Margaret's New Look

by Katherine Ashenburg

CBC’s Best Canadian Fiction of 2025

Fashion, mystery, and politics combine in this delectable, pacey novel set in a big-city museum where an ambitious curator is launching a controversial exhibition of Christian Dior's "New Look."

At work, Margaret is the well-regarded curator of fashion for a big-city museum. At home, she is the mother of lively twin girls, the spouse of a successful mystery-book author, and a daughter still grieving the recent death of her beloved father. Now, as she prepares to launch a career-defining exhibition on the haute couture of legendary French designer Christian Dior, she faces fierce internal politics from her peers alongside unsettling questions from younger colleagues. And to make matters more worrying, as the exhibition's opening night approaches, items in the Dior collection mysteriously begin to disappear.

Meanwhile, Margaret must deal with revelations that have surfaced after her father's death—secrets that force her to confront her family's long-suppressed Jewish heritage. Struggles and mysteries at work and home soon entwine in the unlikely figure of an elderly collector of couture—one who may have had a fascinating, long-ago connection to Dior himself.

With her keen observation of human foibles, deep love of textiles and craft, deft construction of a mystery, and ear for spicy dialogue, Katherine Ashenburg creates a page-turning tale.

Genres: Fiction, Book Club, Historical Fiction, Canada

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 27, 2025

About the author

Katherine Ashenburg is the prize-winning author of three non-fiction books and hundreds of articles on subjects that range from travel to mourning customs to architecture. She describes herself as a lapsed Dickensian and as someone who has had a different career every decade. Her work life began with a Ph.D. dissertation about Dickens and Christmas, but she quickly left the academic world for successive careers at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a radio producer; at the Toronto newspaper The Globe and Mail as the arts and books editor; and most recently as a freelance writer, lecturer and teacher.

Her first book, Going to Town: Architectural Walking Tours in Southern Ontario, won the Ontario Historical Society's award for best regional history. Her second book, The Mourner's Dance: What We Do When People Die, was a finalist for two important prizes. Her latest book The Dirt on Clean: An Unsanitized History, is a spirited chronicle of the West's ambivalent relationship with the washed and unwashed body. She's a regular contributor to the Sunday Travel section of The New York Times and she writes a column on design and architecture for Toronto Life magazine.

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 3 out of 5]

The integration of fascinating history kept me reading when the lack of connection to the characters and mystery made me lose interest.

[Kaley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Originally reviewed at Books Etc.

Real talk: I don’t know why I finished reading Margaret’s New Look. I should have stopped but I just kept hoping Katherine Ashenburg’s novel would get better. Reader, I regret to inform you that it did not, in fact, get better. But there was just the teeniest nugget of something that compelled me to finish skimming and I wish I had ignored it and moved on with my reading life!

Margaret was a completely forgettable character. One who was so adamantly against finding out more about her father’s background and the whole thing was SO weird. I could not for the life of me get a handle on why she felt the way she did. Actually…I don’t think I even know how she felt because it was so convoluted. She didn’t know why it mattered that her father might have been Jewish. She seemed to think that was a black mark on the family but also had no bearing on anything? Then by the end she was all about reclaiming her Jewish heritage? And she didn’t seem to consider the fact that maybe he wanted to ignore the religion he grew up with because people are still anti-Semitic. She was so ignorant of that. There’s one quote at the end of the book that really irked me, that seemed to imply that Margaret had no idea why someone would choose to assimilate and her ignorance is baffling. And also - I have no idea why the author had to mention so many times that Margaret was clumsy and walked into things all the time. Zero point to the story.

And the writing was just…convoluted and unnecessarily complex. It was like the author wanted to show off all the big words she knew and it was just too much. She described one character who “pushed her lips forward, as if to kiss.” That’s pursing your lips. There’s no need to over complicate things.

I hate to say it so bluntly and rudely but: the mystery sucked. It was hardly a mystery! And when the publisher says, “Fashion, mystery, and politics combine…”, well, I needed more from the mystery. I wasn’t satisfied at all by the resolution, though I could maybe admit that it was because I had given up on the story so long before it was solved.

Speaking of fashion. Some people might have found the Dior and New Look information interesting but I already knew most of what was presented from other (better) novels I’ve read as well as a biography on Catherine Dior (she is absolutely worth looking up - she had a terrible war and is an absolute hero).

