Queen of Fashion: The Untold Story of Marie Antoinette

An aristocrat with a bad reputation because of the legend about pastries, who advised her subjects to replace bread. Or a revolutionary who challenged the norms of the French crown and became a symbol of fashion? Perhaps a tragic figure who became a victim of circumstances and the French Revolution? Fashion journalist Sylvie Le Bra-Showau recreates the character and emotions of Marie Antoinette, paying special attention to her wardrobe, which played a key role in shaping her historical image. From a young archduchess to an ambitious queen of France and a caring mother—her style evolved alongside her roles. The biography reveals how an Austrian princess influenced French fashion and why her popularity remains undiminished to this day. First she inspired Parisian women, and later she became an object of ridicule and contempt, which continued until her tragic end. The story of her outfits is closely tied to her personal life and the history of France, offering the reader a way to trace the path from Vienna to the guillotine through the lens of changes in her wardrobe.