Designs by Worth and Other Haute Coutures Part I

Sorta like Mainbocher?

Sorry Martyn.    I beg the forgiveness of the Duke of Leeds-that world renown designer,!!!  

Will look at he dates again.  It seemed to me I was looking at the 1860's-1889.  What I am interested in seeing is the 1895-1914 stuff.  Was there a shift in style?  I know there was a big shift in style after WWI.

TampaBay

Much more so than Mainbocher.

Charles Worth really is the father of haute couture; although Leroy was the famous male supplier of fashions to the courts of the Empresses Joséphine and Marie Louise, he cannot really be considered a designer in the same way as Worth.  Indeed, before Worth, fashion was supplied by people who really were modistes and milliners, who did not initiate fashions in the same manner as Worth.

I will try to find some images of Worth creations from 1895-1914, bearing in mind that Worth himself died in 1895 and the business passed to his sons Gaston and Jean-Philippe, who, while they very much carried on the business in the tradition of their father, inevitably there were some changes.......

[The Last Empress]

Much more so than Mainbocher.

Charles Worth really is the father of haute couture; although Leroy was the famous male supplier of fashions to the courts of the Empresses Joséphine and Marie Louise, he cannot really be considered a designer in the same way as Worth.  Indeed, before Worth, fashion was supplied by people who really were modistes and milliners, who did not initiate fashions in the same manner as Worth.

I will try to find some images of Worth creations from 1895-1914, bearing in mind that Worth himself died in 1895 and the business passed to his sons Gaston and Jean-Philippe, who, while they very much carried on the business in the tradition of their father, inevitably there were some changes.......

There is a statement in Greg King's book The Last Empress, expressing that Alix order 50 gowns a season from Worth or Paquin of Paris.  This had to be after 1894 the year she married NII and probably stopped around 1914 due to the WW!.

New question:  Who is Paquin?

TampaBay

Madame Jeanne Paquin was a Parisian designer who trained at Maison Roeff, and opened her own couture house in 1891 right next to the House of Worth.  Actually, Paquin eventually purchased the House of Worth in 1954, but did not outlive it much longer, as the House of Paquin only contined into the later 1950's.  The designs put forward by Madam Paquin had a bit more of a modernistic feel.  I am not sure, but I believe that the "hobble skirt" derived from one of her designs.  Paquin is most noted for their Edwardian dresses.

Sincerely,
Tasha

p.s. Martyn, if you do not have pictures of the later Worth gowns, let me know... I think I may have some.  It just takes a bit for me to scan and upload them.

Evening gown from around 1910-12.

Black silk tulle (I think) over a lovely ivory satin embroidered with gold, and a rather extravagant muff.

The Worth toilette shows the 'Directoire' influence.....

A wedding gown, again from around 1910......

Embroidered tulle over satin; a very restrained and delicate toilette that any bride would be happy to wear.  I particularly love the fine sleeves and the embroidery......

Another lovely evening gown from around 1912.

In the form of a tunic style dress, this style very much harks back to the styles of the First Empire, with its flowing lines and very soft fabrics......

A complete departure.

A tailored costume from 1914-16, refecting the austerity of the era and the changing role of women in society.  This costume has a very masculine feel to it, demonstrating clearly the change of mood and the necessity of women to assume roles in the professional world in wartime.

According to Kitty Kelly's book "The Royals". Lord Louis Mountbatten commissioned Owen Hyde-Clark of the "House of Worth" to design a wedding dress for his daughter Pamela's wedding to David Hicks.  This was 1960.  Worth closed down years before 1960.  What gives?  Anyone have any further info?

TampaBay

Well, the House of Worth closed its doors in 1952, when Jean-Charles, Charles Frederick's great-grandson decided to retire.

Maybe someone bought the name, or maybe Kitty Kelley just got it wrong (wouldn't be the first time.... )?

The Worth house in Paris was sold to Paquin in 1954, but Worth in London continued as a wholesale couture house until the 1970s.  So it would have been perfectly possible for Pamela Mountbatten to have had her wedding dress made there.

Thanks very much for that information CountessKate....

'Wholesale couture'...sounds a bit downmarket to me....

 Fashion always has to have its spin - "inexpensive ladies' gowns for the mature, fuller figure" translates  to "cheap dresses for fat old women" and so "off the peg" becomes "wholesale couture".  Though I understand this is in fact a trade term.  

[all]

Fashion always has to have its spin - "inexpensive ladies' gowns for the mature, fuller figure" translates  to "cheap dresses for fat old women" and so "off the peg" becomes "wholesale couture".  Though I understand this is in fact a trade term.  

Oleg Cassini made all his money in "wholesale couture".  

TampaBay

Fashion always has to have its spin - "inexpensive ladies' gowns for the mature, fuller figure" translates  to "cheap dresses for fat old women" and so "off the peg" becomes "wholesale couture".  Though I understand this is in fact a trade term.  

I like that.  Next time that I buy something from Zara, I shall doubtless call it a purchase that was 'wholesale couture'.......

Zenaida's mother Princess Tatiana Alexandrovna wore a frothy Worth gown in her portrait by F X Winterhalter. Which was painted in 2 versions( with & without diadem and orders)and has been reproduced on the Youssoupoff thread several times...