The Follies Bergere opened in Paris in 1869 as a music hall and a place to hold operettas, pantomimes, political meetings and vaudeville acts. As the Parisian taste for striptease in the 1890s began to take hold, elaborate costumes and stage sets were created to enhance the spectacular nude shows. The "Place aux Jeunes" launched in 1886, was a revue style music hall show featuring scantily clad women in elaborate costumes. As you can imagine, the show was a huge success. This photo from 1909 shows just how elaborate some of the costumes were.