As I carry on in my quest to read even more Canadian authors, I find myself questioning why some of their books are set in, well, anywhere but Canada. This book could have easily taken place in Toronto. The spelling was even all Canadian! There were so many glorious Us to be found! This is not a thing that should really matter but when the rest of the book irked me? Well, I was just downright annoyed every time there was a reference to the book being set in New York state.

This is a much longer review than Margaret’s New Look deserves and I’m so sad that I didn’t enjoy Katherine Ashenburg’s novel. It should have been a winner for me but so much of it just completely did not work.

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Knopf Canada (Penguin Random House Canada), via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

[Dale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable culprit. Lost its oomph by the end.

[The Starry Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaret's New Look by Katherine Ashenburg is a mystery novel set in the world of high fashion where the past and present collide in dramatic ways.

Margaret is a curator of fashion who is putting together an exhibit on Christian Dior where museum politics, history, and competition threatens to sabotage her exhibit. As Margaret researches and curates the exhibit, she must grapple with the controversies of Christian Dior, his murky connections to the Nazi regime, and the objectification of women. When items begin mysteriously disappearing from her collection, Margaret will be forced to confront the life of Dior beneath the glamour and her own past as her own identity comes into question.

For anyone interested in the history of fashion, this novel is a must read. It goes into the rich history of Christian Dior- the designer and fashion house. Costume design is meticulously described throughout the book, making me appreciate the artistry and technical skills that goes into making something so simple as a dress or jacket. The detail and descriptions of fashion, the high stakes museum world, and academia and expertise in fashion history is expertly crafted in this novel, which made me wonder if the author has a fashion background?

I have never read a fashion mystery before but have always had a curiousity about fashion design. Setting the mystery within a couture exhibition was original and entertaining. I loved the story of Margaret and her self-discovery through fashion and the questions raised about how fashion, like any other art form, is encoded with secret messages, and truly are time capsules of the past. World War II is also an important part of this story as Dior did design dresses for Nazi wives (as did other French fashion designers) and his own sister unfortunately spent time in a concentration camp. Questions were raised about the legacy of Dior and its controversial past as were Dior's image of women. At times the novel did read like a history book, but I enjoyed this, because I learned so much about the history of Dior and costume design. The plot was set within a mystery and journey of self-realization for Margaret which intertwined with Dior's story.

If you love historical fiction, glamorous mysteries, or high fashion, then you should read Margaret's New Look by Katherine Ashenburg.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a free arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed Katherine Ashenburg’s book, Margaret’s New Look. It is a quick and easy read full of interesting historical facts about fashion in Paris in the 1940s and in particular about Christian Dior.

Margaret, the main character is a fashion curator in Rochester assembling a Dior exhibit for a museum. She lives by the ethos: “Beauty lifts the heart.” On the surface the story is a formulaic mystery; somebody is trying to sabotage Margaret’s exhibition. As pieces go missing and mysterious notes and packages arrive, we start to see that Ashenburg’s mystery story is actually a delivery vehicle for the real purpose behind her book: to uncover the dark stories of haute couture in France before and during the war.

Underneath the opulence of Dior’s world of billowing fabrics, pleats, embroidery and buttons, we learn the tragic fate of fashion’s lesser known heroines: Catherine Dior (Christian’s sister) and Fanny Berger, a Jewish hat maker and rising star in Paris in the lead up to the war. Both women face tragic and horrific fates with little to no publicity or fanfare. As Margaret learns more, she grapples with the question of identity and must ask herself, “What side are you on?”

Margaret’s search for her own identity is a central theme of the story and Ashengburg demonstrates the difficulty Margaret faces embracing her own Jewish heritage even in present day. Ultimately, Margaret says,
“I don’t want to avert my eyes anymore.” (p224)

Ashenburg juxtaposes luxurious haute couture beauty with the ugly history of war and the manipulation of the female body. She challenges her readers to reflect that,
“Clothes tell many different stories.” (P203)

Although the characters felt a bit flat, they were likable and easy to follow along with. Ashenburg gently opens her readers’ eyes and reminds us to search for truth over beauty.

[Devi · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’ll be honest, I did not finish Margaret’s New Look. I gave it nearly 40% of my reading time (listening time, in this case), but the story never managed to hold my interest. Hailey Gillis does a solid job narrating with her clear and engaging voice, and she captures the shifts in tone well, but even strong narration couldn’t save a story that wasn’t working for me.

