After he got out of the army in 1946, my dad went to work as a copywriter for the Sears and Roebuck catalog. He eventually moved up to the executive offices. But his stint working on the catalog taught him more about the retail business and the American consumer than anything else.
That catalog did more to unite America than almost anything else, my dad told us when we were little. Published four times a year, turn of the 20th century city folk in New York, farmers in Nebraska, miners in Colorado, and sailors from San Francisco could order anything from safety pins to a house. The Sears catalog was the American Dream in book form, and it forged a unity that brought Americans together like they never had before.
Other department store catalogs all tried to copy Sears's success, but only one department store rivaled it for attention. In 1956, the Neiman Marcus Christmas book added "His and Hers Fantasy Gifts" that few could afford but that everyone dreamed of owning.
It became a Christmas tradition like no other. Gifts that people could never buy became the subject of gossip and conversation. A $20,000 suit of armor was offered in 2004 and 2000, the company tried to sell a $20 million submarine. There were no takers.
Alas, the new woke CEO of Neiman Marcus, Geoffroy van Raemdonck, apparently believes rich people are all a bunch of Scrooges. He ordered the removal of the word "Christmas" from the catalog and replaced it with the ubiquitous "Holiday" book.
The name change has raised hackles inside the luxury chain’s Dallas headquarters, where veteran employees have chafed under CEO Geoffroy van Raemdonck, whose restructurings and layoffs they fear are wiping out the last vestiges of the 117-year-old retailer’s institutional history.
“If Geoffroy and his team put as much time into running the business as they did on expressing viewpoints about DEI, we would be buying Saks or launching an IPO,” one employee griped to The Post. “Instead, my job is at risk because of our business failure.”
The Dallas Morning News asked about the name and a spokesperson said it was changed “in the spirit of inclusivity as it welcomes customers of all backgrounds, religions and traditions to celebrate the season,” according to the report.
There is absolutely no reason for this except DEI posturing. You're not offending anyone by designating the catalog a "Christmas catalog." You're not making anyone feel better by leaving "Christmas" off the catalog. If anyone is offended — there aren't enough of them to make a stink.
This is on van Raemdonck, and employees are outraged.
“We found out via the Dallas Morning News article,” a Neiman employee fumed. “The book didn’t need a name change. Personal opinions about inclusion — from Geoffroy and his leadership team — changed this.”
As for company brass, they're tickled about the "Holiday Book."
“This year’s holiday activation and campaign is an invitation to embrace the magic of Neiman Marcus,” said Nabil Aliffi, chief brand officer, in a statement. “The storytelling was inspired by the theatrical traditions and folklore during the period that the brand was founded.”
Mr. Aliffi certainly has some ideas on how to "experience" Neiman Marcus shopping.
"Nabil is a creative visionary who brings a unique perspective in making Neiman Marcus a luxury lifestyle destination," Ryan Ross continued. "He knows our customer and how to create a platform for loyal engagement across channels."
That "platform" doesn't include Christmas.
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