The Costco Connection - December 2018

Pennie’s pick

Pennie Clark Ianniciello

Buyer, Books Combine family secrets, World War II, tragedy and heartbreak and you have the compelling ingredients of this month’s book buyer’s pick, The Paris Seamstress, by Natasha Lester.

After Fabienne Bissette attends the Met’s annual gala for an exhibit featuring the work of her ailing grandmother—a legend of women’s fashion design—Fabienne begins to learn about her grandmother’s past. What she learns will change her own life in ways she can’t imagine.

The Paris Seamstress (Item

#1276866) is available now in most Costco warehouses.

hile watching Dior and I, a docu-
mentary about the fashion house
Christian Dior, Natasha Lester had a
vision. “I saw a mother and daughter
sitting in a Parisian atelier working,” Lester tells
the Costco Connection from her home in Perth,
Australia. “But I didn’t have a story attached to
it yet.” There was something there, but the rest
of the idea wouldn’t come to light.

So, Lester made a conscious decision to provoke her curiosity and inspiration by listening to podcasts she wouldn’t normally listen to. She picked the Bowery Boys New York City History,

and found herself quickly drawn in by an episode about the city’s garment district. She learned that, prior to World War II, American fashion was merely a mimic of Parisian fashion—the designs were copied by fashion sketch artists and sold through a long, complicated black-market chain.

Things changed when the Paris fashion
houses were shut down during the war. “When
the rest of the world could no longer copy Paris

SIGNED BOOK GIVEAWAY

Costco has 50 signed copies of Natasha Lester’s

The Paris Seamstress with signed bookplates to give away. To enter or see a full set of rules, along with details and restrictions, go to costco connectionbookgiveaway.com.

No purchase or payment necessary.

designers, designers had to ;nd their own aesthetic. For the ;rst time, people began to say that Americans could design clothing, particularly ready-to-wear clothing,” Lester says.

Now, a story began to take shape for Lester: A young woman works with her mother in a Paris atelier by day and, as a fashion sketch artist, copies designs by night. She is forced to ;ee Paris and leave her mother behind, goes

W

Wartime
fashionista

The Paris Seamstress

intersects fashion, drama and historical intrigue

by JUDI KETTELER
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Natasha Lester

Open to legal residents of the 50 United States or D.C. who are at least 18 years old (or the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence, whichever is older) at the time of entry. Void where prohibited. “Sweepstakes Period” is from 12:00:01 a.m. PT on December 1, 2018, to 11:59: 59 p.m. PT on December 31, 2018. To enter, during the Sweepstakes Period, complete the requested information (including name, address, and email). Limit one ( 1)

entry per household. Fifty ( 50) winners will be selected by random drawing on or about January 1, 2019, and notified via mail. Each winner will get one copy of Natasha Lester’s The Paris Seamstress (ARV $14.99 each). Total ARV of all prizes: