she joined Louis Vuitton, spending almost 14 years there in several capacities and rising to president and CEO of Louis Vuitton America, a post overseeing the maison's business across the U.S., Canada and Latin America. She left Vuitton in May 2024.

Exemplar Luxury Group, which also operates Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, positioned the hire as a continuation of its strategic plan. Margolies had held the Bergdorf presidency only since December 2024, and served before that as chief merchandising officer at Saks.

Margolies will report to Geoffroy van Raemdonck, ELG's chief executive, who described Bergdorf Goodman in a statement as a crown jewel and a catalyst for identifying and nurturing designer talent. He said Elrod's appointment advances the group's strategic priorities and strengthens Bergdorf's standing as the pinnacle of luxury.

What Elrod brings

Elrod is credited with leading a period of substantial growth and innovation at Louis Vuitton Americas, and with cultivating customer relationships that ELG expects to matter as the retailer looks ahead. The company praised her customer-first philosophy and deep industry relationships in its announcement.

Elrod herself said she is joining ELG at a pivotal time. Bergdorf Goodman played a defining role in her career, she said, so returning as president is especially meaningful. She pointed to the store's creativity and distinctive point of view, and pledged to build on its legacy while deepening personal connections with customers.

She promised to bring the store's spirit of discovery to life in new ways. Elrod also plans to work alongside brand partners to shape Bergdorf's next era, a promise that lands at a retailer built on cultivating new designer names and anticipating what its customers want before they ask.

Margolies moves upstairs

As executive adviser, Margolies will report directly to van Raemdonck and work across Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman. The company said her deep institutional knowledge and leadership experience would drive progress on its key priorities, phrasing that frames the move as continuity rather than departure.

Margolies has spent more than 30 years in leadership roles at Saks and Bergdorf Goodman. In her statement she said leading Bergdorf's had been one of the greatest honours of her career, and that she looked forward to helping shape the next era of luxury retail from her new advisory post.

Elrod was not available to comment further on her new job. But the company indicated she and van Raemdonck will develop strategies together to rev up the business, an agenda that follows a difficult chapter for the group's ownership structure.

A new chapter after bankruptcy

The appointment comes after the then-parent company Saks Global filed for bankruptcy in January and emerged from Chapter 11 court proceedings last June with a healthier balance sheet and a new name, the Exemplar Luxury Group. Bergdorf's emerges from that process intact and repositioned for what Elrod inherits.

The storied emporium maintained its standing as one of the most elegant stores in the world through both bountiful and challenging times, as the retailer put it. This autumn Bergdorf's marked its 125th birthday by filling its women's and men's stores with designer exclusives and exhibits chronicling its creativity.

The milestone programming was built to entice the public to rediscover Bergdorf's, a project Elrod now steps into mid-stride. We covered the month's retail buying when we reported that buyers from Bergdorf Goodman to Galeries Lafayette had picked their Milan Fashion Week favourites, with Prada's runway skirts leading the pack.

Retail leadership has been in motion across the sector this season. Fleur du Mal named Vanessa Abreu president to drive retail growth, and Lululemon tapped Athleta's Maggie Gauger president in a C-suite overhaul, so Elrod's arrival at Bergdorf's continues a wider reshuffling of retail executive ranks.

The hire pairs a Louis Vuitton veteran with a house known for discovering new talent. For Elrod, the return closes a loop that began when she bought handbags and accessories for Bergdorf's as a senior buyer, before a 14-year run at Vuitton took her to the top of its Americas operation.

Bergdorf Goodman has not disclosed the term of Elrod's appointment or the size of her remit beyond the presidency. What is clear is that she and van Raemdonck will set the strategy jointly, a pairing the group says will further strengthen Bergdorf's position as the pinnacle of luxury retail.

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Image: Bergdorf Goodman