I came across an awe-inspiring collection of images of the House of Worth’s 19th and 20th century gowns in an online collection at the Met, and just had to share a few of these luscious designs.

Court Presentation Ensemble
House of Worth (French, 1858–1956), c. 1888

From the Met website regarding this dress:

By this time the House of Worth was past its peak of popularity and opted to keep up with the budding Orientalism of the period instead of setting trends of its own. This example, which is an extravaganza of trims and decoration, manages to be fussier than the Orientalist designs of one of Orientalism’s major proponents, Paul Poiret (1879-1944). Although they were not setting trends at this point, this dress indicates the continued elegance and beauty of their gowns.

Sigh!

See all the lovely pieces at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s online exhibit here.