Bridgerton’: The Real Story Behind Madame Delacroix and Her Changing Accent

Madame Delacroix was one of the breakout characters of 'Bridgerton' though she had few lines. So, who is Delacroix and why does she have such a strange accent?

by Christina Montford

Published on January 23, 2021

2 min read

It’s no secret that season 1 of Bridgerton was a success. The show premiered in December and has already become Netflix’s fifth most popular original show. Though season 1 focused largely on the Bridgertons and the drama in their lives, there were a few other characters who intrigued audiences as well. Madame Delacroix, who works as the town Modiste, had a very peculiar accent. Now, Kathryn Drysdale, who plays Delcroix is opening up about the truth about her character.

Bridgerton Polly Walker as Portia Featherington, Ruby Baker as Marina Thompson, and Kathryn Drysdale as Madame Delacroix | LIAM DANIEL/NETFLIX © 2020

Madame Delacroix on ‘Bridgerton’

Season 1 of Bridgerton mostly focused on Daphne Bridgerton and The Duke of Hastings, Simon Basset’s relationship, and the women of noble birth who were trying to find husbands. Though not much about Delacroix was revealed on the show, she was a constant figure as all of the women in the Ton had to go to her to get their dresses made. Because of this, at one point Eloise Bridgerton even thought that Delacroix might be the infamous town gossip, Lady Whistledown.

During the season, Delacroix started a relationship with the second Bridgerton, Benedict. There was one thing that stuck out about Delacroix and that was her accent …or lack thereof. When around her friends, Delacroix spoke with an English accent but in front of customers, she gained a French lilt to her voice.

At one point, her fake French accent was even called out by Marina Thompson, who was fluent in French.

Who is Madame Delacroix?

Delacroix is actually just a common Englishwoman who took on the French accent in order to attract high-ranking customers.

“She knows that could be a disaster for me business-wise, so my character is absolutely terrified at that point,” Drysdale told People of why Delacroix works so hard to protect her secret. “Around that time in society, there’s not that many self-made women who are independent, who have agency — and somebody like Genevieve worked really, really hard. She’s putting on this act in order to maintain this lifestyle, in order to keep the clientele. She’s the most in-demand dressmaker in the season.”

Though her dressmaking skills would obviously be the same no matter her background, an Englishwoman who was unwed would not have been viewed so kindly at the time, whereas the English thought that the French were some of the most fashionable people of the age.

“I think everybody who’s obsessed with Bridgerton should read it, because it gives you a historical context to the society that they’re all in at that time,” Drsydale said. “It gives you information about modistes and dressmakers, and how it was really important for dressmakers to be from Paris [in order] to get the best clientele. You had to be French. And so those who weren’t French would pretend to be French. They weren’t necessarily Madames at all, but it was just part of the act.”

Will Madame Delacroix be back?

Bridgerton was just renewed for season 2 and as Benedict and Delacroix’s relationship seems to just be blossoming, chances are we will see more of the Modiste in the future.