Lanessa Elrod, an experienced luxury merchant and most recently president and chief executive officer of Louis Vuitton Americas, has been named president of Bergdorf Goodman.
Elrod succeeds Tracy Margolies, who transitions to executive adviser at the Exemplar Luxury Group (ELG) which operates Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue.
The executive changes are effective Monday.
Elrod’s move marks her return to Bergdorf’s. Her early career spans ELG’s banners. She was a ready-to-wear buyer at Neiman’s from 1997 to 2003, and at Saks from 2003 to 2005, and a senior buyer for handbags and accessories at Bergdorf’s from 2005 to 2010. After Saks, she joined Louis Vuitton, where she worked for almost 14 years in a few different capacities, rising to president and CEO of Louis Vuitton America. She left Vuitton in May 2024.
As president and CEO of Louis Vuitton Americas, she oversaw the maison’s business across the U.S., Canada and Latin America. She is credited with leading a period of substantial business growth and innovation, and cultivating relationships with customers, which will all be important for Bergdorf’s heading into the future.
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“Bergdorf Goodman is a crown jewel in the industry, known as an important catalyst for identifying and nurturing designer talent and its unmatched ability to anticipate customer preferences and exceed their desires,” Geoffroy van Raemdonck, CEO of the Exemplar Luxury Group, said in a statement Thursday. “As we continue to realize the full potential of our banners, Lanessa’s appointment marks an important step in advancing our strategic priorities and further strengthening Bergdorf’s position as the pinnacle of luxury.”
The company credited Elrod with having “a strong customer-first philosophy and deep industry relationships to further elevate the client experience and build on the exceptional service and assortment that has long distinguished Bergdorf’s in the market.”
Elrod commented that she is joining ELG at a “pivotal time” and added in her statement, “Bergdorf Goodman played a defining role in my career, so returning as president is especially meaningful. Its creativity and distinctive point of view have earned it a singular place in the world of luxury. I look forward to working alongside its exceptional team and our brand partners to build on that legacy and shape its next era, deepening personal connections with customers and bringing the store’s spirit of discovery to life in new ways.”
Meanwhile, Margolies, as executive adviser, will report to van Raemdonck. The company, in its announcement, indicated “Margolies will leverage her deep institutional knowledge and leadership experience to drive continued progress against the company’s key priorities.”
“For more than 30 years, in leadership roles at Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman, I have had the privilege of building businesses, shaping brand strategy, and creating extraordinary experiences that define luxury at its highest level, while leading teams through an ever-evolving landscape,” Margolies said in a statement. “Serving as president of Bergdorf Goodman has been one of the greatest honors of my career, and I am deeply proud of what our talented teams have accomplished for our customers and brand partners. I look forward to bringing my experience, perspective and passion for the industry to my new role as executive adviser to Exemplar Luxury Group, working across Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman to help shape the next era of luxury retail.”
Margolies served as president of Bergdorf’s since December 2024 and before that was chief merchandising officer at Saks.
This fall, Bergdorf’s celebrated its 125th birthday by filling its women’s and men’s stores with designer exclusives and exhibits marking the milestone and chronicling the luxury emporium’s creativity and glamour, while enticing the public to rediscover Bergdorf’s.
Elrod was not available to comment on her new job, but along with van Raemdonck, she will develop strategies to rev up the business following the bankruptcy of its then-parent company Saks Global in January, which emerged from Chapter 11 court proceedings last June with a much healthier balance sheet and new name, the Exemplar Luxury Group. The luxury emporium has maintained its status as among the most elegant stores in the world, through both bountiful and challenging times.
