I know I haven’t posted on any of my social media forever…sorry about that…but today I’m feeling nostalgic. You see it was 70 years ago that a very young Nena (who was a couple of weeks away from graduating high school!) put on her hat and gloves and took the Outer Drive bus from Evanston to Michigan Avenue in Chicago to start applying for a summer job in the retail field! First stop, on this new adventure, Saks Fifth Avenue at 669 North Michigan Avenue. By the way, my next stop was to be Marshall Fields!

I had an interview with the Personnel Manager (yes, that it was called then, now Human Resources!) and was asked if I could start the next day, a Saturday. Needless to say I was gobsmacked and explained I couldn’t start that quickly…we comprised on the next Saturday. I was assigned to the Young Elite Sportswear department….and so my time with Saks Fifth Avenue began. What was to be a summer job turned into 53 year life of amazing events. Most certainly a hell of a long summer job!

I sold for a year learning every detail of how to work with clients…ran a very good “book” (how many sales you had!), FYI I was the youngest, at the time, SFA associate and when I retired the longest tenured employee in the company….I’m sure both have now be overridden!

After that first year I had planned on going to a fashion merchandising school in New York City…circumstances changed when I was offered the position of Assistant Fashion and Publicity Director….a position I couldn’t turn down…so there you have it in a condensed version.

Two decisions that made my passion for the world of fashion realities. Decisions I never regretted. I’m not going rant about how I feel about Saks Global..!it would be pointless!