immediately. She was also amazed that Worth required only one fitting to
make the dress instead of the standard six fittings and was even more aston-
ished with the results. She wore one of Worth’s dresses to a ball and Empress
Eugenie took notice. When the Empress enquired about the couturier, she was
once again told that it was Charles Worth, the Englishman. This time, she sent
for Worth at once. Worth & Bobergh thus became the official dressmakers of
the Empress in 1860, two years after starting their business.
Since Empress Eugenie was the most fashionable and influential woman
in Europe, all the royalties and aristocrats copied her style and sought her
dressmakers. Within one year, Worth & Bobergh had clients across Europe
and as far away as New York. Their client list consisted of the ‘who’s who’
of royalty, fashion and society, including Queen Victoria of England. Their
influence escalated in such a short time that Worth in particular became a
personal clothes consultant to the Empress while other royals and nobles
across Europe scrambled to be on his client list.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, Worth’s fashion credibility
and authority became established and he rose to become the dominant figure
in French and global fashion. His astute business sense and innovative spirit
led him to revolutionalize the fashion industry, changing the simple function
of dressmaking to become the art of haute couture. He also introduced the use
of human models to showcase his designs, instead of the standard wooden
busts. He organized private shows of his designs to clients, shop buyers and
textile manufacturers, establishing the practice of fashion shows and private
shopping. He was also the first couturier to have a seasonal collection and
eventually became the first fashion business tycoon. Instead of going to his
wealthy clients for fittings, he compelled them to come to his store, with the
exception of Empress Eugenie. No one was too important for him and he soon
became the most expensive couturier in the world. By 1864, he had over
1,000 seamstresses working for him.
During the early years of success, Worth’s wife played a key role as both
the model of his creations and the public face of Worth & Bobergh. In the
current luxury fashion environment, her title would have been ‘Brand
Ambassador’. She regularly attended high society events where she modelled
her husband’s creations and created awareness for his business. In the
process, she also became a fashion force in her own right.
The business of Worth & Bobergh, however, experienced a set-back
through the negative impact of the French political crisis and war that
preceded the end of Napoleon’s reign. The unstable social environment
forced Worth & Bobergh’s clients, who were mainly royals and aristocrats, to
minimize their fashion consumption. Otto Bobergh, sensing gloomy years
ahead, requested to dissolve the partnership and share their profits; he left the
business and Worth found himself alone. Later, during the war, Worth was
forced to close down his store.54
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