Emile Zola 
Ladies’ Paradise 

Encapsulating, with luxurious detail, the phenomenon of consumer society A obsessed with image, fashion and instant gratification A The Ladies’Paradise depicts the growth of capitalism through the workings of a new economic entity, the department store. The novel centres around the story of the young Denise, who is seeking work in Paris, and Octave Mouret, the aspirational director of the shopping emporium.