Piper Huguley, an author of historical fiction who also teaches at Clark Atlanta University (CAU), has recently released a novel on the great Ann Lowe.
Titled By Her Own Design: A Novel of Ann Lowe, Fashion Designer to the Social Register, Huguley’s latest text gives readers an in-depth look at a chapter of African American history that centers on a determined woman who made a name for herself in the fashion world.
Ann Lowe was one of the first African Americans to become a widely known and sought-after fashion designer.
She was born in Alabama in 1898 and her mother and grandmother, formerly enslaved, were accomplished seamstresses. Lowe carried on the family craft, heading up to New York City in 1917 to take design courses at a segregated academy.
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Lowe instantly proved herself to be a skilled seamstress and she eventually began crafting gowns for social elites and celebrities.
One of her most widely known designs was a bridal gown Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis wore during her 1953 wedding to John F. Kennedy, who served as the President of the United States from 1961 to 1963.
By 1964, she was called “Society’s Best-Kept Secret.” After some health-related and financial hardships, she passed away 17 years later in 1981.
jackie kennedy’s iconic wedding dress was actually designed by ann lowe, an african american designer, once referred by the new york times as “societies best-kept secret” in 1964 pic.twitter.com/yxE3wiKLqR
— Audrey (@httpsblossom) June 5, 2020
Now, less than two weeks ahead of Juneteenth, Lowe’s story is being memorialized through By Her Own Design. Regarding Huguley’s latest text, various big-name authors and editors have showered the book with praise.
“Piper Huguley’s By Her Own Design is a sumptuous quilt with lyrical lace and detailed thread work that made an iconic life feel authentic and heartwarming… Readers will love getting to know Ann Lowe and the story behind the designs,” Island Queen author Vanessa Riley said.
Elizabeth Way, the associate curator for The Museum at FIT and editor of Black Designers in American Fashion, also spoke fondly of Huguley’s latest work.
“The facts of Ann Lowe’s life are remarkable, but Huguley has taken us a step further, harnessing the art of fiction to invoke the emotions of her experiences and bring Ann Lowe to life,” she noted.
You can learn more about By Her Own Design here.
