What makes fashionistas willing to pay a small fortune for a particular designer accessory — a luxe handbag, for example? Why is it that people all over the world share the conviction that a special occasion only becomes really special when a champagne cork pops — and even more special when that cork comes from a bottle of Dom Perignon? Why are diamonds the status symbol gemstone, instantly signifying wealth, power, and even emotional commitment?One of the foremost authorities on seventeenth-century French culture provides the answer to these and other…
Read MoreThe Essence of Style: How the French Invented High Fashion, Fine Food, Chic Cafes, Style, Sophistication, and Glamour
