When Women Ran Fifth Avenue

Praise

A Cosmopolitan Best Nonfiction Book of 2024

“Masterful. . . An essential read for anyone who loves New York history and the stories of complicated, brilliant women, Satow’s book is enthralling from start to finish. She brings the glorious department stores of the past to vivid life while offering compassionate, nuanced portraits of those who ran the show.” —Fiona Davis, New York Times bestselling author of The Spectacular

“Deliciously detailed and impeccably researched, a gripping and glamorous examination of the women who were the life force of what remains a beating heart of American culture: the department store. An exuberant read! I truly loved this book.” —Denise Kiernan, New York Times bestselling author of The Girls of Atomic City and The Last Castle

“These women were the business powerhouses and advertising savants you never heard of. They understood how to elevate style, capture the public’s imagination, and make money at the same time and in a man’s world. If you liked Mad Men then you’ll love When Women Ran Fifth Avenue.” —#1 New York Times bestselling author Kate Andersen Brower, author The Residence and First Women

“American history at its best.” —Laurence Leamer, New York Times bestselling author of Capote’s Women

“In When Women Ran Fifth Avenue, Julie Satow shows how a trio of forthright female retailers transformed New York’s grand old department stores into dynamic, modern emporiums, and, in turn, vitalized America’s burgeoning fashion industry. A delightful spin through 20th-century Manhattan, and a fitting tribute to these formidable and long-overlooked business leaders.” –Dana Thomas, author of the New York Times bestseller, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster

“By taking us inside the gilded department store revolving doors in When Women Ran Fifth Avenue, Julie Satow transports us to an era filled with designers, artists, and celebrities. In this fascinating and glamorous trip back in time, we are introduced to the women behind the scenes who made it all happen — changing the way we shop, dress, and pursue careers.” –Kate Storey, New York Times bestselling author of White House by the Sea

“Satow traces the arc of the American woman over the twentieth century as she worked to break down barriers, open up new avenues of work and self-realization and, yes, dress the American public in style. Satow illuminates how it took glamour, grit, and girl power to bring about America’s new era of fashion and commerce.” –Allison Pataki, New York Times bestselling author of Finding Margaret Fuller

“Illuminating” –Kirkus

“Julie Satow intertwines the personal and the political, the financial and the aesthetic in this portrait of an iconic era of American history. Its lively character studies, delicious pop culture scenes, and thorough research illuminate the women at the very center of a contradictory moment: at once traditional and liberated, hopeful and tough.” —Julia Cooke, author of Come Fly the World: The Jet-Age Story of the Women of Pan Am

“Julie Satow dives deep into a forgotten era to unveil the gilded world of modern American department stores. With a historian’s precision and a storyteller’s charm, she brings to life three formidable women who not only shaped an industry but also defied societal expectations. Satow’s narrative unfolds with revelations so striking they’ll make readers gasp. We are reminded of the tenacity and vision of women at the forefront of commerce and culture. It is history at its most captivating, replete with glamour, rivalry, and ambition.” —Laurie Gwen Shapiro, author of The Stowaway: A Young Man’s Extraordinary to Antarctica