Evening cape

House of Worth|Roger Worth

ca. 1938 · silk, fur · Costume Institute

The House of Worth was known for dramatic garments made from imaginative and stunning textiles. This alluring cape adapts the popular 1930s cape to evoke drama with its eye catching white velvet and turn of the century capelet style collar. Roger Worth began designing for the House of Worth in 1935 at the time of his uncle, Jean-Charles Worth's, retirement. He continued his uncle's legacy of simple lines but included small amounts of elaborate trimmings which his great-grandfather, Charles Frederick Worth, had used continuously, such as lace, beadwork embroidery and creative effects with the fabric itself. Despite his efforts, the old house was troubled through the war years and never fully recovered before being purchased by the House of Paquin in 1954. The house was subsequently closed two years later when all attempts to revitalize were ceased.

Artist

House of Worth|Roger Worth

Date

ca. 1938

Medium

silk, fur

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Ogden Goelet, Peter Goelet and Madison Clews in memory of Mrs. Henry Clews, 1960