From the Garment District’s fashionable 34th Street address in New York City, to the sewer-infested manufacturing sweatshops of Asia, the author recalls almost 50 years of professional achievement, counterbalanced by personal trauma at the hands of the men she trusted. For nearly half a century, Darlene Parris Young had a successful career in the modeling industry, gracing the covers of magazines and walking the runways. It was the glamour days of New York City’s Garment District, where the crime families battled for business; $20,000 fur coats and designer dresses traveled the streets on racks, propelled by the garmento’s trustees and, at the same time, buyers from the national department store chains were writing orders, crafted over champagne, cigars and beautiful models in the showroom. It is during these glory years of Chanel, Ralph Lauren, Diane von Furstenberg, and Gloria Vanderbilt, that this penetrating look into New York’s fashion industry is seen through the eyes of the little known, but highly paid, “fashion fit model” – the behind the scenes living mannequin who used her body as a template for the designers’ fashions. Constantly in demand, working ten to twelve hours per day, Darlene became known as “The Coat Hanger with a Mouth” for her outspoken interactions with designers, explaining to these fashion “icons” what women truly wanted in clothes, with the result of increasing the “bosses’” revenue for whom she worked, year after year. Yet, Darlene would return home at night, longing to be a mother and a wife, yet finding conflict with her husband and too exhausted to be a mother. Her children would grow and leave, while she learned that marriages were hardly a sanctuary from disappointment. Unzipped is not merely a story about modeling and NYC’s garment industry, though exciting as it may be. Unzipped is written for all women who have faced abuse and trauma; women who have encountered harassment in the workplace; women who have felt the resulting despair and loneliness of long, solitary nights, and who have worried whether the future holds any hope for happiness and love. Unzipped is a story of human trials, beginning with a highly decorated World War II father who equated discipline with physical abuse; through a series of failed marriages and, finally, the object of an unspeakable act of violence that no woman should endure. Speaking for all women who have been told what to wear, what to say, what to believe and how to act, Unzipped will have you laughing and crying, opening your heart to long-forgotten emotions and strengthening your resolve to prevail. As you witness Darlene learning to become a voice, not a victim, you will drop your jaw with disbelief on each new page; you will be left with a determination to put the past behind and you will find comfort – as well as a renewed strength - in knowing with certainty that you are not alone! Through the lens of adaptation, Unzipped is a hyper-relevant, compelling story centered on an industry and an era few, if any, films or TV shows have addressed. To peel back the curtain of her experience, of what she endured, only to see her emerge more vigilant and "enlightened" in a sense is nothing short of inspiring--for any reader. -Matt Misetich , Senior Executive, Pipeline Media Group After reading the preface of Unzipped: Chronicles of a Fashion Fit Model , I couldn't put it down. Darlene's writing is mesmerizing and her story is raw and honest. This book exposes the insidious contradictions and skewed morals of post-war America--an era when even discussing rape was taboo--it is filled with hope, acceptance with strength, and ultimately, redemption. I believe that Unzipped will become a classic in its genre. -Debra Poneman , Professional speaker and bestselling author Darlene's story of abuse is heartbreaking. In Unzipped , she is raw and real about the effects the abuse had on her life. There is an underlying tone of hope, healing, and triumph in the pages of this brilliantly written masterpiece. Anyone who has ever been a victim of abuse, should read this book. There is so much wisdom within its pages. Darlene is a fierce warrior and an advocate of survivors everywhere. This book will leave you feeling empowered, inspired, and armed with hope. It will remind you that your healing is worth fighting for. -Sarah Kacala , Author of Little Girl Speak Unzipped gives hope to all women who have been victims of abuse and have struggled to support and raise their children. Darlene's incredible account of her career as a fashion fit model, overcoming adversity--and finding love, financial success, and fulfillment --is truly inspirational. -Marci Shimoff , #1 New York Times best-selling author of Chicken Soup for the Woman's Soul and Happy for No Reason Darlene Parris Young, a recently retired fit model, lived for fifty years in New York City's fashion district, lending her figure to world renowned designers such as Coco Chanel, D