Something wonderful happened to the world of fashion during the second half of the 19th century.
Beautiful gowns were no longer the exclusive privilege of the aristocracy …
![The splendour of the Royal Court](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53388702834_4d8faa8571_o.jpg)
… but were available to anyone with the wherewithal to display their finery on the boulevards, in the opera houses, and in café society.
![The Boulevard at Night, in front of the Theatre des Varietes by Jean-Georges Béraud, 1883](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/721/31893198801_a418a7a131_o.jpg)
![The Staircase of the Opera by Louis Beroud](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/671/31200445663_ce33bb2b4f_o.jpg)
![La Patisserie Gloppe au Champs Elyssées by Jean-Georges Béraud , 1889](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/360/31893199171_b9fc09d936_o.jpg)
It was a time to “see and be seen”.
![Woman with Opera Glasses by Frederik Henrdik Kaemmerer](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/621/31893198691_4d851306ba_o.jpg)
And who was responsible for this change?
None other than the English entrepreneur Charles Frederick Worth, “the father of Haute Couture”.
![Charles Frederick Worth. At ages 14, 30, and 69](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/534/31163136853_eb4b68115c_o.jpg)
Born in Lincolnshire, England, Charles Frederick Worth spent his early career working for department stores and textile merchants in London.
Besides learning all there was to know about fabrics and the dressmaking business, he would spend hours in the National Gallery studying historical portraits.
![Portrait of Mrs. Sarah Siddons by Thomas Gainsborough, 1785](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/500/31655554420_5b352081f2_o.jpg)
![Mr and Mrs William Hallett (“The Morning Walk”) by Thomas Gainsborough, 1785](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/622/32030196035_24aa6782ed_o.jpg)
It was this time in London that would inspire his later works.
As the center of world fashion, Paris beckoned, and Worth found employment with the prominent textile firm Maison Gagelin, soon becoming a leading salesman, then dressmaker.
![Quai du Louvre by Claude Monet,1867](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/268/31202368743_f223ac39c1_o.jpg)
Establishing a reputation for himself and winning commendations at the expositions in Paris and London, news of Worth’s skills caught the attention of the Empress Eugénie, wife of Emperor Napoleon III of France.
Appointed court designer, Charles Frederick Worth’s success was all but guaranteed.
![Portrait of the Empress Eugénie (1826-1920) by Franz Xaver Winterhalder, 1853, wearing a gown designed by Worth](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/734/31903086681_92e10f5df8_k.jpg)
Soon after, he opened his own design house in Paris at 7 Rue de la Paix—first in partnership with Otto Bobergh and later as sole proprietor.
The House of Worth and Haute Couture were born.
![House of Worth, 7 rue de la Paix, Paris, and Paris and Biarritz salons](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5614/31856198121_2a6552cf31_o.jpg)
Haute Couture is the fusion of fashion and costume.
It is wearable art.
And wealthy women of the 19th century would pay handsomely for it.
With seemingly endless social engagements, clients changed dress up to four times a day, some purchasing their entire wardrobes from Worth.
![Elegant Soiree by Jean-Georges Béraud](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/614/32014444655_8c82b18e8a_o.jpg)
The House of Worth was known for showing several designs for each season on live models.
Clients would select their favorites and Worth would tailor-make gowns with elegant fabrics, detailed trimmings, and superb fit.
By the 1870s, Worth’s name frequently appeared in ordinary fashion magazines, spreading his fame to women well beyond courtly circles.
![I told you it was a dress from Worth's. I know the look](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/560/31598876550_0614390af5_o.jpg)
Combining colors and textures using meticulously chosen textiles and trims, House of Worth produced works of art.
That so many examples have survived in such good condition is testament not only to the popularity of Worth among wealthy patrons but also the quality of textiles insisted upon by Charles Frederick Worth.
What better way to celebrate the extraordinary House of Worth than the dulcet tones of Claude Debussy.
This is one of Worth’s earlier designs when he was still in partnership with Otto Bobergh under the name Worth and Bobergh.
Skirts of the 1860s were wide, full, and bell-shaped, supported initially by multiple layers of petticoats and later by crinolines made from graduated hoops of cane or steel.
![1862. Evening ensemble. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/741/31901079891_b5157aff22_o.jpg)
As the 1870s got underway, the shape of skirts changed, with flatter front and sides and the fullness pulled back and supported behind by a “bustle”.
![1875. Afternoon Dress. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/402/31203807823_c2d81c5258_o.jpg)
![1877. Dinner Dress. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/373/31639410880_25df3bc698_o.jpg)
![1878. Two-Piece Day Dress. Silk faille and brocaded silk lampas weave trimmed with lace, silk satin, and beads. philamuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/323/31866280282_c5f3928174_o.jpg)
![1878. Reception Dress. Silk, linen. cincinnatiartmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/630/32013549315_69d3ac1d4e_o.jpg)
![1882. Evening Dress. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/647/31598880280_8805082a76_o.jpg)
![1883. Afternoon Dress. Dark blue satin; dark blue satin brocaded with bouquets of coral pink to rust colored roses and white stemmed flowers; petal pink chiffon; rust satin. Credit MCNY](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/564/31223790893_4524332053_o.jpg)
![1887. Ball Gown. Silk, glass, metallic thread. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/352/31653608620_8e6561ddb3_o.jpg)
![1888. Evening Gown. Silk, beads, metallic. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/668/31598879710_e526eb3737_o.jpg)
As the 1880s came to a close, the lines of skirts transitioned away from the bustle to form a clearer shape, but the sleeves swelled to enormous proportions, earning them the nickname “elephant sleeves”.
