5 Questions with Tracy Margolies
In this recurring series, a member of our Saks leadership team answers five questions that reflect on their personal and professional journey and share insight into their work here at Saks.This installment features Tracy Margolies, Chief Merchandising Officer.
Introduction:
Tracy oversees the merchandising strategy and initiatives across the Saks Fifth Avenue ecosystem, including Saks.com and stores. She has been a leader with Saks since 2015, and in 2022, Women’s Wear Daily honored her on its list of the 50 Most Powerful Women.
What was the most pivotal moment in your career?
“The most pivotal moment in my career is the day that I became a manager. There's a huge difference between being an assistant, a trainee or an intern compared to becoming a manager and leading a team. You set a strategy, you get everyone on board with your vision. One of the most important things you can do as a manager is to teach and mentor, and take the time to really be there and support your team.”
What is the best advice you have ever received?
“One of the things my dad always told me was to do unto others as you would want done to you, which is the golden rule. I take that into account in my professional life and my personal life. And that's how I treat people - the way I want to be treated, and deal with things in the way that I would want to be dealt with.”
What is your favorite part of luxury retail?
“It comes down to two things for me: the products and the people.”
“Between the craftsmanship, the vendors, the architecture that we get to see, I feel lucky to be surrounded by the most beautiful products. It inspires me to see how a lot of these things are crafted, how they come to mind, how they are housed, the story behind them, the people that designed them, and how we are surrounded by such an incredible pool of talent all the time.”
“What I love about being at Saks and what I love about being in luxury is that Saks is a part of a very big family. I am so energized by the people, the team, and my vendors. I’ve met some of my closest friends from being in this business and working with the team here. We've been together for so many years - it’s like being part of a really big family. The energy I get from the stores and being around the people in the stores is also something that I look forward to. So the people and products, for me, are really a key component of luxury retail.”
What are you currently reading and watching?
“From a reading perspective, it’s Women's Wear Daily and Business of Fashion, but from a watching perspective, I’ve been binging on Netflix. So far, I’ve watchedYou, which was a little freaky, Bridgerton, The Queen's Gambit, and Orange is the New Black.”
What does being disruptive mean to you?
“Disruption is an incredibly powerful word. Being disruptive, I would have to say, is doing something you wouldn’t normally do. It makes you feel uncomfortable. It’s taking something and turning it upside down and thinking about it in all different ways, clearing your mind and taking a different approach. There’s always a piece of you that feels a little bit uncomfortable about it and that’s okay, because that’s being disruptive”
Check out Tracy Margolies on LinkedIn and stay tuned for future installments!