Bloomingdale's Big Brown Bag at 50

The Birth of an Icon

It’s hard to not appreciate the significance of Bloomingdale's brown bag, but we must first delve into the rich history of the department store itself. Bloomingdale's, often affectionately referred to as "Bloomie's," opened its doors in 1861 on New York's Lower East Side as Bloomingdale’s Hoopskirt and Ladies’ Notion Shop. Little did anyone know that this humble beginning would eventually lead to one of the world's most iconic retail destinations.

A decade later, in 1872 the Bloomingdale brothers opened Bloomingdale’s Great East Side Bazaar, a dry goods store at 938 Third Avenue, between 56th and 57th St in NYC.

Over the decades, Bloomingdale's evolved into a fashion mecca, consistently at the forefront of innovation in the retail industry. It introduced New Yorkers to concepts like in-store boutiques, window displays as works of art, and the concept of a "curated" shopping experience long before these ideas became industry norms. This commitment to innovation laid the groundwork for the introduction of the now-famous brown bag in 1973.

The Brown Bag

Imagine a simple brown paper bag, unassuming at first glance, but imbued with an aura of luxury and sophistication. This was the genius of Bloomingdale's brown bag. Its design, a creation of the renowned graphic designer Massimo Vignelli, was a lesson in elegance and minimalism. CEO at the time, Marvin Traub, tasked Vignelli to create something iconic. Vignelli's choice of a bold, clean font and a plain brown background was a stroke of genius. What was most surprising, was Traub decided to leave the store’s name off the bag in the original design! This wasn't just a bag; it was a statement, a status symbol for shoppers.

Vignelli Associates was also known for doing Bloomingdale's rebrand in 1972 as they were celebrating their 100th anniversary and, more famously, designing the NYC Subway System signage the same year (note this is not the current design, that was done in 1979 by Michael Hertz Associates).

The introduction of this bag marked a pivotal moment in retail history. It elevated the act of shopping to an experience. Walking out of Bloomingdale's with one of these bags became a symbol of indulgence, and soon, other retailers took note. The brown bag's design philosophy influenced brands worldwide to adopt cleaner, more sophisticated packaging and branding, proving that sometimes, less is indeed more.

Eventually, the demand for the Brown Bag led the brand to produce it as its own product—a vinyl tote in many sizes and styles—taking it beyond packaging. A bit meta, it is a way for customers to signal their loyalty to the brand even if they haven’t made a purchase.

Marketing Brilliance That Endures

Bloomingdale's brown bag is not just an emblem of luxury; it's marketing brilliance that continues to shine. Here's why:

🎨 Consistency in Branding: Bloomingdale's unwavering commitment to its brown bag branding has created an instantly recognizable symbol. It's a testament to the power of consistency in reinforcing brand identity.

👄 Word-of-Mouth Magic: The brown bag became a talking point. Spotted on the streets of New York and beyond, it sparked conversations about Bloomingdale's and its products, demonstrating the potency of word-of-mouth marketing.

🪄 Limited Edition Magic: The periodic release of limited-edition brown bags, often in collaboration with top designers and artists, created buzz and collector's fervor. These bags aren't just packaging; they're collectibles, a marketing strategy that taps into the love for exclusivity.

♻️ Sustainability and Adaptation: In response to changing consumer values, Bloomingdale's introduced eco-friendly versions of the brown bag, showcasing its adaptability and commitment to sustainability, resonating with modern shoppers.

📱 Social Media Buzz: The brown bag's social media presence is a phenomenon in itself. Shoppers proudly share their "haul" photos, creating a virtual community and extending Bloomingdale's reach to a global audience.

👜 A New Wave of “Brown Bags”: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, or so it is said. Other brands have certainly borrowed from this idea that a utilitarian piece of packaging can actually be a brand affinity builder. From Glossier’s pink bubble pouch to Outdoor Voices canvas tote, many brands view their packaging as marketing.

The Cultural Impact of the Brown Bag

Beyond its commercial success, Bloomingdale's brown bag has made a profound cultural impact. It has become a symbol of New York City itself, synonymous with the city's cosmopolitan lifestyle and fashion-forward attitude. It's not just a bag; it's a representation of the city's spirit.

The bag has made its way into countless different mediums showcasing its status as a symbol of NY. It appears, famously, in Friends. In fact Bloomingdale’s is a major plot point as Rachel works there for a period of time. It can also be seen in Gossip Girl, House of Gucci, Halston, and Elf. (See Product Placement Blog for more examples)

Borrowing and Lending Clout Through Collabs

For the Brown Bag’s 50th anniversary, Bloomies has a bit of something old and a lot of something new in its Big Brown Bizzare shop. Because of its status, the iconic bag has the ability to both borrow and lend its clout as it continues to innovate around this simple piece of packaging.

From a Ralph Lauren sweatshirt (that is, frankly, adorable), to the celebrity-loved Stoney Clover Lane travel bags, to joining the pickleball craze with a Big Brown Paddle, the Brown Bag is able to engage its brand loyalists while also entering the minds—and closets—of an entirely new customer base.

