Gaby Deslys was born, Marie-Elsie-Gabrielle Caire, in Marseilles, France, 1881. Although there is little known about her early life, Gaby changed her name and went to Paris, becoming a huge success in the Parisian revue when she debuted in 1902.

With her ample figure and cute blonde looks, Gaby was the sensation of the Paris music halls. She made her own fame, inventing her own style of dance known as the "Gaby Glide", a form of American ragtime dance.

Gaby Deslys is also credited with introducing the first "striptease" to Paris, after debuting in a striptease on Broadway. Taking this new dance form back to Paris, she became wildly successful and highly talked about. She even had the artist, Erte design a graphic image of her.

It didn't take long before she became romantically involved with King Manuel II of Portugal. Sporting large hats, with jewels and gifts from the King, young Gaby quickly became the Parisian talk of the town, all the while, continuing to début at music halls and theatres around the world. Her great beauty and naughty Parisian reputation made her the darling of the press and public, continuing until the onset of the First World War.

During World War I, Gaby changed her role in life, becoming a government agent, working as a spy for the French.

Marie-Elsie-Gabrielle Caire died November 1920 in Paris due to a throat infection. She will always be remembered for her contributions to the modern era of dance.