content: <PAGE>   1
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                WASHINGTON, DC 20549
  
                                      FORM S-8
  
                               REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER THE
                               SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
  
                            THE NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
  
              Delaware                                           95-4119509
    (State or Other Jurisdiction of                           (I.R.S. Employer
     Incorporation or Organization)                           Identification No.)
  
                     27 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
                      (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  
                  THE NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP, INC. 1997 INCENTIVE PLAN
                              (Full Title of the Plan)
  
                                ERIC P. GELLER, ESQ.
                      Senior Vice President and General Counsel
                                 27 Boylston Street
                               Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
                       (Name and Address of Agent for Service)
  
                                    617-232-8200
            (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
  
  
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
                                       CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  ======================================================================================================
                                                                       Proposed
       Title of                                   Proposed              Maximum
      Securities             Amount           Maximum Offering         Aggregate           Amount of
        to be                to be                  Price               Offering          Registration
      Registered           Registered           Per Share (1)          Price (2)            Fee (3)
  
  <S>                 <C>                     <C>                     <C>                 <C>
  Class A             2,400,000 shares            $ 31.21            $ 74,904,000          $ 18,726
  Common Stock
  ======================================================================================================
  </TABLE>
  
  
       1.   This estimate is made solely for the purpose of determining the
  registration fee pursuant to paragraphs (c) and (h) of Rule 457 under the
  Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "Securities Act") based upon $31.21,
  the average of the high and low prices of the Class A Common Stock of the
  Registrant on April 10, 2001, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.
  
       2.   Estimate solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
  
       3.   The registration fee has been calculated pursuant to Section 6(b) of
  the Securities Act.
  
  <PAGE>   2
  
  PART II - INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
  
  ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
  
       The contents of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8,
  previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No.
  333-35829) are hereby incorporated by reference. This Registration Statement
  registers additional securities of the same class as the securities registered
  by such prior registration statement, and the securities registered hereby will
  be issued pursuant to the Incentive Plan referred to in such prior registration
  statement.
  
  
  ITEM 8. EXHIBITS
  
       See Exhibit Index immediately following the signature page.
  
  <PAGE>   3
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
  Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
  of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized, in the City of Newton, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on April 13,
  2001.
  
                                     THE NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP, INC.
  
                                     By:   /s/ Robert A. Smith
                                         -----------------------------------------
                                     Robert A. Smith
                                     Co-Chief Executive Officer
  
  
                                     By:  /s/ Brian J. Knez
                                        ------------------------------------------
                                     Brian J. Knez
                                     Co-Chief Executive Officer
  
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
  this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in
  the capacities and on the date indicated.
  
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
         Name                                         Title                            Date
         ----                                         -----                            ----
  
  PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICERS:
  
  <S>                                          <C>                                <C>
   /s/ Robert A. Smith                         Co-Chief Executive Officer         April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
  Robert A. Smith
  
  
   /s/ Brian J. Knez                           Co-Chief Executive Officer         April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
  Brian J. Knez
  
  
  PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER:
  
   /s/ John R. Cook                            Senior Vice President and          April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------       Chief Financial Officer
  John R. Cook
  
  
  PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER:
  
   /s/ Catherine N. Janowski                   Vice President and Controller      April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
  Catherine N. Janowski
  </TABLE>
  
  <PAGE>   4
  
                                     DIRECTORS:
  
  <TABLE>
  <S>                                          <C>                                <C>
   /s/ John R. Cook                                                               April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       John R. Cook
  
  
   /s/ Matina S. Horner                                                           April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Matina S. Horner
  
  
   /s/ Brian J. Knez                                                              April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Brian J. Knez
  
  
   /s/ Vincent M. O'Reilly                                                        April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Vincent M. O'Reilly
  
  
   /s/ Walter J. Salmon                                                           April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Walter J. Salmon
  
  
   /s/ Richard A. Smith                                                           April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Richard A. Smith
  
  
   /s/ Robert A. Smith                                                            April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Robert A. Smith
  </TABLE>
  
  <PAGE>   5
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
    Exhibit No.                      Description
    -----------                      -----------
  
       4(a)      Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company,
                 incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Annual Report
                 on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 1999.
  
       4(b)      Certificates of Designation with respect to Series A Junior
                 Participating Preferred Stock, Series B Junior Participating
                 Preferred Stock and Series C Junior Participating Preferred
                 Stock, incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Annual
                 Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 1999.
  
       4(c)      By-Laws of the Company, incorporated herein by reference to the
                 Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                 July 31, 1999.
  
       5         Opinion of Eric P. Geller, Esq., Senior Vice President and
                 General Counsel of The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc.
  
