Shopping fans from among FUSIA/CCIP students were treated to a tour of Saks Fifth Avenue's flagship store in New York City on June 18. In addition to exploring the store, students caught a glimpse of Saks Fifth Avenue history as well as its most successful merchandising strategies and advertising initiatives.

On the tour FUSIA/CCIP students saw collections from Chanel, Escada, Louis Vuitton and more. The sheer amount of glamour on display had students enamored and fighting the urge to reach for their wallets. But just when students thought they'd spend the rest of their day dreaming of high fashion, the tour took a turn with Want It!

Want It!, the ad campaign that scouted out the season’s hottest trends and worked with top designers to bring out ad styles that ranged from the cool and accessible to the most chic and cutting edge to the bizarre and beyond. Want It! was bold because every season a new artist would be chosen and the style and feel of that whole season would be the brainchild of only that one artist. Want It! effectively erased the line between Marketing and Art.

"I really like the idea of Want It!," said Priya Jairam, a year three Computing undergraduate from the National University of Singapore. "Incorporating the personal style and artwork of one artist makes for a unique and attention-getting campaign."

That wasn't the end of FUSIA/CCIP students experience either. They also learned about Saks Fifth Avenue's dedication to client service. Highly personalized customer relationships have allowed Saks' Fifth Avenue to build long-term client loyalty and set itself apart from other luxury retailers. FUSIA/CCIP students were also given an exclusive peek into the Fifth Avenue Club and its VIP rooms where customers are served by retail associates personally.

"Truthfully, I thought I'd be here just to do a little window shopping. I never thought I'd pick up real marketing insights along the way," said Yuan Ngai Cheng, an undergraduate of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

About Saks Fifth Avenue's Flagship Store: Renowned for its high-end collections and top international designer labels, Saks Fifth Avenue is considered the authority in modern style. Opened in 1924, its flagship store occupies an entire city block and stands ten floors high. It is also one of the city's most preeminent luxury department stores and accounts for a significant amount of the entire chain's annual revenue.