Celebrity events fuel New York retail stagnation amid summer heatwave

Declining traffic to brick-and-mortar stores has for more than a decade been transforming retail spaces into entertainment centers to draw in customers. In Manhattan on Tuesday, a pair of events played up the appeal of celebrities as a way for stores to generate buzz.

In air-conditioned lounges with refreshments and star sightings, guests of Bergdorf Goodman and Swarovski had the chance to get up close and personal with Sophie Turner along with St-Germain liqueur and Rachel Zegler, presumably related to the upcoming Disney film “Snow White,” respectively.

At the iconic luxury department store, Bacardi-owned low-alcohol sweet liqueur brand Elderflower unveiled a temporary St-Germain Hugo Spritz counter that will serve free samples of the trendy cocktail to guests beginning July 17. until the 21st.

Located in the store’s lower-level beauty department, the drinks stand is a fun take on the beauty counter idea — purposefully, as one version of the bottle resembles a vintage spray perfume bottle. It’s another example of wine and spirits marketing upping the ante on its affiliation with fashion, evolving from a secondary partner supplying free booze at parties to sharing equal spotlight with fashion brands.

Turner starred in St-Germain's summer campaign film, which portrays the 'Game of Thrones' The actress, in a cheeky double entendre, orders a cocktail from a very handsome French bartender at a resort in the south of France. For the event, Turner, wearing a Nadine Merabi cream linen vest and trousers, stood behind the bar to serve the drink made from liqueur, prosecco and soda, garnished with mint and lime. Looking ever natural, Turner posed for photos holding a tray full of drinks served in custom crystal glasses resembling the bottle's design and adorned with a twirling stick shaped like a jet flower.

According to Stacy Belter, brand director for St-Germain, social media has confirmed a surge in popularity for the drink, which is being touted as a lighter, brighter and fresher version of the other Spritz standard-bearer, the Aperol Spritz, since last summer. Turner, who has declared herself a fan of the cocktail, was an obvious choice for the recently single actress who is “always up for trying anything,” according to another representative for the brand.

The Bergdorf Goodman location is the main launch point for the summer Hugo Spritz counter, which will be followed by other select hospitality locations across the country. For Bergdorf Goodman, it's another hospitality-focused experience that the iconic retailer has been fostering of late.

It recently renovated its basement restaurant into Café Ginori in partnership with Italian porcelain-focused brand Ginori 1735 and outfitted it with the porcelain brand’s colorful, maximalist motifs. The store is believed to have more hospitality-focused plans for the fall. So far, following the acquisition by Saks Fifth Avenue parent company HBC, it is business as usual for the retailer, which has been part of the Neiman Marcus Group.

Just before the event, just blocks away from Swarovski's newly opened Fifth Avenue flagship store (which is designed as a giant multi-colored jewelry box), media, influencers and KOLs experienced a conversation led by Sotheby's Media Director Kristina O'Neill with Golden Globe-winning actress Rachel Zegler.

O'Neill asked the actress about her sudden rise to fame after playing Maria in the recent film adaptation of 'West Side Story,' which earned her the prestigious award in 2022. The pair also discussed Zegler's upcoming roles, such as Juliet in this fall's Broadway rendition of 'Romeo and Juliet' directed by Sam Gold and her role as Snow White in Disney's upcoming live-action adaptation of the classic animated film. The latter seems to be a perfect fit for Swarovski, which partnered with the beloved princess and the theme park-focused brand on its 100th anniversary.He anniversary in 2023, as well as on previous occasions. Despite her sudden rise to fame, the New Jersey-native actress, who sports an oversized heart-shaped crystal brooch over a flirty printed dress, says she’s staying authentic by walking her dog and cooking her favorite meals like Arroz con Pollo.

On the same day, Swarovski appointed Grammy-winning and globally bestselling singer, songwriter and actress Ariana Grande will be a brand ambassador. The partnership will kick off with the 2024 holiday campaign, which will feature the artist, who has a strong vocal range and also advocates for inclusion and empowerment.