At Liberty: From Rehab to the Front Row

by Ed Burstell

Overview

A truly inspirational memoir, this is Ed's story: an affecting, candid and wildly funny tale of one man's meteoric rise to the top of the retail and fashion world – from heroin addict to MD of Liberty, one of Britain's most iconic institutions.

Along the way, Ed shares his ups and downs: the riotous hedonism of the 1980s New York and Florida party scene; the devastating impact of the AIDS crisis, during which he lost his best friend; his first job as a spritzer at Macy's; his role in transforming the fortunes of two of New York's most prestigious luxury department stores; his battle with drug addiction and depression; his experiences working with, and feting, a multiplicity of high-profile stars; his top tips for surviving in fashion and retail; and finally his coming to London to take the reins at Liberty, a stranger in a strange land.

At Liberty is a window onto a seemingly glamorous world, a world that Ed writes about with a sparky, wry, self-deprecating humour and a fantastic sense of pathos. Ed truly is a larger-than-life character, on and off the page.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782434696
Publisher:	Michael O'Mara Books
Publication date:	10/01/2015
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	16 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Before taking the top job at Liberty in 2008 (since when he's presided over double-digit year-on-year growth), Ed was Senior Vice President at Bergdorf Goodman and General Manager of upscale fashion accessories boutique, Henri Bendel. Ed became known for his flamboyant and gregarious personality as the star of Channel 4's three-part Liberty of London documentary, which aired in December 2013 and netted viewing figures of 2.2 million per episode. The second series aired in November 2014 and discussions are in train for a third season. From all over the world, Liberty now welcomes in excess of 5 million people each year. Ed also writes for The New York Times and The Financial Times.
Before taking the top job at Liberty in 2008 (since when he's presided over double-digit year-on-year growth), Ed was Senior Vice President at Bergdorf Goodman and General Manager of upscale fashion accessories boutique, Henri Bendel. Ed became known for his flamboyant and gregarious personality as the star of Channel 4's three-part Liberty of London documentary, which aired in December 2013 and netted viewing figures of 2.2 million per episode. The second series aired in November 2014 and discussions are in train for a third season. From all over the world, Liberty now welcomes in excess of 5 million people each year. Ed also writes for The New York Times and The Financial Times..

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

Chapter 1 Moments of Clarity and the Beginning 13

Chapter 2 Lost in Party: Escape to Florida and New York, Exhilaration, Emergency Rooms and Waking Up 33

Chapter 3 A New Start: Macy's, Lessons in Retail, Highs and Hard Knocks 57

Chapter 4 The Big Break: Henri Bendel 85

Chapter 5 The Bergdorf Era: Swimming with the Big Boys 123

Chapter 6 London Calling: Liberty 155

Chapter 7 Top Job at Liberty: Managing Director, and Beyond 185

Acknowledgements 219

Index 220

Editorial Reviews

"Indefatigable, indestructible and as decisive as a cleaver. Don't mess with the Best." —Richard E. Grant, actor

From the Publisher