Today, Sammi breaks down the unraveling of Saks Fifth Avenue — a luxury icon that survived wars, recessions, and cultural shifts, but couldn’t survive its own merger math. Through stalled vendor payments, junk-bond debt, leadership shake-ups, and a failed $2.7B Neiman Marcus merger, Saks entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy and set off a ripple effect far beyond Fifth Avenue. This isn’t a “department stores are dying” story — it’s a case study in how private equity, financial engineering, and legacy retail models collide. And why the belief that Saks was “too iconic to fail” turned out to be so wrong. Follow Sammi on Instagram  Subscribe to the Social Currency newsletter  Here’s what Sammi covers today: 00:00 The Saks & Neiman Marcus Merger and Its Fallout  03:31 Vendor Relationships and Financial Strain  06:45 Leadership Changes and Real Estate Moves  10:16 Lessons from Saks' Downfall  11:33 Breaking News: Saks Files for Bankruptcy  12:48 How to Show Social Currency Some Love  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices