The Fashion Designer

Nancy Moser

Jul 2018 · Barbour Publishing

About this ebook

"The slogan of the store—“unruffled, unveiled, unstoppable women”—is a perfect descriptor for the tenacious religious feminists who here pursue the American Dream. "
-Publishers Weekly

The American Dream thrives in 1912 New York City
 
Annie Wood, the housemaid-turned-pattern designer in The Pattern Artist, jumps at the chance to design her own clothing line when a wealthy New York couple offers to finance her endeavor. Joining the project is Annie’s new husband, Sean Culver, her best friend at Butterick, Maude Nascato, and a mother figure, Edna Holmquist.
 
Annie and her colleagues give up their careers, risking everything to follow a shared passion: clothes that are both fashionable and functional for modern, busy women in 1912.
 
Personal and financial setbacks test old relationships and new romances while threatening to keep the business from ever selling a single dress. No one said it would be easy. But the promise of the American Dream holds a deep hope for those who work hard, trust God, and never give up.

Ratings and reviews

I very much enjoyed this fascinating novel, second in The Pattern Artist series. Crafted with elegance and simplicity, this compelling read continues a tour of the fashion industry in the early 20th century. The next prayerful step for Annie and her friends Maude and Edna, who have been successful in working with patterns, fabric, and designs, is their own business. Annie, her husband and her friends rely on the Lord, praying and waiting for answers before making moves in their partnership. One thing they come to understand is that God has a plan long before they know what their needs would be. Annie is originally from England, and came to America as a servant. When she and two friends chose to look for a better life, they ran away from the family they served, ending up flat broke in New York after being robbed. They work for the Tuttle’s at their bakery, and we get to revisit this beautiful family. She went on to work at Macy’s, then Butterick, both highly respected companies in the US and Europe. Annie’s husband Sean still works for Butterick. The three friends are preparing fashions that can be made to buy “off the rack” at a store, in various sizes and styles. They design clothing for working women at prices they could afford. Their financial backer changes her mind on what she wants them to make. She plans a high-society fashion show at her elegant home to show them what she wants to be exquisite designs for the wealthy, and is stunned when she sees everyday women modeling stylish, yet everyday fashions. They parted ways after the fashion show with no orders. And in urgent need of funds to continue in the direction they believe the Lord would have them go. Because one day would arrive when they believed they would have the store named Unruffled. Fashion for the Unruffled, Unveiled, Unstoppable Woman. I was captivated by how the ladies, and Sean, sought the Lord’s direction! This novel was impossible to put down from the beginning, especially since eagerly awaiting this sequel to the first. Not only do we catch glimpses of Macy’s and Butterick, but we also meet the founder of Lane Bryant and learn how her business began. Sean’s mother, very supportive of their business, came to help with the production of dresses at no small cost to her marriage. We meet Henrietta Kidd, from England, whose parents Annie had worked for, who ventured across the ocean on her own to find Annie. And rock back and forth with the waves of changes of history and their lives. The characters are stunning, and the novel even more so. I highly recommend The Fashion Designer! It can be read as a standalone, but I’m not sure you want to miss The Pattern Maker. Both are excellent reads for every season of a woman’s life, including young or new adults to the nonagenarian on your shopping list. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

About the author

Nancy Moser is an award-winning author of over twenty-five novels that share a common message: we each have a unique purpose—the trick is to find out what it is. Her genres include contemporary and historical novels including Love of the Summerfields, Mozart’s Sister, The Invitation, and the Christy Award-winning Time Lottery. She is a fan of anything antique—humans included. www.nancymoser.com.