Edna Ferber’s Emma McChesney and Co. follows its sharp, resourceful heroine, a traveling saleswoman in the petticoat and skirt trade, through the world of early twentieth-century American business. The stories, among Ferber’s earliest successes, blend humor and grit as Emma navigates commerce, motherhood, and the garment industry.
Though a work of fiction, the book is steeped in the practical realities of the clothing trade, from sales territories to the factory floor. Emma is a memorable figure of the working woman, and the garment business is her vivid backdrop. A spirited portrait of fashion as commerce, this collection is offered here as a free EPUB download.