Young Helene Junot witnesses the death of her mother at the hands of the Nazis.

Young Helene Junot (Catherine Mary Stewart) witnesses her mother's death at the hands of Nazis. Separated from her brother Edmund (Timothy Dalton) by the war, Helene goes to work at the chateau of the Count De Ville (Jean-Pierre Aumont) and falls in love with his son Hubert (Neil Dickson), to the Count's objection. She leaves for Paris where she becomes a fashion model and moves up the ladder of success, even becoming her former employer's mistress. As she builds a magazine empire, Helene (Dame Joan Collins) looks for her lost brother and seeks justice for her family. Along the way, she makes many enemies who team up to destroy her.