House of Worth: Pioneer of Haute Couture and Ocean Travel Elegance (1858–1920s)

Pale Pink Velvet Evening Gown Draped With Pearl Chains. Garment Manufacturers' Index, October 1920. GGA Image ID # 1a39e67462

📖 Review and Summary

The House of Worth, founded by Charles Frederick Worth in 1858, is often considered the birthplace of haute couture. Worth transformed dressmaking from a craft into a fashion industry, establishing Paris as the epicenter of global style. This article traces the house’s evolution under Worth and later his sons and grandsons, showcasing its influence on royalty, nobility, stage actresses, and ocean liner society.

For teachers and students, the article provides an excellent case study of how fashion intersects with social class, global trade, and cultural identity.

For genealogists, the descriptions of gowns, coats, and accessories connect with family photographs, ship passenger lists, or trousseaux that may have included Worth garments.

For historians, Worth’s innovations—such as using live models and designing for court presentation—mark critical turning points in both fashion history and women’s social visibility.

Its relevance to ocean travel lies in the fact that transatlantic passengers—particularly aristocrats, wealthy Americans, and actresses—often carried Worth gowns across the sea.

The reputation of the house was so great that a Worth garment was a symbol of social standing in both Europe and America, frequently mentioned in travel journals, society pages, and shipping-era fashion columns.

📌 Quick Facts

Founder: Charles Frederick Worth (1825–1895), English-born designer in Paris

Established: 1858, Rue de la Paix, Paris

Innovations: Introduced live models (mannequins), pioneered haute couture, promoted French silks, popularized the crinoline & gored skirt

Clientele: Empress Eugénie, Princess Metternich, nobility, opera stars, wealthy Americans

Ocean Travel Relevance: Elite passengers carried Worth gowns aboard transatlantic liners; his couture set the standard for formal wear at sea

Legacy: Continued by his sons Gaston and Jean-Philippe, later by grandsons, sustaining a three-generation dynasty

Suit of Mauve Reps and Sumer Tailleur by House of Worth (l) Suit of Mauve Reps, the Loose Jacket Colored and Lined in Printed Mauve and Red Foulard. (r) Summer Tailleur of Black and Cabbage Green. The "Smoking" Jacket Is Black - Taffeta, the Long Kimono Revers and Lining of Cabbage Green Crêpe Marocain. The Skirt Is of the Same Green Crêpe Pleated, With Straight Hanging Panels of the Black Taffeta. Garment Manufacturers' Index, April 1921. GGA Image ID # 1a3a859df9

Black, Blue, or Brown, Combined with Bright Colors, Distinguish Day Dresses, and Ravishing Evening Gowns Sustain the Reputation of This House

The house of Worth, which has dressed queens for half a century, still keeps its reputation of unrivaled elegance from father to son.

The style at Worth's is most varied, while he keeps up his reputation for dazzling evening gowns.

The regulation coat dress of serge or duvetyn has a high collar but opens in a narrow slit almost to the waist. The blouse is detached at the front like a short coatee; a brown duvetyn with one of these Zouave jackets opens over a high-necked waistcoat of nasturtium silk. Other day dresses, rather tightly fashioned, have boléro-bodices.

One Must Paint in the Colors To Realize the Full Beauty of This Harem Tea Gown by Worth, of Cyclamen Velvet and Chiffon, With Love Birds in Green and Yellow Beads at the Waist. The Delineator, March 1919, p. 82. | GGA Image ID # 1cb59b67c7

Black over black or a bright color, dark blues and browns in Kashavella (a delightfully soft, light stuff), velours, and satin cloth are patronized. A brilliant idea appears to be lozenges of bright blue brocade regularly inlet with black stitching on the blue serge worn with a tiny brocade vest.

The straight line is not just interpreted, but meticulously crafted under its every form: pointed side panels hanging below the hem, flat aprons, irregular tunics slanting up the front to one side, dresses, all loops of different lengths, pleasantly vary the most rational of fashions—that where the lines of the figure are followed without exaggeration, showcasing the precision and balance in the design.

Worth, a French House of English Origin, Might Be Called the Double Entente of Things We Hold Dear. Here One Sees the Typical Elegance of Worth in a Dress of Black Satin Embroidered With Gelatine and Worn Over a Slip of Cloth of Gold. The Delineator, February 1919, p. 63. | GGA Image ID # 1cb5a3221b

A good model is a yellow and blue plaid, crafted from a soft wool blend, worn over a plain navy blue front buttoned tightly from neck to hem in yellow. The long coat tunic, even worn over a different front, is brilliant. I saw several wooden bead belts, ivory, and onyx; one suspends an apron front.

