Saks Tries 'Controversial' On For Size

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

Saks Fifth Avenue's latest ad campaign is intended to be audacious. In reality? It's not so much. Taking inspiration from the late, iconic fashion editor Diana Vreeland (who greeted a particular past economic collapse with fun, quirky fashionisms like "Why don’t you turn your old ermine coat into a bathrobe?"), Saks' new campaign essentially offers up ways in which you can shop your closet... or your boyfriend's.

Slogans include: "think about ... belting a new tunic with your husband’s old tie," or "think about ... being him for a day — read his magazines, use his razor and wear one of his button-downs over leggings." "They are intended to be conversational," the New York Times says of the new ad campaign. Whimsical, yes. Provocative, no. (That is, except for maybe "think about ... adopting a pet — who needs a boyfriend anyway?" which sounds a bit sad.) Let's be honest, it's no 'Be Stupid.'
·Saks Fifth Avenue Campaign Aims For Lighter Tone [NYT]
·Diesel's "Be Stupid" Campaign: A Point-Counterpoint [RackedNY]