I do not remember this fad. Maybe you are thinking of Geishas?
Cultures all over the world recognize 'fair skin' as beauty. This fact, makes the racial Liberals insane.
A fair skinned woman spends little of her time directly exposed to the sun and elements, as a rule, which implies wealth and position.
Not to be confused with a jailhouse tan.
Now that people tend to work inside, those with leisure time can get tanned.