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Since her final fatal embrace with Madame Guillotine in 1793, Marie Antoinette has gone down in history in a swirl of frills and frivolity. Despite her life being short and complex, her legacy has long focused on her extravagant style. Endlessly evoked and remixed in popular culture from Madonna’s homage in her performance of Vogue at the 1990 MTV Music Video Awards to Sofia Coppola’s hit 2006 film, the ill-fated queen is due to be the focus of the V&A’s upcoming exhibition, Marie Antoinette Style. In anticipation of this celebration, scheduled for late 2025, we have put together our favourite Marie Antoinette-inspired items.
When it came to interiors, Marie Antoinette was deeply passionate. Between her state apartments in the Palace of Versailles and Le Petit Trianon she had plenty of rooms to play with. In 1779 Tassinari & Chatel (now part of Lelièvre) created the ‘Marie Antoinette’ fabric which was used to upholster the winter furniture in the queen’s private rooms at Versailles. The silky lampas is still available to order in three different colourways, perfect for those who share the French queen’s sumptuous preferences and are looking for a change.
In 2020, a single silk shoe that had belonged to Marie Antoinette was sold in an auction at the Palace of Versailles for €43,750. If you are bipedal and looking to emulate the fashions of the time without forking over a small fortune, we recommend a pair of Regard de Lune slippers from Les Chaussons de La Belle in a delicate silver-grey brocade.
Gazette des atours de Marie-Antoinette is a richly illustrated facsimile edition of a book created from a 1782 register that belonged to the queen’s lady-in-waiting Mme d’Ossun. Inside there are swatches of fabric and accompanying notes that give a more intimate glimpse into Marie Antoinette’s wardrobe.
For a more on-the-nose nod to the woman nicknamed by her enemies as ‘L’Autrichienne’, this bust candle should fit the bill. Founded in 1643, Trudon is one of the oldest candlemakers in the world still active today. The wax sculpture is made in collaboration with the Plaster Cast Workshop of the Grand Palais and is inspired by a little-known copy of a bust of Marie-Antoinette of Austria, attributed to either Jean-Charles-Nicolas Brachard or his younger brother, Jean-Nicolas-Alexandre.
If one likeness is not enough, and Marie Antoinette was indeed a more-is-more kind of gal, then look no further than Astier de Villatte’s ‘Antoinette’ incense holder. Handmade in Paris, each piece is one of a kind.
Loco for Rococo? The palace of Versailles is famous for many things, not least the mirrored Baroque grandeur of the Galerie des Glaces. This Rococo mirror by Beaumont and Fletcher, with its ornate hand-gilded frame, is available in an array of finishes with plain or antique glass.
In 2023 the Méridienne room in one of the queen’s many petites appartements underwent a makeover, transforming it from ice blue back to the original vision in lilac. It was a change that Marie-France Boyer noted matched the ‘mercurial whims of its previous owner’, who was known to career through colour schemes. During this most recent renovation Declercq created much elaborate passementerie for the space. The Paris-based company still creates over 80 per cent of its trimmings by hand, including this Louis XV-style tassel.
Perhaps it is just me, but when I picture Marie Antoinette reclining it is almost always on something like this daybed from Will Green, a fourth-generation antique dealer. Though perhaps not as flowery or ornate as the queen herself would have preferred, this is an elegant update and perfect for someone dipping their toe into laid-back indulgence.
Or perhaps you prefer to lounge in a more upright position, in which case you might be better served by Max Rollitt’s ‘Duchess’ chair, which is available solo or, as per tradition, with a matching footstool for maximum relaxation.
I would be ill-bred not to acknowledge one of the most famous misquotes in history, and what better way to do it than by including this not-actually-a-cake cake. The candle can be bought by the slice or, for the more indulgent of you, a full cake complete with gold plate for support.
More tempting shopping stories from The World of Interiors
- Game changers: our selection of perennially chic board games
- Holy smoke: these incense burners are simply to die for
- Earthy delights: dig into our selection of gardening accessories
- Design-led stationery: a selection of gold-star worthy desk staples
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