Industry

Saks Global Slashes 640 Corporate Jobs Amid Bankruptcy Restructuring

Saks Global is cutting 640 corporate jobs, a 16 percent slash to headquarters, as its bankruptcy plan reshapes luxury retail from the back office outward.

Claire Beaumont··2 min read
Published
Listen to this article0:00 min
Share this article:
Saks Global Slashes 640 Corporate Jobs Amid Bankruptcy Restructuring
Source: wwd.com

Saks Global’s latest round of layoffs is not just a headcount story. It is a blunt sign that the luxury department-store model is being rebuilt under pressure, with 640 corporate jobs disappearing, about 16 percent of the company’s headquarters workforce and just under 4 percent of its total employees. When a business that sells cachet starts trimming its own back office this hard, the effects usually show up in the assortment, the service experience and the leverage brands hold over the retailer.

The cuts, reported on April 30, came as Saks Global pushed deeper into bankruptcy restructuring after filing for Chapter 11 protection in January in the Southern District of Texas. That filing followed the company’s $2.7 billion acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group and was backed by about $1.75 billion in financing. Geoffroy van Raemdonck, the former Neiman Marcus chief, took over as chief executive after the filing, replacing Richard Baker, and Saks Global has said it is aiming to emerge from Chapter 11 in the summer of 2026.

AI-generated illustration
AI-generated illustration

This is hardly the first contraction. In April 2025, Saks Global cut about 550 jobs, including roughly 300 corporate roles tied to Brookfield Place in Lower Manhattan, Dallas and other locations, as it tried to eliminate duplicate functions and lower costs while merging Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. In January 2026, the company also moved to close 57 Saks Off 5th stores and five Neiman Marcus Last Call stores, a retreat from off-price that sharpened the focus on full-price luxury but also narrowed the company’s physical reach.

Related stock photo
Photo by ANTONI SHKRABA production

For shoppers, the hidden question is what leaner corporate staffing means on the floor. A thinner headquarters can mean tighter buying, fewer layers between merchants and store teams, and less tolerance for wide, unfocused assortments that sit too long on racks. It can also mean a more brittle service model, especially in luxury, where clienteling, alterations, special orders and rapid responses to brands are part of the sell. The retailer is trying to keep the polish while taking out the bulk, a difficult balancing act in any luxury closet, let alone a sprawling department store empire.

Saks Job Cuts
Data visualization chart

There are still signs of life inside the restructuring. In February 2026, Saks Global said more than 380 brands had resumed or continued shipping merchandise, including Burberry and labels owned by LVMH and Kering, with about $1.2 billion in inventory expected over the following months. Reuters reported in March that the company had accessed an additional $300 million from its financing package and that bondholders had approved a five-year plan. Bergdorf Goodman remains in the mix, but Saks Global’s latest cuts make clear where the power is shifting now, toward creditors, lenders and a leaner retail machine fighting to survive.

Know something we missed? Have a correction or additional information?

Submit a Tip

Never miss a story.

Get Fashion Trends updates weekly. The top stories delivered to your inbox.

Free forever · Unsubscribe anytime

Discussion

More Fashion Trends News