Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free
You save $16.13 USD (40%)
Format

Book Overview Named one of The New York Times's 100 Notable Books of 2025The riveting hidden history of Claire McCardell, the most influential fashion ...
The riveting hidden history of Claire McCardell, the most influential fashion designer you've never heard of.
Claire McCardell forever changed fashion--and most importantly, the lives of women. She shattered cultural norms around women's clothes, and today much of what we wear traces back to her ingenious, rebellious mind. McCardell invented ballet flats and mix-and-match separates, and she introduced wrap dresses, hoodies, leggings, denim, and more into womenswear. She tossed out corsets in favor of a comfortably elegant look and insisted on pockets, even as male designers didn't see a need for them. She made zippers easy to reach because a woman "may live alone and like it," McCardell once wrote, "but you may regret it if you wrench your arm trying to zip a back zipper into place."
After World War II, McCardell fought the severe, hyper-feminized silhouette championed by male designers, like Christian Dior. Dior claimed that he wanted to "save women from nature." McCardell, by contrast, wanted to set women free. Claire McCardell became, as the young journalist Betty Friedan called her in 1955, "The Gal Who Defied Dior."
Filled with personal drama and industry secrets, this story reveals how Claire McCardell built an empire at a time when women rarely made the upper echelons of business. At its core, hers is a story about our right to choose how we dress--and our right to choose how we live.
Book Details Format: Hardcover | Pages: 336 | Language: English | Publisher: SIMON & SCHUSTER | ISBN: 1668045230
Shipping & Returns Fast, reliable shipping and easy returns on eligible items.
Most orders ship within 1–2 business days with fast, reliable U.S. delivery.
Eligible items can be returned within 30 days in line with our store return policy.
Why shop with AlbakiReads
Sourced through trusted book distributors, with fresh titles added regularly.
Your payment information is encrypted and protected every step of the way.
Most orders ship within 1–2 business days.
From page-turners to timeless classics—find your next favorite read.