Why arc Oxxford suits famous for their

quality? What do Galanos dresses, The

New Yorker magazine, Sara Lee pound

cake, Levi s, and Peugeot pepper mills

have in common ? Are elegance and fine

quality beconfing outdated concepts ?

In this lively, penetrating account of a

lifelong search for "the best" through-

out the world, Stanley Marcus s focus is

sharp, gossipy, and unabashedly subjec-

tive about the greats (and not so greats)

of retailing. "Having retired from a day

to-day participation in the retailing

business... I am now able to see with