Exhibit 24.1

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY
                                -----------------
     The undersigned, each a director and/or officer of Federated Department
Stores, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), hereby constitute and
appoint Ronald W. Tysoe, Dennis J. Broderick, Padma T. Cariappa, Robert A.
Profusek, J. Lawrence Manning, Jr., Mark E. Betzen, and Wendy Dann Adato, or any
of them, our true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, each with full power
of substitution and resubstitution, to do any and all acts and things in our
name and behalf in our capacities as director and/or officer of the Company and
to execute any and all instruments for us and in our name in the capacities
indicated above, which said attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, may
deem necessary or advisable to enable the Company to comply with the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, and any rules, regulations, and requirements of the
Securities and Exchange Commission, in connection with a Registration Statement
on Form S-4 relating to the offering of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share,
of the Company pursuant to that certain Merger Agreement among the Company,
Broadway Stores, Inc., and Nomo Company, Inc., including without limitation,
power and authority to sign for us, in our name in the capacities indicated
above, such Registration Statement and any and all amendments (including post-
effective amendments) thereto, and to file the same with all exhibits thereto,
and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, or our substitute or substitutes, or any one of us, shall do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.


Dated:  August 21, 1995

               /s/ John E. Brown              /s/ Robert A. Charpie     
        -------------------------------  -------------------------------
                 John E. Brown                  Robert A. Charpie


              /s/ Lyle Everingham              /s/ Meyer Feldberg       
        -------------------------------  -------------------------------
                Lyle Everingham                  Meyer Feldberg


               /s/ Earl G. Graves              /s/ George V. Grune      
        -------------------------------  -------------------------------
                 Earl G. Graves                  George V. Grune


           /s/ Gertrude G. Michelson           /s/ Joseph Neubauer      
        -------------------------------  -------------------------------
             Gertrude G. Michelson               Joseph Neubauer


             /s/ Allen I. Questrom             /s/ Ronald W. Tysoe      
        -------------------------------  -------------------------------
               Allen I. Questrom                 Ronald W. Tysoe


             /s/ Laurence A. Tisch            /s/ Paul W. Van Orden     
        -------------------------------  -------------------------------
               Laurence A. Tisch                Paul W. Van Orden


           /s/ Karl M. von der Heyden       /s/ Marna C. Whittington    
        -------------------------------  -------------------------------
             Karl M. von der Heyden           Marna C. Whittington


             /s/ James M. Zimmerman    
        -------------------------------
               James M. Zimmerman