The Designer

By: Marius Gabriel

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld

Length: 11 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's Summary

In 1944, newly married Copper Reilly arrives in Paris soon after the liberation. While the city celebrates its freedom, she's stuck in the prison of an unhappy marriage. When her husband commits one betrayal too many, Copper demands a separation.

Alone in Paris, she finds an unlikely new friend: an obscure, middle-aged designer from the back rooms of a decaying fashion house whose timid nature and reluctance for fame clash with the bold brilliance of his designs. His name is Christian Dior.

Realising his genius, Copper urges Dior to strike out on his own, helping to pull him away from his insecurities and towards stardom. With just a camera and a typewriter, she takes her own advice and ventures into the wild and colourful world of fashion journalism.

Soon Copper finds herself torn between two very different suitors, questioning who she is and what she truly wants. As the city rebuilds and opulence returns, can Copper make a new, love-filled life for herself?

©2017 Marius Gabriel Cipolla (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Copper Is A Feminist Before It Was Cool—1944!

I got this book as a free book of the month from Amazon. It was delightful. I also bought the audible version and enjoyed listening to the narrative. I always like to listen to a good story read to me. This story was about Copper Reilly, a woman ahead of her time, from the U.S. living in Paris with her journalist husband. She wanted to write but he Pooh-poohed the idea as she was just a woman. She wound up writing for a friend who was there to write fashion stories but was usually too drunk or hung over to meet his deadline. She stepped in and found her work was liked and then...he died. She mourned the loss but then sent in his article and photographs under her own name and found that Harper’s Bazaar liked her. Copper became friends with Dior and his wild crowd of bohemians. She was young and beautiful and her husband was an unfaithful lout. She divorced him and became a well known writer and photographer. The book revealed much about the life in Paris in the early 40’s after it was liberated from the Germans. The book was interesting, historical, and had a good female character and everyone in general was excellent. I was unfamiliar with the author but will be looking for his books now. Interesting that he wrote under a female name and wrote romance novels until he could come out under his own name. Quite a well respected author;. Fun to find these free books and be introduced to new author or old authors you just heard about. A real treat. Saskis Maarleveld was great as narrator.

Soft porn

Dior might have conquered the clothing industry but this book conquered the waste paper basket only If I am being politically correct the lesbian affair was in poor taste The heroine was very weak and I wound up disliking her All the characters were weak Don't waste your time on this book

One of the best books I️ have read this year. Simply fabulous must be enjoyed

I listen to books every day as I commute to and from work. This is one of the best stories I’ve heard recently. It is performed perfectly and leaves the reader wanting more. A terrific author wrote a terrific story in the midst of some fantastic historical fiction.

Good story, some parts felt forced and unnecessary

Overall, this was an enjoyable story. I felt that the lesbian storyline was too forced and wasn't necessary to the overall story. Love the portrayal of Dior and his friends.

enjoyed this story

I live vicariously through stories and history about the fashion industry. This novel was very well done. thanks to novelist and narrator. didn't want it to end!

the Designer

A well written book about women living life by their own beliefs and truth, personal, growth, differences, diversity, struggles and choices which holds the readers attention

The Designer

beautifully unexpected, best narration I have had. The narrator had the ability to use accents and emphasis to truly enhance the story!!

The Designer

This book was wonderful. Just enough about the war and the people who suffered so much pain.

a triumph of magnificence

a marvelous blend of brillintly painted images of post war Frace and the larger than life characters who burst on the scene in post war Paris. this book by challenges you to research where history leads and where the delicious imagination of our author takes over. superior effort by Audible team. bravo. Rick Holt [e-mail]

Annoying Heroine with Idiotic Romance

The lead gets arrested for being present at a riot. After spending over a day in jail she is bailed out by one of the love interests and proceeds to chastise them for interfering with her life and stifling her freedom. She says that if they really respected her they would have left in jail and trusted her to handle (I bet this attractive 26 year old would love 6 months in a French prison). Her initial behavior and leaving her difficult husband were to be applauded but once she gets her "freedom" she proceeds to act incredibly foolish. She does drugs, drinks too much, gets a drug addict roommate (now there is a character arc that was disappointing), gets arrested, and gets involved with love interests significantly older than her with not always her best interests at heart. Her interactions with the sweet Henri were particularly annoying. (So what if he wanted to get married in the church of his faith, that does not make him controlling!!!!! Marriage is about compromise for both people, not just doing Copper's way. She is a spoiled brat).
That said, the parts of the story that did not involve Copper's love life and everyone talking about how perfect she was, were quite compelling. Dior's sister was riveting and I was interested in what happened to Copper's ex husband. The voice actress was very good.

A great read

I really enjoyed this audible book - the story, setting, characters & visual images created. I was sad it ended rather abruptly, but very fashionably so. I am now researching Dior & other designers.

Brilliant

Great story and read with passion and enthusiasm.
Brilliant insight to background history encapsulating the story.

Fantastic!

I was hooked the moment I started listening to this book and was so pleased it kept going beyond a point I thought it was going to end.

I loved the struggles during the war. - the hard hitting description of what happened to collaborators as well as the release of a family member from a concentration camp. The period of recovery in Paris after the Germans left, the story of the characters and how they intertwined. Most importantly though was the start of Dior.

I would have no hesitation in recommending this book. it was thoroughly entertaining from start to finish.