The Last Collection

April 15, 2019
A widowed American woman navigates the world of fashion in 1938 Paris, getting caught up in the rivalry between two famous designers. Lily Sutter is teaching art at a girl's boarding school in England when her brother, Charlie, invites her to Paris. Drowning in the memories of her husband, who died two years earlier, and living in a world of gray, Lily has been unable to paint. Once in Paris and caught up in the glamorous circles of her brother and his married lover, Ania, Lily begins to see the world in color once again and picks up her brushes. The novel is divided into three parts, each section labeled with an oft-referenced primary color meant to symbolize the emotions described within it. The first, blue, is a paradox, representing longing, sadness, joy, and fulfillment. The second, red, is for love, death, and passion. And the last, yellow, is for sunshine, gold, and new beginnings but also warning and fear. Creating a world where fictional and real worlds overlap is tricky, particularly when famous events and people (in this case Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel) are a major part of the narrative. The novel includes as a plot point the reported real-world instance when the rivalry between Chanel and Schiaparelli became physical--accidentally or on purpose--and Chanel caused Schiaparelli's costume to catch fire at a party. Mackin (A Lady of Good Family, 2015, etc.) goes beyond the facts, however. A substantial portion of the novel is composed of hypothetical interior monologues, thoughts, and motivations of the two real-life fashion icons. Readers interested in historical accuracy may find this distracting. Fashion lovers will enjoy descriptions of the design of clothing and accessories and the machinations of running fashion houses before World War II.

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May 1, 2019

Paris in 1938 seems like the perfect place for artist Lily Sutter to invite a little color back into her life after her husband's death, and she eagerly accepts her brother Charlie's invitation to visit him there. A trip to purchase a couture dress from controversial designer Elsa Schiaparelli draws Lily into the spirited feud between Schiaparelli and designer Coco Chanel, a rivalry influenced by the two women's very different perspectives both on fashion and on prewar European politics. Meanwhile, both Charlie and Lily become involved in love affairs complicated by the looming war. As Hitler's invasion of France draws closer, Lily and her new friends face difficult decisions about how much they are willing to risk to pursue their dreams. VERDICT Fans of Renée Rosen and Melanie Benjamin should enjoy this latest novel from Mackin (A Lady of Good Family). The designers' obsession with besting each other makes for fun, gossipy reading, while the tensions of prewar Paris and Lily's attempts to ease her grief through her art lend the narrative satisfying emotional depth. Recommended for fans of well-researched historical fiction with strong female characters.--Mara Bandy Fass, Champaign P.L., IL

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