DEK:
Since the reign of the Sun King, Louis XIV, the courtiers at Versailles had revered the elaborate routine of rituals surrounding the royals; Princess Marie Antoinette, however, abhorred them—especially the dreaded morning “toilette” where court etiquette was most glorified. “This is ridiculous,” she once grumbled. “But this, madam, is Versailles!” snapped her stern lady-in-waiting.
Ending this torturous ritual was one of Marie Antoinette’s first reforms when she became the queen of France, quickly breaking tradition by inviting a popular milliner and dressmaker, Rose Bertin, into her private apartments. “Madame, have you brought me all the latest fashions?” the queen asked. “No, your majesty,” replied Bertin. “A queen does not follow the fashion; it follows her.” …show more content…
About this time, a young lad from Bordeaux, Léonard Autié, was honing his “art de coiffure” skills. This prodigy knew from an early age that he was blessed with two talents—artistic genius and charisma. “Greedy for gold and fame,” he journaled, “I may very well decide the destiny of my whole life with just a single stroke of my comb!”
But the matronly ladies of the provinces did not appreciate his overly whimsical styling, forcing him to seek a more obliging clientele in the grand capital of Paris. His only luggage was a “big bundle of vanity,” but he soon discovered his work was cut out for him; the popular hairstyle for many years had been the low-cut “tête de mouton,” or the sheep’s head, with soft curls arranged close to the head. The hair was then decorated with small ribbons, jewels, or flowers all styled together to create a “pompom,” so named after Louis XV’s mistress, Madame de