The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-03-25
READS LIKE ROMANCE.
How Worth, the Dressmaker Made
His Millions. 1
A Single Cloak of His Worth S3.000--He
Kept ZOO Dressmakers Busy.

|
twenty-six and began at Gagelin's, where
he ramlined Twelve years says the Phila-
deplhla Telegraph. This hrm WAS noleo
ior silks, whlcn were woven ny worAiheh
In their own homes. There was at TINS time
no mouse In 3arls winch sold Inaierlai anu
made 1t up as we'll, and this combining Oh
the TWO branches struck MIR. "ofth As
gooo IDEA. ana lie OBTAINED PERMISSION from
MS principals to try IT. Ihis he ulu' pegih-
nlhg WIN cloaKs. ana train that Ne oe-
'slsneu gained medal IN 1900.
Inc hrm refused to take him into part
hershlp, although LIE had peen the n'eahs
OF introducing profitable and novel leat-
ure INTO the business SO ne uetermineu 10
starr Tor himself. Ihls he dlo at NO. tue
ae Va falx' ID 1905. he began oy eih plosins
n1tF hands. AT the present time ms estal-
iishinent employs ABOUT l'Soo persons anu
turns out between s,ooO and ',Ooc dresses
and between 3'ooo anu 4,o'o cloaRs year.
At the time worth began business fcr MIN
self the second empire was IN Inc heleht
of Its prosperity. Inc Empress hugenle'
tneh IN the prime Oh "ohahhoou an" 'o
fuA perfection OF her lncomparaoie oeauH,
was Delighted VITA the dresses 1nVen'eo
| lor her oy the orlllant Souns hhsiisnn"A'
| ~ $3.50 ~O'
ease with striking originality.
| LIE fAmoo'o oHoAh'
| Worth speedily became the dIessmakcr
par excellence 10 the imperial court. Its
reigning bellies, the Princess de Meter
mich. the Princess Anna de Murat, the Com
tesse de Brigode, and countless others, be-
came his patrons. and sought not only his
creations in the way of gowns and wraps.
1 =
nected with the toilet. 1t was at one time
the custom for the great ladies of the day
to drive 10 his establishments full-dressed
for dinner party or ball and to submit
the fit and flow of their costumes to him for
| a final supervision. At the first universal
exhibition in Paris. that of 1856, Worth ap-
peared for the first and only time as an
exhibitor. His contribution. court mantle
in white silk. entirely covered with elabo-
rate embroidery in gold thread. the artistic
| pattern of which was designed by himself.
carried off the first prize almost without
| condensation. Since then he has cared
nothing for such easily won triumphs. This
splendid mantle. even in those-days of COM
paratively low prices, was valued at $4,000.
| 1t is still in existence amongst the treasures
| of the house.
/ "A d
of styles that were destined to revolutionize
| the world of feminine dress. Among these
was the short-skirted walking costume,
! with jacket and skirt composed of the same
material, fashion which speedily became
universal. The first dress of this style was
made for the Empress Eugenie, and was in
| gray silk, trimmed with black velvet rib
bon. he thus suppressed the trailing skirt
and ineonvan;an, and which unfortunately
threatens TO once more make its appear-
ance. He was not RESPONSIBLE Tor the intro
duction ef crino1ina that having ofieinated
| with tbe Emnress Euoenia. But the wide
axnanse uf 1adies, skirts afforded him great
| opportunity for the exercise of mis- talent in
draining fine l,,ees and rich silks and vel
vets. and. above all. in grooming and ar
| ranoine earpitures of artificial fl lowers. and
| ma ntilized those onnortunities to the ut-
| most
| Wor+b made dresses not only for tba royaI
| 1.dio. Of Errone br+ for tho oreans Of on
| ci.+v botb in En,ona and Tho JTnited Sta+as
| and far the oueens of the footlipbts as we'll
His 6rs+ novel o,stomar was D,nna Maj.
| Il. G,or;a +bon onaen of portuoal For
| weave tboreo 9tor tbara ,os soarcalv n min
| o.ss married in all Eurona-outside of tho
1oai.s ~ +ba ;n,ner;ol fomi1ias 30 ,aarmonn
whose nr;no;nlas forboda ,bem froro ay.r
ordarira ANYTHING 10 he mazda in paris-
that did NOT have grorn of Worth toilets
inolrded in her troussaau Tho nowaoer
| U,ass ~ Ienss;. o,d +b. oraa,s,of T+a1r
and of Portngal bacama his constant crsto-
,nars
,o craw r>n,,no
n "a Ai' ~ 9A-o
One of the rooms in bis beautiful home
at Suresnes has been fitted I'D as a small
theater. with a tiny stage, and here Mes
DANES Fayart and Croizette and others of
the great actresses of France came to go
through before him the new roles that
thew vera about to create. SO that he
might design for them DIRE sses suited to the
attitudes and the gestures REQUIRED by the
characters thew were.to impersonate. The
first to consult him in this way was the
great Rachel when she was preparing to an
near in the only modern society play in
which she ever acted, Lady Tartuffe. The
esta adjustment of the republic in France
wrought no change in the prosperity of
Wo1th's house. There are always courts to