1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff you missed in History Class from house 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: stuff Works dot com. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. 3 00:00:13,119 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 1: I'm Fro and I'm Trace Phoebe Wilson. We get a 4 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,640 Speaker 1: lot of request to do more fashion related podcasts, uh 5 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,000 Speaker 1: and specifically the one that we're going to talk about today. Uh. 6 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 1: So this person set in motion, really the very concept 7 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,080 Speaker 1: of a design house and established many of the practices 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 1: that are standard business for designers today. I won't go 9 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: on a lot in the introduction because it all comes 10 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:38,440 Speaker 1: out in the story. Uh. This is a man who 11 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: ran the Paris fashion scene in the late eighteen hundreds. 12 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:45,600 Speaker 1: He really was sort of bizar of fashion for France 13 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:48,440 Speaker 1: at that point. He's featured all over our Pinter's board. 14 00:00:48,760 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: He is, in fact Charles Worth. Before we start, could 15 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: I just say, but I'm glad you're around to field 16 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 1: all these requests about fashion history, because if it were me, 17 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:00,160 Speaker 1: I would be like, once upon a time there was 18 00:01:00,160 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 1: a garment and it went on people's bodies, which strikes 19 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 1: me as hilarious because the first time I met you 20 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,200 Speaker 1: you were in a costume, So in my head you're 21 00:01:09,240 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 1: like a fashion nut like me. But the costume things 22 00:01:13,360 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 1: that can handle better than like the fashion things you know. 23 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 1: To me, they're all tied up together to get onto 24 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: the subject. Charles Frederick Worth was born October to William 25 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,920 Speaker 1: and Mary Anne Worth in Lincolnshire, England. The Worth family 26 00:01:31,959 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 1: at that point was really well off. William was one 27 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: of a long line of attorneys, but things didn't quite 28 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:42,479 Speaker 1: stay so rosy. Early on in Charles's life the tide 29 00:01:42,520 --> 00:01:46,039 Speaker 1: of affluence really shifted. His father was an alcoholic and 30 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,760 Speaker 1: basically squandered the family fortune, and when Charles was around eleven, 31 00:01:50,240 --> 00:01:54,200 Speaker 1: he lost everything to the combination of drinking gambling, and 32 00:01:54,240 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: as a consequence, both Marianne and young Charles suddenly kind 33 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,160 Speaker 1: of we're put in the position to have to support 34 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: the family. While his mother took on cleaning jobs to 35 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: make ends meet, Charles, who was just twelve, became a 36 00:02:07,560 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: printer's apprentice. Princing didn't really suit him, though, and after 37 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,200 Speaker 1: a year in that trade, he went to work as 38 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:17,280 Speaker 1: a bookkeeper for Swan and Edgar, which was a textile 39 00:02:17,320 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: firm in London. He later shifted to the silk merchant trade, 40 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: working for Lewis and Allenby, and he stayed with him 41 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: until eighteen forty five, when he was twenty years old, 42 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 1: and the entire time that Worth was working on the 43 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:34,799 Speaker 1: business side of the fabric industry, you know, doing bookkeeping 44 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:38,240 Speaker 1: and administrative tasks, he was taking in a lot more 45 00:02:38,320 --> 00:02:41,880 Speaker 1: than the bookkeeping. He was watching dressmakers and their fashionable 46 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:45,960 Speaker 1: clients select fabrics and choose designs, and he was learning 47 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,280 Speaker 1: as much as he could about textiles and the various 48 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:53,240 Speaker 1: qualities that separated luxury fabrics from more utility weaves. He 49 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:58,239 Speaker 1: went to art galleries and really vociferously studied the fashions 50 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: of eras as represent and it through art, and he 51 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: basically observed the entire world of contemporary fashion that was 52 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,280 Speaker 1: playing out in these fashions in these textile houses that 53 00:03:08,320 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 1: he was working in. By eighteen forty five, he felt 54 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:13,280 Speaker 1: like he was ready to move out of the record's 55 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:15,920 Speaker 1: office and into the actual world of fashion, so he 56 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: left his job at Louis and Allenby and moved to Paris. 57 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 1: His first job in France as a sales clerk at 58 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: Gaglon and Opeg was not only his first real step 59 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: into the fashion world, but it also proved to be 60 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,920 Speaker 1: a really personal turning point as well. It was there 61 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 1: at the fabric and accessories shop that he would meet 62 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: Marie Vernet, who sometimes modeled the shops goods, and Charles 63 00:03:40,320 --> 00:03:43,240 Speaker 1: and Marie fell in love. They got married in eighteen 64 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: fifty one, and she was still modeling accessories for the 65 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:50,040 Speaker 1: luxury shop at that point. After their marriage and Charles 66 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: kind of decided to put all of those years of 67 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: self directed study to work, so he started to design 68 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 1: and stitch gowns for her to wear while she was 69 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: modeling the accessories, like the high end shawls and leases 70 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 1: that the shop provided. This got the attention of several 71 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: of Caalon's customers who would ask about Marie's lovely garments. 