I also can’t believe I was unaware of this rivalry. The combination of fashion, drama, and history is perfectly balanced and the descriptions of Paris are vibrant and utterly seductive. It’s fascinating to me because I was feeling a little burned out on WW2 historical fiction, but this book totally reinvigorated me.
Review: I’m totally immersed in this novel. And she brings to light the very real fear at the time that the Germans would move the high fashion business out of France and info Germany, a move that would have changed everything we know about fashion today. Steeped in historical research, Mackin also exposes Chanel’s rumored affair with a Nazi and German collaboration. While the Coco/Schiap rivalry is rooted in fashion, it’s enflamed by political tension: France stands on the brink of German occupation, and the country is deeply divided. The novel also exposes pre-WWII sentiments in Paris. A young assistant comes to work for Schiap, and meets Chanel in the process, casually observing their intense competition while learning to respect each woman for her contribution to the scene. In THE LAST COLLECTION, “Schiap” and Coco fight to dress the gorgeous, well-heeled Parisian women- the influencers of their day-and to define what high fashion should look like. And while much has been written about Chanel, little has been about Schiaparelli-until now. But if you’re unfamiliar with fashion history, you might not know about her biggest rival: thewild, colorful, and imaginative Elsa “Schiap” Schiaparelli.
Included in InStyle’s Summer Reading list this week, this dazzling novel transports the reader to Paris in 1938-where Germany’s imminent invasion looms as haute couture designers battle for household name status. If you are a fan of HF and fashion, you MUST add this to your TBR pile! Title: The Last Collection Author: Jeanne Mackin Publisher: Berkley Pub Date: Purchase Here: B&N/ Amazon / Targetįrom the Publisher: Would you believe that Coco Chanel once had a rivalry with a fellow designer that was so intense, that she (accidentally) lit Elsa Schiaparelli on fire by dancing her into a flaming candelabrum? It’s absolutely true, and for the first time in fiction, author Jeanne Mackin explores the pre-War rivalry between Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli in her new historical novel THE LAST COLLECTION (Berkley Hardcover June 25, 2019). I love historical fiction because it often exposes me to events that I literally had no idea happened, and this book is no exception. My current read is The Last Collection by Jeanne Mackin. All opinions are 100% authentic and 100% my own.
This book was sent to me by Berkley and Penguin in exchange for an honest review.
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