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Fashion Design

late 1930s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This fashion design is for an unusual day dress in yellow, blue and grey striped fabric with a button through front. The skirt of the dress is partially unbuttoned, showing that it is actually culottes with the fabric buttoned inside made in a contrasting horizontally-striped fabric. Buttoned, the dress would appear to be a smart day dress with a yellow scarf at the neck, whilst unbuttoned, it could be worn on the beach or for more active pursuits. It was possibly designed by Netty Ferro or Jean-Denis Maillart for the House of Worth. During the late 1930s most of the designs at Worth appear to have been produced by Madame Ferro or Jean-Denis Maillart, who were both creating elaborate gowns and day outfits under the supervision of Roger Worth. They both worked in a very similar style, meaning that it can be tricky to tell which of them was the artist responsible for unsigned sketches such as this. Roger Worth, who from 1935-1952 oversaw fashion design at Worth, was the great-grandson of Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895), who founded Worth in 1858, and went on to become known as the first haute couture designer. Following his death, Charles was succeeded by his son Jean-Philippe Worth (1856-1925). The house then passed to Jean-Philippe's nephew, Jean-Charles Worth, who retired in 1935 and handed Worth to his nephews Roger and Maurice. The Paris house closed in 1954 following a buy-out by Paquin, who themselves closed two years later.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
gouache, pencil and ink on tracing paper
Brief description
Netty Ferro or Jean-Denis Maillart for the House of Worth. Striped culotte dress. Fashion design for a woman's outfit. Paris, late 1930s. Gouache and ink on tracing paper.
Physical description
Late 1930s design for a woman's culotte dress cut as a button-through dress. Gouache, pencil and ink drawing on tracing paper.
Dimensions
  • Height: 32cm
  • Width: 25cm
Credit line
Given by the House of Worth
Summary
This fashion design is for an unusual day dress in yellow, blue and grey striped fabric with a button through front. The skirt of the dress is partially unbuttoned, showing that it is actually culottes with the fabric buttoned inside made in a contrasting horizontally-striped fabric. Buttoned, the dress would appear to be a smart day dress with a yellow scarf at the neck, whilst unbuttoned, it could be worn on the beach or for more active pursuits. It was possibly designed by Netty Ferro or Jean-Denis Maillart for the House of Worth. During the late 1930s most of the designs at Worth appear to have been produced by Madame Ferro or Jean-Denis Maillart, who were both creating elaborate gowns and day outfits under the supervision of Roger Worth. They both worked in a very similar style, meaning that it can be tricky to tell which of them was the artist responsible for unsigned sketches such as this. Roger Worth, who from 1935-1952 oversaw fashion design at Worth, was the great-grandson of Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895), who founded Worth in 1858, and went on to become known as the first haute couture designer. Following his death, Charles was succeeded by his son Jean-Philippe Worth (1856-1925). The house then passed to Jean-Philippe's nephew, Jean-Charles Worth, who retired in 1935 and handed Worth to his nephews Roger and Maurice. The Paris house closed in 1954 following a buy-out by Paquin, who themselves closed two years later.
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum Department of Prints and Drawings and Department of Paintings Accessions 1957-1958 London: HMSO, 1964
Collection
Accession number
E.22994-1957

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
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