Charles Frederick Worth: 6 Fascinating Curiosities About the Father of Fashion (Part 1)

Hi everyone! So there's this amazing Worth exhibition happening in Paris right now (don't miss it if you can, it lasts until 7 September at Petit Palais), and unfortunately I haven't been able to make it there yet. But since I've been following the buzz around it, I thought this would be the perfect time to share some of the most fascinating curiosities I've collected over the years about Charles Frederick Worth.

1. The Secret Pricing Code 

Worth, aided by his son Gaston who was a gifted manager, created an ingenious coding system for garment prices that kept costs hidden from clients and that remained in use for many years. The system was so effective that even Louis Cartier borrowed the idea for his jewelry company.

The code was based on the French phrase:

"Chers (1) Frères (2) Worth (3), On (4) Gagne (5) Dieu (6) Mais (7) Avec (8) Volonté (9), Réfléchissez (0)" 

While the phrase itself sounds rather peculiar (something about "winning God with willpower"), it was simply a mnemonic device created specifically for the code. Each word's first letter represented a number. So a dress coded 'WDRR' cost 3,600 francs, while 'CWR' embroidery cost 130 francs. The final selling price was calculated by doubling fabric costs and tripling labor costs.

This allowed Worth's staff to discuss prices openly in front of clients without revealing the astronomical figures, maintaining an aura of exclusivity while protecting their pricing strategy. Amazing strategy!

 

2. Marie Vernet: The First Top Model in History 

His wife Marie wasn't just his muse, but the first true "model" in fashion history. She personally wore Worth's creations in European courts, becoming a living testimonial for the brand. Her elegant style conquered European aristocracy and established the concept of using a house model to showcase designs.

Worth also revolutionized how fashion was presented in his atelier. As described in "The Court of the Tuileries," a few of Worth's newest dresses were always available on view in the fourth salon, finished and ready for delivery, displayed "as a painter shows a picture in his studio." They were placed in a row, well-lighted against a wall of mirrors like in an art gallery.

This innovative presentation method - combining living models like Marie for court presentations and gallery-style displays in his atelier - transformed fashion retail from simple transactions into sophisticated experiences, setting the standard for luxury fashion presentation.

 

3. Famous Personalities Who Wore Worth

Worth created gowns for royalty, aristocrats, and the most prominent women of his time. He simultaneously dressed Empress Eugénie of France, Queen Victoria, Empress Elisabeth of Austria, Princess Metternich, and numerous other crowned heads, often creating subtle style rivalries between European courts.

Empress Eugénie à la Marie-Antoinette, 1854

 

Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sissi), who had little taste for sophisticated outfits and was known for her modest personality and love of nature, commissioned approximately 4 gowns per year from Worth - possibly even fewer. However, some became legendary, documented in period paintings: her coronation dress as Queen of Hungary in traditional Hungarian style with contrasting velvet bodice, and the spectacular gown in tulle and satin covered with embroidered stars captured in Winterhalter's iconic portrait, which is attributed to Worth.

Sissi with her dress painted by Winterhalter.

His clients included some with unusual demands. Madame Errazu, a Mexican exile in Paris, had vowed to dress only in "brown wool - not brown paired with other colours, not wool paired with other materials, but only brown wool." While Worth pondered this monotonous challenge, he dreamed of showing a brown dress to Princess Metternich, who called it such a detestable color that it should be called "Bismarck brown." Upon waking, he shared the dream with the Princess, who loved the name. It was a stroke of marketing genius - shortly after the disaster at Sedan, every woman in Paris was wearing her "Bismarck dress" with matching brown shoes and hat, turning Worth's most boring commission into the season's must-have color.

The Duchesse of Castiglione Colonna started as a window shopper, writing to her mother that she could only "gaze on such follies" like Worth's 700-franc velvet coats. But his designs proved irresistible, and she became a loyal client who never stopped haggling over prices. Their relationship went beyond fashion - Worth genuinely admired her artistic talent. In 1870, he commissioned her to carve a bust of Pythia and subsequently purchased a pair of Arabian busts, which he proudly displayed in a prominent area of his home. This mutual artistic appreciation made their partnership unique: while she transformed from window shopper to devoted client, he became both her couturier and patron of her sculptures. Her ultimate devotion? She chose to be buried in one of his white satin gowns.

Loving these Worth secrets? There's more fascinating stories to come!

Conclusion: Just the Beginning

These three curiosities already show how Worth revolutionized not just fashion, but the entire business of style. From his ingenious pricing strategies to turning his wife into the world's first fashion model, and creating gowns for the most powerful women in Europe - Worth was truly ahead of his time.

But this is just the beginning of his incredible story! Next week, I'll share three more fascinating curiosities about Worth's technical innovations, his surprising role in democratizing fashion, and his spectacular theatrical costumes that made all of Paris talk.

Stay tuned for Part 2 next week with three more incredible Worth stories!