Book Talk: Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson, Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free

Though Claire McCardell has largely been erased from history, much of what we wear traces back to the ingenious, rebellious mind of this Maryland-born fashion designer. The inventor of ballet flats, spaghetti straps, and mix-and-match separates, she built an empire at a time when women rarely made the upper echelons of business. Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson brings McCardell’s story back into the light in writing that is relentlessly compelling, reaching well beyond the interests of fashion. “In the hands of Dickinson, this is more than just the biography of a fashion revolutionary,” writes the New York Times, “It is a story of the fight for women’s identity and, incidentally, the birth of an American industry.” Dickinson will offer a presentation on McCardell before joining Shore Lit Founder/Director Kerry Folan in conversation about the book. Registration required.

Books will be available for purchase at the event from Flying Cloud Booksellers.

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