A fashion icon in her own time, the
dress and interiors adopted by Marie
Antoinette in the final decades of the
18th century have had a lasting influence
over 250 years of design, fashion,
film and the decorative arts.
Through
a wide range of objects, from her own
surviving possessions to 21st-century
couturier’s gowns such as those of
John Galliano for Dior and Alexander
McQueen, this richly illustrated book
explores how and why the ill-fated
Queen of France has provided a constant
source of inspiration. It considers afresh
the legacy of a complex figure whose
style, youth and notoriety have all
contributed to her timeless appeal.
Foreword by:
Manolo Blahnik,
Sofia Coppola,
Antonia Fraser
Edited by:
Sarah Grant
Imprint: Victoria & Albert Pubs
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 280mm,
Width: 272mm,
ISBN: 9781838510541
ISBN 10: 1838510540
Pages: 304
Publication Date: 01 December 2025
Audience:
General/trade
,
ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming
Forewords Manolo Blahnik Antonia Fraser Part One - Marie Antoinette: the origins of a style icon 1700-1800 1. The Queen's Petit Trianon and intimate apartments, Hélène Delalex 2. Silk in the time of Marie Antoinette, Lesley Miller 3. Marie Antoinette and French court dress, Sarah Grant 4. Marie Antoinette's jewels, Vincent Meylan 5. Toiles de Jouy: Marie Antoinette and Cottagecore, Silvija Banic and Jessica Harpley 6. The role of scent in Marie Antoinette myth and memory, Sarah Grant 7. The universe at her feet, Helena Cox 8. Never without a fan, Helena Cox 9. In her own words: the fate of Marie Antoinette's letters, Catriona Seth Part Two - Marie Antoinette Memorialised and Restyled (1800-today) 10. Eugénie and the cult of Marie Antoinette, Alison McQueen 11. Fancy Dress balls, Susan North 12. Enchantment and illusion 1890-1930, Sarah Grant 13. Marie Antoinette and sapphic love, Daniel Slater 14. Marie Antoinette re-styled: her influence on fashion and feminism in the modern era, Oriole Cullen 15. Marie Antoinette performed, Harriet Reed 16. 'Let them Eat Cake': the birth of a myth, Colin Jones 17. Madame Tussaud and Marie Antoinette noir, Zoe Louca-Richards Notes Bibliography Picture Credits Acknowledgements Index
Sarah Grant is Senior Curator, Prints at the V&A
