Les Parisiennes is a story about women’s lives in Paris during the dark years of Nazi occupation and beyond. These include British and American women, couturiers, jewellers, actors, singers, night club dancers and housewives. The lecture opens with a spectacular surrealist circus ball held at a chateau in the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. Many of the guests could not believe that war was imminent. Journeying through the years to 1947, we arrive at the launch of Christian Dior’s lavish new look and share the poignant story of why he named his new perfume Miss Dior.
Biographer, historian, author and former Reuters foreign correspondent, Anne Sebba has now added broadcasting to her formidable skillset. Having worked on both BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, she also regularly appears on television talking about her writing and her experiences. Her latest book is a history of Paris between 1939-49 seen through women's eyes. It was published in 2016 as Les Parisiennes How the women of Paris Lived, Loved and Died in the 1940s. Anne is a former chair of Britain's 9,000 strong Society of Authors.