Ken Downing has been named Chief Creative Officer at Triple Five Group. 

Downing pictured above, has left his position as senior vice president and fashion director of Neiman Marcus, where he worked for 28 years. (Photo via Instagram @kendowningofficial, where he has 73.1k followers.)

WWD says he “brought flair and fashion authority” to the luxury retailer, crediting him with being “integral in bringing the trends and designers to Neiman’s and shaping its fashion profile, in both women’s and men’s wear.”

In his next venture, Downing will bring his eye and expertise to all of Triple Five’s properties — including the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada, which is the largest shopping mall in North America; the Mall Of America in Bloomington, Minnesota; and American Dream, which is opening late summer in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

American Dream will “define the future of retail, dining and entertainment,” Triple Five states in a press statement. Downing will lend his expert eye and input to American Dream’s final touches and ongoing evolution.

A site that is 3 million square feet will house American Dream’s 450 stores and restaurants, multiple theme parks, indoor ski hill, and ice-skating rink. It will also feature the only Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York stores in New Jersey. (See the rendering in the photo above, via American Dream.)

Don Ghermezian, president, American Dream, comments, “Ken is one of the most well-known and well-respected executives in the luxury sector, and his leadership will only serve to strengthen our position of providing one-of-a-kind, world class destinations. He has a proven track record of working with designers and curating premiere consumer experiences – mixing the best in fashion, art, culture and design.”

Downing states, “There are forces of nature and then there is Don Ghermezian of Triple Five. No dream is too big, no detail too small. These are the ideals that are the cornerstones of my career. Joining Triple Five and leading the Design, Advertising, Marketing, Public Relations and Events teams on new, existing and future projects is beyond exhilarating.”

Downing continues, “I look forward, first and foremost, to contributing to American Dream. I assure you there is not another project anywhere that will rival its impact to the retail world.”

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Beauty Packaging’s Jamie Matusow recently had the opportunity to speak with Downing about the trends he sees in Color Cosmetics packaging, and the future of brick-and-mortar retail — see the Online Exclusive: Talking Cosmetics Packaging with Neiman Marcus’s Ken Downing