Background Worth here presents his take on the modern tailor-made suit by fusing its mannish jacket and matching contained skirt with the more feminine lines of a late-19th century gown. The slim upper skirt explodes at the hem into a cumbersome fullness. Description Jacket: Jacket and vest effect; below-hip length, fitted to waist; top-stitched pleats from waist to hem, mock jacket opening with curved pendants either side of center front; round, scalloped neck, taffeta edging extending into center back diamond-shaped appliqué; embroidered satin mock vest with round neck; full, double-box pleated sleeves, chevron-shaped top-stitching at elbow, curved wool and taffeta bands at wrist; top-stitched rose taffeta butterfly-shaped girdle; braid buttons on girdle and at wrists; applied tassels either side of center front; center front hook-and-eye closure; cream brocade lining. Skirt: Floor-length, gored, box pleats falling from hip darts, chevron topstitching at knee: vertical looped bands of taffeta applied knee to hem; taffeta underskirt, accordion-pleated dust ruffle. Garment structure The butterfly-shaped taffeta girdle is machine-stitched with multiple rows of topstitching and covers the waist seam; braid-covered buttons are sewn on the ends. The full sleeves are pleated into two box pleats at the cuffs. Each of the pleats is embellished with a machine stitched chevron design at the elbow. The flared and pleated skirt of thigh-length jacket is unlined; the bodice and sleeves are lined with cream brocade woven with a carnation pattern. The jacket’s flowing lines resolve into a flaring floor-length gored skirt. Echoing the details of the jacket, the skirt has chevron topstitching at the knee and bias strips applied from the knee to hem. The vertical bias trim has an oval above the same diamond shape used on the jacket back. The hem is topstitched by machine. The taffeta underskirt has an accordion-pleated dust ruffle. Gift of Mrs. Laurance Rockefeller, 1981.

Background In keeping with the design tradition of using the tea gown form as a vehicle for poetic imagery, this gown, designed for Mrs. Seth Low Pierrepont, is a picturesque medieval-style interpretation. The soft, organically derived tone of its velvet dramatically contrasts with the opulence of its gold lace. The very intricate padded, foliate-embroidery of its panels closely parallels the embroidery that was emblematic of Liberty of London, a leader in the design of clothing and artifacts of the Aesthetic movement. Description Dress: Princess line, floor-length; lace yoke, lace band collar; lace gigot sleeves, cuff ruffles, cord loop-and-button trim from elbow to wrist closure, cord tassels, cream chiffon undersleeve; skirt flat in front, full in back; bust-length gold lace tabard, silk tassels at sides. Vest: Below-knee length; open center front, closed at sides to waist, extending into four open square-end panels; collarless; extended shoulders; passementerie at all edges. Garment structure This medieval-style tea gown comprises a full-length dress with a lace yoke, banded stand collar and sleeves, a gold lace tabard, and passementerie –embellished tabard vest. The dress has an empire waist with full-length princess seaming. Machine-made Alençon-style lace is used on the yoke and collar. Metal stays are inserted into a narrow casing on each side of center front to prevent the collar from collapsing, Constructed of lace-over-chiffon, the gigot sleeves fasten at the wrist with cord-covered buttons and loops. The chiffon undersleeve is shorter than the lace outer layer, causing the shoulders to puff out without collapsing. Decorative gold corded balls and loops embellish the sleeves from the elbow to the wrist. The sleeves are trimmed with lace frills at the wrist and armhole. Worn by donor. Gift of Mrs. Seth Low Pierrepont, 1956.

Background Replacing the house’s signature heavy satins and silks with filmy chiffons, Maison Worth’s early 20th-century designs nod to the new, less restrictive silhouette popularized by Paul Poiret. This high-waisted, tubular evening dress incorporates the use of shimmering brilliants diffused through transparencies to emphasize its ethereal quality. Description Tubular, floor-length; empire waist; chiffon over lace at bust, V-neck, brilliant bands; elbow-length chiffon sleeves, shirred at inner elbow; satin skirt, embroidery at knee and hem, wide, draped satin waistband; chiffon overskirt, cutaway hem at front with tassels at hem center font and center back; satin train falling from waist, embroidered at hem; cluster of silk flowers at left bust. Garment structure Although the dress is not tightly corseted, it is supported by a boned corselet, which is sewn into the bodice and ends just below the natural waist. The predominantly satin skirt has embroidered bands of cornflowers at the knee and hem levels, with a double-layer of chiffon on the front overskirt. A single layer of chiffon with two wide lace ruffles spills from beneath the satin skirt back. Small lead weights are enclosed within the hem allowance to insure proper drape. The edges of the chiffon ruffles are finished with Worth’s distinctive selvage edge. The train is a separate panel falling from the raised waist, it partial conceals the petal pink bead and brilliant tassels. The shirring at the top is surmounted by two brilliant-set bands. The train also conceals the center back closure. Worn by the mother of the donor, Mrs. William Storrs Wells. Gift of Mrs. Harry T. Peters, 1956.

