By Her Own Design

by Piper Huguley

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Fiction. African American Fiction. Literature. HTML: The incredible untold story of how Ann Lowe, a Black woman and granddaughter of slaves, rose above personal struggles and racial prejudice to design and create one of America's most famous wedding dresses of all time for Jackie Kennedy. 1953, New York City Less than a week before the society wedding of the year where Jacqueline Bouvier will marry John F. Kennedy, a pipe bursts at Ann Lowe's dress shop and ruins eleven dresses, including the expensive wedding dress, a dress that will be judged by thousands. A Black designer who has fought every step of the way, Ann knows this is only one struggle after a lifetime of them. She and her seamstresses will find the way to re-create the dresses. It may take all day and all night for the next week to accomplish the task, but they will do it. 1918, Tampa Raised in Jim Crow Alabama, Ann learned the art of sewing from her mother and her grandmother, a former slave, who are the most talented seamstresses in the state. After Ann elopes at twelve with an older man who soon proves himself to be an abusive alcoholic, her dreams of becoming a celebrated designer seem to be put on hold. But then a wealthy Tampa socialite sees Ann's talent and offers her an amazing opportunity�??the chance to sew and design clothing for Florida's society elite. Taking her young son in the middle of the night, Ann escapes her husband and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. Based on the true story of one of the most famous designers of the twenties through the sixties who has since been unjustly forgotten, By Her Own Design is an unforgettable novel of determination despite countless obstacles and a triumph celebrated by the world.… (more)

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My book club read By Her Own Design by Piper Hugely, a novel about Ann Lowe, an African American fashion designer who catered to the rich and famous, including Jacqueline Kennedy. The novel spans the years of the early twentieth century to the last days of Ann’s life. It centers on the struggles that women in her family in particular as well as all people of color faced in creating a life of independence amidst the prejudices cemented in place. Ann’s grandmother Georgia instructed Ann to find good white people to help her along. And Ann did just that as she moved from a life of abuse to a life of success. It’s advice that may sound odd today, but in the time and place of the novel, it was prudent for Ann to develop relationships that would smooth the path toward owning her own business and providing for her family. The characters in the book, including Ann, are certainly a product of the social rules, racial prejudices, and laws of the time. It was an interesting look at one woman’s determination not to be defined by circumstances and expectations.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) (

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vintagebeckie | Feb 14, 2024 |

I loved this amazing story of real-life fashion designer Ann Cole Lowe. From a rural cabin in the deep south of Alabama to a New York City showroom, author Piper Huguley tells the story of how a Black woman and granddaughter of slaves rose above personal struggles and racial prejudice to design and create one of America’s most famous wedding dresses for Jackie Kennedy.

Huguley meticulously researched and skillfully wrote this incredible historical novel based on the life of an unsung heroine and role model for all women. In addition to learning about Ann (Annie) Lowe, what makes this a memorable novel is the authentic depiction of racial inequality paired with the sexual discrimination of the time from the 1920s through the 1960s.

Lowe’s story contains heartbreak, often transformed to triumph through hope and determination. I appreciated Annie’s genuine faith, which – along with her perseverance – sustained her throughout her life.

Annie was a likable person, from the time we first meet her as a six-year-old girl living with her mother, sister, and grandmother, through her two marriages, her rise as a “colored seamstress” to society’s privileged, to her remarkable and talented career as an amazing designer and seamstress for the enormously affluent crème de la crème. Her designs were breathtaking works of art, and finally appreciated as such. She perceptively explained her talent as “Sewing was my way of seeing the world, of feeling the world.”

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Annie’s life and times, and highly recommend this 5-star read! (

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PhyllisReads | Nov 1, 2022 |

Loved this amazing story. The research really brought it all to life. Some of the most creative women are unknown or unacknowledged. Ann Lowe is a treasure in our country's history. (

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Katyefk | Oct 22, 2022 |

This biographical historical novel is a great read for those interested in fashion design in the 20th c. Annie Lowe was a black woman with exceptional design skills. With the mentoring of her matriarchal household, the determination to never give up and some artistic patrons along the way, she created a business where she dressed the women of high society in the US. Her most well-known (now) dress was Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress when she married JFK. But there are sore spots in this narrative where they shouldn’t have been. Why was she never recognized? Why did her name not attach to her art? This is well worth the read for the history and the unveiling of a person of color whose work was nearly erased. It is packed with facts but wrapped in a story that is easy to follow in its memoir format. (

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beebeereads | Aug 28, 2022 |

By Her Own Design is an inspiring story of Ann Lowe, an African-American woman, and the struggles she lived through. Ann was a very talented woman, who some of the most richest women in American benefitted from. Ann's story is fascinating, inspiring and encouraging. Highly recommend! (

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BridgetteS | Jul 1, 2022 |

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RUSA CODES Reading List (Winner – Historical Fiction – 2023)

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Booklist Editor's Choice: Adult Books (2022)

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Globe and Mail Top 100 Book (Historical Fiction – 2022)

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By Her Own Design

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Ann Lowe

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Fiction. African American Fiction. Literature. HTML:

The incredible untold story of how Ann Lowe, a Black woman and granddaughter of slaves, rose above personal struggles and racial prejudice to design and create one of America's most famous wedding dresses of all time for Jackie Kennedy.

1953, New York City

Less than a week before the society wedding of the year where Jacqueline Bouvier will marry John F. Kennedy, a pipe bursts at Ann Lowe's dress shop and ruins eleven dresses, including the expensive wedding dress, a dress that will be judged by thousands. A Black designer who has fought every step of the way, Ann knows this is only one struggle after a lifetime of them. She and her seamstresses will find the way to re-create the dresses. It may take all day and all night for the next week to accomplish the task, but they will do it.

1918, Tampa

Raised in Jim Crow Alabama, Ann learned the art of sewing from her mother and her grandmother, a former slave, who are the most talented seamstresses in the state. After Ann elopes at twelve with an older man who soon proves himself to be an abusive alcoholic, her dreams of becoming a celebrated designer seem to be put on hold. But then a wealthy Tampa socialite sees Ann's talent and offers her an amazing opportunity�??the chance to sew and design clothing for Florida's society elite. Taking her young son in the middle of the night, Ann escapes her husband and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.

Based on the true story of one of the most famous designers of the twenties through the sixties who has since been unjustly forgotten, By Her Own Design is an unforgettable novel of determination despite countless obstacles and a triumph celebrated by the world.

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