THE DRESS THIEF by NATALIE MEG EVANS

THE DRESS THIEF

BY NATALIE MEG EVANS

THE BLURB:-

A modern tale of desire and deception set in the world of 1930s Parisian haute couture.

Alix Gower has a dream: to join the ranks of Coco Chanel and become a designer in the high-stakes world of French fashion.

But Alix also has a secret; she supports her family by stealing designs for the foreign market. A hidden sketchbook, and a moment inside Hermès, is all she needs to create a perfect replica, to be whisked off to production in New York.

Then Alix is given her big break- a chance to work in one of the most prominent Parisian fashion houses- but at the price of copying the breakthrough Spring Collection.

And when a mystery from her past resurfaces in connection to a handsome war reporter, Alix learns that the slightest misstep- or misplaced trust- could be all it seems for her life to begin falling apart at the seams.

THE REALITY:-

I had seen this book on Amazon and had earmarked it for buying, so was overjoyed to find it staring up at me in a charity shop!

As a fashion designer, what's not to like about intrigue and glamour in the world of Parisian haute couture in the 1930s? I've been to Paris and it sure lives up to its stereotype, which is not a bad thing at all. I've walked the length and breadth of its streets in a day (Paris is small enough to do just that- mind you, I had no choice due to there being no trains running due to industrial action. I missed a Rene Magritte exhibition and a visit to the Catacombs due to nothing being open that day and it really pissed me off. Whenever I go to France, it seems that someone is striking somewhere).

This book stunk like an ashtray. Whoever had this before me smoked forty fags a day. As an ex-smoker, you realise that you don't appreciate how much cigarettes stink until you give up and can smell a fag being lit five floors down.

This book was written in a bouncy style that led a merry old dance through Paris, back to Alsace- the county of origin of Mathilda and Jean-Yves- and also through Verrian's life. I loved the way the couture House of Javier was described: from its workings to its workrooms, with its petty jealousies, bullying and favouritism. Nothing has changed in the fashion industry, then!

I warmed to the heroine, Alix, immediately and sympathised with her position- a talented young lady with the natural skills and charm to “make it” but in the unfortunate and familiar position of simply needing to make ends meet. I liked the mix of good and bad throughout the characters and also the mystery of Alix's attacker, which came as a REAL surprise.

The author also adds her own notes at the end of the book, including those regarding fashion in the 1930s and female couturiers. She also includes her recipe for French onion soup- I must try it to see if it tastes better than mine!

A gem of a book- fun and charming.