If you’re lucky enough to have ever gone to summer camp, you’ll know that—in addition to swimming in the lake, aiming for that bullseye at archery, and roasting late-night marshmallows by the fire—building confidence, making lifelong connections, and embodying a very specific type of ease and comfort are also true hallmarks of the camp experience. This summer, Neiman Marcus is harnessing the nostalgic joy of camp and everything it stands for with its new campaign that features more than 200 established and emerging brands including Missoni, Ulla Johnson, Acler, Jacquemus, Bottega Veneta, Cult Gaia, and Mignonne Gavigan.
Shot at a historical estate in California’s Redwood Forest and in Texas, the campaign photos evoke a particular familiarity in the form of oversized Jenga blocks, hula hooping, communal dining, croquet, and—the best part of camp, let’s be real—just hanging out looking cool and comfortable with friends. But—because this is Neiman Marcus, after all—each image is infused with the retailer’s signature glamour that low-key will make any fashion lover want to up their wardrobe game this season, especially as we start to wade back into summer activities most of us have been missing the last two years.
Guests had a chance to experience firsthand some of these brands ourselves, as an incredible variety of products from Neiman Marcus’ Summer 2022 collections were waiting for us in our cabins, including straw summer hats from Gigi Burris Millinery, a Missoni throw, Veronica Beard hooded denim jackets, athleisure from cool Australian fitness label The Upside, portable tech devices from Native Union, and an array of beauty, fragrance, and skin-care items from Augustinus Bader, Diptyque, Yves Durif, House of Bo, Natura Bisse, and more.
What struck me most about the getaway was the instant camaraderie that was felt among guests, largely prompted by the power of fashion. One attendee was wearing a truly outstanding blue Ronny Kobo jacquard skirt and blouse (available at Neiman Marcus, obviously!) that I so fervently admired that we ended up in a long conversation about our love of two-piece setes, a newfound appreciation for bold colors, and our general shopping philosophies. We exchanged IG handles not long after and have been chatting ever since. This, to me, highlights the joy and relationships fashion and personal style can spur, and getting to experience it in a setting that reminded me of the days when I had little else to worry about except what outfit I’d wear to the bonfire that night was particularly special. (Okay, fine, maybe everyone was a little more dressed up than a night by the fire, with a particularly special hot pink Versace suit represented by one guest.)