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

 

The Last Collection: A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel by Jeanne Mackin     352 pages

This fascinating, detailed historical novel details one of most intense rivalries in the world of haute coutour. Most people today still recognize the name Coco Chanel, thanks to her perfume and purses that are still highly sought after and every expensive. Every woman who has a little black dress in her closest has Coco to thank.

But the world has largely forgotten Elsa Schiaparelli.  Know has Schiap, her designs were outrageous. Sporting vivd colors and geometric patterns, to me, the surreal and experimental clothing sounded extremely uncomfortable. Imagine wearing a har shaped like a shoe?

In 1938-39, the two women were fighting for dominance in the fashion world. Paris was getting ready for a war that would surely come. And although the book is based on the two real-life women, it is narrated by a completely fictional character: Lily Sutter.

Lily is a young American widow, still traumatized by the sudden death of her husband two years earlier. She receives a telegram from her brother, Charlie, who is living in Paris, urging her to come. After a bit of consideration, she packs her bags and grabs the nearest steamer. He is dismayed by her wardrobe and offers to buy her a dress, inparticulary a Chanel design. However, Lily prefers Schiaparelli. When Charlie must divert his girlfriend/model who is joining them from Coco’s house to Schiap’s house, Lilly ges drawn into the raging battle.

Lilly actually becomes friends with both women. Lilly has a flair all her own. She goes undercover at the Chanel house for Schiap.A secret-shopper type of spy. Then over at Coco’s, Lilly begins to believe that Coco’s politics and loyalties might not lie with the French. Or do they?

One of the most shocking events of the novel is when Schiap, Coco and Lilly are at the same gala and Coco pushes her rival too close to the candle flame which sets her costume on fire.

I really like the use of lots of color in the descriptions throughout the novel. The book is divided into three parts: Blue, Red and Yellow. The color descriptions left the imagery dancing in my mind.

As much as I loved this book, it had a slow, slow start. I was about 100 pages in before it really grabbed my by the throat and wouldn’t let go. And that’s why “The Last Collection: A Novel of Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel” receivs 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.