We skip through a whole Revolution to get to the 6th Frenchman…

.. Napoleon Bonaparte I.  Actually, he was rather an integral part of the French Revolution, as he started it.

Napoleon crowned himself Emperor of France in 1804.  He held tight control of every facet of French society, including fashion, culture, & social norms.

Napoleon enjoyed displaying his power through fashion.  Because the “Regency” simple gowns & ensembles were in full force during his reign, he counterattacked the fashion world by forcing women to wear more.. more fabric.. more luxurious fabric… more layers… more ornamentation.. and more frills (sound familiar?).

The many military conflicts by the French during Napoleon’s reign influenced style & decoration, but most importantly, utilized mass production of textiles & garments, which took France & its followers into a new Industrial Revolution that would change society forever.

(painting:  Napoleon on his horse)