Dreaming of Chanel: Vintage Dresses, Timeless Stories

Inheriting a priceless vintage clothing collection sounds like every woman’s dream come true.

But when Charlotte Smith discovered that her American godmother, Doris Darnell, had made her custodian of more than three thousand pieces dating from 1790 to the 1990s, including originals by Chanel and Dior, she was more than a little daunted.

Then Charlotte uncovered her first treasure— an exquisite 1920s evening dress—and promptly fell in love. And once she found her godmother’s book of stories,...