Bergdorf Goodman

1899

Edwin Goodman works for Herman Bergdorf, an immigrant from Alsace, in his tailoring establishment just above Union Square in downtown Manhattan.

1906

Goodman purchases the store from Bergdorf and moves to the site where Rockefeller Center now stands.

1914

Goodman is the first couturier to introduce ready-to-wear, making Bergdorf Goodman the destination for premier American and French fashion.

1928

Bergdorf Goodman moves to its present location, the former site of the great Cornelius Vanderbilt mansion. With Goodman's son, Andrew, as President, the store continues innovations such as an incomparable fur salon, the exclusive Bergdorf Goodman Number Nine perfume, and Miss Bergdorf, a ready-to-wear line for the younger customer.

1953

Goodman retires as the most celebrated merchant of his time, with many accolades including the Legion of Honor from France.