Saks names ‘The New Wave’ 2024 designers

American retailer Saks has named British designer Nicholas Daley among the ‘Class of 2024’ participants for its designer accelerator programme designed to support independent brands in accelerating their growth within the fashion and retail industries.

The ‘New Wave at Saks’ accelerator, presented by Mastercard, is now in its fourth year and has graduated 24 brands to date, including Áwet, Interior, Claude Kameni, and Ludovic de Saint Sernin.

They include British contemporary menswear designer Nicholas Daley; Amsterdam-based brand Róhe by Marieke Meulendijks and Maickel Weyers; luxury menswear label Glass Cypress founded by brothers Saber and Samee Ahmed; and Neous, a footwear and handbag brand by Vanissa Antonious, launching on Saks.com in autumn 2024.

This year’s participants were sourced from all merchandise categories and have been identified by Saks leadership as having “significant growth potential,” as part of the retailer’s mission to provide exposure, education, and equitable access to opportunities for success, with half of the participants representing groups that have been historically underrepresented within the industry.

New Wave at Saks’ accelerator names 2024 participants

Roopal Patel, senior vice president, fashion director at Saks, said in a statement: "We're thrilled to welcome four standout brands, Róhe, Neous, Nicholas Daley and Glass Cypress, into the 2024 class of the New Wave at Saks.

"Each of these designers were hand selected by our team for their unique talent, perspective and significant growth potential. We're incredibly proud to platform and elevate the next generation of design talent through the New Wave program, and we look forward to supporting the brands' growth within Saks and the wider fashion industry."

Each of the brands will participate in a six-month programme, including an orientation, mentorship and consulting services, entrepreneurial workshops and industry roundtables to gain the skills and insights needed to scale their businesses at Saks and beyond. In addition, the emerging brands will also be eligible to receive a 10,000 US dollar grant to support their business operations and growth, alongside dedicated marketing support from Saks.

Mastercard will also host a roundtable session providing the participating brands with an overview and access to its ‘Digital Doors’ programme, including exclusive resources and tools to help small businesses further grow and digitally enhance their online presence.

This year’s accelerator also has United Airlines as the official travel partner, and the airline will host a competition for the brands to design a refreshed Saks Fifth Avenue day blanket that will appear on board United Polaris flights in 2025. United will additionally provide a 10,000 US dollar grant to the designer of the winning design.