Interview – Charlotte Smith, Dreaming Of Dior
Author Speaks About the Vintage Clothing Collection Turned Book
Nov 4, 2009
Charlotte Smith’s life story reads like a Hollywood script. She has lived her life to the full in London, Paris and New York – including hobnobbing with the likes of Princess Diana and the Sultan of Penang - before settling in Australia’s Blue Mountains.
Her relatively quieter life in Australia was shaken up though when she discovered that she had inherited a priceless vintage clothing collection from her American Quaker godmother, Doris Darnell.
Hundreds of boxes began arriving on her doorstep, crammed with more than 3000 treasures, dating from 1790 to 1995. These included originals by Dior, Chanel and Balenciaga to wedding dresses and a pioneer woman’s best and only dress.
The inheritance has since been turned into Smith’s own book, Dreaming Of Dior (HarperCollins), which includes her godmother’s stories about the women behind the dresses – plus a few of Smith’s own glamorous tales!
You’ve led quite a full life. What made you move to Australia?
I met an Australian guy, who I married. We are no longer together, but we’re still good friends. He’s a ranger. I met him in England through a mutual friend and had no idea how far away Australia was. I made kind of a rash decision moving here!
But, since then, I’ve always lived up in the Blue Mountains (in New South Wales). It’s nice having an interest that allows you to travel and takes you down to Sydney and other cities. I love the space, fresh air and quiet of the country, but I still like to have the stimulation of what the city offers. Wherever I’ve lived, I’ve always had beautiful houses and nice spaces to entertain. I have a good social life - I make it myself!
How did you and Doris get so many dresses for free for the collection, which you have kept growing?
Doris, I guess, because she was such a great storyteller and wore a lot of the dresses and people just loved the whole idea. People would say, ‘I’ve got something I’d like to give you’ and she’d make such a fuss about it. People were always recognised for the donations they made. Doris was quite affluent but, with that Quaker philosophy, you couldn’t spend money on clothes, so this is how she indulged.
For me, I guess, because I’ve been very determined to get the collection out there - telling the stories and talking to women’s groups. People like the idea that their story or that of a person in their family, with a nice dress related to it, would live on. There are people for whom money is not a motivator and, they would rather have a story live on, than the cash in the bank. I get some pretty phenomenal things still. I think it’s the fact that you appreciate what you’re being given.
Have you ever been tempted to sell anything in the collection?
I’ve only sold one thing. I had four dresses by Madeleine Vionnet, who was a very influential (French) dress designer in the 1930s. I’ve got three dresses that are very typical of her work. Then, I’ve got one that was worn by a very rich debutante in America. The dress had the label on it and it was all couture, with the most incredible beadwork.
But, every time I’d look at the dress, I’d find another bead had fallen off or the chiffon was disintegrating. I knew that the dress was worth a lot of money and, with advice, I found it would be better to sell it and it go to a collector. So, I did that and, with the proceeds, I went to Italy and did a lot of research on other fashion designers. But that was the only one I have sold. All the other ones, I’d really feel I’d be missing a part of the collection.
How did you come to move in such glamorous circles throughout your life?
As soon as I left America, wherever I’ve lived in the world, I’ve always been considered a foreigner. And, especially in England, when you are not part of that country’s social structure, you get welcomed into things that you normally wouldn’t. And, I guess I’ve always just met people. When you have that way of talking to people, you get invited to things – and I guess it was just luck. But, I’ve always said yes to everything - with my parents’ warning at the back of my mind! I’ve said ‘yes’ and I’ve got myself into situations that, if I was shy or reticent, I wouldn’t have found myself in.
What is your career background that led you to the present day?
I graduated with a degree in art history in America and worked for art dealers. In France, I custom-made lampshades, so that’s how I got into the antiques and antique lighting. When I came to Australia, I opened an antiques shop in the Blue Mountains, which I sold about three years ago. So, I’ve always been interested in history and antique things.
Smith currently has an exhibition of 29 dresses from her book, Dreaming Of Dior (HarperCollins), on show at The Fashion Gallery at ESMOD Australia in Sydney. Also on display are letters and photos from previous owners of the dresses. Visit www.esmod.com.au.
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