Read Online A Crime of Fashion by Carina Axelsson - Free Book Online Page B

themselves.”
    â€œWhat?” I mumbled as he pulled my lucky jumper up over my head.
    â€œGet used to it, because as a model you will be helped into and out of everything by a stylist.”
    â€œBut why? I can dress myself.” We were now getting me into the pair of Lagerfeld jeans.
    â€œWell, trust me,” Victor said, as he helped me into the H&M jacket, “half the things you’ll be asked to dress in you absolutely will not be able to get in and out of alone. Plus the clothes will all be ironed and steamed just before you wear them and you’ll wrinkle them beyond recognition if you twist and turn half as much as you did just now. So unless you want to sabotage your new career,” he continued as he tugged and adjusted the jacket at my shoulders, “I suggest you get used to being helped… Ah! Et voilà! ”
    Smiling, he stepped back to admire his handiwork. He pushed his enormous vintage Yves Saint Laurent glasses up his nose and peered at me from every angle. Finally, he spoke. “You look amazing – éclatant – that’s glowing, I think, in English. Now let’s go and surprise your Aunt Venetia.”
    We did. Big time. Keeping her eyes glued on me (at least, I imagined they were glued on me – as usual, she was wearing her sunglasses), she looked me over top to toe. Then I watched as she reached one arm out to the dainty cup filled with sugared almonds that lay on the reception table and her long fingers uncurled to delicately pick one up.
    â€œMy goodness, Axelle, you certainly do wash up well,” she said, before popping the pink sweet into her mouth.
    Ellie was more forthright. “You look fantastic!” she squealed. “Your hair – and, oh my gosh – your glasses are gone too…wow! A good haircut and contacts can make such a difference.”
    I didn’t say anything.
    Truth be told, I’d been frightened I’d be given a horribly short haircut. The result – thank goodness! – was a dark jagged mop that brushed my shoulders.
    As far as the clothes went, Aunt V was right – style is in the details. I mean, basically, I was wearing what I always wear – jeans and jumper and jacket with flat shoes. But the cut and fabric of the jacket, shape of the jeans, and colour of the jumper made it all so much more. And my dainty new ballerinas and the rock-star-ragged long skinny scarf Ellie had wound around my neck tied everything together nicely.
    The entire salon was now standing around staring at me. At that moment Hervé burst through the door and made his way to Aunt V. “Where is Axelle?” he asked her, standing right in front of me. “She has to sign her contract – and I have a new appointment for her.”
    All eyes turned to me as silence descended. Hervé’s eyes followed suit and slowly a look of disbelief spread across his features. “Non!” he exclaimed as he stepped back with shock. For a moment or two he stood gulping for air like a big carp out of water. “Mon Dieu!” he finally said. “Quelle différence!”
    â€œI’ve read through the contract, Axelle, you can sign it,” Aunt V said as I was handed a pen.
    â€œAnd word travels fast,” Hervé said excitedly. “Thanks to Ellie, everyone wants to meet you – Lanvin has already called. They’d like to see you this afternoon, and if they like you they’ll book you for their show. You’ll go straight there from Chanel. And after Lanvin, you have another new appointment at La Lune with Claude La Lune. Ellie can go with you. She has fittings at both,” he said with a smile (yes, a real smile) as he handed me my copy of the contract and slipped his copy into his folder. “I think you’ll be pretty busy this week, Axelle.”
    There was no time to celebrate my new look, though. Hervé quickly ushered me out into the courtyard and asked me to stand