Evening dress
The House of Worth saw business decline in the early years of the twentieth century, as it lost favor among a younger clientele. The house began to advertise for the first time in the 1920s, calling attention not only to its distinguished heritage but also to its ability to create modern, youthful designs. This dress demonstrates designer Jean-Charles Worth’s talent for embracing a modern aesthetic and silhouette while honoring the tradition of refined workmanship on which the house had built its reputation. Composed of silk tulle, the gown is densely embroidered with silver glass bugle beads that extend into deep layers of fringe and are worked into intricate braids at the shoulders. That the dress has survived is remarkable, given the fragility of the materials used in its composition.
Artwork Details
- Title: Evening dress
- Design House: House of Worth (French, 1858–1956)
- Designer: Jean-Charles Worth (French, 1881–1962)
- Date: ca. 1931
- Culture: French
- Medium: silk, glass
- Credit Line: Purchase, Irene Lewisohn Bequest, 2013
- Object Number: 2013.625
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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Multiple artists/makers
1930–40
House of Worth
Charles Frederick Worth
ca. 1890
Multiple artists/makers
1890–98
House of Worth
Charles Frederick Worth
ca. 1889
House of Worth
Jean-Philippe Worth
1907
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