A blue serge dress, reminiscent of the eighteenth century, features three-quarter sleeves ending in broad frills of bright blue grosgrain ribbon sewn in narrow loops. Depending on the material, the sleeves are long, tight, or flaring. Big lace puffs coming out of wide cuffs are a delightful nod to the past.

Among the novelties in trimmings, we discover the innovative use of materials. White crochet braid studded with steel, velvet appliquéd designs on silver, and straight dresses almost wholly in beautiful, blurry woolen chain stitch all showcase the creative use of materials in fashion.

A blue serge gown has an original skirt of alternate diagonal strips of black waxed satin and the serge.

Statisticians May Quarrel as to Whether War or Worth Has Been the Greatest Incentive to Marriage, but We Believe That It Is Worth When He Makes a Wedding Gown Like This of Satin and a Breath of Tulle. The Delineator, April 1919, p. 91. | GGA Image ID # 1cb5c7d73a

Worth's afternoon gowns show a lowered waistline and slightly longer skirts. The silhouette is a little ampler, chiefly because many more elaborate frocks are made of chiffon, Georgette, or lace over silk, the favorite color being black.

Black lace draped over black taffeta and black satin, beaded, with a net and ribbon tunic at the back, is exquisite and dignified. A nasturtium sash gives a black crêpe de Chine a touch of color. Another black chiffon model has long points of yellow silk muslin mixed in with the black.

The silver gown's cloth reverses the classical order by being worn over, instead of under, a black velvet sheath.

Evening dresses are chiefly draped in velvet, brocades, and lamés. The somewhat longer-than-usual skirt ends in a train. Worth believing, like most great designers, in the long, unbroken enveloping line.

Silver and gold cloth shot with pink, mauve, beige, emerald, pale greens, crêpes de Chine, jade, daffodil, cherry and white, and much silver lace are the leading materials.

Décolletés are low but beautifully draped without any suggestion of bareness; jeweled straps, belts, and strings of pearls and stones keep the draperies in place or appear to.

Paris’s Formal Life Is Made of Brilliant Silver, Gold, and Splendid Colors. Worth Makes a Wrap Characteristic of the New Order of Black Velvet Opening Over a Tissue of Chinese Red Embroidered in Silver and With Sleeves of Gray Fur. The Delineator, February 1921. | GGA Image ID # 217dfe2409

Worth Makes a Delightful Costume With the Basque Coat, Flat Ruffles of Gray Wool, and Rust-Colored Embroidery on the Coat. The Delineator, February 1921. | GGA Image ID # 217eb7a4b0

Faint Arabesques of Silver Cast Their Sheen Over a Brocade of Geranium and Lemon Color - a Typical Worth Fabric in a Typical Worth Gown Draped at the Hip With Straps of Platinum and Diamonds Over the Shoulders. The Delineator, June 1921. | GGA Image ID # 217dea5ee0

I noticed many flowers, bunches, or wreaths, a good way of beginning or ending a skirt. A white camellias wreath looks well over a grey brocade's shoulder, as do black lace and water lilies.

A gold lamé dress, tightly swathed, has a train starting from the side under a beautiful garland of golden and purple grapes.

A favorite way of draping is to wind the precious material around the body with a slightly upward movement and then allow the free end to trail on the ground. Another manner is to let the end of a wide sash form the train.

A third device is to shorten the end of the drapery into a loop and have a special train coming from the waist. A white crêpe de Chine is most effectively built along these lines with a loose network of pearls for shoulders and sleeves.

In the case of severe black velvet, the bodice is four points connected by jeweled straps. Pale pink muslin tunics, superposed and pointed, also end in trains. The skirt ends in a train; so far, there is nothing remarkable, but this gown is worn with a jade green crêpe turban, one loose end descending the back blending with the first narrow slight fishtail.

The Nimble Fingers of a Designer Have Combined Velvet, Satin, Chiffon, and Net in the House of Worth Into a Beautiful Calling Costume. The Velvet Tunic Hangs in Generous Folds From the Waistline Almost to the Bottom of the Satin Skirt, Finished by a Band of Cording Edged With a Rushing. The Blouse Is Made Mainly of Chiffon, the Satin Appearing Only in the Revers and the Collar. It Opens Over a Lingerie Net Guimpe. Harper's Bazar, August 1914, p. 45. | GGA Image ID # 1cc01247b9

To finish on a different note, a low round-necked white Georgette "chemise" with black tulle wings is striped from neck to hem by long strings of jet caught at the waist by a most elaborate belt of diamonds.

