Queen Victoria was called the “mother of..

…feminism”, and as a role model for women worldwide, she led world fashion for more than 50 years; a culture that still influences fashion and behavior today.  Victoria introduced the wedding white and traditions related to it.  She also created the whole black mourning thing. (see pages here on 1903 mourning ensemble which goes into great depth about Victoria’s mourning rituals and the industry it created).

(Portrait:  Queen Victoria wore mourning the rest of her life after the death of her husband, Prince Albert.  Here she is in 1890)