Background The early 20th-century repositioning of the natural waistline to raised position, prompted many couture houses to reference the Empire period. The courtly splendor of this gown evokes that of a Napoleonic spectacle. Here Worth transitions from the use of heavier tape laces to softer lace yardage, drawing upon two other house hallmarks to complete his decorative vocabulary: bowknots and highly refractive lead crystal brilliants. Description Floor-length with train; raised waist, boned; satin underdress with square neck; sleeveless; full skirt; applied bowknots at center front waist to hem; lace overdress with deep double ruffles at bust; square neck; elbow-length, full organza sleeves with underarm gathers; wired bowknots at neck and sleeves; taffeta sash; taffeta band at neck and shoulders crisscrossed with sash at back, center back bow with floor-length streamers. Garment structure The soft silhouette of this Alençon-style machine lace over satin evening gown belies its boned corselet and supporting taffeta substrate. The corselet laces at center back, is sleeveless with a square neckline banded in taffeta at the neck and shoulders, and has a raised waist. The lace overdress is joined to the satin underdress at the neck edge and waist. It has two wide lace ruffles at the neckline with elbow-length organza sleeves covered by a lace ruffle. The lace divides at the center below the raised waist to showcase a vertical row of brilliant bows. The lace of the skirt is cut to locate its scalloped edge at the hem. Applied scallops cut from additional yardage and applied to the split front opening edges. The two edges meet at the hem, the appliqué so skillfully executed that it is indistinguishable from the actual yardage hem. As the width of the lace was not long enough for a train, the scalloped edge of the lace hem is lapped over another lace section. The two sections are joined together by hand. Worn by mother of donor. Gift of Mrs. Harry T. Peters, 1956.

Background A newfound fascination with translucent overlays and scrimmed metallics provided Maison Worth with an unexplored array of optical effects. Executing the same formulaic design—tubular silhouette and a low-profile train—the gowns produced by the house prior to WWI varied primarily in trim and color. Examples frequently acknowledge the influence of the Ballets Russes and its exotic color palette. Description Semifitted, floor-length, short train; lightly boned bodice, raised waist; black net overdress with gold lace panels either side of center front and center back, V-shaped black net inset with applied brilliants in tiered fringe pattern center front hip to hem, applied brilliants in mock fringe pattern at shoulders; cream net over gold lamé underdress; square neck, V-shaped cream lace inset; short sleeves; scattered brilliants on bodice; velvet belt. Garment structure The boned bodice of the overdress is fabricated in black net and gold lace. The net extends to form short sleeves and brilliants are applied; at the shoulders in a mock fringe pattern. Gold lace is applied over the bust. The cream net over gold lame underdress has a square neckline with a V-shaped cream lace insert which fills the deep V of the bodice. Worn by Miss Lucy T. Aldrich. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Laurance S. Rockefeller, 1956.

Background This suit combines the uniformity of a tailor-made suit with the feminine formality frequently associated with 19th-century visiting ensembles. Its bird’s-eye patterned silk and soft tailoring departs from the more durable linens and wools that typically define such garments. Although nodding to the increased awareness on the part of high-end clientele of a fashion trend toward garments of more practical design, the sumptuous padded frog closures, silk fringe, and contrasting deep-shawl silk collar remain consistent with the Worth tradition of high aesthetic standards and couture workmanship. Description Jacket: Semi-fitted, hip-length, cutaway front; faille shawl collar, ribbon edging; long sleeves; faille turned-back cuffs, ribbon edging; center front interlaced frog closure. Skirt: Floor-length, full; three fringed self flounces curving from center front to back; left side, slot seam closure. Garment structure The jacket’s off-center placket is held in place by concealed hooks and eyes beneath the overlap, fastening with an oversized, self-covered button and interlaced frog-closure. The button is trimmed with braid. The satin edging on the collar is pleated on the underside in order to conform to the curved edge. The full-length skirt is trimmed with silk fringe with three flat flounces applied in a curved pattern, their apex at center front. It fastens at the left hip with hooks and eyes concealed by a slot seam. Worn by Lucy T. Aldrich. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Laurance S. Rockefeller, 1956.

Background Worth’s early 20th-century client sought less feminine, more streamlined daytime clothing that could address the needs of her increasingly active lifestyle. In response, the house incorporated textiles more traditionally associated with men’s attire into its vocabulary, cutting stylish suits of increasingly diminished volume. Such attire was ideal for use in a professional context and for travel as it required a minimum of maintenance and could be accessorized to alter its appearance. A modicum of Worth’s signature embellishment here remains, with the interjection of decorative silk braid used to offset the austerity of the suit’s silhouette. Description Jacket: Tubular, below-hip length, slightly flared from waist to hem; wide flat serge collar with pointed ends, pique turnover collar; long sleeves, gathered at shoulder and below elbow, semi-fitted from elbow to cuff; applied ribbon below elbow; angled center front closure; angled center back seam; applied braid at collar, sleeves, center front, and center back; black patent leather belt, round tortoise shell buckle at center front and center back. Skirt: Tubular, ankle-length underskirt, off-center mock wrap closure; slightly flared knee-length overskirt, applied braid, off-center mock button closure below-hip to hem. Garment structure This suit is beautifully proportioned, with its belted jacket and front-opening, double-tiered skirt. The skirt upper tier is embellished with soutache and the underskirt is unadorned. To reduce bulk at the waist, the concealed part of the underskirt is made of lightweight silk. As both skirts are unlined the method of soutache-application is apparent. The ends of small running stitches are hidden under the braid trim on the wrong side of the upper skirt. Made for opera singer Mme. Emma Eames. Gift of Miss Matilda Frelinghuysen, 1953.