Lord & Taylor
Dates
- Existence: 1826 (date of establishment)
Biography
George Washington Taylor and Samuel Lord opened Lord & Taylor department stores in 1826 as a small dry goods company on 47 Catherine street in New York City. In 1853, the company moved into a building on the corner of Grand and Chrystie streets. By 1872, the stored had moved and opened two additional stores, one at 20th and Broadway, and the other at Grand and Broadway. In 1910, Lord and Taylor was purchased by United Dry Goods Companies, the parent company to the Associated Merchant's Company
By then, Lord and Taylor had expanded their building at 20th street to the end of the block at 5th avenue, making it the first department store to reside on the street which would later become a center of commerce. The company's final move came in 1914, when they relocated to a ten story Italianate building at 5th avenue and 38th street. The rooftop of this building was fitted with excellent employee facilities, such as an open air garden, a dining room, lounge, hospital, and gym. It was at this location that Lord and Taylor became known for its artful department store display windows for promotions and holidays. Lord and Taylor pioneered new retail policies in shopping for its time. They were the first department store with fixed-price policies, the first to include a steam elevator, the first who did not employ men to to entice customers to enter, and the first to open a branch in the suburbs at Manhasset. Lord and Taylor also opened the first juniors, maternity, bridal,and petites departments. Under the direction of retail executive Dorothy Shaver, Lord and Taylor launched "The American Look" campaign in 1932, becoming the first department store to promote the works of American fashion designers over Parisian designers.
Found in 59 Collections and/or Records:
1931, 1932, 1933 - 1, 1931-1933
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1931-1933 with fabric swatches, business correspondences, and publicity for Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. Promotions for Everfast Contempora fabrics, printed Voiles, Dimity, Broadcloth, Sunnidell and other fabrics used for women's wear, children's wear, sportswear, and beachwear. There are also lists of stores and companies working with Everfast products.
1931, 1932, 1933 - 2, 1931-1933
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1931-1933 with fabric swatches, business correspondences, and publicity for Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. Promotions for Everfast Contempora fabrics, printed Voiles, Dimity, Broadcloth, Sunnidell and other fabrics used for women's wear, children's wear, sportswear, and beachwear. There are also lists of stores and companies working with Everfast products.
Aida, Alex Colman, Betty Barclay, Youngland, Cole Promotions, 1954-1955, 1954-1955
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1954-1955 with newspaper and magazine clippings, photographs, and fabric swatches for women's and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics. There are ads for designs by Carolyn Schnurer, Betty Barclay, and Youngland, as well as for Everfast Satinia and Aida/Egyptian-inspired prints. There is also a photograph of a display at Lord & Taylor.
Catalogs, 1961-1963, 1961-1963
This folder contains approximately 50 catalogs from department stores including Arnold Constable, B. Altmann, Best & Co., Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdales, and Bonwit Teller.
Company Records, 1826-2010, 1826 - 2010
This folder contains press clippings, correspondence, Lord & Taylor catalogs and photocopies of advertisements.
Contempora, A Group of Eminent Artists: Publicity, Design, Promotion, Schwarzenbach, Huber Co., 1931, 1931
This folder contains a portfolio from 1931 outlining the publicity and marketing program for Everfast Contempora fabrics. There are photographs of window displays, suggested print and radio advertising copy, promotional materials, and swatches and descriptions of new fabrics for women's wear and children's wear. There is also general information about Contempora, Inc., incuding a list of participating artists and members of the Contempora Fashion Jury.
Decorator Fabrics by Everfast, 1950, 1950
This folder contains a handwritten portfolio from 1950 with fabric swatches, photographs, and magazine and newspaper clippings for the Drapery Division of Everfast Fabrics, with a focus on Decorator Chintz. There are photographs of displays at B. Altman, W. & J. Sloane, Lord & Taylor, and Burdine's.
Department store window photographs
This collection holds photographs of store windows from Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bonwit Teller, Best & Co., Macy's, Franklin Simon, B. Altman & Co., and others.
Everfast Fabric, Women's Wear, 1932, 1931
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1932 with promotional materials, and newspaper and magazine clippings for women's wear and children's wear made with Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co.
Everfast Fabrics, Women's Wear, 1934 - 1, 1934
This folder contains a scrapbook from 1934 with photographs, fabric swatches, and newspaper and magazine clippings from Everfast Fabrics under N. Erlanger, Blumgart & Co. There are ads for women's wear and children's wear, with a focus on beach wear and resort wear.