Justine Picardie's 'Fashioning the Crown' Explores Queen Elizabeth II's Wardrobe as Political Armor
Justine Picardie's upcoming book 'Fashioning the Crown. La regina Elisabetta, la moda e il potere' (Donzelli, 2026) examines how Queen Elizabeth II's clothing functioned as symbolic armor, masking fragility and transforming the individual body into an institution. Picardie, a journalist, biographer, and former director of Harper's Bazaar, draws on conversations with the queen during stays at Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands. The book traces the intertwining of monarchy and history through garments, from wars and coronations to media transformations, arguing that the British Crown's survival owes partly to its dress as a support structure in crises.
Key facts
- Book title: 'Fashioning the Crown. La regina Elisabetta, la moda e il potere'
- Author: Justine Picardie
- Publisher: Donzelli
- Publication year: 2026
- Picardie is a former director of Harper's Bazaar
- Picardie had conversations with Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral in the Scottish Highlands
- The book argues clothing helped the British monarchy survive revolutions, bombings, and dynastic crises
- Clothing is described as symbolic armor that masks fragility and transforms the individual into an institution
Entities
Artists
- Justine Picardie
Institutions
- Donzelli
- Harper's Bazaar
Locations
- Balmoral
- Scottish Highlands
- United Kingdom