A solid collection of evening coats, principally velvet and brocade, often blended, ample, and magnificent for our short time, accompany these beautiful gowns.

WORTH is a name that has meant everything in Paris for the last fifty years. An old-established reputation for elegance means years of experience, a love of beautiful lines, and a deep sense of harmony. What praise can speak better than this statement?

The bi-yearly collection at Worth's says all this very plainly, and the dominant impression is one of extreme distinction.

I begin out of all precedent with a large selection of coats, or rather capes, cunning variations of the simple round mantle; the collars are chic feather affairs, vultures, ostriches, or cassowaries, a relief from fur.

Over a Draped Foundation of White Satin Hangs the Tunic of Plaited Black Net and Gold Lace. Deep Revers of Black Chiffon Tone Down the Corsage of Gold Lace. The Butterfly of Black Velvet Sparkling With Rhinestones Lends the Name to the "Butterfly Model" Conceived by Worth. Harper's Bazar, October 1913, p. 34. | GGA Image ID # 1cbfbf0b08

In one case, the arm slits continue to the coat's hem, revealing a bright lining. Another is a copy of an 18th-century hooded cape, three ruffles of black lace covering pale blue taffeta.

The slim outline is liked for streetwear. Skirts are a trifle longer in the back or dip down at the sides, sleeves wide and long, slit to the elbow, seize the opportunity for showing lingerie or lace ruffles.

Jeweled belts replace obsolete sashes. Coat dresses, the sides gored or pleated, give the desired slender silhouette; one brilliant specimen of plaid serge fastens down the side, Russian fashion, under a band of glycerinated ostrich.

Worth makes the most beautiful evening dresses in the world; Greek statues inspire many of his most striking creations. The material, soft crêpe or satin, is draped in stately folds, caught in panels or graceful loops, and fastened here and there by jeweled motifs or flowers. Great care is taken not to cut the line from shoulder to hem.

Lace sheaths are gorgeous over a contrasting color; much diamond, jet, and spangled embroidery are harmoniously blended with filmy tulle and muslins.

Evening Dress by Worth. Photo by Eméra. Les Modes, Issue 185, June 1919, p. 9. | GGA Image ID # 1cdf6ce59a

The Flower of the Mode: Worth

The Worth collection, the first I was privileged to see on returning to Paris after a sunny vacation in the South, impressed me with the glorification of Monsieur Jean Worth's talents as a creative designer. The impossible is here achieved, the introduction of novelty into a line he does not wish to alter, yet he manages to renovate and render up to date because of clever new devices.

He shows us a variety of sports attire in which black and white and all shades of grayish brown are prominently featured. These are worn with cardigan jackets in every imaginable texture, primarily transparent—a very popular novelty.

These little jackets are particularly attractive in steel mesh over navy jersey and in jersey openwork laces, which have an almost crochet-like appearance. However, they are not merely restricted to sportswear but are also meant to harmonize with plain velvet or figured afternoon and evening dresses. In many instances, new effects are produced by combining new materials, such as plain jersey with figured velvet or printed velvet with horizontally striped tweeds.

The new écru openwork jersey is most effective over plain dark materials, as are the new matelassé metal textures made into both afternoon and evening gowns.

Worth shows several net models, either plain, dotted with chenille spots, or of the old-fashioned kind called point d'esprit.

Afghan velvet, a texture with a peculiar hammered surface, is most successfully treated in a champagne-colored ensemble with the blackest astrakhan cuffs reaching up to the elbow part of the sleeves. These high gauntlet fur sleeves are a feature of many Worth coats, several successful models being trimmed with a golden seal.

A distinct novelty is the reintroduction of instead an old-fashioned kind of lace manufactured in Lyons, which Mr. Worth said had not been worn since about 1911. For afternoon wear, a severely plain white velvet gown is shown under a long black velvet coat lined in white satin- a supremely chic ensemble.

Mr. Worth has solved the problem of producing harmony of skirt lines in ensembles while featuring the prevailing distinctly irregular hemline of both coat and skirt. He solves the question by not designing the hemline of the coat and skirt separately but of the coat and skirt in one. This solution produces an admirable effect, as exemplified by a Venetian red velvet evening ensemble of great beauty.

A series of velvet gowns made of stiff old-fashioned milliner's velvet are perfect specimens of the newest low-down flaring effects. One of these, No. 199, seems to me even more attractive than No. 116, an unquestioned Worth success in sapphire blue velvet. Quite a number of fascinating evening gowns in the black net are shown. These have expanding skirts, though they are so plain and simple in style as to look tailored. Mr. Worth calls them, "Mes tailleurs du soir."

