Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 15 works by Charles Frederick Worth in our catalogue
In short
Of all the originals Charles Frederick Worth left, the most famous is Dress (1868), in the collection of the Design Museum of Barcelona, Barcelona. Close behind it come Afternoon dress (1880) and Informal House Frock - Déshabillé. Our catalog holds 15 works by Charles Frederick Worth; the gallery has kept the 15 the world admires most, each shown with its date, its museum and its story.
To stand before this depiction is to step directly into the vibrant, transformative world of mid-Victorian Paris, a time when fashion ceased to be mere necessity and ascended to the realm of high art. This painting captures more than just a woman in an elaborate gown; it immortalizes a pivotal moment in cultural history—the very birth of haute couture itself. The subject, presented with such careful attention to detail, embodies…
Before the dawn of the 20th century, fashion wasn’t merely about clothing; it was an art form dictated by a singular visionary – Charles Frederick Worth. Born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England, on October 13, 1825, his ascent from humble beginnings to becoming the undisputed leader of Parisian haute couture is a story etched in silk and ambition.
The shimmering blue silk velvet gown displayed at the Kunstgewerbemuseum in Berlin stands as an emblem of a pivotal moment in fashion history – the genesis of haute couture, spearheaded by none other than Charles Frederick Worth. Born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England, in 1825, Worth’s trajectory from modest beginnings to becoming the undisputed maestro of Parisian elegance exemplifies ambition coupled with unparalleled artistic vision.
The Dinner Dress is a garment created by the designer Charles Frederick Worth. This piece is a type of dress that dates to about 1892. It is currently held within the collection of The Kyoto Costume Institute in Kyoto, Japan.
The Evening Dress by Charles Frederick Worth is a garment of precise silhouette and deliberate movement. Created about 1894, this piece captures a specific moment in the evolution of high fashion. It is a dress defined by the architecture of its construction, designed to hold a particular shape against the body. The long skirt flows downward, meeting the voluminous, puffy elephant sleeves that characterize the era's silhouette.
The light catches the sheen of yellow silk as the woman turns, her back to the viewer, revealing the intricate architecture of a 1914 evening gown. Every movement seems suspended in time, held within the delicate folds of the fabric. The dress flows downward in a long, sweeping train that pools around her, creating a sense of weight and grace. Pink roses are scattered across the silk, their soft petals…
Gown: Charles Worth evening reception bodice and skirt ensemble of velvet with jet beading: (A) Fitted bodice of velvet with long silk sleeves overlayed with beaded lace; flounce of lace attached at end of wrist banding; standing collar with three layers of lace ruffles; CF button closure; flounce of black lace applied on right side bust; lace over silk bust-level panel insertions; interior bodice lined in silk damask; steel boning;…
In the realm of sartorial excellence, few pieces capture the ephemeral magic of a bygone era quite like the Yellow evening gown (front). This breathtaking work serves as a luminous window into the golden age of haute couture, presenting a vision of elegance that transcends mere clothing to become pure art. The gown, a masterpiece attributed to the legendary lineage of Charles Frederick Worth, is rendered with a delicate touch…
Large sleeve characterize this dress. From around 1890, sleeves began swelling to such sizes that one may say it was the return of gigot sleeves. These large sleeves were called
Two piece dress conssited of tan wool skrt trimmed with black lace and beadwork, and bodice of tan wool with black velvet puffed long sleeves and high collar, the frton of the bodice trimmed with black beadwork in a scrolling pattern, and bright green velvet. Dress labelled
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 6 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Charles Frederick Worth | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 The Kyoto Costume Institute |
Kyoto | 7 | Dinner Dress, Evening Dress, Ball Gown |
 The National Museum of Denmark |
Copenhagen | 2 | Yellow evening gown (back), Yellow evening gown (front) |
 Design Museum of Barcelona |
Barcelona | 1 | Dress |
 Museum of Fine Arts |
Boston | 1 | Afternoon dress |
 Kunstgewerbemuseum |
Berlin | 1 | Informal House Frock - Déshabillé |
 Fashion History Museum |
Cambridge | 1 | Black and tan wool dress with black beadwork |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
To stand before this depiction is to step directly into the vibrant, transformative world of mid-Victorian Paris, a time when fashion ceased to be mere necessity and ascended to the realm of high art. This painting captures more than just a woman in an elaborate gown; it immortalizes a pivotal moment in cultural history—the very birth of haute couture itself. The subject, presented with such careful attention to detail, embodies…
A bustle style is a look that emerged immediately after the crinoline. Bright purple became fashionable with the invention of the chemical dye aniline in 1856. The usage of fashionable color and the generous drapery used in this dress are characterized of Maison Worth. Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895), an Englishman by origins, went on to establish his own maison in Paris in 1858. He set up the basis of the…
Before the dawn of the 20th century, fashion wasn’t merely about clothing; it was an art form dictated by a singular visionary – Charles Frederick Worth. Born in Bourne, Lincolnshire, England, on October 13, 1825, his ascent from humble beginnings to becoming the undisputed leader of Parisian haute couture is a story etched in silk and ambition.
The Dinner Dress is a garment created by the designer Charles Frederick Worth. This piece is a type of dress that dates to about 1892. It is currently held within the collection of The Kyoto Costume Institute in Kyoto, Japan.
Dress (1868), Design Museum of Barcelona, Barcelona. Afternoon dress (1880) and Informal House Frock - Déshabillé come next.
43 years old: Dress dates from 1868, and Charles Frederick Worth was born in 1825.
Dress, Afternoon dress, Informal House Frock - Déshabillé, Dinner Dress, Evening Dress, Yellow evening gown (back), Evening Ensemble\n\nFront View, Yellow evening gown (front), Ball Gown and Black and tan wool dress with black beadwork. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 15 works by Charles Frederick Worth, dated from 1868 to 1895.
Mostly in The Kyoto Costume Institute (Kyoto), The National Museum of Denmark (Copenhagen) and Design Museum of Barcelona (Barcelona). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1880s: 4 of the 15 works on this page were made then, Afternoon dress among them.
On this page, the earliest is Dress (1868) and the latest Black and tan wool dress with black beadwork (1895).
Haute couture (3), Dress (3) and Mannequin (2), across the 15 works on this page.
Painting, for 3 of the 15 works on this page.
Dinner Dress, Evening Dress and Ball Gown: the The Kyoto Costume Institute, Kyoto holds 7 of the works on this page.
