Channeling Josephine Callot is a reimagined chronicle of real women, the historical events, cultural and societal norms which shaped their character and made their stories possible.
Feminist pioneers in a male dominated industry, thirty years before Coco Chanel opened a hat shop, the Callot sisters secured a license for the first woman-owned house of couture in Paris. By the turn of the 20th century, the label was internationally renowned with a clientele to match.
Little is known about the early years—a date of 1879 for a custom dressmaking shop; Marie Callot’s apprenticeship at Raudnitz and Cie, opening the door to expansion. The record is silent between those events and relocation of the salon to Rue Taitbout in 1896. Mention of a lace making tradition, an antique business and inscriptions on a grave marker are all that survive of the family’s private lives.
This fictional account by youngest sister Josephine attempts to fill the gaps. Her formative years coincide with the emergence of Montmartre as a haven for artists, writers, musicians, intellectuals, pleasure seekers, social libertarians, and others on society’s fringes, providing fodder to explore a complementary theme. I “channeled” the spirit of Josephine through research, inspiration, imagination and intuition.
Channeling is a process by which an individual becomes a ‘vessel’, ‘receptor’ or ‘channel’ through which information is received from some exterior, non-corporeal source. While the validity of channeled information may be demonstrable, it is not provable by empirical science.
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Josephine’s life story plays out against the dramatic backdrop of nineteenth century French history. Born in 1866, Josephine is not spared the instability of life in France. The Franco-Prussian War, Siege of Paris, and civil uprising of the Communards, defining events of 1870-71, are formative experiences of her childhood. Insecurity, and unpredictability leave a lasting impression.
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Josephine, youngest of the four sisters who built the Callot Soeurs couturier fashion empire, is independent, free spirited and determined to live life on her own terms. She is intelligent, talented, progressive, ambitious, and sexually liberated. Despite the patriarchal culture of the times, she succeeds in having a successful career, a love affair for the ages and an enviable marriage.
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Dear Reader,
My blog tells the journey of my research and writing about the lives of Josephine Callot, her family and her inner circle.
In these posts, I share historical research, photographs, and memorabilia, to illuminate her story, without revealing details that could spoil the adventure of reading the book.
I invite you to inform, enrich and expand your understanding of Josephine and her world – Paris in the Bell Epoque. When you opt to follow me, I’ll send you the first chapter of Channeling Josephine Callot.