Marie Antoinette Style

Exhibition at the V&A South Kensington, London, 20 September 2025 – 22 March 2026

"Marie Antoinette" - the very name conjures up a vibrant world of pastel colours, excess, satin shoes, silks, gravity-defying hairstyles, intrigue and, of course, bloody Revolution. Married at 14, queen at 18 and guillotined at 37, she continued to exert influence long after her death.

This exhibition catalogue first reconstructs the life and style of Marie Antoinette (1755–1793): the intimate apartments where she lived, the perfume she wore, the trends she set and the complexities of life at court. It demonstrates how the ill-fated Queen of France has been a constant source of inspiration for the worlds of design, fashion, cinema and decorative arts, from 19th-century costume balls to Art Deco illustrations, John Galliano's couture for Dior and Sofia Coppola's sumptuous film. It revisits the legacy of a complex and misunderstood figure whose style, youth and notoriety contributed to her timeless appeal.