March 19, 2026 @ 6:00 PM
M.M.LaFleur | 230 W Huron St, Chicago, IL 60654
Join us for a special edition of the Chicago Literary Salon, Fashioning History—an intimate evening of conversation at the intersection of literature, fashion, and women’s lives—hosted inside the Chicago showroom of M.M.LaFleur.
This salon brings together three acclaimed authors whose work explores history through the deeply personal lenses of identity, ambition, class, and resistance. Our conversation will consider how clothing, style, and self-presentation shape women’s stories—on the page and in real life.
Your evening includes:
An intimate panel conversation exploring history, fashion, power, and the ways women shape—and are shaped by—the worlds they inhabit
Light refreshments, including an elegant selection of cheese, charcuterie, and crudités
A curated offering of red and white wines
Printed conversation prompts designed to encourage thoughtful dialogue and connection
The opportunity to gather inside M.M.LaFleur, a women-led brand committed to purposeful design, community, and gender equity, and shop their latest collection at a 15% discount
This salon is designed to feel both elevated and welcoming—a chance to engage deeply with ideas, connect with fellow readers, and spend an evening in conversation that lingers long after the last glass is poured.
Seating is extremely limited.
Reserve your seat for Fashioning History today.
The evening will feature a panel conversation with:
Melanie Benjamin, New York Times bestselling author of nine works of historical fiction, including The Aviator’s Wife, The Swans of Fifth Avenue, Mistress of the Ritz, The Children’s Blizzard, and upcoming The Windsor Affair. Her novels—translated into more than fifteen languages and frequently optioned for film—bring iconic women and hidden histories vividly to life. A Midwest native and longtime Chicago resident, Benjamin draws on her theatrical background and deep love of storytelling to illuminate the emotional truths behind historical figures.
Rowan Beaird, acclaimed novelist and short story writer whose work has appeared in The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, and The Common. Her debut novel, The Divorcées, was named a best book by Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, People, and the Chicago Review of Books. Her forthcoming novel, Tenderness, will be published in 2026. Beaird brings a sharp, contemporary voice to questions of womanhood, independence, and reinvention.
Nancy Johnson, award-winning former television journalist and bestselling novelist. Her latest novel, People of Means—a powerful story of race, class, and resistance spanning 1960s Nashville and 1990s Chicago—has been named one of People Magazine’s most anticipated books of 2025 and praised by NPR as “important” and “thought-provoking.” Her debut, The Kindest Lie, was a New York Times Editors’ Choice and widely celebrated for its emotional depth and social insight.
Rebecca Makkai is the New York Times bestselling author of I Have Some Questions for You and The Great Believers, the latter named one of the New York Times’ Best Books of the 21st Century and a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award. Her fiction has been translated into more than twenty languages and honored with the ALA Carnegie Medal, the LA Times Book Prize, and the Stonewall Award, among others. A Guggenheim Fellow and longtime Chicago literary leader, Makkai serves as Artistic Director of StoryStudio Chicago and teaches graduate fiction writing at Middlebury College, Northwestern University, and the Bennington Writing Seminars.
About M.M.LaFleur
M.M.LaFleur is a New York-based fashion brand celebrating women through thoughtfully designed clothing, personal styling, and our community of 100,000+ purposeful women. M.M.’s thoughtful design touches, superior fabrics, and customer service make it easier for women to get ready every morning, so they can focus on the work that matters to them. M.M.LaFleur is proud to have dressed 500+ female candidates running for office through its Ready to Run campaign, as well as donate over $1M in clothing to organizations focused on gender equality, such as Bottomless Closet, The Girl Scouts, and The International Rescue Committee. At the heart of the company is the belief that when women succeed, the world becomes a better place.