72 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,720 Speaker 1: Worth saw potential market and started to pitch an idea 73 00:04:15,800 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 1: to his bosses. He would make gowns to sell alongside 74 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: the accessories that the shop was already well known for. 75 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:26,400 Speaker 1: In Worth's plan, the shop would provide the raw materials 76 00:04:26,440 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 1: and he would do all the work. Okay, So for context, 77 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: that may not sound particularly groundbreaking in the least to 78 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: you our listeners, but prior to this, there was really 79 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: no such thing as walking into a store and purchasing 80 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:44,360 Speaker 1: already made garment. So the idea of having a dress 81 00:04:44,839 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: look this dress is done, would you like to buy it? 82 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: Completely alien, everything was made to order at that point, 83 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:54,080 Speaker 1: so the idea of marketing a finished gown was frankly radical. 84 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,120 Speaker 1: It just no one had ever done it, and no 85 00:04:57,160 --> 00:05:00,960 Speaker 1: one at that point even really thought it could be done. 86 00:05:01,360 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 1: So this was before there was like uniformity of sizes. 87 00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: You couldn't walk in and say, hey, I'm a size 88 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,240 Speaker 1: eight or ten or twelve, what do you have? It 89 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:12,039 Speaker 1: was more like, here, my measurements make my outfit well, 90 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:18,320 Speaker 1: And there's also little uniformity of sizes now right well, 91 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 1: but there's more than they're used to be before um 92 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:26,120 Speaker 1: and prior to vanity sizing it was much more uniform. 93 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:30,119 Speaker 1: But unfortunately this grand idea of words was not met 94 00:05:30,160 --> 00:05:34,560 Speaker 1: with enthusiasm by And. But buoyed by the fact that 95 00:05:34,600 --> 00:05:38,320 Speaker 1: his dresses were quickly becoming the talk of fashionable circles, 96 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:42,080 Speaker 1: Worth eventually partnered with a Swedish man he met through 97 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:46,800 Speaker 1: his work. His name was Otto Beaubert was after a 98 00:05:46,880 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: decade of working for the accessory shop that Worth set 99 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:52,919 Speaker 1: up shop with his new partner and a few dozen 100 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:56,960 Speaker 1: staff members. So the business duo opened Worth in Beaubert 101 00:05:57,160 --> 00:05:59,840 Speaker 1: in rude la pay in the late eighteen fifties, and 102 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:03,520 Speaker 1: the start of Worth Shop wasn't really an instant success 103 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: you may have anticipated, like he's still groundbreaking and people 104 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,839 Speaker 1: already are talking about him. It didn't really take off 105 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 1: gangbusters like they had hoped. He had customers, but it 106 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,799 Speaker 1: just was not the blockbuster that he and Bobert had envisioned. 107 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 1: He knew he was going to have to reach out 108 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:21,280 Speaker 1: to prominent and stylish people to get them interested in 109 00:06:21,320 --> 00:06:25,679 Speaker 1: his clothes and build his reputation. So nowadays, for example, 110 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:28,479 Speaker 1: asking a celebrity who they're wearing is to regor on 111 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,560 Speaker 1: red carpets. But this was another concept that's pretty much 112 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 1: entirely worth doing. No one really talked about designers like 113 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,400 Speaker 1: they would certainly share, oh, I have a great dressmaker 114 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 1: you could use, But it wasn't like with that level 115 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: of um, you know, caschet attached to it where they 116 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 1: would be like, oh, this is the one Rosebert a 117 00:06:47,720 --> 00:06:49,240 Speaker 1: little bit and we'll talk about her again a little 118 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:53,360 Speaker 1: bit later, but just not not the thing to talk 119 00:06:53,400 --> 00:06:56,800 Speaker 1: about your designer. While out for a walk with Marie 120 00:06:56,880 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: one evening, Charles noticed the Princess Paul leaned the Metternich 121 00:07:01,120 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: of Vienna, and that was the wife of the Austrian 122 00:07:03,720 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: ambassador to Paris. She was traveling in her carriage on 123 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,600 Speaker 1: her way to be presented at court. He was impressed 124 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: with her demeanor and how she carried herself, and he 125 00:07:13,160 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 1: thought she could be the perfect ambassador for him among 126 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:20,000 Speaker 1: the royals and the wealthy, and within a few weeks 127 00:07:20,000 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 1: a meeting had been arranged, so he sent Marie to 128 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 1: present the princess with a book of fashion sketches that 129 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 1: her husband had done, and at that meeting, the princess 130 00:07:29,800 --> 00:07:32,600 Speaker 1: ordered two gowns. She paid only three hundred francs for each, 131 00:07:33,560 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: which was certainly not cheap, but for someone of her rank, 132 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,120 Speaker 1: it really was not a terrible expense, and she also 133 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: promised to wear one of them to an upcoming ball, 134 00:07:43,440 --> 00:07:45,760 Speaker 1: so she kind of was in on the plan from 135 00:07:45,800 --> 00:07:47,560 Speaker 1: the beginning of like, hey, it would be great if 136 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: you would wear our clothes and show them to your friends. 137 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: The dress was white tool with silver threading, and it 138 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 1: was embellised with daisies and diamonds, which just sounds happy 139 00:07:57,320 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 1: and sparkly to me. The ball was hosted by Napoleon 140 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 1: the Third and Empress Eugenie and Eugenie was a striking 141 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,880 Speaker 1: woman and arrived at the ball also in white tool 142 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: and she had this garland of fresh flowers in her 143 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: hair and a lavish spread of diamonds everywhere else. And 144 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:18,640 Speaker 1: while by all accounts the Empress was certainly the belle 145 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 1: of the ball, at anything you read about her, and 146 00:08:21,360 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: particularly about that evening, they talked about just how incredibly 147 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: luminous and beautiful she looked. Many people regarded her as 148 00:08:27,760 --> 00:08:29,640 Speaker 1: one of the most beautiful women of the day. But 149 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: she did indeed notice the gown that Princess Metternick was wearing, 150 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: and she actually