Skip to main content

Best & Co.

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1879–1971

Biography

Best & Co. was a department store founded in New York City in 1879 by Albert Best. Part of the 'Ladies' Mile' shopping district, the stalwart Manhattan store expanded its footprint with locations in tony suburbs in the tri-state area before expanding to Washington, D.C. and Chicago in the 1930s and 1940s. In 1966, the chain included 20 US-based locations when it was acquired by a fashion conglomerate, McCrory's who closed and liquidated the Best & Co. properties during the 1970s.

Found in 55 Collections and/or Records:

Women's Wear, 1934-1935, 1935

 oversize folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.32
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1934-1935 with newspaper clippings for women's ready-to-wear made with Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There are ads for sportswear, resort wear and bathing suits, and articles about current fashion and cotton fabric trends.

Dates: 1935

Women's Wear, 1935, 1936

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.35
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1935 with newspaper clippings and promotional material for women's wear made with Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There are ads for fashions made with Tennis Cord, Handkerchief Check, Peasant Linens, Donegal Tweeds, Linoweave, Printed Pique and Sandringham fabrics. There is a focus on beach wear and resort wear in Everfast's "Going Native" and "Native Prints and Plaids" lines, as well as some children's wear.

Dates: 1936

Women's Wear, 1937-1938, 1937-1938

 oversize folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.44
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1937-1938 with newspaper clippings for women's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are ads for Swedish-inspired prints, Guatemalen-inspired prints, Bali-inspired prints by Miguel Covarrubias, and prints designed by Elsa Schiaparelli, all primarily used for spring and summer fashions. There are also articles about current trends in cotton and about Jacques Heim's trip to the U.S. to work with Everfast.

Dates: 1937-1938

Women's Wear, 1945-1946 - 1, 1945-1946

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.103
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1945-1946 with newspaper clippings for women's wear and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are fashions designed by Jonathan Logan, Tina Leser, Mary Stevens, and Graff, using Mistysheer and Sunmere fabrics, and sold at various department stores, including Best & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, and Peck & Peck.

Dates: 1945-1946

Women's Wear, 1945-1946 - 2, 1945-1946

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.104
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1945-1946 with newspaper clippings for women's wear and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are fashions designed by Jonathan Logan, Tina Leser, Mary Stevens, and Graff, using Mistysheer and Sunmere fabrics, and sold at various department stores, including Best & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, and Peck & Peck.

Dates: 1945-1946

Women's Wear, 1945-1946 - 3, 1945-1946

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.105
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1945-1946 with newspaper clippings for women's wear and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are fashions designed by Jonathan Logan, Tina Leser, Mary Stevens, and Graff, using Mistysheer and Sunmere fabrics, and sold at various department stores, including Best & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, and Peck & Peck.

Dates: 1945-1946

Women's Wear, 1945-1946 - 4, 1945-1946

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.106
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1945-1946 with newspaper clippings for women's wear and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are fashions designed by Jonathan Logan, Tina Leser, Mary Stevens, and Graff, using Mistysheer and Sunmere fabrics, and sold at various department stores, including Best & Co., Saks Fifth Avenue, and Peck & Peck.

Dates: 1945-1946

Women's Wear, 1946, 1946

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.111
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1946 with newspaper clippings for women's ready to wear made with Everfast Fabrics. The ads are primarily for beach wear and day wear, sold at various stores, including Bonwit Teller, Best & Co., Loeser's, Mary Lewis, Franklin Simon, and B. Altman. There are also ads for designs by Jacques Heim.

Dates: 1946

Women's Wear, 1956-1957, 1956-1957

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.181
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1956-1957 with magazine clippings, business correspondence, and photographs for women's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are ads for the Grace Line Cruises promotion with Nelly de Grab, Young Modes, and Junior House. There are also hang tags, and photographs of displays at B. Altman and Best & Co.

Dates: 1956-1957

Women's Wear, 1958, 1958

 folder
Identifier: SC.411.1.190
Scope and Contents

This folder contains a scrapbook from 1958 with newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, promotional materials, and business correspondence for women's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are ads for fashions designed by Cabana, Cannady Creations, Betty Barclay, and Jo Collins, as well as publicity for Everfast's "Follow the Sun" prints at Saks Fifth Avenue. There are photographs of displays at Saks Fifth Avenue, Best & Co., and Bloomingdale's.

Dates: 1958

Additional filters: