This court dress is said to have been made for the Empress Josephine. Legend has it that the exorbitant cost of the dress enraged Napoleon who refused to sanction the expense. It was then acquired by an ancestor of the vendor from the court dressmaker.

Letters from M Desmaisons, charged with a review of LeRoy's invoices, who was the Empress's chief supplier of court robes, wrote to the grand marechal in 1808 making reference to disagreements : Je me sui occupé de tou le jour de l'exécution des mesures que votre Excellence m'a indiquées; j'ai vu M LeRoy, il m'a déclaré positivement qu'à de pareilles conditions il ne voulait pas fournir...'
He continues, stating that a saving of 2,400F can be made by using a Monsieur Lenormand rather than Monsieur LeRoy, although the dresses will not be as elegant or beautiful.

LeRoy's account books (Bibliotheque Nationale) for 1809 show an order for a silver embroidered robe in 1809.

It would seem that the family history may well be true, although no documentary evidence has come to light to substantiate the story further.