Bee Fashion Ready!

Here is a fascinating story of the innocuous ‘Bee’ and it's glorious and historical past. The story started with an excavation of the tomb of King Childeric I about 350 years ago - the King was buried, almost 2500 years ago, with his horse, a good deal of gold ornaments along with 300 golden bees. People of France were ecstatic to find this unique treasure, however, the Sun King Louis XIV was not very amused and brushed the findings off to the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. He believed that it did not hold any significance to his regime.

King Childeric I

Childeric's Bees

However, something which may not grab someone's interest can be of a great deal to another person. It was almost 150 years later when Napoleon Bonaparte came to rule both France and Italy, it was then he discovered this neglected treasure and was highly amused by it. He was mesmerised by the golden bees and immediately decided to make them symbolic to his style and monarchy. He felt that the bees had a character significance that he found similar to his own - they are full of benevolence and sweetness because of the honey they produce but also carry a sharp sting to protect themselves when they are attacked. Napoleon got them embroidered on his coronation robes, his carpets, wall hangings and almost every surface he could find during his reign. Even the highest French order of merit - the Legion d' honneur - has a bee engraved inside of it.

Coronation of Napoleon I

After years passed and Napoleon had a turbulent time as a King, he was exiled to the island of Elba. He escaped and came back to France for the "Hundred Days War", but was again put back in exile in another island called Saint Helena. He had an unfortunate demise during his exile at the age of 51 - he was known to be a genius who was flawed with an insatiable hunger for power. As per his wish, Napoleon Bonaparte’s body was brought to France for the burial, where he was given a glorious funeral. The luscious velvet fabric that covered the carriage with his coffin in it was covered in his favourite golden bees all over and it has since been an unforgettable sight for the French. The greatest monarch of his time, Napoleon Bonaparte elevated the Bee as an emblem of power in terms of its symbolism.

What is so fascinating and yet so ironic is how the golden bees that were first discovered as buried treasure in King Childrec’s tomb were adorning Napoleon’s funeral carriage, thousands of years later. This is the reason why the knowledge of history is so critical in our lives because it's always repeating itself, showing us how our past is constantly reflected in our present and future.

The bee symbol has been popular ever since as an insignia - the character of the bee is stellar as it has come to personify hard work, diligence, industriousness and orderliness. Also according to the legend, it is believed that the bee never sleeps which further implies vigilance and zeal. With all these powerful attributes we feel befitting to have the bee as a part of our logo and claim it to be - Bee Fashion Ready!