inquired about it. And when the Princess 151 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: mentioned that it was made by an Englishman named Worth, uh, 152 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: and they discussed it briefly, the Empress then requested that 153 00:08:42,280 --> 00:08:46,480 Speaker 1: he come to visit her almost immediately the next day. 154 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:49,960 Speaker 1: And so with that, Charles Worth's career sort of took 155 00:08:49,960 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: off at a really dizzying speed. But before we get 156 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:55,400 Speaker 1: to that, do you want to take a word from 157 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: a sponsor. Yes, To get back to Charles Worth, he 158 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: really tended buck social conventions and to dress in a 159 00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: much more casual and eclectic way than you might expect 160 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,520 Speaker 1: for a gentleman of that time. And this was true 161 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:12,760 Speaker 1: when he went to Tulry to meet the Empress. You 162 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,920 Speaker 1: would expect a man to be or anyone really informal 163 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 1: dress on such an occasion, but he had on casual 164 00:09:19,840 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 1: clothing in a beret this uh and we'll talk about 165 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:26,480 Speaker 1: it a little bit more later, but he really seems 166 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,920 Speaker 1: like he was maybe the mold maker for the bohemian 167 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:36,040 Speaker 1: artiste designer that has really followed been followed by numerous people, 168 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,720 Speaker 1: uh since. And I have to wonder if they're aping Worth, 169 00:09:40,360 --> 00:09:44,160 Speaker 1: whether they consciously or unconsciously are doing so. You know, 170 00:09:44,200 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: anytime you sort of think of, um, those people that 171 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: sort of carry themselves with a little bit of pretense 172 00:09:49,640 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: and pretense and their artistes. I think Worth may have 173 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: been the genesis point of a lot of the stereotypes 174 00:09:57,960 --> 00:10:02,840 Speaker 1: that we have come up with around art. But his timing, 175 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: more importantly, when he met Princess Metternick had really been 176 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:09,880 Speaker 1: impeccable because he had managed to get his foot in 177 00:10:09,920 --> 00:10:12,600 Speaker 1: the door with the royal class at the same time 178 00:10:12,600 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: that Empress Eugenie, with Napoleon the Third's urging, was really 179 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: looking to up her game when it came to style 180 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,720 Speaker 1: and fashion. She wasn't unfashionable, and she had style, but 181 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,559 Speaker 1: she really was tended to be a little bit more 182 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: simple than than one would anticipate and what the people 183 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: tended to desire in the woman who sat at the 184 00:10:33,040 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: the highest position in France. So it was really in 185 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:39,679 Speaker 1: her best interest to cultivate a more stylish image. And 186 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:42,240 Speaker 1: so while she had a natural style and she was 187 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 1: by all accounts very elegant, she really needed someone to 188 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: shape her wardrobe worthy into one that would be worthy 189 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 1: of her station. And that is at the point where 190 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:57,200 Speaker 1: Charles Worth entered her dressing room. During that first meeting, 191 00:10:57,679 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 1: which was held in her dressing rooms, she ordered one 192 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:03,080 Speaker 1: evening dress from the designer, and that doesn't sound like 193 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:04,720 Speaker 1: a lot, but it would work out to be the 194 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:08,840 Speaker 1: first of many. Oh yes, he ended up basically providing 195 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:11,160 Speaker 1: all of her clothes as time went on, and in 196 00:11:11,200 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 1: addition to the wonderful timing of meeting Eugenie, just as 197 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: she was plotting a wardrobe overhaul, Worth was also inventing 198 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: the idea of a fashion designer. At the same time 199 00:11:21,360 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 1: that court functions really required multiple wardrobe changes each day, 200 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: and wearing the same dress twice was something of an 201 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: image suicide. There are in fact stories of Eugenie withdrawing 202 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:36,800 Speaker 1: invitations to people after they had appeared in court and 203 00:11:36,880 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: had not been stylish enough. So she then was like, hey, 204 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:42,680 Speaker 1: you know how I said come back next week. I 205 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:45,199 Speaker 1: didn't mean that I'm gonna withdraw that, And she was 206 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,360 Speaker 1: usually quite direct and said, like, you know, due to 207 00:11:47,600 --> 00:11:51,600 Speaker 1: clothing that was unbecoming. So basically at this point, as 208 00:11:51,640 --> 00:11:55,080 Speaker 1: he's getting there, Eugenie wants an overhaul. And for everyone 209 00:11:55,120 --> 00:11:59,480 Speaker 1: else kind of in the higher strata of social structure, 210 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:01,959 Speaker 1: if wanted to hang out at French Court, you really 211 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:06,360 Speaker 1: better have a closet full of incredibly sumptuous finery. And 212 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: once people knew that he was dressing the Empress, Worth 213 00:12:10,000 --> 00:12:13,800 Speaker 1: was in demand constantly morning and night. His popularity grew 214 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:16,600 Speaker 1: so quickly that the street outside of his shop was 215 00:12:16,640 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: said to be constantly clogged with carriages. The shop itself 216 00:12:20,720 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 1: was crowded with wealthy patrons who were there to socialize 217 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: and to be seen in the shop as well as 218 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: to actually order gowns. And for his part, Worth really 219 00:12:31,480 --> 00:12:37,280 Speaker 1: basked in the spotlight. Uh. He would entertain high profile customers, 220 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: you know, in a group he would sit there and 221 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:41,240 Speaker 1: chat with all the ladies, and he would he had 222 00:12:41,280 --> 00:12:46,000 Speaker 1: this habit that to me sounds so horrible, but I 223 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:48,560 Speaker 1: can see where it would appeal to the society. He 224 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,560 Speaker 1: would call one or another woman, like whoever he picked 225 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:54,439 