Book Talk: Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson

Though Claire McCardell has largely been erased from history, much of what we wear traces back to the ingenious, rebellious mind of this Maryland-born fashion designer. The inventor of ballet flats, spaghetti straps, and mix-and-match separates, she built an empire at a time when women rarely made the upper echelons of business.

Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson brings McCardell’s story back in to the light in writing that is relentlessly compelling, reaching well beyond the interests of fashion.

“In the hands of Dickinson, this is more than just the biography of a fashion revolutionary,” writes the New York Times: “It is a story of the fight for women’s identity and, incidentally, the birth of an American industry.”

Dickinson will offer a presentation on McCardell and will be in conversation with Shore Lit Founder/Director Kerry Folan. A book signing will follow the talk.

This event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited and reservations are required.

This program is presented in partnership with Shore Lit, Prager Family Center for the Arts, and the Talbot Historical Society. For questions about accessibility, please contact Kerry Folan at easternshorelit@gmail.com.