UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

The Corresponence of James McNeil Whistler

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Charles Frederick Worth, 1825-1895

Nationality: English
Date of Birth: 1825
Place of Birth: Bourn, Lincolnshire
Date of Death: 1895
Place of Death:

Identity:

Charles Frederick Worth was a fashion designer and founder of the House of Worth.

Life:

Worth originated the idea of haute couture design and was celebrated for his crinolined gowns during the Second Empire period in France. He also introduced the bustle which dominated women's fashion during the 1870s and 1880s. He was patronised by the wealthy and famous of the day, led by Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III.

Bibliography:

de Marly, D., Worth: Father of Haute Couture, London, 1980; MacDonald, Margaret F. et al, Whistler, Women and Fashion, New Haven and London, 2003.