Joséphine, Empress of France and wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, became one of the most celebrated admirers of Kashmir shawls. A historical account quoted by the Fondation Napoléon describes her collection at her residence in Navarre as containing around 150 shawls, while other accounts give larger estimates. She was fascinated by their colours, designs and extraordinary beauty.
The shawls were so much more than winter accessories. They complemented the fashionable, high-waisted dresses of the Empire period, adding colour and luxurious draping to relatively simple silhouettes.
Joséphine reportedly commissioned or sought out designs featuring roses, cornflowers, parrots and peacocks.
The fascinating detail: her enthusiasm helped make Kashmir shawls objects of desire in European fashion. A textile made thousands of kilometres away became a coveted part of the imperial wardrobe.
