Martha Stewart has built one of the most recognizable lifestyle brands in America through cooking, entertaining, gardening, publishing, television and business. Born in 1941, she began her career as a model and later worked as a Wall Street stockbroker before turning her talents into a catering business. Her first book, Entertaining, helped launch a remarkable publishing career. Today, she remains active across books, media, home products and food, with her long career continuing to evolve.
Martha Stewart Quick Bio
| Profile Detail | Full Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Martha Helen Stewart |
| Birth Name | Martha Kostyra |
| Date of Birth | August 3, 1941 |
| Height | Approximately 5 ft 9½ in (1.77 m) |
| Age | 85 years old (as of September 2026) |
| Birthplace | Jersey City, New Jersey, United States |
| Raised In | Nutley, New Jersey |
| Nationality | American |
| Parents | Edward Kostyra and Martha Kostyra |
| Siblings | Five siblings; Martha was the second of six children |
| Heritage | Polish-American |
| Education | Barnard College, New York |
| College Degree | History and architectural history |
| Profession | Businesswoman, author, publisher, television personality and lifestyle entrepreneur |
| Known For | Cooking, gardening, entertaining, crafts, home design, publishing and lifestyle media |
| Early Career | Model |
| Wall Street Career | Worked as a stockbroker after college |
| Catering Career | Started a catering business in the 1970s |
| First Major Book | Entertaining — published in 1982 |
| Publishing Career | More than 100 books across cooking, gardening, crafts, decorating and lifestyle |
| Magazine | Martha Stewart Living |
| Television Shows | Martha Stewart Living, The Martha Stewart Show, Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party, Martha Gardens and Martha Cooks |
| Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia | Founded and developed into a major lifestyle media and merchandising company |
| IPO | Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia went public in 1999 |
| Retail Career | Developed home, kitchen, bedding, bath, craft and other product collections |
| Restaurant | The Bedford by Martha Stewart, Las Vegas |
| Restaurant Opening | 2022 |
| Farm | Bedford Farm, Katonah, New York |
| Farm Size | Approximately 156 acres |
| Daughter | Alexis Stewart |
| Former Husband | Andrew Stewart |
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Legal Chapter | Convicted in 2004 in connection with the ImClone stock investigation and served a five-month prison sentence |
| Sports Illustrated | Appeared on the 2023 Swimsuit Issue cover at age 81, becoming the magazine’s oldest cover model at that time |
| 2024 Milestone | Published her 100th book, Martha: The Cookbook |
| 2025 Milestone | Published Martha Stewart’s Gardening Handbook |
| 2026 Milestone | Published The Martha Way: Essential Principles for Mastering Home and Living |
| Current Work | Books, television, digital media, food, gardening, home products, cookware and lifestyle projects |
| Estimated Net Worth | Approximately $400 million; published estimates vary |
| Main Sources of Wealth | Publishing, television, licensing, merchandising, brand partnerships, media and business ventures |
| Major Career Achievement | Built a major lifestyle and media business from her early catering work |
| Signature Areas | Cooking, gardening, entertaining, crafts, decorating, homemaking and collecting |
| Current Base | Katonah, New York |
| Career Path | Model → Stockbroker → Caterer → Author → Publisher → Television Host → Entrepreneur |
| Legacy | Built a long-running lifestyle brand spanning publishing, television, food, gardening, crafts, home products and entertainment |
Martha Stewart Images
A Timeline Martha Stewart
| Year | Career & Life Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1941 | Born Martha Kostyra in Jersey City, New Jersey; she was the second of six children. |
| 1950s | Began modeling while attending school and appeared in advertisements and television commercials. |
| 1961 | Married Andrew Stewart while attending college. |
| 1962 | Graduated from Barnard College, studying history and architectural history. |
| 1960s | Worked as an institutional stockbroker on Wall Street. |
| 1965 | Daughter Alexis Stewart was born. |
| 1970 | Martha and Andrew Stewart purchased Turkey Hill in Westport, Connecticut. |
| 1976 | Started her catering business from her home kitchen. |
| 1982 | Published her first major book, Entertaining. |
| 1990 | First preview issue of Martha Stewart Living was published. |
| 1991 | Martha Stewart Living became a regular quarterly magazine. |
| 1992 | Martha Stewart Living TV launched as a syndicated television program. |
| 1996 | Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia was established as a major multimedia company. |
| 1999 | Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia went public on the New York Stock Exchange. |
| 2004 | Stewart was convicted in the ImClone-related case and served a five-month prison sentence. |
| 2005 | The Martha Stewart Show began its nationally syndicated run. |
| 2011 | Inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. |
