From showing us find out how to cook the perfect turkey to mastering the art of folding a fitted sheet, Martha Stewart’s name has long been synonymous with doing every little thing right at home – “how very ‘Martha Stewart’ of you.”
New Netflix documentary Martaprovides an insight into her extraordinary life from teenage model to original influencer and America’s first self-made billionaire, with a stint in prison and a friendship with Snoop Dogg along the way.
There is something more hidden behind the expertly folded linens and impeccably set tables.
Martha Stewart created a brand empire that redefined the home lifestyle, monetized it and paved the way for others.
Beginnings and barriers
Stewart’s relationship with home art began early.
Raised in New Jersey, she learned basic homemaking skills from her mother, akin to cooking and sewing, while her father introduced her to gardening.
She studied the history of art and architecture, but Stewart began her profession as a stockbroker. But her passion for domestic matters led her to entrepreneurship.
And she once reflected“The life of a housewife was more interesting to me than life on Wall Street.”
In 1972, she launched a catering business from suburban Connecticut. It quickly gained recognition for its elegant food presentations. A client of the publisher led to the creation of her 1982 book, entitled Entertaining. It included recommendations on find out how to prepare a clambake for 30 people, a cocktail party for 200 people, and the presentation was rated as highly as the food itself.
The book’s success led to a partnership with Kmart in 1987, ultimately bringing her brand of homewares to thousands and thousands of American homes.
In 1999, she took her company Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (which included her television programs, magazines, web sites and merchandising product lines) public, becoming America’s first self-made billionaire – not less than temporarily.
A number of years later, Stewart was brought into the case scandal. She received a five-month prison sentence for insider trading and obstruction of justice. Many expected this to be the end of her profession, but Stewart defied the odds.
Breaking latest ground
After her release from prisonshe wasn’t afraid of her past. Instead, she continued to share skills, including those she had honed during her stay POW camp – whether it’s crocheting or experimenting with latest recipes. As all the time, Stewart took every opportunity to grow her brand.
Her genius is that she willI sense a void in the culture” and switch your personal touch into business success.
From sells the brand whose name it bearsStewart stayed in the highlight, sometimes sharing it with others rapper Snoop Dogg. The unlikely duo struck up a seemingly real friendship that led to a TV series about potlucks, stand-ups and prison jokes.
She continues to attach with her thousands and thousands of followers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, where her long-term impact is maybe most visible.
Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP
OG influencer
Stewart’s living legacy is unmistakable in today’s digital world. As you scroll through social media, you will find traces of it in neatly arranged tables or perfectly organized cabinets.
Popular “cleanfluencers” identical to Mrs Hinch and Australia Mother Mila they built a fan base by turning household chores into visually charming content.
Minimalist, neat maven Maria Kondo has taken the world by storm with her philosophy of keeping only what “sparks joy.” Its global brand follows Stewart’s signature collection model. Stewart’s clean and white aesthetic and multi-channel branding may be seen in Goop Gwyneth Paltrow too.
When house responsibilities is reframed as life-changing and transformative, it transcends a personal duty and becomes a public, respectable, and potentially profitable business.
But is that this feminism?
However, the rise of domestic lifestyle influencers also raises critical questions in feminist circles.
Already in the times of Simone de Beauvoir The second sexpublished in 1949, house responsibilities is seen as a part of the trap of domestic femininity.
Figures like Stewart can represent success stories economic conditions. But their ventures may reinforce the stereotype that homemaking is inherently women’s work, often attached to an ever-growing array of consumer products designed to enhance it.
Stewart’s vision of domestic success – immaculate homes, immaculate dinners and ideal organization – sets a normal that’s unattainable for most. Scholars say it represents her media empire upper class fantasywhere the appearance of an affluent lifestyle is emphasized over its reality.
Focusing on domestic matters is not inherently regressive, but what happens when the standards of success are too high to realize?
The “solution” often lies in the trap of consumerism, where women endlessly purchase goods to chase an idealized lifestyle.
Stewart’s perfectionism contributed to her success. In her words: “Being a perfectionist will pay off“. But for women and consumers, the pursuit of “Martha Stewartness” often feels out of reach.