History

Discover how Haute Couture was born and how, thereby, the history of contemporary fashion was written.

Charles Frederick Worth (1826 -1895) is considered the father of “Haute Couture”.

He was born in England, on the 13th October 1825, into a modest family. As a young man, he was taken on as an apprentice and employed by two textile vendors in London. Here, he acquired an in-depth knowledge of fabrics and of a couturier’s needs. He often visited the National Gallery as well as other exhibitions, where he studied historic portraits. In his latest designs, we would find elements inspired by these portraits.

Worth moved to Paris in 1845, where he found work at Gagelin, an important vendor of textiles, wraps and prêt-à-porter clothing. He became head seller and even opened a couture division: this was his first professional couture work.

His designs on display at universal exhibitions in London in 1851 and Paris in 1855 were rewarded with prizes that contributed to Gagelin’s reputation but also to that of Worth himself. He was thus able to found his own firm in 1858 at 7, rue de la Paix, with associate, Otto Bobergh. This was the birth of the couture house.

He launched his own collections, the designs of which were prepared in advance, and presented just one of each. His concept of design is different from that which exists today.

Before Worth, a couturier responded to the demands of his client; the client asked and the couturier executed this demand: he was an artisan.

Worth had autonomy in his design, he created new designs on his own inspiration, putting the artistic sense first: he was an artist.
The role of the customer was limited to choice of colour and fabric type. Collections changed regularly, opening the fashion cycle (Spring-Summer, Autumn-Winter).

Charles Frederick Worth created the Chmabre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and was innovative in the process of commercialisation and communications: before him, a couturier would communicate through fashion magazines or by sending dressed dolls in the post.

Worth invented the living model which he called the “sosie”. For this, he used his own wife, Marie Vernet Worth. He organised fashion shows and presented his creations thus. Worth would design and create all year long. He personalised the design for each customer. He would create a theme, then design several looks around this same theme.

He invented the character of a fashion designer. He had links with numerous artists. He worked closely with other artisans for shoes, bags, hats. He dominated a professional sector which rests upon the designer, the artisan and the couturier.

After Worth, others followed in the same direction the Gaillot sisters, Jean Patou, Paul Poiret, Madeleine Vionnet, Jeanne Lanvin, Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli, Cacharel, Balenciaga and Dior.

Followed in the 60s by Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, André Courrèges et Emmanuel Ungaro and later, Christian Lacroix, Jean-Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler…

Source Wikipédia