Marie Antoinette Style Conference (In-Person)

Marie Antoinette wasn’t just a queen, she was one of the eighteenth century’s global celebrities. Her image, inseparable from pioneering fashions and extravagant rituals, continues to inspire designers, filmmakers, and artists across centuries. She has become a trope in the sourcebook for literature, theatre, and visual media. Her dramatic fall from grace adds another layer to the legend: a cautionary tale about the disruptive power of fashion and femininity in the political sphere. This conference builds on themes from the acclaimed Marie Antoinette exhibition to ask: Why does her legacy endure? How has it been reinvented through revolutions in politics, consumption, and media?

Bringing together curators, fashion scholars, and creatives, the speakers will trace her influence from the fabrication of courtly style to its global echoes. Expect fresh research on how the fashion industry has revived and repurposed her image and discover how reenactment and digital culture have propelled Marie Antoinette’s aesthetic far beyond the salons of Versailles into the virtual worlds of today.

Please refer to the programme for the full schedule.

Event Schedule

Day 1, Thursday 12 February 2026. 10.00-19.45
Session 1  10.30- 12.30 Marie Antoinette – new research
Session 2, 13.30-15.30 The fashion world and style of Marie Antoinette
Session 3, 16.00-17.30 Global perspectives on Marie Antoinette

Drinks reception and concert 18.00-19.45

Day 2 Friday 13 February 2026  - 10.00-17.30
Session 1, 10.30-12.30 Fashion Reinventions and Revivals
Session 2, 13.30-15.30 Marie Antoinette today
Session 3, 16.00-17.30 Media, celebrity, influence

If you require step-free access or have any further questions regarding accessibility, please email accessibility@vam.ac.uk. We ask that requests for step-free access are made at least 24 hours before your visit. If you would like more information about accessibility at V&A South Kensington please visit, https://www.vam.ac.uk/info/disability-access.