| 2016 | Began Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party with Snoop Dogg. |
| 2018 | Became a recurring judge on Chopped. |
| 2020 | Her poolside Instagram photograph became a major social-media moment. |
| 2022 | Opened The Bedford by Martha Stewart restaurant in Las Vegas. |
| 2023 | Became the oldest Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover star at that time, appearing at age 81. |
| 2024 | Published Martha: The Cookbook, her 100th book. |
| 2025 | Published Martha Stewart’s Gardening Handbook, her 101st book. |
| 2026 | Published The Martha Way, described as her 102nd book. |
Martha Stewart Family
| Family Member | Information |
|---|---|
| Father | Edward Kostyra |
| Mother | Martha Kostyra, widely known as “Big Martha” |
| Siblings | Five siblings; Martha was the second of six children. |
| Former Husband | Andrew Stewart |
| Marriage | 1961 |
| Separation | 1987 |
| Divorce | 1990 |
| Daughter | Alexis Stewart |
| Grandchildren | Jude Stewart and Truman Stewart. |
| Family Influence | Her mother taught her cooking, baking, sewing and preserving, while her father introduced her to gardening. |
Martha Stewart Awards & Nominations
| Year | Award / Organization | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show | Winner |
| 1995 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show Host | Winner |
| 1996 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show Host | Nominee |
| 1997 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show Host | Winner |
| 1998 | James Beard Foundation | Best National TV Cooking Segment | Winner |
| 1998 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show | Nominee |
| 1999 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show Host | Nominee |
| 2001 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show | Winner |
| 2002 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show Host | Winner |
| 2003 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show Host | Winner |
| 2003 | James Beard Foundation | Television Food Segment | Winner |
| 2004 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show Host | Nominee |
| 2005 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Service Show | Winner |
| 2005 | James Beard Foundation | Television Food Segment | Winner |
| 2011 | New York Women in Film & Television | Muse Award | Winner |
| 2014 | James Beard Foundation | Television Program, In Studio or Fixed Location | Winner |
| 2015 | James Beard Foundation | Television Program, In Studio or Fixed Location | Winner |
| 2017 | Primetime Emmy | Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program | Nominee |
| 2023 | Daytime Emmy | Outstanding Daytime Program Host | Nominee |
| 2025 | Daytime Emmy | Daytime Personality – Non-Daily | Nominee |
Martha Stewart Dress Collection
| Dress / Style | Details |
|---|---|
| Black Sheer-Sleeve Dress | Wore a black dress with sheer bell sleeves and layered gold necklaces at the 2020 Vanity Fair Oscars afterparty. |
| Armani Suit | Stewart has said she still owns the original Armani suit she purchased around the time her company went public. |
| Sports Illustrated Swimwear | Featured in the 2023 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue at age 81. |
| Hermès Fashion | Stewart has spoken publicly about her appreciation for Hermès clothing and footwear. |
| Signature Style | Polished tailoring, classic silhouettes, elegant dresses and sophisticated accessories are recurring elements of her documented public wardrobe. |
Martha Stewart Car Collection
| Car | Details |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz GLS550 | Stewart has been photographed with a black Mercedes-Benz GLS550 at her Bedford-area property. |
| Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 | In 2022, Stewart showcased her new obsidian-black Mercedes-Benz EQS 580 electric sedan. |
| Driving Style | Her documented vehicles emphasize luxury, comfort and long-distance practicality. |
| Collection Note | These are publicly documented vehicles; a complete private vehicle inventory has not been reliably published. |
Martha Stewart Watch Collection
| Watch Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Documented Watches | Stewart is regularly photographed wearing watches and jewelry at public appearances. |
| Luxury Watch Brands | A complete, reliably documented personal watch collection is not publicly available. |
| Collection Status | Specific Rolex, Cartier or other luxury-watch ownership should not be stated as fact without a reliable source. |
| Style | Her public styling generally combines watches with understated jewelry and polished fashion pieces. |
Martha Stewart Social Media
| Platform | Account / Presence |
|---|---|
| @marthastewart | |
| TikTok | @marthastewart |
| Threads | Martha Stewart official social presence |
| Martha Stewart official page | |
| Martha Stewart official presence | |
| YouTube | Martha Stewart / Martha Stewart Living content |
| Website | MarthaStewart.com |
| Social Reach | amfAR reported more than 13 million social-media followers across the Martha Stewart brand. |
| Instagram Highlight | Her 2020 pool photograph became one of her most widely discussed social-media posts. |
