CHOISEUL GILET, in lampas decorated with blue flowers on a beige background, silk lining. Size XS. History of the Choiseul Waistcoat The Duc de Choiseul (1719-1785), Louis XV's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Secretary of State for War and the Navy, was the most popular and beloved minister of his time. Known for his talent in directing the affairs of France, he was no less renowned for the luxury and graces he lavished on his guests. A lover of the finer things in life, the Duc de Choiseul commissioned the silk manufacturers of Lyon to create a number of fabrics for his apartments and wardrobe, featuring a variety of stripes and flowers. His snuffbox, painted by Van Blarenberghe, shows the Duc de Choiseul dressed in flowery garments in the middle of his bedroom, which is also lined with floral fabrics. The Choiseul vest is cut individually from lampas whose tone-on-tone gradations mimic early 18th-century hand-embroidery. The flowers are a faithful reflection of the Duc de Choiseul's taste and influence on mid-18th-century floral styling.