Margaret's New Look by Katherine Ashenburg is a mystery novel set in the world of high fashion where the past and present collide in dramatic ways.

Margaret is a curator of fashion who is putting together an exhibit on Christian Dior where museum politics, history, and competition threatens to sabotage her exhibit. As Margaret researches and curates the exhibit, she must grapple with the controversies of Christian Dior, his murky connections to the Nazi regime, and the objectification of women. When items begin mysteriously disappearing from her collection, Margaret will be forced to confront the life of Dior beneath the glamour and her own past as her own identity comes into question.

For anyone interested in the history of fashion, this novel is a must read. It goes into the rich history of Christian Dior- the designer and fashion house. Costume design is meticulously described throughout the book, making me appreciate the artistry and technical skills that goes into making something so simple as a dress or jacket. The detail and descriptions of fashion, the high stakes museum world, and academia and expertise in fashion history is expertly crafted in this novel, which made me wonder if the author has a fashion background?

I have never read a fashion mystery before but have always had a curiousity about fashion design. Setting the mystery within a couture exhibition was original and entertaining. I loved the story of Margaret and her self-discovery through fashion and the questions raised about how fashion, like any other art form, is encoded with secret messages, and truly are time capsules of the past. World War II is also an important part of this story as Dior did design dresses for Nazi wives (as did other French fashion designers) and his own sister unfortunately spent time in a concentration camp. Questions were raised about the legacy of Dior and its controversial past as were Dior's image of women. At times the novel did read like a history book, but I enjoyed this, because I learned so much about the history of Dior and costume design. The plot was set within a mystery and journey of self-realization for Margaret which intertwined with Dior's story.

If you love historical fiction, glamorous mysteries, or high fashion, then you should read Margaret's New Look by Katherine Ashenburg.