In the 18th century, there was a terrifying profession: "hair pluckers." Their job? To obtain raw materials for the fashionable powdered wigs worn by aristocrats like Louis XV. Demand was...
In the 18th century, there was a terrifying profession: "hair pluckers." Their job? To obtain raw materials for the fashionable powdered wigs worn by aristocrats like Louis XV. Demand was colossal, requiring thousands of kilograms of hair annually. It was a brutal business.
The most expensive wigs, costing up to 200 livres, required human hair. Blond or gray strands were prized. "Pluckers" traveled throughout France and England, searching for donors. Peasant women often sold their braids for a few sous to support their families.
A single voluminous wig for noblemen at balls in Versailles or London could require up to half a kilogram of hair. Some "wig-pullers" used force, cutting or ripping out women's hair in secluded places. It was a cruel, shady trade.
High demand spawned a black market. High-quality hair was worth its weight in gold. Although it was sometimes collected from hospitals or after executions, it was unsuitable for high-end wigs. Only living, healthy strands were prized.
This grim profession flourished until the end of the 18th century. The French Revolution changed fashion, making wigs a symbol of the fading aristocracy. It's incredible that human hair was so valuable that it was used for crimes. Fashion can sometimes surprise!
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