The Fashion Oprhans – ARC Book Review

Two estranged sisters find that forgiveness never goes out of style when they inherit their mother’s vintage jackets, purses… and pearls of wisdom

Estranged half-sisters Gabrielle Winslow and Lulu Quattro have only two things in common: mounds of debt and coils of unresolved enmity toward Bette Bradford, their controlling and imperious recently deceased mother.

Gabrielle, the firstborn, was raised in relative luxury on Manhattan’s rarefied Upper East Side. Now, at fifty-five, her life as a Broadway costume designer married to a heralded Broadway producer has exploded in divorce.

Lulu, who spent half her childhood under the tutelage of her working-class Brooklyn grandparents, is a grieving widow at forty-eight. With her two sons grown, her life feels reduced to her work at the Ditmas Park bakery owned by her late husband’s family.

The two sisters arrive for the reading of their mother’s will, expecting to divide a sizable inheritance, pay off their debts, and then again turn their backs on each other.

But to their shock, what they have been left is their mother’s secret walk-in closet jammed with high-end current and vintage designer clothes and accessories— most from Chanel.

Contemplating the scale of their mother’s self-indulgence, the sisters can’t help but wonder if Lauren Weisberger had it wrong: because it seems, in fact, that the devil wore Chanel. But as they being to explore their mother’s collection, meet and fall in love with her group of warm, wonderful friends, and magically find inspiring messages tucked away in her treasures — it seems as though their mother is advising Lulu and Gabrielle from the beyond — helping them rediscover themselves and restore their relationship with each other.

Two sisters, Gabrielle and Lulu, their mother dies leaving them only a small amount of fortune. Both the sisters have heaps of debts to pay and the money they both inherited from their mother is not very sufficient. However, they find a hidden closet in their mother’s house and when they open the closet, they find dozens and dozens of branded items, mainly Chanel items. While working out what to do with the items, the two sister’s relationship which was estranged before started to build.

The writing was great and the author did a good job of drawing the reader into the story, to feel like they are in this part of adventure with Lulu and Gabrielle. I do like how the relationship between Lulu and Gabrielle slowly developed and also I like there’s a backstory behind this novel. There were some funny parts in the book as well, the fact that Lulu is Jewish and the all these traditions the meals, the food is all interesting to read as well. Initially it was a bit boring at first but soon towards the middle of the book it got interesting. Though the ending was slightly predictable, I did like how the book ended..

Overall, I actually enjoyed this book–the writing was spot on, enjoyed and laughed about the book. Worth five stars in my opinion!

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.