From antiquity to the present day – the history of the crown

The crown is a headdress that has symbolized power since ancient times and determined the title and merits of its owner. Corona is translated from Latin as "wreath", and it is to him that it owes its origin. The prototypes of the crowns were worn by the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, putting them on striped headboards. And in Ancient Greece, the wreath was considered a sign of special honor – it was awarded to the winners of the Olympic Games, poets and musicians. In Rome, the sacred meaning of the wreath has changed slightly; it has become a symbol of military and imperial glory. From the 4th century onwards, Christian Roman emperors wore the imperial diadem. Byzantine emperors and European kings, as well as popes, were crowned. The three-tiered crown of the Pope is called "tiara". In the European tradition, the royal crown was adorned with precious and semi-precious stones. Initially, most of the crowns were open – it was believed that in this way the headdress facilitates the flow of thought. But the appearance of crowns has changed more than once.

While the rulers in the Old World were crowned with crowns, in Russia they used crown-hats strewn with gems. The first Russian imperial crown in history was ordered for the coronation of his wife Catherine I by Peter I. And one of the most famous crowns, which eclipsed all others with its splendor, is the Great Imperial Crown, made for the coronation of Empress Catherine II. It is recognized as a national treasure of Russia and is kept in the Diamond Fund of the Moscow Kremlin. Before the fall of the Russian Empire in 1917, all sovereign emperors used the Great Imperial Crown for coronation, and empresses were crowned with slightly smaller crowns. The fascination with antiquity in Europe at the beginning of the 19th century gave rise to many tiaras and diadems in the "Greek style". They gained extraordinary popularity simply as a beautiful accessory – eccentric jewelry was in fashion for noble ladies at that time. Also, diadems gradually became associated with weddings. In the wedding ceremony, the diadem carried a sacred meaning and symbolized the wedding crown.

Today, thanks to pop culture, crowns and tiaras have turned from a symbol of power of monarchs into an attribute of movie heroes and show business stars: from the heroine Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's to Madonna in the video for American Pie, Paris Hilton, Rihanna and Courtney Love, who made the tiara her signature accessory. Her looks were inspired by French designer Edie Slimane, former creative director of the Christian Dior menswear and Yves Saint Laurent fashion house, who has headed Celine since 2018. In his latest spring-summer collection for Saint Laurent, he combined tiaras with casual touches. Tiara is appropriate always and everywhere – designers often level out its "loftiness" with simple sets. The Miu Miu brand presented tiaras in their collections in the spirit of a new romance – with translucent chiffon sheath dresses and heavy cardigans. And in the famous "Byzantine" collection of Dolce & Gabbana, tiaras decorated with bright stones and artificial flowers were combined with dresses and suits of simple cut with embroidery and prints based on mosaics.

For 10 years of existence of the BeretkAh...! brand designer Tatiana Ashakova has created many collections in which she included crowns. One of them, called "The Sun", was presented at the Fashion Week in Moscow together with the designer Svetlana Evstigneeva. Products from this collection were especially fond of the Brazilian diva Erica Santos, who became the brand's ambassador, and many stars of Russian show business. Headbands-crowns from the Geometry collection have become a favorite attribute of secular lionesses, and BeretkAh...! crowns and tiaras of crystals from year to year invariably adorn the images of stylish brides. Whatever you combine the crown with in your looks, the main thing is not to lose self-confidence and self-irony.