Prostitutes as Trendsetters: Marie Duplessis
Alphonsine Plessis, born in rural Normandy, France, in 1824, had an extremely traumatic childhood. Her mother died when she was eight years old and by the time she was thirteen, she was sexually abused, sold twice by her father to men up to five times her age, and working as a maid when she managed to run away. After her father died, she was finally free. Armed with her intelligence, resilience, and beauty, she started to climb the ladder of Parisian elite society.
Alphonsine had undergone a thorough rebranding. She renamed herself Marie Duplessis (after her mother), a more refined name for Parisian society, which also suited to her thin, pale look with water-falling, silky dark hair. Duplessis was known as a graceful, charming, and tirelessly kind person who soon gained access to places where many courtesans or regular women could never set foot. After she learned how to read, Duplessis read newspapers every morning and played the piano. Duplessis wasn’t just setting trends in fashion; she influenced the cultural conversations of her time—her love of theatre and the arts meant she mingled with some of the greatest minds, ensuring her tastes influenced everything from literature to artistic critiques. She was a theatre aficionado; a patron who was guaranteed a special seat at the opening night of every play. Duplessis was a generous art collector and hosted literary salons in her apartment, attended by pen-masters like Honoré de Balzac. Each year, she donated 20,000 francs to the church to support orphans.
Duplessis had a distinctive style and was famous for her flower of choice—the while camellias, which she wore attached to her dresses or tucked into her hair. The camellias were always white except for one week per month, when they were red. It was a subtle, or perhaps not so subtle, way to politely inform her clients that she was not available for the sexual intercourse during that week. Parisian women, though not pleasing clients but their husbands, imitated Duplessis and adopted the camellias trend.
As she became a key figure in Parisian elite society, admired not just for her beauty but for her intellect and grace, it was only a matter of time before she caught the attention of some of Europe’s most celebrated men. One such admirer was Franz Liszt, a Hungarian composer. He sparked a hysterical mania all over Europe, known as Lisztomania. The next mania of such proportions wouldn’t happen until much later in the 20th century known as Beatlemania. Duplessis and Liszt both fell in love, and he wanted to take her with him to Constantinople, but Duplessis’s young life was coming to an end. She had tuberculosis and did all she could to extend her life by visiting health spas around Europe, but with no use. Duplessis died at the age of 23.
Marie was so effortless in setting new trends that even after she died, tuberculosis immediately became the most desirable way to die (if there is such). Coughing up blood and slowly vanishing out of this world was associated with passion, beauty, and a dramatic life. Thought Duplessis asked to be buried at the quiet place; her funeral was attended by crowds as if it were one of Liszt’s concerts, and she was mourned by many. Not long after, her apartment was opened up and all her belongings were sold off—as everybody wanted to have a tiny piece of Marie Duplessis, even in her death.
Her life had a huge cultural impact. Franz Liszt dedicated a composition to her “Liebesträume” (Dreams of Love). Writer Alexander Dumas fils, with whom Duplessis was in a brief relationship, poured his grief into the novel “La Dame aux Camélias” (The Lady of the Camellias). The novel was soon turned into a successful but controversial play. Struck by the emotional story of Duplessis, after watching the play in a Parisian theatre, Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi composed one of the most famous operas in the world, “La Traviata”.
Branding takeaway: The importance of (personal) brand expression
Most brands try to blend in into an acceptable image while being completely unaware of their own hidden uniqueness. Being shy about your own particularities, leads to bleak brand awareness and a pretty forgettable brand image. Marie Duplessis shows us the power of bold self-expression. Her choice to brand herself with camellias was not only distinctive but provocative, making her stand out in a sea of sameness. The trend remained preserved in some of the most significant works of literary and musical arts. She can also teach us about the importance of timely and clever rebranding and renaming — adjusting her appearance, name, and skills to the environment and goals she sets. For brands today, the lesson is clear—embrace your uniqueness, even if it challenges norms. It’s these bold choices that leave a lasting impact.