Dresses to dream about

Several months ago I was asked to proofread a book called Dreaming of Dior by Charlotte Smith (HarperCollins Publishers). As it happens the timeframe of the job changed at the last minute meaning I wasn't able to do it, but as I'd already been sent a few pages of the manuscript, I read them for curiousity's sake. And wasn't I pleased that I did?

Dreaming of Dior is a lovely little book about gorgeous frocks and the stories behind them - the women who wore them; the events they wore them to; the things they stood for, and the memories and emotions they evoked...  Each story in the book is accompanied by a stunning illustration by renowned fashion illustrator Grant Cowan.

As charming as the book itself is the story of how it came into being: the author apparently inherited a priceless vintage clothing collection from her American Grandmother Doris Darnell. Collected over a lifetime, the collection included more than 3000 pieces dating from 1790 to 1995, from flapper dresses, edwardian bustle skirts and modest pioneer frocks to Chanel and Dior originals. Most had been given to Doris by friends and acquintances who'd heard about the collection, passing not just their gowns but also the stories behind them which Doris filed away for posterity. As Doris herself notes in a letter to Charlotte, "each piece was a springboard to history."

It isn't possible to do the stories justice here but after coming across this slideshow of illustrations from the book, I have to share it. Enjoy!