Department Stores Are Trading Up, Not Out

The racks are being reorganized. Per the International Association of Department Stores, the contemporary and premium tiers now lead the department store segment map — the built-to-last middle ground between mass and full luxury. For shoppers working the floors from Worth Avenue to Rodeo Drive, that shift shows up less as a single splashy purchase and more as a fuller run of well-made pieces at every price point in between. Good taste, in other words, is easier to find without leaving the main floor.

With reporting from WWD Fashion.