CATHERINE WALKER
An autobiography by the private couturier to Diana, Princess of Wales
THE BLURB:-
When Diana, Princess of Wales, announced the auction of eighty of her evening gowns- most of them designed by Catherine Walker- the French-born, London-based designer was thrust into the spotlight she has long eschewed. In an elite industry considered a “loss leader,” Walker is one of the few profitable designers with an illustrious and devoted clientele. At the top of Walker's remarkable long list of clients stood the Princess, whose signature look was created by walker.
Catherine Walker's career is a literal rags-to-riches tale that transcends fashion. In a poignant, distinctive voice, Walker shares her experience of love and marriage, the grief of being widowed with two babies in a foreign land, her early days selling children's dresses door-to-door out of a basket, to a rule-breaking career among the stars and royalty, and her own battle with breast cancer.
The story runs parallel to the arrival of the young Diana, whose fifteen-year professional relationship with walker saw her develop from a fairytale princess to a style icon of legendary proportions. This book is a chronicle of two remarkable women who remained true to themselves, even amidst the pressures of the glamorous worlds of fashion and royalty.
THE REALITY:-
It's for personal reasons that I picked up this book- which I have owned for some 20 years- from my pile of fashion compendiums and revisited it. Catherine Walker was Princess Diana's favourite couturier and her story is very interesting, although (cynical me) couldn't help but think that life is certainly easier if you're middle class with a bit of money to spare; as well as having moved in the kind of circles which are apt to offer good business/ life advice.
Criticism aside, I did find Catherine Walker's tale inspiring, especially with regard to how she chose to run her business her way; selling directly to the public rather than going through buyers who are nowadays way too commercial. Whilst there's nothing wrong with making money, all too often the beauty of the garments are sacrificed because of it. Heavens, as someone who once worked for the High Street supply chain, I do realise that I would probably have been better off working in couture, as it allows for more freedom of creative expression.
The real delights in this book were photos of the beautifully embroidered garments, and the loving attention to detail- something which can all too easily become lost in mass market production. I do think it's obvious that Catherine Walker wasn't formally trained, though, as her sketches seem too heavy-handed, with often childlike details such as scalloped hems and horseshoe opening fronts of jackets. The London College of Copying- sorry, the London College of Fashion, which I attended- took a more methodical approach, and kind of veered away from anything even slightly different from the tried and tested norm. And that's a shame. I've seen the same quirk in Vivienne Westwood's work and she too didn't formally train, so fashion colleges could certainly learn something from these two. Both designers honed their craft by experimenting with construction and what works around the body, and I love them for both that and their individuality.
I have seen many of Catherine Walker's designs, in various fashion exhibitions over the years. They do contain shockers, though- with this Princess Diana lace-back dress, surely a side zip would have been a better idea? The pattern is totally misaligned, and it looks cheap. My mother (a keen and knowledgeable dressmaker) even commented on it (very negatively!) when she saw this design at the V & A Museum.
I once applied for a job with the company (I can't remember the role- I think it was a bit of everything; sample room, sales, etc) and posted (as was the way 20 years ago) my CV and covering letter on a Wednesday. I got my refusal letter that same Saturday, so that definitely comes under the "That'll be a no, then" category!🤣🤣🤣🤣 Their loss.
Heavy-handedness aside, this book makes for an interesting autobiographical read, and is a must for both Diana and couture fans.
