The House of Worth : Portrait of a Fashion Archive
Portrait of a Fashion Archive
Valerie D. Mendes and Amy de la Haye
Profusely illustrated, this monograph explores the House of Worth's success in the realms of haute couture after 1890. Hundreds of photographs selected from the V&A's unique archive of over 7,000 official house records capture the Worth style and offer fascinating insights into the daily routine at Maison Worth. These remarkable photographs are flanked by chapters that tell the intriguing story of their aquisition and their historical context, and describe Worth's international clientele of elegant women of wealth and power, from Lillie Langtry and Sarah Bernhardt to the Duchess of Marlborough (formerly Consuelo Vanderbilt).
Amy de la Haye is Professor of Dress History and Curatorship, Rootstein Hopkins Chair at London College of Fashion. She is author of Lucile Ltd (with Valerie Mendes, V&A 2009) and Chanel: Couture and Industry (V&A 2011). She is also author of the two Clara Button books for children (V&A 2011, 2013). Valerie D. Mendes, formerly Head of Fashion and Textiles at the V&A, is a freelance fashion and textiles historian. She has curated various exhibitions including Zika Ascher, Pierre Cardin, John French and Ferragamo and is the author of numerous books including Black in Fashion (V&A 1999) V&A Pattern: Novelty Fabrics (V&A 2010) and Fashion Since 1900 (with Amy de la Haye, 1999).