Glittering jewels, glamorous shoes and glorious dresses take centre stage in this exhibition fit for a queen.
The Victoria and Albert Museum is no stranger to putting on magnificent exhibitions, and Marie Antoinette Style is no exception. This brief traces the lasting historical and cultural impact of the Queen of France through her style and personality. From Manolo Blahnik and Sofia Coppola to Vivienne Westwood and Moschino, she remains an inspiration to designers and creatives worldwide.
The V&A exhibition features a collection of 250 objects, many of which have never been seen outside of Versailles and France, and which are on loan from the Château de Versailles.
Sponsored by the shoe designer Manolo Blahnik, the exhibition delves into how her personal style has been reinterpreted over the 200 years since her tragic death in 1793. The exhibition honours her fearlessness and opulence, designed with care, it features several artefacts, interpretations and works for your perusal.
Duchess Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotta's wedding gown
The first room of the exhibition is breathtaking. Decorated with glass cabinets filled with extraordinary 18th-century gowns, the space features a wealth of stunning silks, florals, and ruffles. At the centre of the room is Duchess Hedvig Elisabeth Charlotta's wedding dress, inspired by Marie Antoinette's own wedding gown. Intricately woven and beaded, this silk and silvery-threaded dress is incredibly eye-catching – to say the least. Glittering in all its glory, the dress had visitors gawking at its uniqueness.
Jewellery section
Marie Antoinette's jewellery collection is one for the ages, tasteful and timeless yet consistently outstanding. Her personal jewellery was smuggled out of France and owned by her only surviving child, Marie Thérèse. The V&A's exhibition did what was once thought unimaginable – reuniting her jewellery with her own jewellery casket for the very first time since her passing 232 years ago.
Guests can marvel at The Sutherland Diamonds and The Anglesey Diamond Negligé Necklace, both with parts from the famous stolen necklace from the 'Diamond Necklace Affair'. On display are also Marie Antoinette's glittery diamond brooch, her pearl-and-diamond pendant, and more iconic pieces.
Busts filled with Marie's favourite scents
Reflecting Marie's known obsession with perfumes, this next section is a mirror of the Queen's favourites. The Queen was known to burn scents in her room and perfume herself regularly to combat the various foul smells of Versailles. Thus, this part of the exhibition features four faux-marble busts that serve as diffusers for four different fragrances – all telling their own story.
The first bust contains scents of beeswax, smoke, oak and body odour, taking you to a masquerade ball in Versailles' Hall of Mirrors. The second has orris root, rose, lavender, tuberose, violet and musk, which are the scents of Marie's own powder and rouge. The third reflects her garden at the Petit Trianon, with grass, lilac, roses and honeysuckle. The fourth is mildew, cold stone and the sewage of the polluted River Seine.
This immersive aspect of the exhibition is truly memorable, allowing visitors to feel closer to the Queen.
The Manolo Blahnik shoe cabinet
An exceptionally rare personal item on display that drew crowds was the Queen's own silk slippers. Dating back to roughly 17780 to 1790, the slippers are made of beaded silk and were most likely worn with a formal court dress.
In the latter half of the exhibition, we see the highly anticipated cabinet of Manolo Blahnik shoes, designed and handmade for Sofia Coppola's Oscar-winning Marie Antoinette, starring Kirsten Dunst. Crafted using Lyon silks and fabrics by Stephen Walters, the designs are truly iconic and intricate. Rosettes, bows and sparkling crystals make this section eye-catching and unique.
Costumes made for the screen
Last but certainly not least – and my personal favourite part – is the final room, where contemporary couture pieces by legendary fashion designers feature alongside stunning costumes made for the screen.
This gown-filled space features costume designer Milena Canonero's Oscar-winning creations for Marie Antoinette, Maria Grazia Chiuri's Dior couture for the BBC's Marie Antoinette, a silk dress worn by Old Hollywood icon Norma Shearer in the 1938 Marie Antoinette, and Elle Fanning's bright red Toile de Jouy from The Great.
From a more high-fashion angle, John Galliano's Dior couture, Vivienne Westwood lace, Moschino's iced cake dresses, ruffled Erdem, Alessandro Michele's Valentino, and a blush-pink Fenty X Puma satin jumpsuit and lace fan, all feature – and much more.
Surrounding them all are recreations of the French patisserie Ladurée's famous macaron towers and pastries, which serve as a vital reference for Coppola's Marie Antoinette's pastel colour palette.
Marie Antoinette Style is on at the Victoria and Albert Museum in South Kensington, running until 22 March 2026.
GO: Visit www.vam.ac.uk for more information.