What’s in a Bag?

There’s no question that the Brown Bag is, and will likely continue to be, a recognizable symbol of luxury–but what about the store whose logo it bears?

It seems the sustained success of the Brown Bag stands in stark contrast to the overall sentiment toward its namesake–and legacy department stores generally. Bloomingdale’s second quarter earnings showed comp sales down 2.7%. Yes, non-luxury apparel is having a tough go at the moment, but when you think about the breadth of assortment from designer apparel to beauty–both categories that are faring well even in economic uncertainty–it’s clear there are other forces at play.

Bloomingdale’s parent company—Macy’s Inc—has struggled to maintain a luxury customer base as its store environments and service have declined over the past decade. In fact, CEO Jeff Gennette bragged in a recent earnings call that the teams had “surgically implemented clearance markdowns” in an attempt to offload a glut of overbought spring inventory.

While this, and other publications, have spent much time celebrating the Brown Bag and its ability to transcend time, demographics, and trends perhaps more attention should be paid to the environment it symbolizes and how to reinvigorate that to welcome a new customer base.

This much is clear: having a nostalgic symbol of luxury does not make the environment a luxury experience.

Conclusion

The Bloomingdale's brown bag is more than just a shopping bag; it's a symbol of style, luxury, and marketing brilliance that has captivated the retail world for 50 years. For someone deeply involved in the commerce space, it serves as a reminder that the simplest of items can wield incredible influence when crafted with care, consistency, and an understanding of consumer culture.

As we celebrate its 50th anniversary, the brown bag continues to be an emblem of retail innovation and an enduring testament to the power of branding and design in the world of commerce. Its story is a lesson in the art of creating enduring brand symbols that resonate not only with shoppers but with an entire culture. It's a symbol of retail brilliance, a symbol of New York, and a symbol of a timeless shopping experience.

🕰️  Timeline 🕰️ 

• 1861: Benjamin Bloomingdale and his son Lyman open a small hoop skirt and ladies' notion shop.

• 1872: The Bloomingdale brothers open "Bloomingdale's Great East Side Bazaar."

• 1902: Bloomingdale's occupies 80 percent of the square block between Third and Lexington Avenues.

• 1923: To commemorate the store’s 50th anniversary, they construct a replica of the grand staircase in Florence’s Bargello in travertine and Italian mosaic

• 1926: Bloomingdale’s IPOs.

• 1927: Bloomingdale's purchases the last parcel, expanding the store to 84,000 square feet.

• 1930: Bloomingdale’s joins the recently incorporated Federated Department Stores. The merger helps all stores survive the Great Depression; Bloomingdale’s remains profitable.

• 1931: Bloomingdale's finishes construction of an Art Deco style building on Lexington Avenue.

• 1937: Bloomingdale’s workers vote to unionize and join Local 3 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union.

• 1947: Bloomingdale's opens its first branch in New Rochelle, New York.

• 1954: Bloomingdale’s opens a 200,000 sq ft store in Stamford, CT.

• 1971: Mary Joan Glynn becomes vice president of communications, transforming the store’s publicity and advertising

• 1971: Bloomingdale’s opens its first standalone home furnishings store

• 1973: Mary Joan Glynn introduces the now iconic brown bag, quickly becoming a symbol of luxury and high fashion.

• 1980: Bloomingdale's launches its catalog, Bloomingdale's By Mail.

• April 1, 1988: Federated Department Stores agrees to a $6.6 billion takeover by Canadian real estate developer Robert Campeau. At the time, it’s the largest non-oil merger in corporate history.

• 1990: Now, Campeau’s Federated Department Stores and Allied Stores retail conglomerate including Bloomingdale’s, Abraham & Straus, Lazarus, The Bon Marché, and Stern’s, files Chapter 11.

• 1990 to 1991: While restructuring, Bloomingdale’s closes stores in Dallas, Stamford, Connecticut, and Fresh Meadows, Queens, New York.

• 1994: Federated acquires Macy’s

• 2004: Bloomingdale’s opens its 82,000 sqft SoHo location and it generated more than $1 million in sales in its first two days

• 2007: Federated rebrands to Macy’s Inc. A year earlier, Federated controversially renamed all the department stores in the portfolio mostly to Macy’s, with a few becoming Bloomingdale’s

• 2011: Bloomingdale’s opens a Magnolia Bakery in the flagship.

• 2019: Bloomingdale's, to commemorates the 25th anniversary of "Friends", recreated iconic elements from the show, such as Central Perk and Rachel's office at Bloomingdale's where she worked for a bit

• 2021: “Bloomie’s,” a 22,000 sq ft scaled-down version of Bloomingdale’s launches in Virginia

• 2022: Bloomingdale’s launches its 150th anniversary celebration

• 2023: Big Brown Bag turns 50

For a more in depth view visit WWDs full timeline breakdown.

SOURCES

• PR Newswire

• Adweek

• Nightingale

• Print Magazine