Dive Brief:

• Saks new president, Marigay McKee, who came on in January from London’s Harrods, is taking the department store out of the safety zone by bringing in more high-fashion, more expensive clothing and other items, sometimes from unknown designers.

• McKee says she has asked for the financial leeway to give buyers more room to take chances.

• Those buyers, as of three weeks ago, are responsible for both store and online inventories.

Dive Insight:

Saks began as one of New York’s most elegant and expensive department stores, but recent years have seen a steady and sad decline. Under its new Canadian ownership, the retailer, established in 1924, seems to have a chance at regaining some of the panache of its glory days. Even more exciting than president Marigay McKee bringing in upscale high-end designers is the risk she's taking by bringing on unknown ones. It looks like it’s going to be more expensive to shop there, but also more fun.