The Creation of Elegance in Paris under King Louis XV (In-Person Conversation)

During the eighteenth century, Paris had become one of the great European centers for luxury industries, a foremost destination mentioned by almanacs, novelists, press and guidebooks. The French Rococo style infused European aristocratic tastes, giving birth to a golden era of creativity and sophistication. King Louis XV’s contemporaries came to prefer boutiques and arcades over fairs and markets, paving the way for modern shopping habits. This craving for consumption met its adequate professionals:  fashion dealers named “Marchand de modes”, “furniture dealers called “Marchands Merciers”, and specialized goldsmiths now appointed ”Joailliers”: jewelry masters.  This Conversation, The creation of Elegance in Paris under King Louis XV, brings the audience back to the origins of Shopping, depicting the very beginning of a fashion destination: Paris!

In-Person Conversation:

December 5th 2023
7.30pm - 8pm: Cocktail
8pm - 9pm: Conversation
@L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts – 31 rue Danielle Casanova, 75001 Paris

Speakers:

With Béatrice Vingtrinier, Art Historian and Lecturer at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts
&
Gilliane Berardini, Art Historian and Lecturer at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts

Photo: Augustin Duflos, Laurent Rondé, Louis XV’s personal crown, 1722, Louvre Museum – Paris © Musée du Louvre, Dist. RMN-Grand Palais / Martine Beck-Coppola 

Brought together by their curiosity and love of jewelry culture, speakers and listeners are invited to meet at a cocktail reception preceding the talk. Often initiated during this convivial moment, exchanges prove to be as spontaneous as they are instructive. They continue to grow throughout the talk, which is organized around L'ÉCOLE's three main pillars: the History of Jewelry, the World of Gemstones and the Savoir-Faire.

Participating in these conversations hosted by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts allows you to join a community of curious enthusiasts eager to discover and learn.