A New Exhibition in Paris Tells the Story of the Founder of Haute Couture

The Metropolitan Museum of Art isn’t the one vacation spot for type historical past nowadays. While Dandyism and Black artistry are on show at The Met’s Costume Institute, over in Paris, the Petit Palais and Palais Galliera are becoming a member of forces for their very own ancient exhibition. Held on the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts, Worth: Inventing Haute Couture celebrates the fad space credited with now not simplest growing ornate garments to outfit one of the vital maximum vital girls of the 19th and 20th centuries, but in addition laying the principles of the fashionable type business.

Four hundred items are on show within the exhibition, which opens to the general public on May 7. Clothing, after all, is helping inform the tale of this ancient space—but in addition equipment, art work, and different gadgets. In addition to pulling from its personal archive, the Petit Palais borrowed from museums internationally, together with the Met and the Victoria & Albert Museum, which curated its personal display in 1958 to rejoice Worth’s centenary. Since then, alternatively, now not a lot fanfare has been paid to the House of Worth—particularly sudden bearing in mind the outsize footprint that founder Charles Frederick Worth and his descendants had at the business.

The exhibition explores the home’s historical past chronologically, starting with its founder, who used to be born in England in 1825. When he used to be 21, he moved to Paris and started running at House of Gagelin. Worth temporarily labored his manner up the ranks and, in 1958, opened his personal type space at 7 Rue de los angeles Paix in 1858. Initially, Worth collaborated with the Swedish businessman Otto Gustav Bobergh, and the home used to be referred to as Worth & Bobergh, however in 1870 the 2 males went their separate tactics and the latter title used to be dropped.

Success got here temporarily to Worth, who grew to be the go-to dressmaker for the imperial sect. Empress Eugénie, spouse of Napoleon III, ceaselessly wore his designs, as did outstanding girls all the way through the sector. In truth, lots of Worth’s designs are immortalized in portraits painted by way of the technology’s biggest artists, proving simply how extremely those girls appeared their Worth clothes. Despite their complex age, many designs from this era are miraculously on show within the exhibition, appearing off the magnificence and extravagance of Worth’s hand.

Moving ahead to the tip of the 19th century, the display follows Worth’s legacy after his demise in 1895, when his sons, Jean-Philippe and Gaston, took over the industry. Along with the clothes themselves, paperwork and pictures supply perception into the paintings being achieved inside of 7 Rue de los angeles Paix right now. The sons have been a hit in holding their father’s affect alive whilst adjusting silhouettes to check the converting instances. Continuing into the 1920s, a 3rd technology took over, Gaston’s sons Jean-Charles and Jacques, with the previous dealing with the inventive facet. Jean-Charles totally embraced modernity, generating coats, capes, and day clothes for Worth’s clientele. Everything, together with the night robes he designed, remained throughout the context of his grandfather’s storied opulence and “sumptuous character,” in keeping with one Vogue France author. Walking throughout the exhibition, one can revel in the silhouette slimming down, however the passementerie and gildings that outlined Worth models by no means falter.

And whilst Worth: Inventing Haute Couture may be very a lot concerning the garments, it’s additionally concerning the industry. Worth advanced a framework that formed the high fashion business. Prior to him, the dressmaker of a get dressed used to be now not thought to be. But upon the status quo of his personal space, everybody sought after a Worth get dressed. Notably, he used to be the primary dressmaker to label his clothes. He additionally presented the speculation of seasonal collections and type presentations, which at the moment are established portions of the business. Worth celebrates those inventions simply up to the breathtaking designs he produced.

Worth: Inventing Haute Couture is on show on the Petit Palais from May 7, 2025-September 7, 2025.