Empresses of Seventh Avenue

World War II, New York City, and the Birth of American Fashion

by Nancy MacDonell

I am no fashion plate. Still, I have very much enjoyed the novels by Natasha Lester that have consistently highlighted French fashion and, in her latest, American fashion. This led me to be aware of the Battle of Versailles, just one of many fascinating events in fashion and one that is covered in the Empresses of Seventh Avenue. I also was glued to The New Look on Apple TV. These experiences primed my interest in this title.

Here readers find out how American fashion came into its own and who some of the women were who led the charge. This was a radical change as American fashion had very much copied French couture. The events of WWII changed this radically.

These women came from many fields including design, retail, advertising, magazines and more. I recognized some of the names that were attached to the fashion evolution including Carmel Snow, Diana Vreeland and Claire McCardell. I was eager to learn more about them and others.

Anyone interested in fashion, social history, women’s contributions in the world and more will I think very much enjoy this social history. It is very readable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

Pub date: 27 August 2024

Fashion writer MacDonell delivers a colorful chronicle of the female journalists, designers, and retailers who revolutionized American style during WWII. MacDonnell’s fine-grained character studies complement her fascinating insights into the political and cultural forces that ushered in a new era of American style. Fashionistas won’t be able to put this one down.” —Publishers Weekly