This month’s book club choice was a historical fiction novel called Fifth Avenue Glamour Girl by Renee Rosen. It is an inspirational portrayal of Estée Lauder, a pioneer of the makeup industry. The book told the story of Estée’s start and rise in the cosmetic world. Set in the 1940s-50s, the author did a great job of placing you in the period.
Estée Lauder revolutionized the cosmetic business with her marketing techniques of free samples and makeup demonstrations. To that point, I loved the descriptions of Saks Fifth Avenue, and as a young girl, I remember walking into Saks and marveling at the beauty of the store, and the “shop girls” as they were called back in Estée’s day, handing out small free gifts and offering makeup demonstrations.
Not only is this the story of Estée Lauder’s entrepreneurial drive and determination to make it in a tough, competitive industry, but it is also a story of love and friendship.
A heartwarming, well-written, researched read that I would recommend.
