After the Ball

Fresh out of fashion-design school in New York City, talented Kate Kassell aspires to a career in haute couture. She quickly learns that no one will hire her because she's the daughter of Lee Kassell, whose own Montreal-based fashion design company made its name making cheap knock-offs of couture. Kassell was eventually known for affordable yet exciting designs, but he's losing his way after losing his first wife (Kate's mother) and falling under the spell of his current wife, Elise. To achieve her goal, Kate feels that her only option is to accept her father's offer and work at Kassell. She sees--but is not fully aware of--exactly how far Elise will go to promote her own two clueless daughters, Tannis and Simone, as Kassell's chief designers; Elise is determined to either make Kate want to quit or find (or invent) some reason to fire her. Kare gets help from her loving, supportive godmother Bella Shapiro, who owns and operates vintage-clothing shop After the Ball; and Bella's flamboyant friend Richard, who devises a gender-bending plan to show Lee how talented Kate is without Elise's interference: Kate will pretend to be "Nate," a fashion-forward designer seeking a job at Kassell. Complications ensue when Kate and Daniel Valjean, Kassell's head shoe-designer, fall for each other; Daniel can't find out that Kate is Nate. As Nate, Kate learns that Elise has something more sinister in mind than promoting Tannis and Simone.