Speaker 1: at any given moment, uh, in their little social circle 226 00:12:55,040 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 1: forward and then he would critique their ensemble head to two. 227 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 1: It's like, it's like, what not aware that? Yeah, I mean, 228 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 1: I presume if you were going to visit him, you 229 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: probably already tried to be turned out and look as 230 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 1: as good as you possibly could. But that sounds very 231 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: scary to me. Uh. And sometimes he would be very 232 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 1: um positive and say, oh, you look beautiful. You know 233 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:22,200 Speaker 1: this is all working. But he would also critique people 234 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:24,600 Speaker 1: and tell them like, your outfit is horrible and here's 235 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,319 Speaker 1: what needs fixing. And while you might think this kind 236 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:30,480 Speaker 1: of behavior could potentially drive customers away, it did not. 237 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,440 Speaker 1: It kind of upped his appeal. Uh. He ended up 238 00:13:33,480 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 1: designing not only for Empress Eugenie, but even the likes 239 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:40,640 Speaker 1: of Queen Victoria and Empress Elizabeth. He designed Elizabeth's coronation 240 00:13:40,679 --> 00:13:43,960 Speaker 1: gown when she became Queen of Hungary and so a 241 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:46,199 Speaker 1: high end gown from the House of Worth could run 242 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,440 Speaker 1: as much as ten thousand dollars, although there were customers 243 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: and clients that did not spend that much. Some would 244 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:53,720 Speaker 1: spend that much in a year, but some would drop 245 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: that much at a pop, and that's a lot when 246 00:13:55,600 --> 00:14:00,079 Speaker 1: you consider mid eighteen hundreds. Uh. Also part of his 247 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:06,079 Speaker 1: sort of uh mystique or his cultivated personality, Empress Eugenie 248 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:10,720 Speaker 1: would sometimes butt heads with him about how a garment 249 00:14:10,800 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 1: or a gown should be executed or what cloth should 250 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:16,440 Speaker 1: be used, but she basically always caved into what he 251 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:18,920 Speaker 1: wanted to do, which is saying a great deal about 252 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,280 Speaker 1: his power. Uh. You know, he basically is with the 253 00:14:22,320 --> 00:14:24,480 Speaker 1: most powerful woman in the country and going no, no, no, 254 00:14:24,520 --> 00:14:26,640 Speaker 1: you're wrong. Just let me do my thing, and she 255 00:14:26,680 --> 00:14:30,160 Speaker 1: would go okay. She ended up nicknaming him the Tyrant 256 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 1: of Fashion. By eighteen sixty four, so five years into 257 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 1: his creative relationship with the Empress, Worth had become the 258 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: official corturier of the French court, and it's estimated that 259 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 1: his fashion house was producing between ten thousand and eleven 260 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:48,840 Speaker 1: thousand pieces a year in gowns and outerwear to keep 261 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: the finest ladies in France outfitted in the latest styles. 262 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: So with that level of output, obviously he was not 263 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:00,400 Speaker 1: doing all the stitching himself. Uh. He maintained the tegrity 264 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:03,560 Speaker 1: of his brand though by just being a really conscientious manager. 265 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:07,360 Speaker 1: He held his garments to the highest quality standards. He 266 00:15:07,520 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 1: hired only the best seamstresses and dressmakers to execute his designs. 267 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:16,480 Speaker 1: One of the sort of signatures of his clothing was 268 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: that the interiors of the garment garments had to be 269 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: finished so well that they would rival the outside and 270 00:15:22,480 --> 00:15:26,720 Speaker 1: beauty like there was no ugly interiors. Everything was beautiful 271 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:31,320 Speaker 1: inside and out. He also used only the finest fabrics. 272 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 1: His textile choices could really make a year for a weaver. 273 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:38,720 Speaker 1: Leon had been known as a hub of really x 274 00:15:38,840 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 1: was exquisite silk and worth. Take advantage of having such 275 00:15:42,360 --> 00:15:46,800 Speaker 1: incredible fabrics so close by, and his adopted home country 276 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:50,360 Speaker 1: textile mills would send worth samples and the hopes of 277 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 1: getting a lucrative order out of it. Yeah he really 278 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 1: you know, his word was gold in terms of the 279 00:15:56,840 --> 00:16:00,360 Speaker 1: textile world. Like if he endorsed a particular or weaver, 280 00:16:01,160 --> 00:16:03,080 Speaker 1: whether or not he did a huge order for that year, 281 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:06,000 Speaker 1: they basically were going to do great for that year. 282 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,320 Speaker 1: Uh And as his fame and prestige grew, Worth, as 283 00:16:09,360 --> 00:16:11,880 Speaker 1: you may have surmised from our anecdote a few moments 284 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,080 Speaker 1: ago about how he would critique lead these outfits in 285 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:17,080 Speaker 1: front of their peers, could sometimes be a bit of 286 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:21,400 Speaker 1: a pill um. His mannerisms would sometimes come off as affected. 287 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:27,640 Speaker 1: He kind of really did cultivate this personality of being 288 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,680 Speaker 1: a colectic, being a little bit nutty. He would often 289 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: wear really colorful robes, and he always wore his signature 290 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:37,600 Speaker 1: black beret or a black skull cap. And at one 291 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 1: point he decided he was going to design his own 292 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,040 Speaker 1: coat of arms, which he did and had it worked 293 00:16:42,040 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 1: into the gates of his home. Uh And in some 294 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: ways he became almost as famous for his ego as 295 00:16:47,600 --> 00:16:51,240 Speaker 1: for his designing talent. But you know, none of that 296 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 1: ever seemed to distract people from thinking his work was amazing. 297 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,160 Speaker 1: And so things were going swimmingly for him, and he 298 00:16:58,240 --> 00:17:02,920 Speaker 1: was the darling of the French court until circumstances intervened. 