The latest exhibition at the V&A, titled “Marie Antoinette Style,” offers an intriguing exploration of the fashion and legend surrounding the iconic 18th-century French queen.

This exhibition is the UK’s first dedicated to Marie Antoinette and is only the third of its kind to take place outside of France. It aims to challenge her notorious reputation, questioning whether her vilified image was truly justified.

Design aficionados will find added appeal in the exhibition’s sponsorship by the luxury footwear brand Manolo Blahnik, which immediately caught my attention.

Upon entering, visitors are greeted by a powder-pink room with Versailles-inspired chequered floors, featuring a portrait of a 22-year-old Marie Antoinette. The queen is depicted draped in silk and bows, captured by her preferred artist, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun.

A grand, mirrored gallery filled with shimmering light transports you back to 1770, when the 14-year-old Marie arrived at the French court.

This room showcases a collection of whimsical gowns, each with exaggerated skirts adorned with floral patterns, intricate embroidery, and cascading ruffles.

It is worth noting that these dresses did not belong to Marie herself. Rather, they represent the styles she popularised and helped define during her time at court. 

The standout is a detailed brocaded silk wedding gown, threaded with silver, worn by Hedwig Elisabeth Charlotte of Holstein-Gottorp. 

Hedwig married the future Charles XIII of Sweden in 1774, just four years after Marie’s own marriage. Her Parisian gown, crafted from silver cloth and tissue, represents the height of royal bridalwear at the time. 

Marie’s original wedding dress, also made from cloth of silver and adorned with diamonds, no longer survives – making this the closest existing comparison.

Like many visitors, I was struck by the tiny waist – estimated at just 23 inches – dramatically emphasised by the vast skirt supported by panniers. 

But there is a lesser-known story behind Marie’s marriage – and her wedding attire.

The V&A’s latest exhibition, Marie Antoinette Style, offers a fascinating deep dive into the fashion and mythology surrounding the 18th-century French queen

Aged 14, Marie Antoinette married Louis Auguste, who was just a year older than her, at the Royal Chapel of Versailles – unaware of the turmoil that would later define her life

Born Archduchess Maria Antonia of Austria, she technically married the Dauphin of France before ever meeting him. 

In 1770, at the age of 14, Marie took part in a proxy wedding ceremony in Austria, with her brother Archduke Ferdinand standing in for the groom. This ensured that when she crossed into France, she did so as a married woman.

However, her formal wedding dress, made in advance in Paris, proved problematic. Constructed to estimated measurements, it was too small when she tried it on at the Palace of Versailles. 

With no fabric to adjust it, Marie walked down the aisle in a gown that could not fully close, revealing her corsetry beneath.

Nevertheless, she married Louis Auguste, who was just a year older than her, at the Royal Chapel – unaware of the turmoil that would later define her life. 

The last Queen of France before the French Revolution, which ultimately overthrew her husband, King Louis XVI, Marie was deeply unpopular with many of her contemporaries. 

She became synonymous with excess, criticised for lavish spending at a time when France was gripped by severe financial hardship. This reputation earned her the unflattering nickname, Madame Déficit.  

In 1793, as revolutionary fervour reached its peak, Marie and Louis were executed by guillotine, bringing a brutal end to the monarchy’s reign. 

Marie became synonymous with excess, criticised for lavish spending at a time when France was gripped by severe financial hardship. This reputation earned her the unflattering nickname Madame Déficit

While Marie’s personal jewellery was smuggled out of France and held by her only surviving child, Marie Thérèse, many pieces are on display for the first time since her death

The exhibition culminates in a breathtaking gown-filled room showcasing Marie’s lasting influence on fashion

Galleries exploring Marie’s iconic hairstyles, created by her hairdresser Monsieur Léonard and stylist Rose Bertin, are displayed alongside fabric and lace swatches and fans

The exhibition, running until March 22, 2026, delivers everything you might expect: breathtaking gowns, glittering jewels, elegant furnishings and portraiture, alongside rare objects that have never before left Versailles

The exhibition is sponsored by luxury footwear designer Manolo Blahnik, who created an exquisite collection on display

One particularly poignant room features sketches of Marie’s imprisonment and execution,  a guillotine blade, depictions of a wax bust of her severed head, and a medallion containing locks of her hair

Marie Antoinette’s enduring appeal is shaped by her style, youth and notoriety. She sparked trends, such as towering hairstyles reaching up to three feet high, adorned with feathers and embellishments that reflected her bold personality. 

The exhibition, running until March 22, 2026, delivers everything you might expect: breathtaking gowns, glittering jewels, elegant furnishings and portraiture, alongside rare objects that have never before left Versailles. 

My inner magpie was on high alert after visiting the Cartier exhibition, and I was captivated by the dazzling diamond necklaces and brooches on display. 

Indeed, while Marie’s personal jewellery was smuggled out of France and held by her only surviving child, Marie Thérèse, many pieces are being shown for the first time since her death.

I was also captivated by the galleries exploring Marie’s iconic hairstyles, created by her hairdresser Monsieur Léonard and stylist Rose Bertin, presented alongside fabric swatches, lace trimmings and decorative fans.

Then comes a chilling shift: booming music and an eerie red corridor lead to the final chapter of Marie’s life in 1793, aged just 37. 

This room is particularly poignant, featuring sketches of her imprisonment and execution, her final prayer book note pleading for mercy while thinking of her children, a guillotine blade, depictions of a wax bust of her severed head, and a medallion containing locks of her hair. 

The centrepiece is her white linen prison chemise – the only complete garment of the queen on display. Its stains make the scene hauntingly real. 

The exhibition culminates in a breathtaking gown-filled room showcasing Marie’s lasting influence on fashion, complete with an exquisite Manolo Blahnik shoe collection – a fitting and unforgettable finale.