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The Celebrity’s Hairdo That Almost Caused A Strike That Would Have Crippled A Country’s Telephones
French dancer Cleo de Merode, possibly the first modern celebrity, nearly caused a massive strike in Sweden because of her appearance
Celebrities have long inspired trends in fashion and beauty. Hairdos are a popular medium for people to mimic styles worn by the famous. From Jennifer Aniston’s “The Rachel” to Farrah Fawcett’s feathering, some truly iconic coiffures have appeared over the years. They have not always worked out, as more than a century ago, a celebrated starlight caused big problems for telephone operators who mimicked how she did her hair, nearly crippling a country’s telephones.
Around the turn of the 20th century, French dancer Cleo de Merode emerged as a mega international sensation. She has since been called the first modern celebrity given the popularity she gained primarily because of her beauty and scandalous life (filled with salacious love affairs) instead of her dancing talent.
Naturally, many women were enraptured by de Merode and strove to emulate her as best they could. While she was just a teenager, she began to wear her hair in a chignon style where she covered her ears. This would ultimately become wildly…