299 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:07,320 Speaker 1: She will talk about after another brief break. So back 300 00:17:07,320 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: to Charles Worth during the Franco Prussian War of eighteen 301 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,760 Speaker 1: seventy the House of Worth, like many high end businesses 302 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:18,679 Speaker 1: in France, closed temporarily. Charles's greatest benefactor, of the Empress Eugenie, 303 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 1: was forced into exile, and the Rue de la Pay, 304 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,600 Speaker 1: home of the House of Worth, actually became a hospital 305 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:28,840 Speaker 1: for injured French soldiers during the fighting. But once the 306 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,520 Speaker 1: conflict had ended and the dust had settled, the House 307 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:36,840 Speaker 1: of Worth reopened, surprisingly to even greater success. Although Otto 308 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,320 Speaker 1: Boubat was no longer part of the business, he had 309 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: been uneasy about setting the shop up again after their 310 00:17:42,840 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: first Their first venture was so abruptly cut short due 311 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 1: to the political climate, so Worth brought bought out his 312 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 1: share of the empire for one point five million francs, 313 00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:57,639 Speaker 1: and while most of his French clients were gone, he 314 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: still had plenty of wealthy fans from the United States 315 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:04,320 Speaker 1: and Europe who were happy to order downs. So business 316 00:18:04,359 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: was really booming, even though the climate was so much different. 317 00:18:07,960 --> 00:18:10,560 Speaker 1: So much though, that the tiny shop that started with 318 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:13,840 Speaker 1: just fifty employees wound up swelling to a staff of 319 00:18:13,920 --> 00:18:17,600 Speaker 1: more than a thousand. Yeah. He, I mean, we we've 320 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 1: heard it so many times before when we've talked about 321 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:24,360 Speaker 1: design houses or you know, people that uh make their 322 00:18:24,359 --> 00:18:28,680 Speaker 1: living in sort of extravagant arenas that something will happen 323 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:30,679 Speaker 1: like a war and they never quite recover. But in 324 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: fact he's sort of the exception that proves the rule. 325 00:18:32,800 --> 00:18:36,520 Speaker 1: He did great after the war, However, as his career 326 00:18:36,560 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 1: stretched into the eighteen eighties, his cachet started to ebb. 327 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:46,359 Speaker 1: When the groundbreaking down maker died in five he had 328 00:18:46,400 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 1: really already been eclipsed by the next generation of designers, 329 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:53,120 Speaker 1: including Pekka and Say. Of course, there would have been 330 00:18:53,119 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: no next generation of designers if Worth had not paved 331 00:18:56,400 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 1: the way. When Charles Worth died, his son's guested and 332 00:19:00,480 --> 00:19:03,480 Speaker 1: Jean Philippe inherited the family business, and that worked out 333 00:19:03,520 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 1: really well for a lot of years. Gaston handled the 334 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,680 Speaker 1: business side of things, while Jean Philipe did all the designing. 335 00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 1: Through the years, other family members also worked at the 336 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:17,920 Speaker 1: fashion house that was started by Charles Worth. However, eventually 337 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:20,679 Speaker 1: there was the anti corset movement and a trend towards 338 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:25,120 Speaker 1: simpler lines, and those were led by previous podcast subject 339 00:19:25,160 --> 00:19:28,159 Speaker 1: Paul Pore. As that all took hold, the House of 340 00:19:28,200 --> 00:19:31,760 Speaker 1: Worth found its business slowly dwindling year by year, and 341 00:19:31,840 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 1: it finally closed up shop for the last time in 342 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:38,439 Speaker 1: nineteen fifty six. But I think to really understand the 343 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:43,000 Speaker 1: importance of Charlesworth's stature in fashion history, we have to 344 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 1: look at some of the genuinely revolutionary ideas that he introduced. 345 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:50,360 Speaker 1: And we'll start with one that did not stick around, 346 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:53,720 Speaker 1: but it completely defined Victorian fashion for a lot of people, 347 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: and that is the bustle. So over time he evolved 348 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:02,040 Speaker 1: the crinoline, so the wide bot dresses into a partial 349 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,560 Speaker 1: crinoline which stuck out behind a lady, so it gave 350 00:20:04,600 --> 00:20:08,200 Speaker 1: her kind of a large rump shape and projected beyond that, 351 00:20:08,560 --> 00:20:11,000 Speaker 1: while the front of her silhouette remained narrow for the 352 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 1: most part. And when people today think of Victorian fashion, 353 00:20:14,359 --> 00:20:17,800 Speaker 1: it is usually the bustle that springs to mind in 354 00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:19,959 Speaker 1: the silhouettes, like they'll go of course it and then 355 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:22,719 Speaker 1: bustle is usually second. And that's all because of Worth. 356 00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:26,920 Speaker 1: And just for the record, I love bustle gowns. I love, love, 357 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 1: love bustle gowns. I have several, you know at the 358 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:31,919 Speaker 1: at the top of the episode where I was like, 359 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:34,479 Speaker 1: it's a garment and it goes on your body. I 360 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:38,760 Speaker 1: also love bustles. Uh, And part of that is because 361 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: of a costume class that I took that was all 362 00:20:40,840 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: about draping bustles and different shapes that you could get 363 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:48,119 Speaker 1: with different bustle drapes. I love. I know, to the 364 00:20:48,160 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 1: modern eye and people that are not into historical fashion, 365 00:20:50,560 --> 00:20:54,000 Speaker 1: they look ridiculous. I just love that silhouette. I can't 366 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:57,320 Speaker 1: even describe why it looks beautiful. It's super fun to 367 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,600 Speaker 1: wear well. And to be fair, there people who thought 368 00:21:00,640 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: it was ridiculous that at the time. I remember editorial 369 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:06,440 Speaker 1: cartoons that were like Lady with a snail attached to 370 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 1: the back of her body. So other dressmakers were often 371 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:16,120 Speaker 1: dubious of new technology, but Worth really embraced the sewing 372 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:20,920 