Glamour, Grit, and Fifth Avenue: The Women Who Reinvented Retail




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ClassGraphic Step into the dazzling world of early 20th-century New York, where three extraordinary women reshaped Fifth Avenue and changed the way America shops. At a time when women were rarely welcomed in the boardroom, they built iconic destination department stores, introduced the idea of personal shopping, turned window displays into works of art, and traveled the globe in search of beauty, style and inspiration. In this lively discussion group, we’ll learn about these pioneering women, the challenges they faced, and the lasting mark they left on fashion, business, and culture. Their stories are filled with ambition, creativity, and determination—and they remain just as fascinating today. If you enjoy rich storytelling, have a fondness for New York’s golden age of retail stores, or simply appreciate compelling stories of women who broke barriers and refused to be overlooked, you’ll find this a rewarding and engaging experience.Our conversations will be guided by Julie Satow’s compulsively readable book When Women Ran Fifth Avenue: Glamour and Power at the Dawn of American Fashion (Penguin Random House, June 2024).
 

Class Details

7 Session(s)
Weekly - Wed

Location
Wieboldt Hall

Instructor
Multiple

Tuition:  $0.00

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Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
10/28/2026 - 12/9/2026 Weekly - Wed 09:45 AM - 11:45 AM Chicago, Wieboldt Hall  Map Diane Dunne  ; Robert Kravitz