Bergdorf Goodman is honoring the worlds of cinema and fashion with its newest holiday campaign.
In light of the recent release of The French Dispatch, The Present Moment pays homage to the eccentric, distinctive filmmaking style of Wes Anderson, particularly drawing from the red-lacquer elevator seen in 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel.
It was developed and directed by Elle Strauss, Bergdorf Goodman’s vice president of brand marketing and creative.
"We set out to create a short film that would bring to life Bergdorf Goodman's unparalleled holiday identity,” Strauss said. “We're thrilled to delight viewers with a bit of holiday and movie-making magic."
Strauss had full creative oversight of the project. Though the campaign celebrates his work, Anderson himself was not involved in the making of the film. Nevertheless, fans of the filmmaker will recognize iconic items from his various films, including the adorable King from Isle of Dogs, a map from Moonrise Kingdom, Mendl’s cake box from The Grand Budapest Hotel and the red track suits from The Royal Tenenbaums.
“I’m naturally always drawn to Wes’ aesthetic and the colors,” Strauss further elaborated to Vanity Fair. “There are so many parallels, especially with lots of his other films that are set in New York, but also The Grand Budapest Hotel. There’s this one image of Ralph Fiennes in the lift with Tilda Swinton and it feels so beautifully BG because there’s that purple and we’re obviously known for the purples and lavenders.”
The Present Moment follows a mysterious, legendary Bergdorf Goodman courier who travels throughout the store in search of the perfect holiday gift for customers from around the world. Designer Waris Ahluwalia guides us as the story’s narrator as we are treated to appearances from Christopher John Rogers, Emily Bode, Sergio Hudson, and Michael Kors, who is seen riding in the elevator with the luxury retailer’s fashion director, Linda Fargo.
“Its trustiest courier— a quick, efficient, quite discreet man— had just arrived to gather the numerous holiday packages,” Ahluwalia says to open the film. He goes on to focus on the elevator and stop at each magnificent floor for equally magnificent guests.
And spoiler: The Present Moment ends with a welcome surprise. The film culminated with the identity reveal of the courier, who is none other than legendary designer Marc Jacobs, whose fall/winter collection recently launched exclusively with Bergdorf Goodman.
See The Present Moment in full below.
See also: The Best New Movies and TV Shows Streaming in December
Photography by: Courtesy Bergdorf Goodman
