When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion

The concept of department stores emerged in the mid-19th century as a new retail model driven by the industrial revolution and the rise of the middle class. Although some debate exists, Le Bon Marche in Paris (founded 1838) is generally designated as the world’s first department store. In the United States, department stores emerged first in New York City, with Alexander Turney Steward’s Marble Palace opening in 1846. In the years since, New York City has remained a hub for department stores and the fashion industry in the United States. When Women Ran Fifth Avenue focuses on the tenure of female executives at three New York department stores.

Lord & Taylor was founded in 1834 when George Washington Taylor joined and expanded his cousin Samuel Lord’s small clothing store. In 1862, both men retired and were succeeded by their sons. The business expanded quickly in the final decades of the 19th century and opened their iconic flagship on Fifth Avenue in 1914. In 1945, Dorothy Shaver became president of the company and oversaw an expansion that opened new branches across the East coast. In the decades to come, male executives followed her lead and the brand expanded rapidly across the country throughout the 1960s. When the economy took a turn in the 1970s, many of these branches closed, leaving the company in financial trouble. After several changes in ownership, Lord & Taylor closed its final stores in 2020 and shifted to an online-only model.

Bonwit Teller was founded in 1898 by Paul Bonwit and Edmund D. Teller as a hat-making shop. In 1930, they took residence in a building on 56^th street that remained the company’s flagship for 50 years. In 1934, Bonwit Teller was acquired by Floyd Odlum, who established his wife Hortense as president. As Satow details, Hortense remained president until 1940, when the Odlums sold their investment in Bonwit Teller to the Hoving Corporation, which also included Tiffany & Co. In 1956, the store was sold to Genesco, a large conglomerate of retail companies managed by Maxey Jarman which also included Henri Bendel. Following the acquisition, the store developed a reputation for promoting cutting-edge designers, such as Christian Dior and Calvin Klein. In 1979, Genesco sold Bonwit Teller to Allied Stores Corporation, who immediately sold the iconic flagship location to then real estate developer Donald J. Trump. Trump demolished the store in order to construct Trump Tower. Although a number of branches were opened beyond New York City, Bonwit Teller never recovered from the loss of the flagship store. Bonwit Teller filed for bankruptcy in 2000.

Henri Bendel opened his namesake store in 1895 in Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan. In 1913, the store moved into its iconic flagship location on 57th street, where it remained for over 100 years. That same year, Bendel became the first American department store to feature the designs of Coco Chanel. When Henri Bendel died in 1936, his nephew (also named Henri) took over. The company was sold to investors following the second Henri’s retirement in 1956, and in 1980 the company’s president, Geraldine Stutz, purchased it along with investors from Genesco. During her tenure as president, Geraldine discovered and popularized the work of designers such as Perry Ellis and Ralph Lauren. In 1985, the company was sold to L Brands, a conglomerate that also owned Victoria’s Secret. The company transitioned to focus on accessories in the early 2000s and opened 28 retail stores in 2008. Despite the brand’s lengthy history, however, the expansion was unsuccessful, and in 2019 all branches, including the flagship, were permanently closed.