Toby Bishop Joins Bergdorf Goodman’s Design Team as It Revitalizes Client Experience

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When Toby Bishop talks about being a steward of history at Bergdorf Goodman (BG), he’s mostly referring to the century-old landmark that stands famously on 5th Avenue in New York City. But the brand has permeated American culture for decades, both on and off the big screen. Lauren Bacall and Marilyn Monroe dubbed it the perfect location to meet men in 1953’s How to Marry a Millionaire; Carrie Bradshaw turned to it for retail therapy in the late 1990s. Its legendary in-house personal shopper, Betty Halbreich, dressed the likes of Julia Roberts, Al Gore, and Meryl Streep.

The allure of the luxury retailer knows no bounds, and it’s what beckoned Bishop—twice. The director of store design and planning took the role officially in 2022, already familiar with the brand and its eminence. Earlier in his career, Bishop worked as a consultant, designer, and interior architect on behalf of Bergdorf Goodman, which led him to go in-house for two years as a store design project manager. 

He is the newest member of the well-established store design team led by Senior Vice President of Store Presentation Linda Fargo; Vice President of Store Design and Visual Susan Homan; and Senior Director of Store Design, Planning, and Construction Mika Raja Dell’Anno; who each bring a crucial element of expertise. During their years at Bergdorf’s, they have reimagined both BG Women’s and Men’s stores with great care, finely tuning service with the seamless function that’s essential to a purveyor of luxury, ensuring an exceptional experience for discerning clientele.

In the seven-year gap Bishop spent away from BG, he helped form hospitality and luxury building specialty firm ForrestPerkins with its New York Studio. “My original mentor that I met in college opened a studio that I had the privilege to run,” he says. “But when she retired, something just felt different. Fortunately, I had maintained good relationships at BG. I was able to come back, and now I feel like I’m at this wonderful place in my career, which allows me to combine several of my passions into one role.”

Bishop’s first love was hospitality; it’s where he honed his design expertise long before luxury retail came calling—but his affinities for history and research run just as deep. Bergdorf Goodman is a New York City institution, and it’s a chance for Bishop to collaborate on unique customer service experiences for the kind of customers who expect only the very best.

“I always approach a project from the lens of hospitality,” Bishop explains. “The goal is to be gracious and welcoming in every possible way. We’re not looking to meet expectations. We’re looking to exceed them. There is so much psychology wrapped up in the customer experience, and I find it so fascinating.”

The recent renovation of BG Men’s shoes and leather goods department is a great place to start. The initial concept for the space was that of a library; the renovation expanded upon this concept and implemented a series of new salons, radiating from a central “living room” that one experiences to make each space feel more special, intimate, and individualized while still being a part of a greater whole.

“We don’t want to reveal our hand all at once,” Bishop explains. “We felt this was a way to really bring the customer in and make them excited about what’s around the next corner. It should feel like a journey, an opportunity to discover.”

In the future, BG anticipates a mix of smaller and more extensive renovations, encompassing both Bergdorf Goodman’s overall store design master planning and the expansion of “shop-in-shop” collaborations with other brand partners.

At the time of this interview, the store design team was looking for quick tweaks and big moves to coincide with the annual Fashion Week in New York. The director says the store design team always looks for high-impact opportunities this time of year that can roll out and wrap up equally as fast.

Regardless of the project or idea, Bishop is determined to keep learning. He loves the psychology of the process as much as the process itself. If you ask him about his favorite project, his answer is simply: the next one.

“The moment you stop learning is when it gets boring,” Bishop says. “I feel fortunate that I’ve had great mentors throughout my career, BG being no exception. The team, who have so much amazing institutional knowledge of Bergdorf Goodman, are my constant collaborators and sources of inspiration. They’ve each become incredible mentors to me, and we share a common love for the history of Bergdorf Goodman, which is really the history of luxury.”

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