 In the late 1800s most fashion retailers specialised in just one type of garment. But when Joseph and Lyman Bloomingdale opened their East Side Bazaar in 1872 to sell a wide variety of European fashions they began what would become known as the "department store". In 1886 they moved uptown to 59th Street and Lexington Avenue - still the site of their flagship store. The store expanded steadily and by the 1920s Bloomingdale's covered an entire city block. Lyman created innovative ad campaigns to entice custom. In addition to this Bloomingdale's became the stage for gala events and fashion shows. With music, lighting and sophistication it offered retailing as theatre. By the 1970s everyone was stopping by for a look - including Queen Elizabeth II. People came to seen and be seen. Once there, they were dazzled by the cutting-edge fashion of designers like Ralph Lauren, Perry Ellis, and Norma Kamali, who got their first truly big opportunities at Bloomingdale's. Today it continues to adapt and evolve, maintaining its position as the world's most famous department store. |
