NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 27, 2026--
Today, Macy’s unveils “Celebrations Start at Macy’s,” a year-long platform designed to put Macy’s at the center of customers’ important moments. From everyday celebrations to once-in-a-lifetime milestones, Macy’s inspires customers at every step of their journey. “Celebrations Start at Macy’s” will come to life throughout the year for customers through immersive experiences and national celebrations including prom, Mother's Day, Father’s Day, the 50th Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks ®, fall fashion, 100th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ® and more.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260227588231/en/
Rooted in Macy’s enduring legacy and energized by anniversaries of its most iconic events, “Celebrations Start at Macy’s” will create dynamic storytelling, engaging in-store events and brand-led experiences nationwide. Throughout the year Macy’s will deliver new ways and reasons to connect and celebrate both in-store and online.
“Macy’s has always been at the center of big and small moments and where people come together to celebrate life’s milestones” said Sharon Otterman, chief marketing officer, Macy’s. “With ‘Celebrations Start at Macy’s,’ we’re turning retail into experience, bringing emotion, anticipation and joy into every occasion. From everyday celebrations to our most iconic traditions, Macy’s creates reasons to connect.”
A Year of Celebration Ahead
Prom marks the beginning of “Celebrations Start at Macy’s,” which will unfold throughout 2026 at celebrations including, Mother's Day, Father’s Day and fall fashion, culminating in anniversaries for Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Additional consumer touchpoints throughout the year include:
“Celebrations Start at Macy’s” will come to life through various platforms, including a dedicated television spot that captures the emotions that happen before every celebration - the anticipation, energy, excitement and the sense of possibility that makes each occasion meaningful.
Additional details on “Celebrations Start at Macy’s” will be announced in the coming weeks and months.
Prom at Macy’s
Prom season will set the tone for “Celebrations Start at Macy’s,” kicking off with a campaign featuring actress Priah Ferguson alongside creators PresLee Faith and Jackson Harvey, celebrating individuality, self-expression and the excitement of planning to prom night. Throughout the season, Macy’s will offer curated fashion edits, immersive in-store experiences, opportunities to engage with their communities through nonprofit partnerships and talent-led inspiration that empowers promgoers to feel confident, seen and celebrated.
2026 Prom Trends
This year’s prom trends celebrate romance and high-impact glamour, with florals, soft pastels, sequins and embellishments, corset detailing and cascading ruffles leading the way. Prom dress styles range from sweeping ballgowns in delicate hues to sleek silhouettes in satins, bold colors and high-shine sparkle. Long prom dresses take the spotlight, including dramatic ballgowns, sculpted mermaids, bodycon styles and more designed to make a lasting impression.
"Prom was one of those unforgettable and defining moments. It’s a beautiful bridge between who I was and who I was becoming," says Priah Ferguson. "Macy's played such a meaningful role in my journey, and now I get to see that same magic through my younger sister. I’m proud to partner with the iconic retailer, curating a collection designed to make you feel ethereal, celebrated, and seen – a night where everyone deserves to feel like a star!"
Priah Ferguson’s Curated Storefront
“We’ve had so much fun curating looks that complement each other alongside Macy’s,” said PresLee and Jackson. “Prom is all about expressing yourself, and we’re excited to share our favorite selections with our followers to get them ready for the big night.”
Preslee and Jackson’s Curated Storefront
Celebration Saturdays: Nationwide Prom Events
The celebration begins Saturday, March 7, with a marquee in‑store event at Macy’s Herald Square where customers can meet Priah Ferguson, PresLee Faith and Jackson Harvey, explore curated prom edits, and personalize their looks.
Additionally, across 200 Macy’s stores nationwide, customers will experience prom through Macy’s Celebration Saturdays, featuring personal styling, live beauty demos, DJs, customization bars, gift bags and surprise-and-delight moments designed to build excitement leading up to the big night.
Giving Back Through Prom
Between March 1 and April 30, Macy’s will activate a roundup and online donation campaign benefiting the Macy’s Prom Fund, a donor‑advised fund of the Social Impact Fund. The initiative helps more students look and feel their best on prom night, supporting organizations including Child Mind Institute, Becca’s Closet, Operation Prom and Altadena Girls.
About Macy’s
Macy’s, the largest retail brand of Macy’s, Inc. (NYSE: M), serves as the style source for generations of customers. With one of the nation’s largest e-commerce platforms powered by macys.com and mobile app, paired with a nationwide network of stores, Macy’s delivers the most convenient and seamless shopping experience, offering great values in apparel, home, beauty, accessories and more. Macy’s gives customers even more ways to shop through an off-price assortment at Macy’s Backstage and at our highly curated Macy’s small format stores. Each year, Macy’s provides millions with unforgettable experiences through Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks ® and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade ® and helps our customers celebrate special moments, big and small. We’re guided by our social commitment—to create a brighter future for all that empowers voice, choice and ownership for our colleagues, customers, communities and leaders of tomorrow.
Macy’s Launches “Celebrations Start at Macy’s,” a Year-Long Immersive Platform Bringing Life’s Moments to the Center of Culture
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. military leaders said Tuesday that a ceasefire with Iran remains in effect a day after Tehran was blamed for new attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and against the United Arab Emirates.
The fragile truce, reached nearly a month ago, appeared to be holding as U.S. forces pressed ahead with efforts to reopen the vital waterway for global energy. On Monday, the U.S. said it sank six small Iranian boats that had threatened commercial ships.
