Charles Frederick Worth (1825-95) was a celebrated Parisian couture dressmaker. He was born in 1825 in Bourne, Lincolnshire, and started working at the age of 12 in a draper's shop in London. Eight years later he moved to Paris, where he opened his own premises. The House of Worth, established in Paris in 1858 was the original and founding couture house. He was soon patronised by the Empress Eugenie and her influence was instrumental to his success. Made-to-measure clothes from Worth, as from the other great Parisian fashion houses, were an important symbol of social and financial advancement. Worth London was an offshoot of the original. It created refined, well-mannered garments for a mainly English clientele for the London social season. Worth (London) Ltd closed in 1967.