Chapter 13

The rain came down in sheets, hammering against the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Hayes Atelier. Inside, the studio was a sanctuary of warm, amber light and meticulous order. Vivian Hayes stood before a dress form, a magnetic pin cushion strapped to her wrist, her fingers deftly manipu

Chapter 14

Paris in the fall was usually an electric dreamscape of champagne, flashbulbs, and frantic creative energy. For Vivian Hayes, standing backstage at the magnificent Théâtre de Châtelet, the energy was pure, unadulterated adrenaline.

Her team of fifty seamstresses, makeup artists, and dr

Chapter 15

The surge of bodies crossing the Avenue Winston Churchill looked less like a fashion crowd and more like a beautifully dressed riot. Through the sheer curtains of the backstage window, Vivian Hayes watched as the elite of the global fashion industry abandoned the Grand Palais in droves,