So far, only two merchant ships are known to have passed through a new U.S.-guarded route, with hundreds more bottled up in the Persian Gulf. It's unclear whether continued U.S. military action will reassure shippers without reigniting the conflict that began with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.
The UAE, a key American ally, said it came under attack by Iranian missiles and drones for a second straight day on Tuesday. At least three people were wounded in attacks the day before, and a drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility in the eastern emirate of Fujairah.
Iran’s effective closure of the strait, through which major oil and gas supplies passed before the war, along with fertilizer and other petroleum-derived products, has sent fuel prices skyrocketing and rattled the global economy. Breaking Iran's grip would deny its main source of leverage as U.S. President Donald Trump demands a major rollback of its disputed nuclear program.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, the U.S. military’s top officer, told a news conference Tuesday that Iran’s renewed aggression hadn’t reached the threshold of what Caine called “major combat operations.” He said Tuesday marked a “quieter” day in the strait.
“No, the ceasefire is not over,” Hegseth said, affirming Caine’s assessment. They spoke before the latest attacks on the UAE.
Iran has said the new effort does violate the ceasefire. Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, accused the U.S. of undermining regional security. In a post on X, he signaled that Iran has yet to fully respond to the U.S. attempt to reopen the waterway.
“We know full well that the continuation of the status quo is intolerable for America; while we have not even begun yet,” he said. His statement did not mention negotiations with the U.S. that are now in the form of passing messages via Pakistan.
Disputing Washington’s claim of sinking six boats, an Iranian military commander said two small civilian cargo boats were hit on Monday, killing five civilians, Iran’s state TV reported.
Caine, the top U.S. general who serves as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said more than 100 U.S. military aircraft are patrolling skies around the strait.
“Since the ceasefire was announced, Iran has fired at commercial vessels nine times and seized two container ships, and they’ve attacked U.S. forces more than 10 times – all below the threshold of restarting major combat operations at this point,” Caine said.
The administration has cited the April 8 ceasefire in asserting that the president does not have to give a formal update to Congress on the war under the War Powers Resolution. That law typically requires presidents to seek formal approval from Congress for war activities 60 days after beginning military action.
So far, just two civilian vessels, both U.S.-flagged merchant ships, are known to have passed through the strait as part of the lane the U.S. says it has created.
“At this point in time our risk assessment remains unchanged,” Hamburg, Germany-based shipping company Hapag-Lloyd AG said in a statement. “Transits through the Strait of Hormuz are for the moment not possible for our ships.”
Ship tracking data showed a Panamanian-flagged crude oil tanker heading toward the center of the strait Tuesday after leaving an anchorage in the Persian Gulf, though it was unclear if it would try to pass through. The tanker had a stated destination of Singapore, according to the MarineTraffic ship tracking site.
Iran has attacked ships that try to transit without going through its own route in the northern part of the narrow strait near the Iranian coastline. That involves going through vetting by Iran's Revolutionary Guard and payment in some cases.
The U.S.-approved “Project Freedom” route goes through territorial waters of Oman to the south.
“For shipping companies and for insurance companies, they still have to wait and see how this plays out,” said Torbjorn Soltvedt, principal Middle East analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.
“This initiative alone isn’t something that looks like it’s going to open the Strait of Hormuz,” he said.
The United Arab Emirates said its air defenses had engaged 15 missiles and four drones fired by Iran. Authorities in the eastern emirate of Fujairah said one drone sparked a fire at a key oil facility, wounding three Indian nationals. The British military reported two cargo vessels ablaze off the UAE, also on Monday.
On Tuesday, the UAE's Defense Ministry said air defenses were responding to another Iranian drone and missile attack.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condemned the attacks, calling the targeting of civilians and infrastructure “unacceptable.” On X, Modi said India stands in “firm solidarity” with the UAE, and stressed the need for safe and uninterrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Tehran did not confirm or deny the attacks but Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi early Tuesday said on X that both the U.S. and the UAE “should be wary of being dragged back into quagmire.”
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia condemned the strikes against the UAE. The Saudi condemnation came despite increasingly strained relations with the UAE.
The disruption of the waterway has squeezed countries in Europe and Asia that depend on Persian Gulf oil and gas, raising prices far beyond the region.
The U.S. meanwhile has enforced a naval blockade on Iranian ports since April 13, telling at least 49 commercial ships to turn back, according to its Central Command. It also has warned shipping companies they could face sanctions if they pay Iran for transit of the strait.
The blockade has deprived Tehran of oil revenue it needs to shore up its ailing economy. U.S. officials have expressed hope the blockade will force Iran to make concessions in talks on its nuclear program and other longstanding issues.
Finley reported from Washington and Becatoros reported from Athens, Greece. Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut, Lebanon; Sheikh Saaliq in New Delhi; Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina; Bill Barrow in Atlanta; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.
Pro-government demonstrators chant slogans as one of them holds a poster of the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei during their gathering at Enqelab-e-Eslami, or Islamic Revolution, square in Tehran, Iran, Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
Israeli soldiers drive a tank inside a village in southern Lebanon, as seen from northern Israel, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
An Iranian demonstrator waves a flag of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group under an anti-U.S. billboard depicting the American aircrafts into the Iranian armed forces fishing net with signs that read in Farsi: "The Strait of Hormuz will remain closed, The entire Persian Gulf is our hunting ground," during a pro-government gathering at Enqelab-e-Eslami, or Islamic Revolution, square in Tehran, Iran, Monday, May 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)
A bulk cargo ship sits at anchor in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Saturday, May 2, 2026.(Amirhosein Khorgooi/ISNA via AP)
