Martha Stewart is an American retail businesswoman, writer, and television personality. She is one of the newest cover stars for the 2023 edition of the iconic magazine, stealing the title of the oldest poser for the publication from Maye Musk, who appeared on the 2022 cover at the age of 74.
Martha Stewart Personal Life
Martha Stewart was born on 3 August 1941 in Jersey City, New Jersey, United States to Martha Ruszkowski Kostyra and Edward Kostyra. She has siblings named Laura Plimpton, Frank Kostyra, Eric Scott, George Christiansen, and Kathryn Evans.
Both her parents were teachers, and her father later became a pharmaceutical salesman. When Stewart was three, the family moved to Nutley, New Jersey. When Stewart was 10 years old, she worked as an occasional babysitter for the children of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, and Gil McDougald, all players for the New York Yankees.
Mickey and Merlyn Mantle had four sons, whom Stewart watched over and threw birthday parties for. She also started modeling. At the age of 15, Stewart appeared in a TV commercial for Unilever. She continued to appear in television commercials and magazines, including one with Tareyton’s “Smokers Would Rather Fight Than Trade!” cigarette advertisements. During her college years, she supplemented her scholarship money by “modeling for $50 an hour—which was a lot of money at the time.” Among the companies she modeled for was Chanel.
Stewart’s mother taught her to cook and sew. She later learned about preservation and conservation processes by visiting her grandparents’ home in Buffalo, New York. Her father was passionate about gardening and passed on much of her knowledge and expertise to her daughter. Stewart was also active in many extracurricular activities such as the school newspaper and art clubs.
Martha Stewart Career
In 1967, Martha Stewart began her second career as a stockbroker, her mother-in-law’s profession. Meanwhile, Andrew Stewart founded a publishing house and served as several other CEOs. Andrew and Martha Stewart moved to Westport, Connecticut, where they bought and renovated a farmhouse from 1805 on Turkey Hill Road that later became the location of the Martha Stewart Living television studio. The project revealed Stewart’s talent for restoration and decoration. In 1976, Stewart started a catering business in her basement with
Norma Collier, a friend from her modeling days. The business quickly became successful, but was cut short when Collier claimed that Stewart was difficult to work with and also took catering. Stewart soon bought out Collier’s stake in the company. Stewart was also employed as the manager of the gourmet grocery store Market Basket, but after disagreements with the owners of the mini-mall, she was forced out and opened her store.
Andrew became Harry N. Abrams, Inc., a prominent New York publisher. president. In 1977, she was responsible for publishing the English edition of The Secret Book of Gnomes by Dutch authors Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet, which became an instant success and reached The New York Times bestseller list. She contracted Stewart’s company to host a book launch party where Stewart was introduced to Alan Mirken, head of Crown Publishing Group. Impressed by Stewart’s talent as a cook and hostess, Mirken later went so far as to develop a cookbook containing recipes and photographs of parties Stewart hosted. The result was her first book, Entertainment (13 December 1982), co-authored with Elizabeth Hawes. Following the success of Entertaining, Stewart published several other books under the Clarkson Potter imprint, including Martha Stewart’s Quick Cook (1983), Martha Stewart’s Appetizers (1984), Martha Stewart’s Pies and Cakes (1985), Weddings (1987), also written by Elizabeth Hawes, The Wedding Planner (1988), Martha Stewart’s Entertaining Secrets (1988), Martha Stewart’s Quick Breakfast Menus (1988), and Martha Stewart’s Christmas (1989), among others. During that time, she also wrote dozens of newspaper columns, magazine articles, and other domestic articles and appeared on numerous television programs, including The Oprah Winfrey Show and Larry King Live.
Andrew and Martha Stewart separated in 1987 and divorced in 1990. In 1990, Stewart signed an agreement with Time Publishing Ventures to develop a new magazine, Martha Stewart Living, with Stewart as editor-in-chief. The first issue was published in late 1990, with an initial interest base of 250,000. Circulation peaked in 2002 at over 2 million copies per issue. In 1993, Stewart started a weekly half-hour television show based on her magazine, also called Martha Stewart Living. The program expanded to weekdays in 1997 and then to a full-hour program in 1999 with half-hour episodes on weekends and ran until 2004. Stewart also became a regular contributor to NBC’s Today Show and later CBS’s The Early Show, and starred in several prime-time holiday specials on the CBS network. New York Magazine declared Stewart “the definitive American woman of our time” on the cover of its May 1995 issue. In September 1997, Stewart, with the help of business partner Sharon Patrick, secured financing to purchase the various television, print, and marketing projects associated with the Martha Stewart brand and combine them into a new company called Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. (MSLO). Stewart served as chairman, president, and CEO of the new company, and Patrick became chief operating officer. By organizing all of the brand’s assets under one roof, Stewart felt he could foster synergy and better steer the direction of the brand across the business. That same month, Stewart announced the launch of a companion website and catalog business called Martha by Mail on Martha Stewart Living. The company also had a direct-to-consumer flower business.
