Mitchell Beazley snaps up Destination Fabulous by fashion director of the Times

Mitchell Beazley, part of the Octopus Publishing Group, has acquired Destination Fabulous: Finding your way to the best you yet by Anna Murphy, fashion director of the Times.

Publisher Alison Starling acquired world rights in all languages directly from the author. It will be published on 2nd March.

The synopsis reads: “At 50, Anna Murphy feels more visible than at any point in her life and her new book offers a wise and inspiring guide to making the most of life as a grown‐up woman, from the practical (how to dress your best) to the existential (how to feel your best).

“Destination Fabulous is not about impossible goals. It’s not about denying the ageing process, nor attempting to erase its signs. It’s not about letting everything go, either. It’s about balance. It’s about the possible and the present. How do you lift and smooth your face naturally? Should you go grey and, if so, how? How do you deal with menopause? Anna combines her knowledge from years of writing about fashion and beauty with her openness to the alternative ways of thinking found in disciplines such as yoga and Chinese medicine.

"[Murphy] knows the power that clothes can bring and shares her tricks for finding your way to a wardrobe that will transform not just the way you look but the way you feel”. 

She draws on the wisdom of writers as diverse as Pema Chodron, Eckhart Tolle, Nora Ephron and Mary Oliver to get her message across, the publisher continued. "She writes about saying goodbye to what doesn’t serve you and welcoming what does; about forging relationships that work for you as well as others; and about finding your purpose, whether in your personal or professional life."

Starling said: “I’ve long admired Anna Murphy’s joyous, intelligent approach to fashion and the power of clothes but it was her brilliant Times article ’This is What 50 Looks Like’ that inspired me to approach her about Destination Fabulous. The wide‐ranging, thoughtful advice she offers in this beautifully written book will be invaluable to women at any stage of life.”

Murphy said: “I have spent the last two decades of my life researching and thinking about how to be—and age— better. I thought this was for my eyes only and the growing numbers of friends who insisted on being kept up to date on my latest discoveries. I suppose that should have been a clue that I was on to something. Either way, it has been a delight and a privilege to write up my findings for a wider audience.”