SAKS ANNOUNCES PARTICIPANTS IN THE 2024 NEW WAVE DESIGNER ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

by John Russel Jones May 21, 2024


Saks has announced the participants in its designer accelerator program, The New Wave at Saks presented by Mastercard. The program, which is in its fourth year and has graduated 24 brands to date, aims to develop and support independent brands in accelerating their growth within the fashion and retail industries.

The class of 2024 class includes:

  • Nicholas Daley (above): A contemporary and widely acclaimed menswear brand that intertwines its founder’s narrative with wider Black British and diasporic themes.
  • Glass Cypress: This luxury menswear brand, founded by brothers Saber and Samee Ahmed (shown at top), highlights new artisan techniques in dying, quilting,, and construction.
  • Róhe: An Amsterdam-based brand and atelier by Marieke Meulendijks and Maickel Weyers that explores contemporary shapes through distinct design elements and precise silhouettes.
  • NEOUS (launching on Saks.com in Fall 2024): A sculptural footwear and handbag collection by Vanissa Antonious that blends the lines of femininity and minimalism.
Róhe Founders Marieke Meulendijks and Maickel Weyers.

“We’re thrilled to welcome four standout brands, Róhe, NEOUS, Nicholas Daley and Glass Cypress, into the 2024 class of the New Wave at Saks,’ said Roopal Patel, SVP, Fashion Director at Saks. “Each of these designers were hand selected by our team for their unique talent, perspective and significant growth potential. We’re incredibly proud to platform and elevate the next generation of design talent through the New Wave program, and we look forward to supporting the brands’ growth within Saks and the wider fashion industry.”

This year’s participants were sourced from all merchandise categories, identified by Saks leadership as having significant growth potential. As part of Saks’ mission to provide exposure, education, and equitable access to opportunities for success, half of the participants represent groups historically underrepresented within the industry.

Each brand will participate in a six-month program, including an orientation, mentorship and consulting services, entrepreneurial workshops and industry roundtables to gain the skills and insights needed to scale their businesses at Saks and beyond. Brands will also be eligible to receive a $10,000 grant to support their business operations and growth and dedicated marketing support from Saks.

Neous designer Vanissa Antonious

For the fourth year in a row, Mastercard is the presenting sponsor of The New Wave at Saks. Mastercard will host a dedicated roundtable session to provide participating brands with an overview and access to its Digital Doors program, including exclusive resources and tools to help small businesses grow and digitally enhance their online presence.

United Airlines is the official travel partner for the program this year. As part of its partnership with Saks, United will host a competition for this year’s participants to design a refreshed Saks Fifth Avenue Day blanket that will appear on board United Polaris flights in 2025. United will additionally provide a $10,000 monetary grant to the designer of the winning design.

The program includes:

Mentorship and Consulting

  • Each participating brand in the New Wave at Saks has the opportunity to be supported by multiple Saks leaders throughout the program with functional expertise to support their specific needs such as marketing, digital, sales, financial strategy, and merchandising.
  • Each designer in the program has access to complimentary office hours with consultants specializing in scaling and supporting brands from Launch Collective.
  • Throughout the program, Saks will schedule roundtable sessions with noteworthy industry experts and designers.
  • Designers in the program have ongoing access to workshops that support brand small business know-how from a range of industry experts and partners and the opportunity to utilize subsidized access to SKYPAD.

Resource Support

  • Participating brands can receive a $10,000 grant to support their business operations and growth.
  • Each brand will also receive marketing support, including Saks.com site content exposure, multi-vendor email inclusion, a multi-vendor NY flagship window and visual moments, dedicated clienteling, and training, including product knowledge and training for Style Advisors.