Gaumont picks up rights to Vogue book

The UK arm of French producer Gaumont has optioned the rights to a book about former Vogue editor-in-chief Audrey Withers for a TV adaptation.

Alison Jackson

Dressed for War: The Story of Audrey Withers, Vogue Editor Extraordinaire from the Blitz to the Swinging Sixties, written by historian Julie Summers, is being developed as a drama series.

Set in 1940s London, the book looks at Withers’ desire to transform an upper-class fashion journal into a modern and essential lifeline for women of all backgrounds, and focuses on her battles with the staid patriarchal conventions of the time, all while in the middle of a world war.

The show will be produced by Gaumont UK, whose president Alison Jackson will exec produce. The project is being developed as a returning series.

Jackson said: “It’s a privilege to bring Audrey’s work and world to life. Once described as the ‘most powerful woman in London,’ her influence on our world now is nothing short of extraordinary. She remains an inspirational woman, both in her public and private lives.

“Audrey fought against a patriarchal society designed to destroy her. She not only survived, but thrived, and therefore it couldn’t be more pertinent. It is hugely exciting that Julie has trusted us with this incredible biography, and we can’t wait to bring the story to life.”

Narcos producer Gaumont launched its UK arm in 2018, with Jackson joining from Endemol Shine’s Kudos to run it.