       23.1      Consent of Deloitte and Touche LLP.
  
       23.2      Consent of Eric P. Geller, Esq. (Contained in Exhibit 5)
  
       99        The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. 1997 Incentive Plan, as amended,
                 incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant's Quarterly
                 Report on Form 10Q for the quarter ended January 29, 2000.
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text: 1
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                WASHINGTON, DC 20549
  
                                      FORM S-8
  
                               REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER THE
                               SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
                            THE NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP, INC.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
  
              Delaware                                           95-4119509
    (State or Other Jurisdiction of                           (I.R.S. Employer
     Incorporation or Organization)                           Identification No.)
  
                     27 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
                      (Address of Principal Executive Offices)
  
                  THE NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP, INC. 1997 INCENTIVE PLAN
                              (Full Title of the Plan)
  
                                ERIC P. GELLER, ESQ.
                      Senior Vice President and General Counsel
                                 27 Boylston Street
                               Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
                       (Name and Address of Agent for Service)
  
                                    617-232-8200
            (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent for Service)
  CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  ======================================================================================================
                                                                       Proposed
       Title of                                   Proposed              Maximum
      Securities             Amount           Maximum Offering         Aggregate           Amount of
        to be                to be                  Price               Offering          Registration
      Registered           Registered           Per Share (1)          Price (2)            Fee (3)
  Class A             2,400,000 shares            $ 31.21            $ 74,904,000          $ 18,726
  Common Stock
  ======================================================================================================
  1.   This estimate is made solely for the purpose of determining the
  registration fee pursuant to paragraphs (c) and (h) of Rule 457 under the
  Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the "Securities Act") based upon $31.21,
  the average of the high and low prices of the Class A Common Stock of the
  Registrant on April 10, 2001, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.
  
       2.   Estimate solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee.
  
       3.   The registration fee has been calculated pursuant to Section 6(b) of
  the Securities Act.
  2
  
  PART II - INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT
  
  ITEM 3. INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE
  
       The contents of the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form S-8,
  previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No.
  333-35829) are hereby incorporated by reference. This Registration Statement
  registers additional securities of the same class as the securities registered
  by such prior registration statement, and the securities registered hereby will
  be issued pursuant to the Incentive Plan referred to in such prior registration
  statement.
  
  ITEM 8. EXHIBITS
  
       See Exhibit Index immediately following the signature page.
  3
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the
  Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
  of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
  Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
  authorized, in the City of Newton, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, on April 13,
  2001.
  
                                     THE NEIMAN MARCUS GROUP, INC.
  
                                     By:   /s/ Robert A. Smith
                                         -----------------------------------------
                                     Robert A. Smith
                                     Co-Chief Executive Officer
  
                                     By:  /s/ Brian J. Knez
                                        ------------------------------------------
                                     Brian J. Knez
                                     Co-Chief Executive Officer
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
  this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in
  the capacities and on the date indicated.
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  Name                                         Title                            Date
         ----                                         -----                            ----
  
  PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICERS:
  /s/ Robert A. Smith                         Co-Chief Executive Officer         April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
  Robert A. Smith
  
   /s/ Brian J. Knez                           Co-Chief Executive Officer         April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
  Brian J. Knez
  
  PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER:
  
   /s/ John R. Cook                            Senior Vice President and          April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------       Chief Financial Officer
  John R. Cook
  
  PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER:
  
   /s/ Catherine N. Janowski                   Vice President and Controller      April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
  Catherine N. Janowski
  4
  
                                     DIRECTORS:
  /s/ John R. Cook                                                               April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       John R. Cook
  
   /s/ Matina S. Horner                                                           April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Matina S. Horner
  
   /s/ Brian J. Knez                                                              April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Brian J. Knez
  
   /s/ Vincent M. O'Reilly                                                        April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Vincent M. O'Reilly
  
   /s/ Walter J. Salmon                                                           April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Walter J. Salmon
  
   /s/ Richard A. Smith                                                           April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Richard A. Smith
  
   /s/ Robert A. Smith                                                            April 13, 2001
  --------------------------------------
       Robert A. Smith
  5
  
                                    EXHIBIT INDEX
  
    Exhibit No.                      Description
    -----------                      -----------
  
       4(a)      Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company,
                 incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Annual Report
                 on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 1999.
  
       4(b)      Certificates of Designation with respect to Series A Junior
                 Participating Preferred Stock, Series B Junior Participating
                 Preferred Stock and Series C Junior Participating Preferred
                 Stock, incorporated herein by reference to the Company's Annual
                 Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended July 31, 1999.
  
       4(c)      By-Laws of the Company, incorporated herein by reference to the
                 Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended
                 July 31, 1999.
  
       5         Opinion of Eric P. Geller, Esq., Senior Vice President and
                 General Counsel of The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc.
  
       23.1      Consent of Deloitte and Touche LLP.
  
       23.2      Consent of Eric P. Geller, Esq. (Contained in Exhibit 5)
  
       99        The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. 1997 Incentive Plan, as amended,
                 incorporated herein by reference to the Registrant's Quarterly
                 Report on Form 10Q for the quarter ended January 29, 2000.