Henri Bendel and the Worlds He Fashioned

"An exploration of the life of Henri Bendel and his fabled women's fashion emporium. It traces his ascent from Vermilionville, Louisiana (now Lafayette) as the son of Jewish European immigrants to his role in New York City as America's premier importer of French couture and an arbiter of style whose lavish homes and rare antiques rivaled those of his wealthy clients. The book also follows the many incarnations of the Henri Bendel store and its satellites and assesses its considerable influence on American fashion and retailing, right up to its closing in 2019 following a remarkable one hundred and twenty-three-year run"--