Speaker 1: machine as a way to expedite production without sacrificing quality, 373 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 1: and he also used manufactured trends on his garments before 374 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:29,000 Speaker 1: people widely accepted that either. Yeah, he was just ahead 375 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: of his time in all in his visions for fashion 376 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: and in another completely new approach to fashion. Remember, prior 377 00:21:38,240 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: to this time, all pretty much all garments were made 378 00:21:41,280 --> 00:21:45,159 Speaker 1: to order, specifically for the wearer. But Worth would often 379 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 1: sell his original garments that he had made to foreign buyers, 380 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:52,560 Speaker 1: and he would also sell rights to copy and distribute 381 00:21:52,560 --> 00:21:56,080 Speaker 1: it as you know, the recreated style. So basically he 382 00:21:56,119 --> 00:21:59,919 Speaker 1: was selling the rights to make copies. So design licensing 383 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: was born with him, and on a related business model, 384 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:05,879 Speaker 1: he would actually make ready to wear gowns to sell 385 00:22:05,920 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: to department stores abroad. Department stores were a completely new concept, 386 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 1: so you know, the idea that he was like, yeah, 387 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:15,159 Speaker 1: I'll get in on this and willing to take this 388 00:22:15,320 --> 00:22:20,119 Speaker 1: risk and sell to them was really huge. So despite 389 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:23,439 Speaker 1: being the designer of really lavish gowns for the elite 390 00:22:23,520 --> 00:22:26,880 Speaker 1: ladies of France, Charles Worth was also the first designer 391 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 1: to really turn a practical eye to the length of 392 00:22:29,359 --> 00:22:33,479 Speaker 1: ladies gowns. During this time, the hymns of Victorian gowns 393 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 1: were just notorious for dragging on the ground and getting 394 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 1: completely filthy anytime there was dampness or mud, and Worth 395 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:44,040 Speaker 1: thought this was really a pity, so he shortened the 396 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:46,439 Speaker 1: hymns of day gowns to create what came to be 397 00:22:46,480 --> 00:22:49,760 Speaker 1: known as the walking skirt. And these carts really weren't 398 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: all that short, but it was enough to stay lifted 399 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: off the ground while still offering kind of a head 400 00:22:54,480 --> 00:22:58,480 Speaker 1: to toe appearance. And just in case we were not 401 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 1: entirely clear. Those were like the day gowns for evening 402 00:23:01,600 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: where it still was full length, but forgetting about town 403 00:23:04,560 --> 00:23:08,080 Speaker 1: and running your errands and going calling, you could actually, 404 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:12,439 Speaker 1: you know, stroll about without getting too mucky. Uh. And 405 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 1: the House of Worth and Bober is widely considered to 406 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:18,200 Speaker 1: have been the first true fashion house, and it straddled 407 00:23:18,240 --> 00:23:20,520 Speaker 1: the line between being open to the public and also 408 00:23:20,560 --> 00:23:24,760 Speaker 1: being very exclusive. So upon entry, customers were greeted by 409 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:29,160 Speaker 1: gentlemen and fine attire. The shop was decorated really sumptuously 410 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:33,320 Speaker 1: and beautifully, and then these customers would be brought to 411 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 1: one of the shops salons to see either a presentation 412 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: of available gowns. They could also go to a different 413 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,359 Speaker 1: salon of view fabric samples and design sketches, or they 414 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:44,719 Speaker 1: could go in this room to try on outfits that 415 00:23:44,800 --> 00:23:48,320 Speaker 1: had um the specialty lighting designed for it. It was 416 00:23:48,359 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: slightly dimmed, and it was meant to mimic the lighting 417 00:23:51,119 --> 00:23:53,400 Speaker 1: that they would most commonly find at like a ball 418 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: or another formal event. Before Worth, no one had ever 419 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:00,480 Speaker 1: thought to create a whole series of garment to then 420 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:03,320 Speaker 1: present together as a fashion show, so the concept of 421 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:07,240 Speaker 1: a collection was another one of his innovations. Now there's 422 00:24:07,280 --> 00:24:11,119 Speaker 1: this whole industry and culture around seasonal showings of different 423 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:15,440 Speaker 1: designers and that really started with Charles Worth. Yeah when 424 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: you if anybody watched his Project Runway and they all 425 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,960 Speaker 1: talk about going to fashion Week, and like, fashion Week 426 00:24:20,960 --> 00:24:23,919 Speaker 1: would not have existed in the form it was today 427 00:24:23,960 --> 00:24:26,119 Speaker 1: had Charles Worth not been like, here's what I'm gonna do. 428 00:24:26,119 --> 00:24:28,439 Speaker 1: I'm gonna put together a bunch of beautiful outfits. I'm 429 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:30,080 Speaker 1: gonna put on a little show and then people can 430 00:24:30,160 --> 00:24:32,800 Speaker 1: order them. That's how it still works today, and it's 431 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 1: all because he did this. So because he was the 432 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 1: first designer to offer a collection and market ready to 433 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:42,120 Speaker 1: wear gowns and produce a large volume of garments each year. 434 00:24:42,960 --> 00:24:45,800 Speaker 1: It's also probably no surprise that he is the one 435 00:24:45,840 --> 00:24:49,080 Speaker 1: that came up with the idea of standardized patterns uh 436 00:24:49,119 --> 00:24:52,440 Speaker 1: and this still holds today to some degree. Worth and 437 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,240 Speaker 1: his dressmakers and drapers developed a series of pattern slopers. 438 00:24:56,240 --> 00:24:58,399 Speaker 1: So to oversimplify what a sloper is, it's like a 439 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: basic block pattern that can then be modified. And these 440 00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:06,639 Speaker 1: pattern pieces would work interchangeably with one another, so any 441 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: sleeve or caller in the collection could be used on 442 00:25:09,359 --> 00:25:12,640 Speaker 1: any bodice in the collection, and it really just streamlined 443 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: the whole process of manufacturing these garments but still maintaining 444 00:25:17,280 --> 00:25:20,240 Speaker 1: a really high level of quality. So the idea of 445 00:25:20,280 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 1: adding a signature to a garment the way a painter 446 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:25,439 Speaker 1: would sign a piece of art was really unheard of 447 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:29,440 Speaker 1: until Charles Worth you started doing exactly that with labels, 448 00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:32,479 Speaker 1: and prior to him, the idea of telling someone who 449 00:25:32,560 --> 00:25:35,399 Speaker 1: you were wearing would have been really odd. Would have 450 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:37,440 Speaker 1: been sort of like telling someone the name of your 451 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: maid if they said that your home looked very nice. Uh. 452 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:46,520 Speaker 1: But the label became sort of a status symbol. And 453 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: some of this, of course, is also tied to industrialization. 