![1889. Evening Dress. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/343/31187853474_7206233cb7_o.jpg)
![1892. Dinner Dress. silk satin with woven chrysanthemum pattern; large velvet gigot sleeves; lace decoration on cuffs and collar. KCI](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/549/31209277753_ceb42112a7_h.jpg)
![1893 Evening Ensemble. Silk, linen, metal. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/575/31911159971_edcb77e59a_o.jpg)
![1893. Evening Dress. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/528/31845085622_7c47fd05c3_o.jpg)
![1893. Ensemble. Silk, jet, metal. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/504/31989372796_864f67fb9f_o.jpg)
![1894. Ball Gown. silk brocade with tassel pattern; two-piece dress with gigot sleeves; silk taffeta bow at breast; silk chiffon decoration at hem of skirt. Credit KCI](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/293/31644623650_71262e772b_o.jpg)
![1894. Afternoon Dress. Silk faille set of bodice and skirt; silk lace and velvet bows at neck and cuffs; apron-shaped overskirt with silk fringe at front. Credit KCI](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/498/31871076872_d3d9b67505_h.jpg)
![1895. Ball Gown. French. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/774/31598880690_55c6ccffc0_o.jpg)
![“Lily Dress” evening dress, black velvet with application of ivory silk in the form of lilies, embroidered with pearls and sequins, 1896. © L. Degrâces et Ph. offre/Galliera/Roger-Viollet](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/699/31977651136_25bfbca6b7_o.jpg)
![1896. Wedding Dress. Silk, pearl. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/592/31866273832_285597d38e_o.jpg)
![1898. Evening Dress. Silk, cotton. metmuseum](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5613/31886330352_9d0e21ef2e_o.jpg)
![1898. Evening Dress. Silk, cotton, metal. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/368/31598875530_cda869fbe2_o.jpg)
![1898. Evening gown. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/720/31639772080_5f39474e38_o.jpg)
![1898. Ball Gown. Silk, rhinestones, metal. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/725/31856648691_d5d886e9ba_o.jpg)
![1898. Evening Dress. Silk, rhinestones. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/520/31178128834_77f0cf3d90_o.jpg)
![1900. Ball Gown. Silk, cotton, metallic thread, glass, metal. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/687/31935406596_949f916336_o.jpg)
![1900 Evening Dress. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/739/31179062184_502183a55a_o.jpg)
![1900. Evening Dress. Pale green silk chiffon and velvet; S-curve silhouette; appliqué of plant pattern; sequin and cord embroidery with water's-edge pattern. Credit KCI](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/717/31209505513_9176c2dfb4_h.jpg)
House of Worth gowns were worn by the very wealthiest of clients. The dinner dress (below left) was worn by the wife of the great American banker J.P. Morgan, Jr.
At night, the stars in the evening dress (below right) would twinkle as the wearer moved and the light caught the different textures.
![1900 & 1905. Silk, rhinsetones, metal. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/460/31911773371_c6f330cec6_o.jpg)
![1900. Ball Gown. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/485/31881116812_8f49359b37_o.jpg)
![1901. Tea Gown. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/711/31911554391_31585cfb1c_o.jpg)
![1902. Evening Dress. Silk, rhinestones, metal. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/326/32028977865_49282cf82e_o.jpg)
![1906 Peignoir. Silk. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/496/31175067144_149173ef74_o.jpg)
![1910. Tea Gown. Silk, rhinestones, metal. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/374/31879956952_f82d7b4b0e_o.jpg)
![1911 Evening Dress. Silk, metal, glass. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/683/31868459722_9fc1c3a6f4_h.jpg)
![1916. Evening Dress. French. silk metal, rhinestones. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/396/31598881240_c0fcfc3cf1_o.jpg)
![1918 Dinner Dress. Silk synthetic. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/428/31206855393_2616347afd_o.jpg)
![1925. Evening Dress. Silk, beads, metal thread. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/275/31645780480_a70199167c_o.jpg)
![1930s Evening ensemble. Silk, plastic. metmuseum](https://farm1.staticflickr.com/721/31980747196_4756bba96d_o.jpg)
![1940s. 'Féminité' dress and Ensemble. Silk, synthetic, beads. metmuseum](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5699/31911426991_5ee27f11c0_o.jpg)
Charles Frederick Worth passed away in 1895 and The House of Worth remained in operation under his descendents but faced increasing competition from the 1920s onwards, eventually closing in 1956.
The House of Worth brand was revived in 1999 but failed to compete successfully in Haute Couture.