Powerful women aren’t always well-liked. Despite this, many have played an undeniable role in shaping the world and culture as we know it. Women like Boudica, Mary Queen of Scots, and Wu Zetian changed the course of history and remain immovable figures thanks, in large part, to their take-no-prisoners attitudes.
U.K. retailer Diamonds Factory is taking consumers on a trek through time, asking, “what social influence would some of history’s most iconic women have if they were with us today?” To that end, the brand has used historical sources and digital technology to create a series of images that show us what the Instagram accounts of these women might look like.
Fashion and a history lesson
Admitting that the word “powerful” is not often synonymous with “likeable,” these imaginings come with short biographies on each of the women. Condensing some of history’s most controversial and fascinating personas into a few short paragraphs, this journey through time introduces us to Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, Queen Elizabeth, Catherine the Great, Wu Zetian, Boudica and Mary Queen of Scots.
These images place rulers and queens against modern-day backdrops like a subway station or a crowded city street in their classic attire, each sporting a gem. Diamond jewelry consultant at Diamonds Factory James Harris has included his expertise in identifying the estimated prices on the diamonds worn by these figures.
Cleopatra, well-known for her colorful makeup and accessory choices, sports a jeweled collar, a gold serpentine cuff and a ring that would likely be valued at over $2 million today. Meanwhile, the value of Queen Elizabeth’s gold and jewel-studded crown would easily clear $1 million all on its own.
Many of these women have been remembered somewhat unkindly or reductively by history only to see more recent evaluations place them in a more sympathetic light (think Antonia Fraser’s Marie Antoinette: The Journey). Imagining them as trendsetters in 2021 may breathe more life into these old stories still, but their legacies remain timeless.
