Sisi – The First Royal Influencer

Before Instagram, before #RoyalFashionGoals, there was Empress Elisabeth of Austria—Sisi, the ultimate 19th-century trendsetter.

A 50 cm waist, a three-hour daily hair routine, a wardrobe filled with haute couture—she was the OG influencer. Her signature look? Diamond star hair ornaments, crafted by Viennese jeweler Köchert and immortalized in Winterhalter’s legendary 1865 portrait. A style so iconic that it still inspires designers today—from Carolina Herrera to Netflix’s The Empress, where Wes Gordon noted that the mix of discipline and flamboyance shaped both Sisi and the fashion house itself.

Sisi didn’t just set trends—she was the trend. Her private quarters had gym equipment (yes, a royal home gym in the 1800s!), and her daily routine included pull-up bars, long walks, and horseback riding. She redefined beauty standards and made fitness a royal obsession. And what did she look like at 60? We’ll never know—because Sisi made sure of it. She wanted to be remembered as young and beautiful, so after the age of 31, she refused to be photographed. 19th-century paparazzi tried to capture her, but she always hid behind a fan. Long before Princess Diana or Queen Rania, Sisi was the first royal influencer.