How the “father of haute couture” revolutionized fashion

He is known as the “Father of Haute Couture” and is one of the most important pioneers of the global fashion industry. Charles Frederick Worth is known for introducing living models, inventing fashion collections, and labeling clothing.

Born into poverty in the small town of Bourne, Lincolnshire, he revolutionized women’s fashion and built a personal fortune as the designer of choice for royalty and celebrities, creating icons such as Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel. paving the way for a unique brand.

His hometown is currently preparing to celebrate his 200th birthday.

Professor Amy de la Haye, curator and co-author of London College of Fashion, said: “He was the first designer to have his height measured; He became the first person to be considered the arbiter of fashion and style, shaping the fashion industry as we know it today.” A worthy home, an archival portrait.

“At one time he was the most famous and prestigious designer in the world.”

Among those who flocked to his salon were leading actresses and singers such as Lily Langtry and Nellie Melba, as well as Queen Victoria and Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III of France.

Worth’s name has become synonymous with luxury as he and his 1,000-plus staff work to transform the fashion industry.

But his beginnings could never have signaled his extraordinary journey.

Born in October 1825, Worth was just 11 years old when his father, a lawyer, lost all of the family’s wealth and left home, forcing him to work.

According to local history buff Jenni Ashwood, when he worked for Jemima Todd, who ran a haberdashery shop, he “trimmed the bonnets to make the women of Bourne smile.” It is said that

After a year there, he went to London to work in textiles, but moved to Paris at the age of 21, where he eventually opened his own salon in 1858 with the help of a business partner. We are now open.

House of Worth was born.

Two years later, Worth wanted to bring his work to the attention of the wealthy and commissioned his dresses to be worn by “influencers”, women in Napoleon III’s court.

Empress Eugenie was so impressed that she insisted on meeting Worth the next day. He became her designer and rose to the top of the Parisian fashion world.

“When she supported Worth, his future was secure, just as royal patronage influences designers today,” Professor de la Haye says.

As his fame grew, so did his influence on the industry.

“He was one of the first, if not the first, designers to design a collection before showing it to customers,” Professor de la Haye says.

He revolutionized the way clothes were shown to clients using live models and was the first to sew labels onto his own work, creating clothing labels.

Additionally, he transformed designers from their role as servants of the rich and famous to figures that customers looked up to as experts who told them what to wear.

Some even credit Worth with inventing the bustle, which “changed the style and silhouette of women around the world,” Ms. Ashwood said.

It is believed that Worth was the first to collect the fabric in the back, as full skirts made everyday tasks such as getting through doors difficult.

Over the decades, House of Worth’s staff has grown from 50 to more than 1,000.

“His real genius was in marketing,” says his second great-granddaughter, Olivia Wirth Van Huga Arden. “Even the duchess would bow before him. He was a kind of emperor.”

By that time he had become the most famous designer in the world. “American customers would come on ships for fittings in his homes, and he would take their measurements and make wardrobes, which would be shipped on luxury liners to New York and other parts of America. ” Professor de la Haye added.

Worth died in Paris in 1895, leaving the business in the hands of his sons. Professor de la Haye said it was “almost certain” that some of the equipment from the House of Worth went missing when the Titanic sank in 1912.

The fashion house lasted for three generations until 1952 when great-grandson Roger retired.

British fashion designer Dame Zandra Rose’s mother, Beatrice, worked as a pattern cutter at the House of Worth in the 1930s.

Dam Zandra said Worth was one of the fashion world’s “early soldiers” and was “preparing the way for all of us.”

Ms. Wirth van Hoga Arden said: “I’m very proud of the legacy he left behind for all dressmakers, but he also left behind descendants who carried the business over several generations.” states.

Wirth’s descendants hope to meet at an exhibition honoring his work at the Petit Palais Museum in Paris from May to September.

Back in Bourne, Worth’s old home, Wake House, still stands. Now a community hub, it has been expanded and modernized over the years, although some of its original features have been preserved, including the room where Worth is thought to have been born.

The former haberdashery shop where he trimmed bonnets is now a building society.

Wake House staff and other Bourne enthusiasts are planning a weekend celebration to mark his 200th birthday in October.

Ms Ashwood said it would include a lecture and an exhibition of Worth’s artifacts.

“We might even parade around town wearing period costumes,” she added.

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