Faber acquires Miss Dior by Justine Picardie

Faber & Faber will be publishing Miss Dior – the moving and powerful story of Catherine Dior – by Justine Picardie, bestselling author and editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar. 

Editorial Director Laura Hassan acquired UK and Commonwealth rights (including Canada) from Sarah Chalfant at the Wylie Agency.  The book is scheduled for publication in Autumn 2020. FSG have acquired Miss Dior for publication in the US.

Miss Dior paints a portrait of the enigmatic woman behind the designer Christian Dior: his beloved younger sister, Catherine, who inspired his most famous perfume. Picardie’s journey takes her to Occupied Paris, where Christian honed his couture skills in a fashion house while Catherine dedicated herself to the French Resistance – until she was captured by the Gestapo and deported to the German concentration camp of Ravensbrück. On release, barely recognisable to her brother, Catherine retreated into anonymity, ending her life caring for the roses that make up her signature scent. Picardie’s exploration of how a nation silenced this wartime trauma leads her deep into the secrets of her own family’s history, and the result is unforgettable.

Justine Picardie is the editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar. She was formerly a journalist for the Sunday Times, editor of the Observer magazine, and features director of Vogue. She is the author of five books, including the critically acclaimed memoir If The Spirit Moves You and, most recently, a biography of Coco Chanel, which was a Sunday Times bestseller.

Laura Hassan, Editorial Director said:’Miss Dior will illuminate the work of one of the world’s most iconic designers by examining ideas about femininity and beauty – but it will also explore how we come to terms with the horrors of war. It is an exquisitely written, immensely moving book about a courageous woman written by a brilliant woman. It will be a privilege to champion Catherine Dior’s story where there has been silence.’

Justine Picardie said: ‘Miss Dior is a story about courage and conflict, freedom and fascism, and how the polished surface of fashion may conceal hidden depths. Catherine Dior’s experiences during the Occupation, and those of her companions who fought against the Nazi regime, also offer an alternative perspective on wartime history and heroines.’

Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams at the V&A runs until 1 September 2019.