Fashion Hotheads
According to legend, in 1711 a high style woman of the French court wore a spectacular fontange to the palace. The grand rooms of the palace used open-flame chandeliers and wall sconces to create a well-lit, glittering effect. But the woman misjudged the height of the flame in relation to her fontange. It lit on fire, and because the fontange was so high, she didn’t notice until the fire had grown out of control. She died from her injuries. Fontange, though fashionable, were tall and made of highly flammable decoration. Fontange fire may have been a common hazard for fashionable women. In November 1711, Sophie von Hannover wrote, “There is no news here but that good Mrs von Ilten has burnt neck, face and hands; her fontange caught fire, she stared and fell and did not think to throw it off as I use to do…”