Mistinguett's legacy at the Moulin Rouge: feathers, sequins, and the Roaring Twenties

The Moulin Rouge, opened on October 6, 1889, became a hotbed of Parisian modernity, culminating in the Roaring Twenties with Mistinguett (1875–1956) as its brightest star. Born Jeanne Florentine Bourgeois in Enghien, she debuted at 18 at the Casino de Paris. In 1908, she created the famous "valse chaloupée" with Max Dearly, a theatrical dance depicting a marital quarrel where the woman always wins. In 1924, after the Moulin Rouge's reconstruction following a 1914 fire, she became its artistic director. With Jacques-Charles, she designed a landmark music-hall revue featuring her iconic staircase descent. She introduced jazz, ragtime, and foxtrot to the stage. Her extravagant feathered costumes were realized by artist Charles Gesmar (1900–1928), whom she called "maman." Mistinguett meticulously oversaw every aspect of her shows, from costumes to dancer recruitment, even inspecting shoe polish monthly. She pioneered revealing silhouettes and early topless performances. Her perfectionism made her an international star; she also acted in about forty films between 1908 and 1928. She died of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1956. In 2025, essayist Bruno Fuligni published a biography revealing her role as a spy during World War I. In April 2026, one of her diamond-and-emerald cuff bracelets sold at auction for €85,000.