On October 19, 1999, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia went public on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol MSO. The IPO price was $18 per share (equivalent to $29 in 2021) and rose to $38 per share (equivalent to $62 in 2021) by the close of business, making Stewart a paper billionaire and the first self-made woman. billionaire in the United States. The stock price slowly fell to $16 per share by February 2002. Stewart was then, and still is, the majority shareholder, owning 96 percent of the company’s voting rights.
After being released from prison in March 2005, Stewart began a much-publicized comeback and was again featured in Martha Stewart Living. Her company’s Martha Stewart Everyday collection at Kmart expanded with a new line of ready-made home furnishings, and its mass-market interior paint line became available at larger Sears stores. However, the most publicized part of her return was on television. Stewart returned to daytime television in The Martha Stewart Show (The Martha Stewart Show) and appeared in an adapted version of The Apprentice (titled The Apprentice: Martha Stewart). Both shows premiered in September 2005 and were both produced by Mark Burnett. Her primetime The Apprentice received poor ratings. The Apprentice: Martha Stewart was not renewed for a second season. In October 2005, Stewart published a new book, Martha’s Rules, about starting and running a new business, and a month later her company published the Martha Stewart Baking Handbook.
In October 2006, Clarkson Potter published The Martha Stewart Housekeeping Handbook, a reference book for managing a house. She is also a regular contributor to the cooking, crafting, and gardening segments of NBC’s Today Show. Stewart’s daytime talk show was nominated in six categories at the 33rd Daytime Emmy Awards in 2006, including Best Host and Best Program. MSLO launched a series of homes bearing its name that KB Home builds, initially in Cary, North Carolina, and later in several other locations nationwide. The first residences, inspired by Stewart’s homes in New York and Mount Desert Island in Maine, were completed in early 2006. Ultimately, plans call for 650 homes with prices from the low $200,000s to the mid $400,000s. EK Success paper-based craft products are also being developed. In September 2007, she launched a premium household line for Macy’s, the largest brand launch in Macy’s history. Stewart, who appeared in commercials for the series, said she created more than 2,000 products for Macy’s alone. The set includes bed linen, bath linen, kitchenware, and cutlery. In addition to television and marketing, MSLO launched a 24/7 satellite radio channel with Sirius in November 2005, where Stewart currently hosts a weekly talk show. Stewart also made a special appearance in the comedy-drama series Ugly Betty on November 16, 2006, in the episode “Four Thanksgivings and a Funeral”, where she helped prepare her friend Wilhelmina Slater (played by Vanessa Williams) Turkey, Justin Suarez (played by Mark Indelicato) is a fan of Stewart.
In July 2006, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia announced a multi-year agreement with FLOR, Inc., an environmentally friendly manufacturer of premium modular flooring, to manufacture and market new Martha Stewart-branded carpet tiles. The Martha Stewart Floor Designs by FLOR line debuted in 2007 with a distinctive design and color palette associated with the Martha Stewart brand. The deal with FLOR was part of the Martha Stewart Organization’s growing home furnishings program, which includes a wide range of products such as Bernhardt furniture, Lowe’s wall paint, and FLOR flooring. On September 14, 2007, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia announced that it had entered into a partnership with E and J Gallo Winery to produce a brand of wine under the Martha Stewart Vintage brand (sold in January 2008 in six cities for $15). The 15,000 cases sold were 2006 Sonoma County Chardonnay, 2005 Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2006 Sonoma County Merlot (Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, North Carolina, Denver, Phoenix, and Portland, Oregon). Martha Stewart also signed an agreement with Costco to offer frozen and fresh foods under the Kirkland Signature brand.
In July 2008, craft products called “Martha Stewart Celebrate” and “Martha Stewart Create,” two divisions of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, debuted in Walmart stores. The deal was prompted in part by the closing of more than 600 Kmart stores in the United States. On January 26, 2010, Hallmark Channel and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia announced a multi-year strategic partnership as they transition from broadcast to cable. Her hour-long daytime television series Martha, formerly The Martha Stewart Show, moved to the Hallmark Channel on September 13, 2010. It aired on Hallmark for two seasons before being canceled in early 2012, where the final episode airs May 11, 2012. New York Magazine reported in 2011 that Martha Stewart Living had made a profit in only one of the previous eight years. That same year, Stewart debuted a new 30-minute show, Martha Bakes, on the Hallmark Channel. Stewart made another acting debut in the NBC legal drama Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. She portrayed the principal of a private school in an episode titled “Learning Curve” (aired April 2012).
