Silk is one of the oldest fabrics known to man; its discovery as a weavable fibre dating back as early as the mid-third century BC in China. Europe was exposed to the incomparable delicacy of silk -- soft, sensuous and shimmering in its opulence -- via the "Silk Road" which created an insatiable demand. In order to counteract the harmful currency drain resulting from the import of silk, in 1466 Louis XI chose Lyon as the site for a silk industry, which flourished for over three centuries. Revolutionized with the invention of the silk loom in 1804, the weaving of complex designs was made possible. Exactingly printed to recreate the luminosity and look of classic era silk, the "Smythe Sewn French Ornate Mini Bleu Lined journal comes in shades of blue that are dedicated to the beautiful fabrics of the Jacquard loom silk-weaving tradition. Thi unique book features a subtly weighted magnetic strap for secure closing, satin ribbon place markers, and a convenient memento pouch.