Delman Shoes a classic

Delman now there’s a name that’s been around. It conjures visions of Bonwit Teller, Franklin Simon, Kelly Kitt and other "Specialty" women’s stores of the post war era. Elegant stores with mezzanines, tea rooms and millinery departments with individual dressing tables. These were the shops that under protest my mother dragged me through as a child. Little did I know that 50 years later I would be trying to recreate that ambience. The black uniformed sales women who carried their own receipt pads and always referred to clients as Mrs. or Miss.who never spoke above a hush.”Is this going to be cash or house charge?" Would you like this delivered? Is Madame planning to wear this tonight? That’s all a distant memory in retail history, yet when the name Delman popped up recently in a clients shoe store I could not help but recall sitting next to my mother while she considered which shoe best suited her. They were Delmans her favorite. I jumped at the chance to recreate the display of that era. Dorothy Draper, the woman responsible for reinventing commercial retail decor has of late become my mentor, "make it gay" she would exclaim, [no problem there Dot] So here it is my small tribute to Dorothy and all the great retailers of the past and of course the famous Delman Shoes.