The Rise Of Fashion And Lessons Learned At Bergdorf Goodman

The Rise of Fashion and Lessons Learned at Bergdorf Goodman

Crossing Fifth Avenue to Bergdorf Goodman

From pageboy at Bonwit Teller to CEO of Bergdorf Goodman, Ira Neimark crossed Fifth Avenue unlike anyone else. Christmas 1938, when he began working at Bonwit Teller on 56th Street & Fifth Avenue, he had just turned 17. Mary Martin, the toast of Broadway, sang at Bonwit's exclusive 721 Club Christmas cocktail party where young Ira, in a snug bellhop uniform, greeted the rich and famous. Four decades later, as the new CEO of Bergdorf Goodman (located across the street on Fifth Avenue), he transformed the store from an 'old, dull, expensive and intimidating store', into a 'young, exciting expensive and intimidating store' that became first in luxury and glamour! Among his stunning achievements: the re-introduction of the Paris couture in the United States, unique showcasing of great Italian and French designers, developing the best new Americans -- and throwing fabulous parties and events featuring haute couture that lit the spark for Bergdorf's revival. Crossing Fifth Avenue to Bergdorf Goodman captures the magic of fashion retailing at its most dramatic moments, as well as the 'lessons learned' that made Ira Neimark a legendary success in the business. It is replete with intriguing, personal stories about famous people known around the world, among them Princess Diana, Salvador Dali, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Donald Trump, and Margaret Thatcher. And there are insights into the art and business of fashion that only an insider could give in the stories about Giorgio Armani, Geoffrey Beene, Bill Blass, Carla Fendi, Oscar de la Renta, Perry Ellis, Massimo Ferragamo, James Galanos, Hubert Givenchy, Calvin Klein, Estee Lauder, Ralph Lauren, Mary McFadden, Charles Revson, Pauline Trigere, and many more. Only Ira Neimark could tell these stories and articulate the business lessons that made him the 'last man standing' among the greats of fashion retailing -- lessons that continue to compel leading multi-national companies to seek his counsel.

Clothing and Fashion

This unique four-volume encyclopedia examines the historical significance of fashion trends, revealing the social and cultural connections of clothing from the precolonial times to the present day. This sweeping overview of fashion and apparel covers several centuries of American history as seen through the lens of the clothes we wear—from the Native American moccasin to Manolo Blahnik's contribution to stiletto heels. Through four detailed volumes, this work delves into what people wore in various periods in our country's past and why—from hand-crafted family garments in the 1600s, to the rough clothing of slaves, to the sophisticated textile designs of the 21st century. More than 100 fashion experts and clothing historians pay tribute to the most notable garments, accessories, and people comprising design and fashion. The four volumes contain more than 800 alphabetical entries, with each volume representing a different era. Content includes fascinating information such as that beginning in 1619 through 1654, every man in Virginia was required to plant a number of mulberry trees to support the silk industry in England; what is known about the clothing of enslaved African Americans; and that there were regulations placed on clothing design during World War II. The set also includes color inserts that better communicate the visual impact of clothing and fashion across eras.