Popular culture often hints at trends and moods or ideas that influence fashion. The show VERSAILLES now on NETFLIX is a unique viewpoint into the court of Louis 14th at Versailles during the years before the French Revolution (and two kings) afterwards.

Versailles should be on everyone’s list who is a fashionista, or history buff. It is more than a chateaux, more than a place. For a fashion historian, it is the backdrop of extraordinary parties, revelries and fashion for a court that has little more to do than intrigue and maneuver politically. The many fashion creators, and craftsmen were all part of this extraordinary machine of style that furnished the fashions for the nobility of France. This was the period of the first discovery of Champagne, the invention of the lace and brocades, furnishings, silver plate, porcelain and many other luxury goods. Production and costumes for the show are beautifully rendered in period style but with modern fresh approach to the Baroque period. What is essential to this period that still seems fresh today? Here is just s short list of trends you will see on the show that have shown up on the fashion runway.

• Brocades with rich jeweled colors and tones
• Jewelry with a mix of bold stones and raw pearls
• Lace and Lace
• Leather slippers with buckles
• Ribbons & Embroidered trims
• Pearl chokers & embroidery
• Pleated skirts with deep Box style pleats
• Tailored men’s vest and buttons
• Corsets & laces
• Men’s tailored Coats, Capes and Jackets
• Updos and hair jewels and clips.

Raise your handblown glass goblet, fill it with champagne and have a nibble on some lovely cheese and baguet while  enjoying the binge-worthy world of the kings and nobles of VERSAILLES.  Then, join me and the rest of the world as the final season 3 ends this year (alas, they producers have said there will be no more) and then start it all over again, as the clothes, the fashions, the parties, the passion, are all entertaining and (mostly) adapted from real historical events.