454 00:25:50,200 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 1: So to make a comparison to our Marie Antoinette episode 455 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,720 Speaker 1: in rose Bertina, uh ladies, in Marie Antoinette era would 456 00:25:57,760 --> 00:26:00,520 Speaker 1: never have said, oh, I'm wearing Rose Bertin in quite 457 00:26:00,560 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: the same way that someone would say, oh, I'm wearing 458 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 1: a worth. But part of that was due to the 459 00:26:04,760 --> 00:26:08,160 Speaker 1: fact that, you know, if Rose bertem made or embellished 460 00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:10,720 Speaker 1: address for someone, everyone already knew it. She was sort 461 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:16,879 Speaker 1: of so um able to be really choosy in her clients, 462 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 1: you know, she really only serviced people of the French court. 463 00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 1: Worth certainly serviced the French court, but he also, like 464 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 1: we said, was open to the public, so uh. And 465 00:26:28,480 --> 00:26:32,119 Speaker 1: he was also working in a time when the garment 466 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:36,160 Speaker 1: industry was diversifying that there were more choices for consumers. 467 00:26:36,680 --> 00:26:39,880 Speaker 1: Industrialization was allowing a lot more garment houses to open 468 00:26:39,960 --> 00:26:42,840 Speaker 1: up that weren't necessarily design houses but just produced clothing. 469 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:46,440 Speaker 1: And also because he licensed things, there were also copycats 470 00:26:47,160 --> 00:26:49,320 Speaker 1: that were not licensed that we're starting to crop up. 471 00:26:49,320 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: So wearing an original Worth did indeed have clout. In 472 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:57,000 Speaker 1: eighteen sixty eight, Charles Worth established the official classification of 473 00:26:57,000 --> 00:27:00,520 Speaker 1: ead couture and to be able to claim stas as 474 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 1: an oada to your house, a designer had to be 475 00:27:03,520 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: recognized as such by a division of the French Ministry 476 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:14,480 Speaker 1: of Industry known as the shamp Syndicale. Worth established both 477 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:17,960 Speaker 1: the chambre and the requirements that a design house had 478 00:27:18,000 --> 00:27:20,800 Speaker 1: to meet in order to earn this honor. So to 479 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:25,239 Speaker 1: qualify a designer of hand finished custom made clothing had 480 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:28,760 Speaker 1: to employ at least twenty artisans in a laboratory environment 481 00:27:29,400 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 1: and show a minimum number of new designs every year. Additionally, 482 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: there were strangent technical and creative standards, and the list 483 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 1: of designers allowed to use this label still exists. It's 484 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:43,520 Speaker 1: reviewed every year. Then usually there are only about a 485 00:27:43,560 --> 00:27:46,600 Speaker 1: dozen houses that are on the list at any given time. 486 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:49,480 Speaker 1: It's a phrase that's kind of lost a lot of 487 00:27:49,480 --> 00:27:53,480 Speaker 1: its meaning in the modern vernacular, but it really represents 488 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 1: the absolute highest level of excellence from both a design 489 00:27:57,320 --> 00:28:01,919 Speaker 1: and an execution standpoint for garments. Yeah, it's one of 490 00:28:01,920 --> 00:28:07,520 Speaker 1: those things you'll see people talking about couture and mentioning 491 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:12,480 Speaker 1: oat couture. It's but it's it's really much more specific 492 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:16,240 Speaker 1: than I think people realize because again, like you can't 493 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:19,400 Speaker 1: say most designers are okatur like you, Jean Paul Gautier 494 00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:25,240 Speaker 1: is an officially recognized Oka Tour designer, but most designers 495 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 1: are not. Again, this is a very short list, uh, 496 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:32,160 Speaker 1: and it really does represent an extremely high standard. There 497 00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:33,639 Speaker 1: was a video and I'll try to find it so 498 00:28:33,680 --> 00:28:35,520 Speaker 1: we can put it in the show notes. That is 499 00:28:35,560 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 1: not particularly historical, but it is a video of of 500 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 1: sort of what goes into a modern ocatur gown, and 501 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,600 Speaker 1: you see all of the hours of painstaking labor that 502 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:48,880 Speaker 1: really really technically skilled stitchers and artisans go through to 503 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: apply embellishment and make sure every scene is perfect, and 504 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:55,760 Speaker 1: every scene again the inside is just as beautiful as 505 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,480 Speaker 1: the outside. Uh So, it really is quite a high 506 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:02,320 Speaker 1: honor and quite a level of excellence that's associated with 507 00:29:02,360 --> 00:29:05,520 Speaker 1: that term, Whereas you will hear it mentioned on television 508 00:29:05,560 --> 00:29:08,560 Speaker 1: and film all the time, and it's not really exactly 509 00:29:08,560 --> 00:29:10,960 Speaker 1: the correct usage of it. I mean, I used the 510 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:14,040 Speaker 1: sloppy usage as well. I'm not judging anybody, but just 511 00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:17,600 Speaker 1: for clarity, that's the scoop without couture. Do you also 512 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:21,080 Speaker 1: have listener mails? Since we were talking about beautiful things today, 513 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:22,960 Speaker 1: I thought I would talk about a few of the 514 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:26,720 Speaker 1: beautiful postcards that we have gotten from listeners. I won't 515 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:28,560 Speaker 1: read all of the postcards, but I will describe them 516 00:29:28,600 --> 00:29:31,520 Speaker 1: and talk about who they're from. The first one is 517 00:29:31,560 --> 00:29:35,560 Speaker 1: from our listener Jackie, and it is the Red Room. 518 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,080 Speaker 1: This is in the House on the Rock, which is 519 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:42,920 Speaker 1: in Wisconsin actually, but it is phenomenal and I kind 520 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:45,360 Speaker 1: of think we should start putting scans or at least 521 00:29:45,360 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 1: photographs of some of these really amazing postcards on our 522 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 1: Facebook page. Maybe. Uh And she just does wrote us 523 00:29:52,440 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 