What Is Bergdorf Goodman?
Bergdorf Goodman is the Fifth Avenue luxury department store. Its parent, Saks Global, filed for Chapter 11 in January 2026 and emerged on June 26 as Exemplar Luxury Group with nearly 75% less debt. Bergdorf kept its one store. Here is what changed and what it means for shoppers.
Bergdorf is the smallest and most protected part of a company that just shrank hard, and its single store survived.
The story
Bergdorf Goodman is a luxury department store on Fifth Avenue in New York. It sat inside Saks Global, the group that also owned Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Saks Global filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in January 2026.
The bankruptcy exit
The company announced its emergence on June 26, 2026 under a new name, Exemplar Luxury Group. It cut its debt by nearly 75% and arranged $500 million of extra financing. It now has 49 stores: Neiman Marcus has 33, down from 36, with its downtown Dallas flagship closing on September 30, 2026; Saks Fifth Avenue has 15, down from 33; Saks Off 5th has 12, down from roughly 70; and Bergdorf Goodman keeps its one Fifth Avenue store. Geoffroy van Raemdonck is CEO.
Stores in the new company, after bankruptcy
Full bar equals Neiman Marcus.
What it means for shoppers
Bergdorf’s store and website continue to operate. Its site blocked my requests, so I did not check its brand lineup or prices. If you hold a gift card or a pending order, check the store directly, since the bankruptcy affected other stores in the group.
Questions
Is Bergdorf Goodman closing?
No. It keeps its one Fifth Avenue store in the new company.
Who owns Bergdorf now?
Exemplar Luxury Group, the new name of Saks Global after bankruptcy.
What happened to Saks and Neiman Marcus?
Saks Fifth Avenue fell from 33 stores to 15, Neiman Marcus from 36 to 33.
When did it emerge from bankruptcy?
The company announced it on June 26, 2026.
Is the debt gone?
It was cut by nearly 75%, not eliminated.
Janet Arklis
Janet Arklis is a fashion writer at Street Iconic. She covers streetwear brands, designer collaborations, sneaker culture, gaming and collectibles, with a focus on how a label’s history, ownership and design choices shape what ends up on the rack. Her guides trace where a brand came from, what it sells and what it costs, and she flags anything she could not verify.
Research support: AI tools working from public sources. Sources are listed at the end of every guide.
Keep reading
Dior
A brand sold in luxury department stores.
Louis Vuitton
A brand that mostly sells in its own stores.
Tiffany & Co.
A house with its own Fifth Avenue flagship.
All brand guides
Browse every Street Iconic brand explainer.
Sources
- CultureMap: Saks Global emerges as Exemplar
- CNBC: Saks Global files for bankruptcy
- The Washington Post: Saks emerges from Chapter 11
Street Iconic is independent and not affiliated with Bergdorf Goodman or Exemplar Luxury Group. Figures were checked on November 9, 2026. The official site blocks automated access, so no prices are listed. This is not financial advice. See our Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure.
