Jan 2, 20202 min
Stanley Marcus of Neiman Marcus when asked what is the top BEST quality products, he answered with "Oxxford Clothes" at the top of the list.*
Born Harold Stanley Marcus April 20, 1905 – January 22, 2002, was president (1950–1972) and later chairman of the board (1972–1976) of the luxury retailer Neiman Marcus, which his father and aunt had founded in 1907.
During his tenure, Marcus introduced many of the innovations for which Neiman Marcus became known, creating a national award for service in fashion and hosting art exhibitions in the store itself. He established the Neiman Marcus Christmas Catalog, which became famous for extravagant gifts such as airplanes and camels and Oxxford Suits.
After receiving a BA degree from Harvard in 1925, he began his career at the retailer that same year as a simple stocker organizing inventory, but upon beginning in sales, quickly outstripped other sales staff. He went back to study at Harvard Business School in 1926, leaving after one year to participate in a massive expansion of the retail operation in Dallas.
Marcus was responsible for a number of innovations at the Dallas retailer. He created the annual Neiman-Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in Fashion, beginning in 1938, which led to the Neiman-Marcus Exposition, a fall fashion show held annually from 1938 to 1970, then periodically thereafter. His department store was the first American haute couture boutique to introduce weekly fashion shows, featuring custom made garments by Oxxford Clothing.
*1979 The Hollywood Post • Illustration by Al Hirschfield •