June 23, 1763

 

 Trois-Ilets, Martinique

 

  

 Born Marie Josèphe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie, she was nicknamed Yeyette as a young girl in Martinique and became Rose after she arrived in France until a smitten young general Bonaparte renamed her Josephine.  Crowned with and by Napoleon as Empress of the French, she became one of the most popular consorts in French history and imparted a note of grace, warmth and humanity to a military society. 

 

Napoleon reluctantaly divorced her in 1809 over her inability to produce an heir, but she remained close to his heart. During his last exile in St. Helena, he remembered her as "grace personified...the most amiable and the best of women."  The name he had given her - Josephine - was the last word that passed his lips.   

  

Josephine's legendary elegance and exquisite taste set the "style that ruled the empires."  She made vital contributions to Napoleon's rise to and consolidation of power, and had a major influence in establishing the

Napoleonic brand, the opulence of the furnishings, styles, and visual arts of the Empire.  Her favorite symbol, the swan, and her passion for Kashmir shawls, are the inspiration for Swan Ways. 

 

Vive l'impératrice! 

 

                 Celebrate your inner empress at Swan Ways