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When FN went in-depth with Martha Stewart for a June 2023 cover story, the entrepreneur opened up about her aversion to an oft-overused label \u2014 legend.<\/p>\n
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\u201cLegends are dead. I would much rather be an icon,\u201d Stewart said emphatically. <\/p>\n
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Few people embody the word as perfectly as Stewart, the original influencer who has an inherent talent for reinventing herself again and again. <\/p>\n
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Now, as she prepares to accept the Icon Award at the 2024 FN Achievement Awards, Stewart ponders her own definition of the term. \u201cTo me, an icon is a living person who has accomplished something extraordinary during their lifetime,\u201d the octogenarian said. \u201cMy icons are adventurous, take risks and are forward thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stewart is describing herself: After all, it was just 18 months ago that she made history as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit\u2019s oldest cover model, a moment that was hard to top. But in 2024, the image maker again proved she\u2019s unstoppable, from her starring role at the Paris Olympics with Snoop Dogg (her bestie and fellow Skechers ambassador) to the launch of her 100th book (\u201cMartha: The Cookbook\u201d). And recently, her viral \u201cNetflix\u201d documentary has had just about everyone buzzing.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In today\u2019s social media era, when fame has never been more fleeting, Stewart understands how to keep fans highly engaged<\/a> \u2014 and much of her power lies in her ability to look ahead.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n For example, as some people are still discovering her film, Stewart \u2014 who was openly critical about certain aspects of it \u2014 is already talking about \u201cMartha 2.\u201d \u201cThere\u2019s still more to tell,\u201d she said last month during an appearance on CNBC\u2019s \u201cSquawk Box.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The story she\u2019s told so far \u2014 the incredible rise, the dramatic fall and the illustrious comeback \u2014 has certainly surprised and delighted viewers, especially ambitious young women who are looking for a role model during a turbulent time. \u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWatching the Martha Stewart documentary and she is just a delightful bad ass bit** [who] gets shit done,\u201d wrote one Threads user.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Said another: \u201cThis Martha Stewart documentary was IT! I had tears in my eyes knowing how the world can be cruel to successful women. She has lived so many lives, what an ICON!\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The attention around the documentary \u2014 which has personal new revelations about Stewart\u2019s childhood and marriage, as well as her time in prison \u2014 has helped drive demand for \u201cMartha: The Cookbook.\u201d It was released in November, more than four decades after Stewart\u2019s first book, \u201cEntertaining.\u201d <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat I think people like about my books are the recipes, photographs and stories that are evocative, personal and inclusive. Creating an ambiance and environment that speaks to the food is very important for the visuals,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n In this digital age where online recipes are ubiquitous, Stewart is immensely proud of the fact that her cookbooks remain a mainstay in American kitchens \u2014 and continue to influence chefs everywhere.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI went to a big Christmas party last year and noticed a huge mound of butter,\u201d she recalled. \u201cI quietly laughed to myself as the \u2018butter mound\u2019 was featured in \u2018Entertaining.\u2019 Talk about timeless.\u201d <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou can always work a little bit harder and maybe get to your goal a little bit faster. I work 24\/7,\u201d Stewart said at FN\u2019s June 2023 \u201cWomen Who Rock\u201d event.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n That\u2019s not much of an exaggeration: In the span of a frenetic few days last month, she held court at the Louis Vuitton store opening in New York, traveled to Charleston, S.C., to celebrate her new book in front of a crowd of 1,200 people, sat down for an on-stage iHeartRadio interview, toasted a friend\u2019s book launch at The Carlyle and appeared on \u201cThe Today Show\u201d to serve up her brioche stuffing-filled roasted pumpkin. (The travel lover later revealed she was skipping Thanksgiving turkey this year and taking her grandchildren to Rome during the holiday instead.) <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/footwearnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Martha-grid.jpg?w=819\")
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<\/figure>\nShe Never Stops Surprising<\/h2>\n
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