The new TV series Martha Stewart’s Cooking School debuted on PBS in October 2012. Each weekly 30-minute episode covers cooking techniques and basics. It is based on her book of the same name. In 2014, Stewart reportedly partnered with eBay to create an American Made Martha Stewart online store. This marketplace provides a platform for more than 400 American sellers and offers them the opportunity to grow their brands and popularize their products. In the fall of 2016, VH1 launched a new Martha and Snoop Dogg show called Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party, featuring games, recipes, and musical guests. Snoop Dogg and Stewart also later appeared in T-Mobile’s Super Bowl commercial during Super Bowl LI in February 2017. Marley Spoon is a new packaged and home-delivered ingredients and recipe project for home cooking. Stewart was initially blind-tested and then joined CEO Fabian Siegel in the joint venture.
In June 2018, Martha began appearing as a recurring judge on the Food Network cooking competition Chopped. In October 2018, she appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show with Julia Roberts. In February 2019, Canadian marijuana company Canopy Growth (CGC) announced that Stewart would join their company as an advisor. A new gardening show called Martha Knows Best premiered on HGTV on July 31, 2020. Stewart offers gardening help to individual callers and some of her famous friends. She also introduces some projects and improvements on her large (150 ha) estate. The second season aired from October 28 to December 4, 2020. A sequel called Martha Gets Down and Dirty premiered on Discovery on July 1, 2021.
In June 2022, Martha Stewart announced the launch of her first original podcast, titled The Martha Stewart Podcast, in partnership with iHeart Radio. On June 15, 2022, Stewart announced that Snoop Dogg would be a guest on the first episode of the podcast, which will debut on June 22, 2022.
In May 2023, she became one of the newest cover stars for the 2023 edition of the iconic magazine, stealing the title of the oldest poser for the publication from Maye Musk, who appeared on the 2022 cover at the age of 74.
Martha Stewart Relationship
During her college days, she met Andrew Stewart, who graduated from Yale Law School with a law degree. They married in July 1961. Their only child, daughter Alexis, was born in 1965. The couple separated in 1987 and divorced in 1990.
Martha Stewart later dated Anthony Hopkins, but ended the relationship after seeing the film Silence of the Lambs. For 15 years, Stewart dated billionaire Charles Simony, an early Microsoft employee and head of the software group. In 2007, she aired footage of herself as a space tourist in the Soyuz on her TV show. They broke up around February 2008.
Martha Stewart Net Worth
Stewart has a net worth of around $410 million. She earns by being a Businesswoman, writer, and television personality. In 1999, she became a billionaire when her company Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, went public.
Stewart lives in Katonah, Bedford, New York. She also maintains a 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) residence in Mount Desert Island, Seal Harbor, Maine, known as Skylands, the former summer home of car designer and industrialist Edsel Ford, with gardens designed by noted landscape architect Jens Jensen (1922).
Martha Stewart Imprisonment
After a six-week, highly publicized jury trial, Stewart was found guilty in March 2004 of conspiracy to obstruct, obstructing agency proceedings, and making false statements to federal investigators, and in July 2004 was sentenced to serve a five-month term in federal prison and two years of supervised release (including five months of electronic monitoring). Bacanovic and Waksal were also convicted of federal charges and sentenced to prison terms. Stewart also paid a $30,000 fine.
In August 2006, the SEC announced that it had agreed to settle a related civil lawsuit against Stewart. Under the settlement, Stewart agreed to pay $58,062 (plus interest on retained damages) and a civil penalty equal to three times the avoided damages, or $137,019. She also imposed a five-year ban on serving as a director, chief operating officer, chief financial officer, or other officer responsible for preparing, auditing, or disclosing the financial results of any public company.
In June 2008, the UK Border Agency refused to grant her a visa to enter the UK because she had a criminal conviction for obstructing justice. She planned to speak at the Royal Academy about fashion and leisure.
Martha Stewart Education
Stewart graduated from Nutley High School. She attended Barnard College at Columbia University, originally intending to major in chemistry, but switched to art, history, and later architectural history. She worked as a model for Chanel to pay her tuition. After her marriage, she returned to Barnard a year after her marriage and graduated with a double major in history and architectural history.
Martha Stewart Twitter Account
When you think of Martha Stewart, you likely imagine her with a blonde bob—and for good reason. https://t.co/k1nX5rSTcu
— Martha Stewart Living (@marthaliving) May 15, 2023
Martha Stewart Instagram Account
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Martha Stewart Physical Stats
| Height | 5 ft 10 in / 177 cm |
| Weight | 137 lb / 62 kg |
| Hair Color | Blonde |
| Eye Color | Light Brown |
Martha Stewart Wiki/Bio
| Name | Martha Stewart |
| Full Name | Martha Helen Stewart |
| Date Of Birth | 3 August 1941 |
| Age | 81 (as of 2023) |
| Birthplace | Jersey City, New Jersey, United States |
| Profession | Businesswoman, writer, television personality |
| Nationality | American |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Gender | Female |
| Parents | Martha Ruszkowski Kostyra, Edward Kostyra |
| Siblings | Laura Plimpton, Frank Kostyra, Eric Scott, George Christiansen, Kathryn Evans |
| Partner | Unknown |
| Spouse | Andrew Stewart (m. 1961–1990) |
| Children | Alexis Stewart |
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