Book Review: By Her Own Design

 

By Her Own Design:  A Novel of Ann Lowe, Fashion Designer to the Social Register

Author:  Piper Huguley

ISBN:  978-0-06-06-305974-0

Publisher:  HarperCollins Publishers

Price:  Paperback (USD) 16.99, (Cdn) $21.00

Piper Huguley's By Her Own Design is a historical fiction novel.  However, the main character, Ann Lowe, is not a fictional character.  This novel is based on true story of an American fashion designer with epic talent.  And sadly, the fashion industry set in the early twentieth century often discouraged, exploited and hid her talent because of her race rather than celebrating her talent.  

Her talent was recognized by those who wanted to exploit her gifts starting with Lee Cole, her first husband.  A horrible character who manipulated her into marriage while she was still a child to use her as free labour in his tailoring business.  The novel introduces us to this horrible character early in the novel and there are graphic scenes in the first part that were intense and were hard to get through.  Lowe's story is a story of survival through constant tragedies as she struggled throughout her life for the recognition of her worth as a person, designer and artist.   And she did it with incredible strength, faith in God and grace.  

I was intrigued by the book cover and the assumption that the novel would be rich in descriptive sewing details or description of the fabrics that would invoke textures and drape.  The only sliver of pleasure reading about fabric was how polyester was viewed cheaply.  This is a book about struggles, racism, jealousy, revenge and rising above it all.  In three hundred sixty-seven pages, Huguley takes the reader through an epic journey that spans decades recounted not chronologically, rather reflected upon intentionally.  

It wasn't a book that I expected to read but it is one that I am glad I read, especially after working through the first part of the book.  I learned about a fashion designer I had no knowledge of even though she has been featured in exhibitions and Vogue articles.  Until this literary journey, I was not aware of the story behind Jacqueline Kennedy's wedding dress, one of many that Lowe created over her career.  I highly recommend this book.