Miss Zina Brozia From the Opera Has Achieved Resounding Success With the Dancer From Tanagra at the Gaîté-Lyrique, Wearing a Worth Costume. (Comœdia illustré, 20 March 1914) | GGA Image ID # 225fbec2a5

Mlle Ducouret, From the Athénée Dressed by Worth Dress With Ruffled Icy Blue Moiré Taffeta Ribbon. Dark Blue Velvet Hat With Ribbon Trim. (Comœdia illustré, 20 June 1914) | GGA Image ID # 225f20c4ba

History of the House of Worth

The House of Worth was founded in 1858 by Charles Frederick Worth, an Englishman born in 1825 who had served his apprenticeship in the retail store. Swan & Edgar, in London. In 1846, Charles Worth went to Paris and, for twelve years, was employed as a salesman and general assistant in the service of a retail silk house named Gagelin's.

In 1858, he left Gagelin's and formed a partnership that continued until 1870 with a Swede named Bobergh, who engaged in the ladies' tailoring business. Their establishment was the first to be located in the Rue de la Paix, that street now famous worldwide for its distinguished couture shops.

Worth came into great prominence as a couturier from 1858 to 1870. The French rulers at the time, Louis Napoleon and Empress Eugénie, were highly ambitious in making the French court the most brilliant in the world.

Every effort was expended to rival even the glories of eighteenth-century France. Great emphasis was placed on style not only in apparel but also in furnishings and architecture.

Worth gained Princess Metternich, wife of the Austrian Ambassador to the court of France and a very famous and fashionable woman, as one of his first customers and, through Comtesse de Pourtalès was introduced to Empress Eugénie in 1859, who, after some hesitation, gave a large part of the royal custom to his concern.

By the clever art of Bobergh and perhaps still more clever promotion of Worth, the prestige of the house of Worth spread rapidly among the great women not only of Paris but of all the capitals and fashion centers of the world. Bobergh retired from the firm in 1870, after the Franco-Prussian War, and Worth continued the business with the help of his two sons until his death in 1895.

Worth is credited with several innovations that became important in fashion. While employed by Gagelin, he devised a "manteau de cour," a court mantle of antique watered silk embroidered in gold, which became the royal fashion.

According to his son, Jean Philippe Worth, he was responsible for engaging the Empress and the Emperor in patronizing Lyons silks, which had languished for years before the 1850s but became very popular in the 1860s.

About 1860, he adopted the crinoline, an Englishman's invention, a significant improvement in that it made unnecessary the great many skirts formerly used to secure what was thought to be seemly bouf-fancy. The crinoline secured the spread of skirts with whalebone and steel, making a much lighter and more comfortable load to carry.

During the later 1860s, Worth invented the gored skirt that fitted snugly at the waist and over the hips and flared at the bottom. Also, in the latter 1860s, the House of Worth began to use the services of living models or manikins. However, the practice later died out and apparently was not revived until the early 1900s and then by Lucille in London.

The House of Worth has enjoyed remarkable success for three generations. This fact, it is believed, is unprecedented in the couture profession. Jean Philippe Worth, one of Charles F. Worth's sons, possessed great ability as a designer and had been trained, among other artists, by the painter Corot.

The great Italian tragedienne Eleonora Duse attributed much of her dramatic success to the beautiful gowns designed for her by Jean Philippe. Other famous actresses and singers looked to him for their costumes.

The house of Worth is now managed by two grandsons, Charles Frederick, Jean Charles, and Jacques. Jacques Worth, the business manager, is well-educated, an artist, a connoisseur, a sportsman, a famous and witty orator, as well as a capable manager of the business.

The House of Worth has always had a reputation for catering to royalty, noble families, the aristocracy, famous actresses, and the very wealthy. For years, it has given special attention to the garment requirements of women to be presented at European courts, particularly the Court of St. James in England.

Worth's styles have generally been gorgeous, regal, stately garments in which metal tissues, brocades, fine embroideries, laces, and long sweeping draperies have been used extensively. The house of Worth is still noted today for its fine bridal garments and other apparel for ceremonial wear.

Through the changing fashions of the last seventy-five years, the crinoline, the bustles, the leg-of-mutton sleeves, the straight front, the hobble, the barrel, and the straight silhouettes, the House of Worth has been able to adjust its art and production to keep in the forefront of the couture profession. It is probably the oldest couture concern in the world but is also now one of the most active and effective.

