Amelia Whiteridge

Amelia Whiteridge is the mother of Charlotte and Clarisse Kominsky, and a renowned British-born fashion designer who rose to prominence in Paris, founding the haute-couture brand Maison des Peupliers. Known as a complex and influential figure, as well as a self-made woman and overachiever, having done a lot through her tough leadership style, Amelia is characterised by her elegance, harsh parenting, and a history of emotionally damaging choices.

Background

Amelia was born in Manchester, England, to a devout Catholic housewife and an RAF engineer. Determined to escape the rigidity of her upbringing, she moved to Montpellier, France, aged 18, where she became emotionally entangled with a young French man, Adam Kominsky, during a language-exchange program. The relationship led to an unplanned pregnancy, and though the father, eventually, cheated on his wife, gave birth to an illegitimate daughter during Amelia's pregnancy, Amelia remained in France and gave birth to twin daughters, Charlotte and Clarisse, eventually divorcing Adam when the sisters turned 11.

She later founded her fashion label under her maiden name, Maison Whiteridge, later to be known as the Maison des Peupliers, becoming a powerful figure in French haute couture, alongside important names such as Yves Saint-Laurent and Jean-Paul Gautier. Her company is known for its minimalist lines and sharp silhouettes, much like Amelia herself.

Physical Appearance

Amelia is known to be tall, slender, and meticulously well-groomed. Her blonde hair is cut in a sleek bob, and her signature look includes subtle yet sharp makeup, often masking her freckled complexion. Her green eyes and elegant attire command respect. Unlike her daughters, who inherited darker features, Amelia retains a luminous, almost cold beauty.

Personality

Amelia is intelligent, ambitious, and emotionally aloof. She is fiercely image-conscious and maintains rigid control over her life and surroundings. While she exhibits charm in public, her private persona is distant and often cruel, if not deemed selfish by her daughters. Her parenting style is authoritarian and conditional, and she expects perfection from her daughters, particularly Charlotte, while subtly favouring Clarisse.

Amelia views vulnerability as weakness and struggles with empathy. She rarely acknowledges emotional pain (hers or others’), choosing instead to weaponise silence and disdain. Despite this, she is not without complexity: her coldness masks a deep sense of failure and guilt, though she never allows these to surface publicly. She is notoriously known for being homophobic, hence not appreciating her daughter's relationship with Claire Cobert.

Relationships

• Charlotte Kominsky: Their relationship is strained, bordering on hostile. Amelia sees Charlotte as rebellious, emotionally unstable, and overly dramatic. She resents Charlotte’s refusal to conform and treats her as a disappointment, despite her intelligence and resilience.

• Clarisse Kominsky: Amelia shares a more functional, though still transactional, relationship with Clarisse. She considers herself more presentable and compliant.

Role in the Story

Amelia serves as both an antagonist and a symbolic representation of generational trauma and repression. Her actions, as well as her inactions, profoundly affect Charlotte’s emotional landscape, particularly in shaping her struggles with self-worth and identity. Amelia rarely expresses love, instead preferring subtle manipulations and power games. Her presence looms even in her absence, a cold spectre of what Charlotte fears becoming.