Margaret's journey hooked me early on, with the vivid recounting of Jewish life in WWII Germany. Those moments hit hard, unpacking suppressed family truths with emotional weight. But there was endless details on fashion, fabrics, silhouettes, male designers' take on women and their bodies, and fashion evolution. The mystery (was it something about a stolen dress?) felt like a faint whisper behind the textile deep-dive and my attention got lost in the threads.

For the right reader (or listener) who enjoys historical fiction with a heavy emphasis on fashion and social change, this book could be a fascinating, even dazzling, read. But for me, as someone who usually gravitates toward cozy mysteries, twisty plots, and clear stakes, the constant fashion discourse left me uninvested. If you love detailed explorations of couture, design, and the role of clothing in shaping identity, Margaret’s New Look may very well be your perfect match. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t mine.

[Sharen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title has multiple meanings and that is intriguing: museum curator Margaret's new look at someone she once admired without question - i.e. how Margaret’s perspective about Christina Dior changes the more she learns about him and the circumstances in which he founded his famous New Look, the new way she looks at how fashion moulds women - literally, the new look she takes at unravelling her family history, the new look for herself and her husband when she discovers corsets, and the new look she steps into in her own personality and appearance. A book about growth and growing up as an adult. It is hard to give up the dearly beloved beliefs to which we stubbornly cling. Margaret finds a way to look at her long held opinions and readers are pleased to watch her progress towards greater self-knowledge.
Bonus: Through illustrations and background information about the construction of a number of famous Dior designs, readers increase their knowledge of couture.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this fictional account of a Rochester, N.Y. curator, Margaret Abrams, as she encounters some unexpected personal and professional obstacles while mounting a Christian Dior retrospective exhibit.
The novel is clearly written - Ms. Ashenburg clearly has a knack for creating good dialogue, humorous and believable characters, and enough mystery to keep the reader engaged.
Having adored both the Royal Ontario Museum's 2017-2018 Dior retrospective (https://www.rom.on.ca/whats-on/exhibi...), and Apple TV's "The New Look," series, I was predisposed to having a great time.... and the book did not disappoint!
One quick note : consider having Google images open beside you, so you can experience the various glorious outfits personally.

[Leslie Buck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this novel a really high score because it surprised me and kept me guessing until the end. Not only is the prose elegant, but the main character is so conflicted while being sure of herself at the same time. Nothing beats that contradiction. I loved the mix of history and women's stories presented here as well. Context is so important for much of the great breakthroughs in art. Here, you learn about the 1940's in Paris with the many contradictions, compromises, and catastrophes that happened in a complex and large city under occupation and in the immediate aftermath of the war. Dior's New Look is the foundation for the story and the thread that takes us through all of these elements. I highly recommend this book.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

I borrowed the hardback from our public library. Sadly I have to agree totally with Kaley's review because I wanted this book to be better because the author lives in Canada not Rochester, New York State. The protagonist and her perfect husband and children did not engage me. It is 2025 and the excesses of haute couture are not in fashion; Thrift stores are. There are good non-fiction books on Dior. I was relieved to finish the book. As for the mystery, well, the perpetrators were the most interesting fictional characters.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a remarkable hat trick: it's a compelling mystery, a gorgeous tour of the world of couture, and a historical fiction with a feminist twist, all while bringing us inside Margaret’s sweet and complex family. Margaret’s need for her icons to be perfect, how untidy it is when they are not, and they way she has to face those sorrows are the moments in life every reader can relate to.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting story about Dior, the haute couture business after WWII in France and a museum curator’s struggles with the history which isn’t all polished and pretty. The author is speaking to our Book Club this week and it should be enlightening. She wrote her first novel at 72! I will update this review after the meeting.

[Nancy Cogger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the story of Dior and his fashions. Very close tie in to the new look on Apple . The illustrations in the book of the various dresses was very interesting
First 2/3rds very good. Last third bit slow

[Jane Francis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Margaret is a curator at a Rochester museum, who is putting on an exhibition of Christian Dior’s couture. Set with the backdrop of WWII France, the treatment of FrenchJews and the unmentioned Jewishness of Margaret’s own family.

[Colleen Putnam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting background on Dior designs and second world war/occupation of France. Story was uncompelling, a backdrop to Dior‘s work.

[Linda Cousens · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery novel set in the world of high fashion.

[Christy]

3.5

[Sananne Wartabetian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite probably the best and most nuanced exploration of the concept of "separating the art from the artist" I've come across in a while.