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Title details for A Dress of Violet Taffeta by Tessa Arlen - Available

A Dress of Violet Taffeta

by Tessa Arlen
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A sumptuous novel based on the fascinating true story of La Belle Époque icon Lucy, Lady Duff Gordon, who shattered the boundaries of fashion with her magnificently sensual and enchantingly unique design from the USA Today bestselling author of In Royal Service to the Queen.
Lucy Duff Gordon knows she is talented. She sees color, light, and texture in ways few people can begin to imagine. But is the male dominated world of haute couture, who would use her art for their own gain, ready for her?
When she is deserted by her wealthy husband, Lucy is left penniless with an aging mother and her five-year-old daughter to support. Desperate to survive, Lucy turns to her one true talent to make a living. As a little girl, the dresses she made for her dolls were the envy of her group of playmates. Now, she uses her creative designs and her remarkable eye for color to take her place in the fashion world—failure is not an option. 
Then, on a frigid night in 1912, Lucy’s life changes once more, when she becomes one of 706 people to survive the sinking of the Titanic. She could never have imagined the effects the disaster would have on her fashion label Lucile, her marriage to her second husband, and her legacy. But no matter what life throws at her, Lucy will live on as a trailblazing and innovative fashion icon, never letting go of what she worked so hard to earn. This is her story.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    July 5, 2022

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780593436868

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780593436868
      • File size: 3286 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      June 3, 2022

      Arlen's ("Woman of World War II" mysteries) new Belle �poque--set novel is based on the true life of the historical fashion icon Lucy, Lady Duff Gordon, in an era when divorce (scandalous and rare in 19th-century British social circles) could easily bring ruin to a woman and her family. When Lucy's wealthy husband abandons her and their children to run away with a pantomime dancer, she successfully sues for divorce to claim an independent life (albeit with her mother and sister keeping watch from the wings). Turning to her lifelong joy in the world of color and fabrics, Lucy begins creating dresses with the help of her maid, Celia. The growth of Lucy's fashion house (the word-of-mouth local sensation becomes Lucile Ltd., a haute couturier in high demand around the world) is chronicled here in all its sumptuousness, in an era when women's fashions changed dramatically. On one trip between Europe and the States, readers watch as Lucy, her second husband, and Celia live through one of the most harrowing experiences imaginable--the sinking of the Titanic. VERDICT Fans of the 1991 BBC series The House of Eliott will find familiar comfort in Arlen's descriptions of fabrics, colorworks, and evolving fashions.--Julie Kane

      Copyright 2022 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • Booklist

      June 1, 2022
      Arlen's second biographical novel (after In Royal Service to the Queen, 2021) focuses on British fashion designer Lucy, Lady Duff Gordon, who, after the end of her first marriage in 1893, follows her passion for color and light to build a vastly successful couture empire. At a time when women of her status didn't work or divorce, the financial strain of supporting her mother and daughter leaves her no choice but to try to impress the right people with her dressmaking skill. Lucy breaks new ground in the male-dominated world of women's fashion, slowly finds love again, and survives the Titanic, all while expanding her company internationally. The story is told from the perspectives of Lucy and her assistant Celia, a workhouse orphan who goes from scullery maid to managing the business. Arlen deftly uses evocative descriptions of fabric, people, and settings to bring each scene to life. Familiar names are woven into the narrative to further establish Lucy's place in history. This is recommended for fans of Marie Benedict and Jennifer Chiaverini and for readers looking to rediscover strong, inspiring women of the past.

      COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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