Back in the summer, we (Niklas -Mademoiselle Bijou and I) set about creating a session with a somewhat vintage royal feel.

The day was hot and sunny and Covid was doing its thing directly impacting the session.

We worked in-studio alone assistant free, at a safe distance as well as outside. The summer good mood vibe and light we were so happy to see have spilled into the final images.

Who was Marie-Antoinette and why be inspired by her for a photoshoot?

She is a fascinating somewhat mythical historical royal figure. Notoriously symbolic of extravagance, frivolity and sky-high adorned wigs. A perfect icon for a creative photoshoot. Was she really only that? My wee research has led me to find of few interesting facts showing another side to the image we know so well…

Queen Marie-Antoinette was:

• born Archduchess of Austria Maria Antonia Josepha Johanna on November 2, 1755.

• A child bride. Married Louis XVI age 14, a day after their first meeting. The arranged marriage solidified the alliance between France and Austria.

• the last Queen of France, guillotined by the French Revolutionaries on October 16, 1793.

• gregarious, extroverted and confident—a true social butterfly.

• charitable, kind and generous (sadly something popular history has chosen not to focus on)

• incredibly fond of children. Had four with Louis XVI and adopting several others. So much so that she refused to escape her arrest from the revolutionaries without them saying she “could not have any pleasure in the world” if she abandoned her children.

• known for being a fashion trendsetter. She set a standard that the ladies of Versailles scrambled to keep up with., and at the same time, scandalizing others with her style.

• oh and she most probably never said “Let them eat cake” (it was no doubt anti-royal propaganda of the era) There is no record of her ever having said it.

Our Marie Antoinette inspired session was amazing and my first ever colour only session (funny how very seldomly black and white is not the right choice…). We filled the shoot with frivolity, yummy light, laughter, amazing styling, exuberance and contemporary individual united power. We made an almighty bam!

Thank you once again Niklas for your amazing co-operation and skills.