1: a cute little note. But it's a beautiful, gorgeous picture 524 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:59,880 Speaker 1: of this incredibly sumptuously appointed room. I can't even just 525 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:01,680 Speaker 1: scribe all of the things that are in it. Their 526 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:07,440 Speaker 1: string instruments, there are some lovely taxidermy, there's some beautiful 527 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: ornate guilted furniture. It's just amazing. It's gorgeous. Uh. My 528 00:30:13,760 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: next postcard is from our listener, Lieutenant Jessica. She talked 529 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 1: about how she was introduced to the podcast by her 530 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:25,000 Speaker 1: sister and how she is currently in Japan and she 531 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,680 Speaker 1: stayed entertained on the long flight and on some of 532 00:30:27,680 --> 00:30:30,560 Speaker 1: the bullet train rides listening to podcasts, and she sent 533 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:35,920 Speaker 1: us a really really beautiful postcard of mischievous kiddies and kimono. 534 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:39,520 Speaker 1: And it's absolutely darling. It's an old woodblock and I 535 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:43,880 Speaker 1: love it so much. I can't even describe it. And 536 00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:46,160 Speaker 1: then again, I want to really put these up because 537 00:30:46,160 --> 00:30:49,960 Speaker 1: they're so beautiful. So and this last one, I when 538 00:30:49,960 --> 00:30:52,520 Speaker 1: I got it, I gasped because I love it so much. 539 00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,080 Speaker 1: It is from our listener, Jesse and it is a 540 00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:59,400 Speaker 1: silk screen illustration of uh Elsa Lanchester is the Brida 541 00:30:59,440 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: Frankenstein that she did and it is absolutely gorgeous. I 542 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:05,240 Speaker 1: may frame it. And she went back and listened to 543 00:31:05,280 --> 00:31:08,360 Speaker 1: the Elsa episodes after we did the Bella Lagosi episodes, 544 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:11,440 Speaker 1: so she was in the in the mood as we 545 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:13,560 Speaker 1: did our Halloween stuff. She, for the record, is in 546 00:31:13,600 --> 00:31:16,000 Speaker 1: the Spanish Dracula camp. We talked about in the Bella 547 00:31:16,080 --> 00:31:19,840 Speaker 1: episodes that they had simultaneously filmed a second version of 548 00:31:19,920 --> 00:31:23,080 Speaker 1: Dracula in Spanish at night after the main production would 549 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 1: rap for the day. And how there are some film 550 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 1: historians today who think that the Spanish version is actually 551 00:31:27,880 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 1: Abotter film. Apparently Jesse is in that camp. So thank 552 00:31:31,280 --> 00:31:32,920 Speaker 1: you so much for all of our listeners that send 553 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:34,640 Speaker 1: us postcards. I do want to try to figure out 554 00:31:34,680 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: away time permitting, which is always the challenge, to get 555 00:31:37,960 --> 00:31:40,440 Speaker 1: some of these really beautiful ones up on our Facebook 556 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 1: page or elsewhere, just so people can also enjoy the 557 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:44,840 Speaker 1: cool stuff that you guys are sending us. I love 558 00:31:44,840 --> 00:31:47,400 Speaker 1: it so much, so thank you. If you would like 559 00:31:47,480 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 1: to write to us, really, the best way to get 560 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:51,800 Speaker 1: your stuff seen if you want us to address the 561 00:31:51,800 --> 00:31:54,560 Speaker 1: thing is via our email, which is history podcast. At 562 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: how stuff Works dot com. You can also connect with 563 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:00,320 Speaker 1: us at Facebook dot com, slash missed in History at 564 00:32:00,360 --> 00:32:03,160 Speaker 1: missed in History on Twitter, missed in History dot tumbler 565 00:32:03,200 --> 00:32:06,320 Speaker 1: dot com, pinterest dot com slash missed in History. I 566 00:32:06,360 --> 00:32:08,680 Speaker 1: cannot wait to pin a bunch of Worth gowns. There 567 00:32:08,720 --> 00:32:12,320 Speaker 1: are already a bunch up there in our historic fashion board. 568 00:32:12,520 --> 00:32:15,440 Speaker 1: And you can also visit missed in History dot spreadshirt 569 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:19,840 Speaker 1: dot com where you can get t shirts, bags, mugs 570 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 1: for your warm coffee that you will need this winter, 571 00:32:22,600 --> 00:32:26,080 Speaker 1: hoodies so will also keep you toasty, etcetera. Uh. If 572 00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:28,000 Speaker 1: you would like to learn a little bit related to 573 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 1: what we talked about today, if you go to our 574 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:31,760 Speaker 1: parents site how Stuff Works, and you type in Charles 575 00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:33,959 Speaker 1: Worth's name in the search bar, you will get an 576 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,480 Speaker 1: article called how French Traditions Work, and one page of 577 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,760 Speaker 1: it does talk about fashion and how It mentioned briefly 578 00:32:39,760 --> 00:32:42,560 Speaker 1: how Charles Worth, even though he was originally an Englishman, 579 00:32:42,600 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 1: he really sort of associated himself with France for the 580 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:48,360 Speaker 1: entirety of his career, so France sort of claims him 581 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,440 Speaker 1: as their's and he's mentioned in that article. You can 582 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:55,640 Speaker 1: also visit our history website missed in History dot com 583 00:32:55,680 --> 00:32:58,760 Speaker 1: if you would like to look at our entire archive 584 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:02,360 Speaker 1: of episodes at show notes. Tracy has written a wonderful 585 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 1: blog post on how to find any back episodes if 586 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 1: you have a subject you're interested in and want to 587 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: know if we did it. We used to try to 588 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 1: search for things and and send them people's way when 589 00:33:11,080 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 1: they inquired about topics that we had already done. But 590 00:33:13,720 --> 00:33:17,000 Speaker 1: the volume of mail and Facebook notes about that is 591 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:18,719 Speaker 1: getting to be a little bit more than we can 592 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:22,960 Speaker 1: possibly humanly keep up with. So read Tracy's fabulous blog 593 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:24,760 Speaker 1: posts and you will know how to do that yourself. 594 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:27,200 Speaker 1: Uh And if you would like to learn about almost 595 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:29,479 Speaker 1: anything your mind can contrary, you can do that at 596 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:31,920 Speaker 1: our parent site, how stuff Works dot com, or visit 597 00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:38,320 Speaker 1: us at mr history dot com for more on this 598 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:41,040 Speaker 1: and thousands of other topics. Because it has to works 599 00:33:41,040 --> 00:33:53,680 Speaker 1: dot com