Black has completely dominiated the catwalks and runways of the fashion world for decades. It even became a symbolism for the highest form of trend with the phrase “.. is the new black”.

But how did the absence of colour become so popular? Something once reserved for only the macabre and grieving.

There is a well known but untrue story that Coco Chanel popularised black in the early 1920s, this has its reasons and can be given some credit. But there was one person who gave a much larger rise to noir. Someone who Coco Chanel looked to for inspiration; Queen Victoria.

Queen Victoria popularised black through one singular emotion, grief.

When her husband died in 1861 Queen Victoria simply went into mourning, a mourning that some would say went on until the day she died. During this period of 40 years, the Queen only chose to wear black.

Looking to Queen Victoria as inspiration, the Victorians started to create at first jewellery including jet broaches, necklaces and accessories that soon became incredibly popular, creating an industry just to meet demand of this new found fashion.

This was quickly adapted into the mainstream and black became part of popular fashion, just in time for Coco Chanel to take the baton on to the masses.

Meet James Joseph

James Joseph has written 843 articles for Noir.

James is the editor in chief of Stylenoir, he is currently obsessed with neo noir films and the wellcome collection's Death exhibition

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