Louis XIV - Fashionable BY LAW! : Archae-Facts

Did you know? King Louis XIV of France was one of the most audacious rulers in all of human history. His palace at Versailles said it all, an eye-watering scale for a monumental ego. He proudly declared l'état c'est moi, I am the state. Stunning as this is, an even larger measure of self-regard comes in the shape of the hall of mirrors at Versailles where the king would be bathed in light, the sun king, the Greek god Apollo. Indeed here is a painting with the Being the state incarnate, the king micromanaged his country through a series of declarations. One declaration in 1668 made it illegal for members of the court to be unfashionable. This led to a voracious appetite for fashion and the latest thing on the streets of Paris. Despite his status the king was not above insults, one of his mistresses once remarked just how smelly he was, comparing him to a goat. This led the king to bathe twice daily in expensive perfumes. King Louis XIV was incredible in every sense of the word, a truly vast ego, politically savvy and an eye for detail. And arguably he set in motion those industries which Paris is known for to this day, fashion and high quality perfume. Arguably this king who fancied himself a god invented the chic Paris we know and love today.