Empress Eugénie

Of impeccably aristocratic British-Andalusian lineage, Eugenie married Napoléon III on January 30th, 1853. A great beauty according to the canons of the time, Eugénie was very much her own woman, with her own style. She sought to be passionate, seductive and sometimes even provocative. In the flashy, ‘nouveau riche’ ambience that characterized the period, Eugénie made a major contribution to the blossoming of a new kind of jewelry. Now seen as a byword for elegance and splendor, she rose above the customs and traditions of her period. Taking great care of her appearance and the image she projected, she helped liberate make-up, jewelry, head jewelery, dress and colors from many of the conventions of the time that dictated their use.

Empress Eugénie was also a powerful ambassador for French jewelry. By encouraging her jewelry designers to innovate and rise above established practices and traditions, this Grande Dame gave fresh impetus to jewelry design and 19th Century fashion in general. Examples of jewelry from this period are now to be found in the Louvre and continue to draw our admiration to this very day. The Collection Eugénie aims to pay homage to the creativity of this period, a veritable Golden Age of French craftsmanship and expertise. Nor should we forget that the Empress Eugénie was also a force for women’s rights. It is to this complex personality, half-way between the frivolous and the visionary, that we today dedicate the Collection Eugénie.