Camilla Morton

I’ve read numerous versions of the tale of Sleeping Beauty, but none are quite as fabulous as this edition. Camilla Morton weaves a tale just a step off the familiar path of this legend, with a princess who is doomed to sleep at the prick of a spindle but who is eventually rescued by the fabulous fashions of a couturier rather than the expected prince. Christian Lacroix is, of course, this heroic couturier, who the princess watches through a magical snow globe as he designs fabulous show more clothes in a land without the restrictions of her needle-less own, and he in turn has been dreaming of Beauty as his perfect muse his whole life. Morton artfully plays with the imagery of needles, spindles, and the lack of fashions that result in a land where all sharp objects are banished to give this legendary tale a fresh twist of inspiration. Alongside her fun narrative, the pages of the book are filled with whimsical illustrations created by Lacroix himself that almost overwhelm the narrative. Each page is lined border to border with collages, clashing colours, and characters of a curious nature that make reading the book a total feast for the eyes. While Lacroix may have strayed from simply illustrating the narrative elements of the story, we must forgive his wild abandon and focus instead on getting caught up in the vibes - it is, after all, far more fun to let the eye wander and discover the unexpected delights which Christian Lacroix and his couture work are so well known for. show less

What a charming little book! Author Camilla Morton pairs the classic folktale of the elves and the shoemaker with the biography of Manolo Blahnik, one of the 20th century’s most fashionable shoemakers, to create a wholly unique story that showcases the magic of fabulous footwear. When I first started reading the story I found the dual format to be a bit confusing, as Morton switches storylines between Blahnik’s life and that of the shoemakers with no warning, but once we see what kind of show more shoes the elves are fashioning we know that the stories must be connected. In the climax of the story, when the shoemakers gift the elves with fabulously miniature outfits all is revealed: the elves have been tasked with helping the unfortunate until they learn the value of hard work, and the shoes that they have been making to assist the shoemakers are based on the childhood designs of Manolo Blahnik himself! With this revelation the shoemakers realize that it is time for them to retire and pass on their business to the new maestro in town - and we then see Manolo Blahnik’s fashion star rise, as all the people of the fashion world come to love his footwear. The book is, of course, illustrated by Blahnik himself, so we are treated to his signature whimsical shoe designs throughout. I am a bit less fond of his style being translated into regular illustrations (shoes are where his talents shine best), but his signature bright colours, light linework, and carefree aesthetic actually works quite well for this type of children’s story. show less

I never could understand why the story of new clohes and fashion was centred around a man, so Morton's re-telling of this classic story sets things right in my books! She pairs the story of a foolish fashionista with that of real-life fashion empress Diane von Furstenberg, and while the stories are not really synonymous they come together neatly at the finale - with Diane saving the day with her iconic wrap dress.

This is a hoot, even for the non-fashionista. Answers questions you never knew you had. Give it to your teen daughter (with a strong disclaimer that this is a pick-and-choose-the-advice-you-want-to-bother-with manual), but read it for yourself first, and don't let your Inner Feminist get too bent out of shape. If nothing else, this will let you in on some of the work it takes to be one of "those" people!
ETA This book is also almost 10 years old now (in 2014) so a lot of the name-dropping show more will be more than a bit dated, which actually adds a bit to its rather awful appeal. Like reading a modern Amy Vanderbilt, edited by Bridget Jones. show less