Nata Dvir doesn’t think emotion and commerce are mutually exclusive.
The chief merchandising officer of Macy’s talked about her winning philosophy on retail at the 2026 Beauty CEO Summit in conversation with Jenny B. Fine, editor in chief of Beauty Inc and executive editor, beauty of WWD.
“When you think about retail, it’s emotional before it becomes transactional. We’ve been focused on really modernizing what a department store is,” Dvir said. “We know customers want curation and discovery experiences, and they want something that’s relevant to them. We’ve been focused on being intentional about some of the changes we’ve been making.”
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Among Dvir’s efforts are the 40 new brands Macy’s has added in-store and a renewed focus on experiences and storytelling. “That’s one of the roles customers are looking for with department stores bringing to life something that they can go to with multiple generations,” she said.
Broader economic factors have led the shopper to be “choiceful and intentional around her purchases,” Dvir said, but the value proposition of the Macy’s assortment is still resonating in beauty and beyond.
“Beauty is a strategic lever for us in terms of how we think about the customer,” Dvir said. “I’m excited about the connection between beauty and all the other categories that we sell. We have over 40 million customers who shop with us, and we still have an opportunity for our beauty customers to shop across categories, and for the category customers to shop beauty.”
Macy’s is still the top destination for dresses, men’s suits and watches. “When I close my eyes, I can imagine this customer, buying his suit and he wants his fragrance. When she’s getting ready for prom, we are one of the best retailers to buy a prom dress, and she’s going to get her makeup done. She can do that at Macy’s. That’s one of the ways we’re really thinking about the role within beauty,” said Dvir. “It creates loyalty, but it allows us to light up the experiences.”
Experiences are also getting a spotlight at the Macy’s Herald Square flagship, which started its dual-phase renovation in 2025. It’s actually the 30th store to undergo a renovation, and the idea was to better represent the current brand matrix and strategic priorities. “It really reflects the brand matrix, the experiences, there’s spa rooms, and it’s a place where you can have a full expression of what you believe in,” Dvir said.
Among the new launches are Kiko Milano, which bows in June. “It gives us the opportunity to have great product at an opening price all the way up to having luxury product. That range is what retailers really need to stand for — the curation of brands versus having every brand,” Dvir said. “It’s about launching brands that are relevant to our customers, so that’s what you’re going to see.”