Maison Worth at the Petit Palais: a lesson in haute couture

Luxury, history and textiles: at the Petit Palais, fashion is back in the spotlight with the first major exhibition devoted to the Maison Worth.

Haute couture finally has its own manifesto

From May 7 to September 7, 2025, the Petit Palais unveils a flamboyant retrospective devoted to the Maison Worth, the absolute pioneer of haute couture. In collaboration with the Palais Galliera, this exhibition brings together over 400 pieces – garments, sketches, paintings – to tell the story of how visionary couturier Charles Frederick Worth transformed fashion into art.

His intuition? Create without waiting for a commission, sign his works like a painter, and organize production according to seasons. Before him, fashion was just a craft; after him, it became industry, storytelling and, above all, autonomous creation.

From mythical dresses to imperial figures

Worth set up his first workshop at 7 rue de la Paix, supported by the imperial couple of the Second Empire. His sumptuous style seduced even Queen Victoria, who agreed to open a branch in London. Among the pieces on display are treasures of refinement: Empress Sissi’s coronation gown, the coats of Sicilian socialite Franca Florio, and a Byzantine gown worn by Countess Greffulhe, an icon of the Belle Époque era.

The exhibition also tells the story of a dynasty: Worth’s descendants ran the company until 1956. The Roaring Twenties, the period of its revival, are illustrated by nudes by Man Ray, while the last vestiges of the brand – original perfume bottles – close the exhibition.

Elegant scenography in the service of style

In this meticulously staged retrospective, the arts converse with fabrics. We discover wedding dresses, capes, coats and tea gowns that have marked a century of elegance. It’s not just a story of fashion, but of Paris, the capital of creation.

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