Who Better To Emulate Than The French Empress Of Style

Chaumet’s latest Josephine collection pays homage to Empress Joséphine as a fashion icon as well as her fiery love affair with Napoleon Bonaparte.

- Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle

Wife of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and the first Empress of France, Joséphine de Beauharnais is Chaumet’s eternal muse. A constant source of inspiration for the maison’s collections, with an entire family of jewels dedicated to her, she was its first major client. Spending much time putting herself at the forefront of fashion, she donned the finest robes and jewellery when appearing in public. Napoleon himself acknowledged: “I win battles, but Joséphine wins hearts.”

Expressing the multiple facets of her personality, Chaumet’s latest Joséphine collection reveals her as a style icon with exquisite taste. A symbol of the modern woman, she displayed a strong character and stood out thanks to her elegance, audacity and contemporary femininity, which she applied to the masculine, geometric aesthetic of Neoclassicism. The new line completely reflects the spirit of the times: rather than focusing on large statement pieces, the house takes a more avant-garde approach and shines the spotlight on light, airy designs meant to be worn throughout the day.