Retail is all the time a piece in progress and that’s surely the case for Saks Fifth Avenue.

As a part of its ongoing multimillion-dollar flagship renovation, right around the vacations, the retailer accomplished the revamp of the seventh-floor men’s department, significantly spiffing up the advanced designer and contemporary ready-to-wear presence. The project included 17 shops and the addition of 23 brands to the assortment.

And it’s paying off.

Louis DiGiacomo, senior vice chairman and general merchandise manager of men’s for Saks, said since completion, the department has performed above expectations. “December was a tremendous month on this floor,” he said, “and much exceeded what we did in 2019.”

Next up is a refresh of the sixth floor, which houses luxury collections and accessories along with footwear. That’s projected to be accomplished by holiday 2023.

On Thursday night, Saks returned to party mode by hosting an event at Le Chalet at L’Avenue to have fun the completion of the seventh floor and introduce its Saks Man program. Patterned after the Saks Social Club women’s brand ambassador program, the lads’s version consists of some 30 influential guys who promote the shop’s marketing campaigns and product launches, create custom content for the digital channels, and attend and host each virtual and in-person events. Members of the Saks Man team span a wide range of industries including sports, entertainment, business and activism.

Several of the ambassadors were on-site for the event, where NBA All-Star and Saks board member James Harden gave them a non-public tour of the seventh floor. They included Kayvon Thibodeaux of the Latest York Giants, Quentin Grimes of the Latest York Knicks, Joey Gonzalez, head of Barry’s Bootcamp, and activist Saad Amer. In addition they raised a glass with top Saks executives Marc Metrick, chief executive officer, and Tracy Margolies, chief merchandising officer.

“Our men’s business has experienced significant growth over the past several years,” Margolies said. “The brand new men’s floor in Latest York reinforces the facility of the in-store experience and exemplifies Saks’ popularity as a fashion authority. We’re excited to proceed investing in the lads’s category each online and in-store.”