Between 1874 and 1875 Worth’s sons, Jean-Philippe and Gaston-Lucien, officially joined the company which they went on to develop and expand. Jean was responsible for design and Gaston for business matters.

Perhaps more than any other design it is the crinoline that is inextricably associated with Worth. However, it was not a design that the couturier initially favoured. The Empress Eugenie, who was Worth’s most famous, prestigious and loyal client, adored it. And, what she wore other women emulated.

Worth attracted an illustrious international clientele, drawn from the royal and imperial households of France, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Austria, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Japan and Russia.

In 1847, after struggling to find work and learn the language, Worth gained a position as a selling clerk at Maison Gagelin-Opigez et Cie, purveyor of luxury silks, shawls and mantles (capes).