One Enchanted Evening

Every woman has a dress that reminds her of one unforgettable evening …

Charlotte Smith owns literally thousands. Having lived life to the full in London, Paris and New York, when she settled in Australia she inherited a vintage clothing collection of more than 3000 pieces from her beloved Quaker godmother, Doris Darnell.

Most precious of all was Doris’ book of stories, a detailed record of the tales behind these masterpieces. Charlotte’s inheritance was not just a collection of beautiful things, but a glimpse into the lives of the women who wore them.

In One Enchanted Evening Charlotte and illustrator Grant Cowan share some of the most spectacular evening dresses and their stories from The Darnell Collection, which now contains more than 9000 unique pieces from around the world.

From Pucci to Prada, Valentino to Vivienne Westwood, step inside the magical wardrobe every woman would love to own …

About the Author

Charlotte Smith is the owner of The Darnell Collection and the author of One Enchanted Evening, Dreaming of Dior and Dreaming of Chanel.

Inheriting a vintage fashion collection of more than 3000 treasures from her Quaker godmother Doris Darnell in 2004 changed her life. It is now her career. Her collection has grown to more than 9000 pieces, including originals by Chanel, Dior, Valentino, Alexander McQueen, Prada and Akira. Charlotte curates museum exhibitions and hosts events to showcase the collection in Australia and overseas, and is a regular guest on radio and television.

Born in Hong Kong and raised in the United States, Charlotte has a degree in art history and has lived and worked in America, England and France. She lives in the Blue Mountains near Sydney.

About the Illustrator

After studying fashion design in Australia Grant Cowan moved to London to further his career and worked as an illustrator on magazines like Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour and Red magazine. He has a degree in fine arts, majoring in painting, from the National Art School in Sydney and has taught at various institutions. His work has featured in many exhibitions and he is renowned for his unique hand-painted fashion illustrations. He illustrated One Enchanted Evening, Dreaming of Dior and Dreaming of Chanel by Charlotte Smith. Grant has lived and worked in England and Switzerland. He lives in Sydney.