Results: The History of News and Communication * Part Thirteen * Early Influencers - Marie Antoinette was only fourteen years old and had little experience when she was married to King Louis XVI. Experts educated Marie in the ways of French Royal Family life

The belief that a queen belonged entirely to the kingdom led her to be scrutinized. Royal rules that could not be changed were used to monitor every part of her life. Marie involved herself with demonstrating her beauty and style with her dressmaker Rose Bertin. The elegance of her dresses lies in the silks, embroideries and fabrics of each of them created for a special situation. Opulence was synonymous with her name. She is classified as the first "Influencer" of fashion in France, and Europe. After each public appearance of Marie-Antoinette, the ladies of the court, were ready to copy the style of the queen, because, as her biographer Hélène Delalex says, "the queen did not follow the fashion, she 'was' the fashion"! Did you know her dresses were made into miniatures and distributed throughout Europe so that other women could copy the models, only a few weeks after the Queen had worn them?

Marie Antoinette, was also a lover of feathers and poufs became her obsession, each of her wigs and hats were designed exclusively for her. The fashion of hair used by Marie Antoinette was extreme hairstyles and wigs. The hair and wigs were made to be very high while they were crowned with decorations. Some styles used in her hairstyle also incorporated objects such as images of a ship. Marie also had a habit of wearing stylish large hats. The fashions used in the 18th century were very much influenced by France. Marie Antoinette was the main figure that changed the trend in fashions to bring new elegance to fashion. Big and stylish hats worn by Marie contributed a lot to growth in fashions for hats all over Europe and beyond. Her elegance made many ladies from the continent travel to Paris to see first hand the latest in fashion. Did you know that seamstresses and damsels were inspired by her to create outfits?

The Duchess of Devonshire, garnered much attention and fame in society during her lifetime, with a pre-eminent position in the peerage of England, the Duchess was famous for her charisma, fashion sense, personal style, political influence, beauty, unusual marital arrangement, love affairs, socializing, and gambling. Among her closest acquaintances were some of the most influential figures of her time, including the Prince of Wales (later King George IV); Marie Antoinette of France and Charles Grey (later Earl Grey and British Prime Minister). Newspapers chronicled her every appearance and activity. Did you know The Duchess, Lady Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, was the great-great-great-great aunt of Diana, Princess of Wales?

Lady Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, socialite and leading political hostess of the 18th century, held court over a circle of influence and fashion at Devonshire House in London. She was seventeen years old when she married the 5th Duke of Devonshire in 1774. Georgiana's social aplomb made her a success in London, Georgiana was an overnight sensation. Her combination of intelligence, beauty and wealth made her endlessly fascinating to the public. She could not utter a word nor take a step without it being reported in every newspaper; her approval was enough to make an artist fashionable or play successful. Georgiana decided to expand her influence beyond the world of fashion. She took on the role as the premiere Whig hostess of political dinners and the occasional recruitment of promising young men to the party. The Duke was already one of the chief financial backers of the Whig party. Pro-American, anti-slavery and more democratic-leaning than its Tory rivals, the Whigs were the party of youth and liberalism. Georgiana's mass appeal made her the perfect weapon during election time. She shocked 18th-century society by taking to the hustings clad with a fox muff and fox tails on her hat, in London. She lead crowds to the election booths and was always proud that her actions saved Charles James Fox's seat for him during the 1784 Westminster election. Have you seen the film The Duchess?

Georgiana's extraordinary influence on fashion first became noticeable during the "feather headdress affair." These were three-foot ostrich feather headdresses that which she imported from Paris. Feathers were so scarce in England that fashionable women resorted to bribing undertakers for their horses' plumage. The following year, in 1775, Georgiana initiated the craze for extravagant hair towers of preposterous designs. One day she would appear sporting a pastoral tableau, complete with miniature wooden sheep; the next she might wear a nautical theme with storm-tossed ships and sailors artfully placed among the curls. Later on, she introduced the "picture hat" and, in 1783, again transformed women's fashion with the free-flowing muslin dress that was simply tied by a ribbon around the waist. There was the "Devonshire brown," a "Devonshire hair powder," even a "Devonshire minuet" that Georgiana created with Vestris, the leading dancer of the day. Are you surprised that even in these times she became a "brand"?

The Ton, society's elite, flocked to Devonshire House, making it the premiere house in London; and Georgiana's friends and admirers became known as "The Devonshire House Circle." But she was deeply unhappy – by the time Georgiana was 21, she was a drug addict, a bulimic, a gambling addict and mired in debt to every loan shark in town. Except for those who exploited her, few people were aware of her secret torment. The only obvious sign of strain between the Devonshires was the lack of children; every pregnancy ended in miscarriage. When her health improved she gave birth to two daughters in quick succession. The sorrows and regrets remained with her; but she finally overcame the self-destructive urges that had so marred her early life. Gradually, she re-entered the public and political fray. Shortly before her death, she helped to bring about the Fox-Grenville Coalition that saw the return of the Whig Party to power after two decades in the political wilderness. For all Georgiana's outward success and immense fame, she remained a devoted mother and was adored by her children. Were you aware of the Duchess of Devonshire prior to this survey?