Cover

The Winter Dress

Lauren Chater

The Bestselling author of Gulliver’s Wife

Praise for The Winter Dress

‘From a few shimmering strands of truth, Lauren Chater has spun an intriguing story of love, loss and fulfilment.’

Pip Williams, author of The Dictionary of Lost Words

‘Vivid, expansive and richly imagined, The Winter Dress weaves together a fascinating historical mystery and an uncompromising portrait of the possibility and price of female autonomy with remarkable and deeply affecting results.’

James Bradley, author of Wrack

‘Wrap yourself in Chater’s sumptuous prose. The Winter Dress is a captivating tale of discovery and obsession by one of Australia’s very best historical fiction authors. Absolutely essential reading.’

Melissa Ashley, author of The Birdman’s Wife

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Title Page

Dedication

For my husband Michael, who journeyed with me.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The Winter Dress was inspired by a collection of 17th-century artefacts discovered off the coast of Texel, a small island in North Holland in 2014. The most unusual artefact retrieved by divers – a well-preserved 17th-century silk dress – was later identified by leading dress historians as one of the most significant and exciting discoveries in textiles history. The story of the dress’s discovery spread to the Dutch mainland where it became an international sensation, attracting the attention of conservators and academics eager to unravel its mysterious origins. After reading an article about the dress published in The New Yorker, I instantly knew I wanted to write about it. Something about its ethereal, unearthly beauty captured my imagination and I was intrigued by the life of the woman who wore it as well as her fate.

In June 2019, I travelled to the Netherlands to interview the Texel divers who made the discovery as well as the historians and specialists charged with preserving the artefacts. Their theories formed the basis of The Winter Dress, however I have taken the liberty of inventing an entirely new cast of characters and fictionalising dramatic turning points to enhance the novel’s themes. I’m indebted to the staff at the Kaap Skil Museum on Texel (particularly Alec Ewing and Corina Hordijk), as well as members of the Texel Diving Club, for showing me around the island and sharing their stories. Thanks also to Rob van Eerden for allowing me to view the dress – a spellbinding and unforgettable experience I drew on many times during the writing of this novel.

Introductory note for The Winter Dress

Alec Ewing, Head Curator, Kaap Skil Museum, Texel