Two of the world’s most famous streets run parallel to each other through Manhattan, a mere 420 feet apart. Fifth Avenue is known globally for its fashion and shopping; Madison Avenue is synonymous with the advertising industry. But over the past few decades, an increasing number of elite luxury brands have made the latter their home. With the grand opening of the new Hermes flagship store, has Madison Avenue finally taken over as the place to be seen in the Big Apple?
Fifth Ave |
Madison Av. |
NAMING RIGHTSIngeniously named for its location between Fourth (now Park) and Sixth Avenues. |
NAMING RIGHTSIndirectly names after President James Madison. (The avenue begins at Madison Square, which is directly named after him.) |
ICONIC IMAGEHolly Golightly wearing last night’s black dress outside her favorite store in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. 
United Archives GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo |
ICONIC IMAGEDon Draper falling from the Sterling Cooper offices during the opening credits of Mad Men. |
SECRET ORIGIN STORYAfter the Civil War, Mary Mason Jones built a series of mansions between 57th and 58th streets, minting the original Millionaire’s Row. The Vanderbilts (and everyone else) followed suit. |
SECRET ORIGIN STORYMadison wasn’t part of the 1811 plan for Manhattan’s rectangular grid. Developer Samuel B. Ruggles used his influence to have it pass through land he owned—and make it more valuable. |
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCKIf Mayor Eric Adams gets his way, Fifth will soon expand sidewalks for pedestrians, establish new bike lanes and cordon off green spaces. |
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCKLast September, Hermès opened a 45,000-square-foot flagship store on 706 Madison.
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images |
LUXURY STORESArmani, Bergdorf Goodman, Bulgari, Harry Winston, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co. and Prada
B.O'Kane/Alamy Stock Photo |
LUXURY STORESAlexander McQueen, Hermès, Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabbana, Jimmy Choo, La Perla, Ralph Lauren and Prada (again)
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FROM RESIDENCE TO RETAILCornelius Vanderbilt II’s mansion at 57th and Fifth, the largest private home ever built in the Big Apple, was demolished in 1926 to make way for Bergdorf Goodman. |
FROM RESIDENCE TO RETAILGertrude Rhinelander Waldo spent lavishly building a house at 72nd and Madison—and never moved in. It’s been Ralph Lauren’s flagship since 1986. |
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAYIn 2018, after 123 years in business, Henri Bendel shut its flagship location at 56th and Fifth.
Patti McConville / Alamy Stock Photo |
THE ONE THAT GOT AWAYThe globally beloved Barneys at 61st and Madison closed its doors in 2020.
Drew Angerer/Getty Images |
I COME FOR THE ARTDisputes about where Fifth’s Museum Mile starts and ends abound, but no one disagrees about which institution is the crown jewel: the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Sean Pavone/Alamy Stock Photo |
I COME FOR THE ARTThe brutalist pile at 75th and Madison was the Whitney before it became the Met Breuer. It now temporarily houses the Frick Collection while its usual home—on Fifth—is renovated.
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images |
REASON TO SKIP THE HOT DOG CARTNo one comes here for the food. If you really want breakfast at Tiffany’s, its Blue Box Café is expected to reopen later this year. |
REASON TO SKIP THE HOT DOG CARTCarnivores aren’t thrilled about the new plant-based menu at Michelin three-star Eleven Madison Park. Maybe you’ll want that hot dog after all.
Robert Nickelsberg/Getty Images |
