on July 6, 1944, a young Frenchwoman, a member of the Resistance, was arrested by four armed Gestapo officers on the Place du Trocadéro in Paris.

The book blurb for Miss Dior by Justine Picardie, “A long-overdue and intimate restoration of Catherine Dior’s story that illuminates the work of the most iconic designer of the postwar world—her brother, Christian—and casts new light on the overlooked life of a quietly courageous, quietly extraordinary woman” is only partially true.Miss Dior explores the relationship between the visionary designer Christian Dior and his beloved younger sister Catherine, who inspired his most famous perfume and shaped his vision of femininity. Christian’s earliest memories were rooted at Les Rhumbs, which remained the family’s primary residence, although they also spent some time in Paris. This page, clockwise from top left: Catherine on the beach at Granville; Catherine and friends; Catherine; Catherine and Bernard; Catherine, 1920; the Dior children. But I have come to believe that Catherine was possessed of a rare grace and inner strength that would have protected her from the jostling fashion crowd, with their sharp elbows, narrowed eyes, and stiletto heels. If Catherine’s role in Dior’s life had been similar, this book would have fallen more easily into place – and sometimes, you can sense Picardie’s wistfulness on this score.

Justine Picardie’s journey takes her to wartime Paris, where Christian honed his couture skills while Catherine dedicated herself to the French Resistance and the battle against the Nazis, until she was captured by the Gestapo and deported to the German concentration camp of Ravensbruck. Picardie’s writing about life in the camps, which makes up the bulk of the first half of the book, is unflinching and powerful.Although the book is not heavy with details about Catherine’s life, it is peppered with photographs, many of which are of Catherine. Dior’s “New Look” created a striking, romantic vision of femininity, luxury, and grace, making him―and his last name―famous overnight. But such maternal sternness is not enough to explain the character of Catherine, or to understand the haunting atmosphere of this garden built on stone.