The Last Collection: A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel by Jeanne Mackin

The Last Collection: A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel.  Jeanne Mackin. Penguin Publishing Group.  June 2019; hb, 352 pp.; ISBN #: 9781101990544.

“Clothes…are moods, desires, the quality of our souls and our dreams made visible.”  Of color – “If blue is the color of paradox, and red the color of life and death and the passion between beginnings and endings, then yellos is the color what is most precious…of sunshine, of gold, of sins’ halos…the color of eternity…” and so much more.

Lily Sutter, overwhelmed by grief for her dead husband, visits her brother Charlie in Paris, France in 1938.  Charlie is in love with a married woman who want Lily to accompany them on their nights out in Parisian society.  German officers are a constant presence with war looming in the minds and hearts of everyone; however, they party, dine, and spend money galore knowing that drastic changes lie in the near future.  Lily will meet someone unexpected eventually but go through so many challenges and problems before that chance at love occurs.

Lily is invited by Elsa Schiaparelli to work for her as an artist who paints backgrounds for her designer shows each season.  Elsa and Coco Chanel are constant and virulent opponents in the world of fashion design. 

The two dominant themes running through every page of this delicious, sumptuous story are the beauty of fashionable clothing and designs and the unique personalities vying for superiority.  Sometimes that competition comes close to murderous disaster.  Anyone in love with color and clothes will fall in love with these sensual, rich descriptions of styles created to present a theme such as those of carnivals, seasons, astrology and so much more.  Colors are blended with brilliant jewels and scarves, handbags, hats, etc. to enchant the eye and shape of a wearer. The reader wants to see more from these two astonishingly talented fashion designers. So competitive are the designers’ introductory shows that scouts watch for anyone taking notes or making drawings to put in the press ahead of other writers. Lily’s artistic talents add brilliance to each collection.

Elsa is a rabid hater of fascism and Coco uses the ever-present Germans for what she later knows may be dire circumstances needing protection and survival. Heartbreak, however, follows for so many.  Elsa has an independent daughter, Gogo, who initially seems a spoiled brat but when necessary becomes Elsa’s greatest supporter and strength. 

The Last Collection… is glorious historical fiction superbly presenting character and personalities that each reader will remember for a very long time!

The Swans of Fifth Avenue: A Novel by Melanie Benjamin

The Swans of Fifth Avenue: A Novel.  Melanie Benjamin. Random House Publishing Group. January 2016. 368 pp.  ISBN#: 9780345528698.

1975 is the final year when Truman Capote is at the height of his success, having published the well-known nonfiction books, In Cold Blood and Breakfast at Tiffany’s, as well as numerous stories, plays and other articles.  In the 50’s and 60’s he has gathered around him a coterie of socially powerful, famous but challenged woman.  Beloved by these women, whose fragile natures he has emotionally healed and strengthened, Truman at first is bolstered by their admiration, indeed adoration.  Their fragility, however, simply mirrors Truman’s own inner turmoil.  This is their volatile story!

First we meet Barbara (“Babe”) Cushing Mortimer Paley, a stylish trend setter who is married to a top executive of CBS, William S. Paley, devourer of women and autocratic businessman feared by all.  Even he is enamored of Truman but the anomaly here is that Babe really doesn’t care about his opinion of “True Heart” Truman because for the first time in her life she knows what it’s like to love and be loved.  This will prove to be a catastrophic surrender on her part.

We next meet Marella Agnelli, C. Z. Guest, Gloria Guiness, Pamela Churchill Harriman and Slim Keith, who have all told Truman their deepest, darkest secrets. They represent the trendsetters of the period and those who love the world of fashion, beauty, style will love the numerous descriptions of these ladies’ dress, makeup and food preferences.  What begins as meeting for champagne and hors oeuvres will degenerate over time into drinking and pills.  Unity and love o so slowly evolves into whispered, malign comments arising from unacknowledged jealousy.  Money and power, however, rule the day and their secrets are secure until one momentous day of betrayal by their best friend, Truman!

What begins as a delicious and amusing bonding of these friends, whose daily concerns are about perfect appearances, rapidly becomes a cruel expose that breaks all concerned but especially one declining character!  Truman himself is transformed in ways that startle readers, a picture so far from one would have imagined when starting this story.

This novel is supposedly based on reality and as such stands as the iconic tale, a period piece of literary, historical fiction.  The Swans of Fifth Avenue depicts the fashionistas of the mid-20^th Century! Remarkable fiction!