When Women Ran 5th Ave

A glittering portrait of the golden age of American department stores and of three visionary women who led them, from the award-winning author of The Plaza. The twentieth century American department store: a palace of consumption where every wish could be met under one roof – afternoon tea, a stroll through the latest fashions, a wedding (or funeral) planned. It was a place where women, shopper and shopgirl alike, could stake out a newfound independence. Whether in New York or Chicago or on Main Street, USA, men owned the buildings, but inside, women ruled.

Three women rose to the top, and this tells their stories.