Worth -- Where to Shop in Paris. Posed by Kathleen Howard, Well-Known Opera Singer. Photo by Scaioni, Paris. (Harper's Bazar, December 1927) | GGA Image ID # 2272bc61da

📘 Brief Dictionary of Terms

Crinoline: Stiffened or hooped petticoat used to spread a skirt.

Gored Skirt: A skirt cut with triangular sections for a flared shape.

Tailleur: A tailored women’s suit, typically jacket and skirt.

Décolleté: A low neckline on a dress or gown.

Revers: The turned-back collar or lapel of a garment.

Guimpe: A high-necked insert or blouse worn under low-cut gowns.

Velours: Soft, velvet-like fabric.

Lamé: Fabric woven with metallic threads, often gold or silver.

✨ Most Engaging and Educational Highlights

Royal Patronage: Worth’s connection to Empress Eugénie elevated Paris couture onto the global stage.

Ocean Travel Context: Worth gowns became transatlantic status symbols, carried in trunks aboard luxury liners.

Stage and Celebrity Influence: Opera stars and actresses wore Worth gowns, blurring the line between fashion, theater, and elite travel.

Historical Continuity: The house successfully navigated changing silhouettes (crinolines, bustles, hobble skirts, straight lines).

🪡 Design Innovations

• Popularized crinoline and gored skirts.
• Early adopter of living models to present fashions.
• Expert use of luxury textiles like silk brocade, velvet, lamé, and lace.
• Developed presentation gowns for European courts.
• Balanced regal drama with precise tailoring.

🖼️ Noteworthy Images

Pale Pink Velvet Evening Gown with Pearl Chains (1920) – Image ID #1a39e67462. A luxurious example of Worth’s regal evening wear.

Harem Tea Gown (1919) – Image ID #1cb59b67c7. Embroidered with birds, blending exoticism with elegance.

Wedding Gown (1919) – Image ID #1cb5c7d73a. A masterpiece of satin and tulle, symbolizing Worth’s enduring bridal legacy.

Black Velvet Wrap (1921) – Image ID #217dfe2409. Shows dramatic use of color contrast and fur.

Butterfly Model Gown (1913) – Image ID #1cbfbf0b08. Named for its rhinestone-studded velvet motif.

🎓 Essay Prompts for Students (Grades 8–12, 500–800 words)

1. Fashion & Social Class: How did the House of Worth use fashion to shape ideas of status and identity in Europe and America?

2. Ocean Travel & Style: Why were Worth gowns important for women traveling aboard ocean liners in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?

3. Fashion Innovation: What innovations did Charles Frederick Worth introduce to fashion, and how do they continue to influence designers today?

4. Art & Patronage: Discuss how Worth’s relationship with Empress Eugénie shaped French fashion and global perceptions of Paris couture.

5. Genealogy & Family History: How might knowledge of Worth’s styles help date old photographs or identify social standing in family archives?

📚 How to Cite This Page

Chicago Style

Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. “House of Worth – Parisian Fashion Designer.” *GG Archives*. Last modified September 17, 2025. [https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Worth-ParisianFashionDesigner.html](https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Worth-ParisianFashionDesigner.html)

APA Style

Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. (1858–1920s). *House of Worth – Parisian Fashion Designer*. GG Archives. Retrieved September 17, 2025, from [https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Worth-ParisianFashionDesigner.html](https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Worth-ParisianFashionDesigner.html)

MLA Style

Gjenvick-Gjønvik Archives. “House of Worth – Parisian Fashion Designer.” *GG Archives*, 1858–1920s. Web. Accessed 17 Sept. 2025. [https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Worth-ParisianFashionDesigner.html](https://www.ggarchives.com/OceanTravel/Fashions/FashionHouses/Worth-ParisianFashionDesigner.html)

"Worth" in the Garment Manufacturers' Index, New York: The Allen-Nugent Co. Publishers, Vol. II, No. 3, October 1920: 22.

"Worth," in Garment Manufacturers' Index, New York: The Allen-Nugent Company, Vol. II, No. 9, April 1921, p. 18.

Paul H. Nystrom, PhD, "Chapter XI: The Paris Creators of Apparel Style - Worth," in Economics of Fashion, New York: The Ronald Press Company, 1928, pp. 204-207

Bayon de Meyer, "The Flower of the Mode: Worth," in Harper's Bazar, New York: International Magazine Company, Inc., Year 63, No. 2592, The Paris Openings Number, October 1928, p. 70.