Worth: Father of Haute Couture

by Diana De Marly

Book by De Marly, Diana

Genres: Fashion, Nonfiction

253 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a biography of Englishman Charles Frederick Worth. Worth is considered the father of modern French Haute Couture but there are remarkably few books about him and his incredibly influential fashion house. This book explains that is partly because most of the records of his fashion house have been destroyed and until the 1880s, in order to stop pirating, Worth did not allow his gowns to be illustrated in the period fashion magazines.

Worth's designs were distinguished by their sheer quality and fit and simple luxury - his taste was considered impeccable and his prices were highest of any Paris dressmaker. Before Worth all dressmakers had been women and when this "man-milliner" was appointed dress maker to Empress Eugenie of France in 1860 it was considered something of a scandal that a man would be fitting garments so close to women's bodies. However, by the time of his death in 1895 every court and Empress in Europe routinely went to Worth to be dressed and his name and garments were a byword for both taste and elegance and the buyers wealth if they could afford his bills.

This book probably has as much about Worth as a person that you will find anywhere given how few original sources about his life are left. It also provides an excellent overview of social events and their impact on fashion in France in the 19th century. What the books lacks however is good quality illustrations of Worth's gowns. This is probably due to the period when the book was published and to keep the cost down (though copies of this book are very expensive now when bought second hand) but if you are doing research into 19th century fashion or the house of Worth then this book is still an essential read though you will probably want to look elsewhere for good pictures of his gowns.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

There isn't much information out there about Charles Frederick Worth, who in his day was about as famous as an ordinary man could be. Starting out as a shop assistant, he built up a business that brought in custom from literally everyone who was anyone. If you could afford a Worth gown, he'd dress you--although in later years you had to be royalty, pretty much, to merit attention from the man himself.

How did he do it? First, a quality product. Worth was simply good at making clothes that looked great. Apparently his taste was faulty when it came to everything else (his house in what was then the country sounds wonderfully vulgar) but when it came to clothes, he had a remarkable ability to get them right. Then, he innovated within the process, working out how to use standardized pattern pieces to make it possible to fabricate clothes at remarkable speed. Finally, he scaled up, employing 1,200 people to work day and night so that the House of Worth could cope with huge orders from royalty and other super-rich customers.

De Marly's writing style is a little loose, repetitive, and idiosyncratic at times, but overall this is a very readable book. If you're interested in 19th century fashion it's worth hunting down.

[Lowbrow]

A gushy biography, perhaps prone to exaggeration, but surprisingly readable. I’ve said it elsewhere, but the man’s life is basically a fairytale. I wonder how much this book down plays the value of the business management provided by his partners and oldest son, given the House employed 1200 staff, a real industrial scale enterprise.

As this is mostly text, I read it in conjunction with the Thames & Hudson ‘The House of Worth’ book, which is full of beautiful contemporary coloured photos of the 1800s preserved gowns. It was great having the two books to go through together.

[Kathryn Baron · Rating 2 out of 5]

All illustrations B&W