Art Nouveau Fashion Creators of fashion - Paris During the second half of the 19th century, Charles Frederick Worth (1825–1895) and his successors completely changed the character of the tailor’s craft. He created the haute couture system as the pinnacle of high-quality tailoring – he offered a selection of his own designs, which were then made to measure from fabric chosen by the customer. He also introduced fashion shows and authorship protection for his design. Worth and his contemporaries elevated tailoring to an art form. After his death, the factory was directed by his sons, Jean Philippe and Gaston, who also presented their work at the Paris World’s Fair in 1900. The haute couture system in an improved form still exists today. Exposition of Worth company at Exposition Universelle 1900 in Paris (Nové Pařížské módy 1900) In 1906, Paul Poiret (1879–1944) introduced a new style, accommodating the requirements of the reform in women’s apparel. His designs were inspired by garments from the Orient and Antiquity, the fashion of Neo-Classicism and Empire. An encounter with Sergei Diaghilev’s Russian ballet multiplied the colour and fantasy in his work. His Princess and Empire cuts enabled women to set aside the oppressive corset, and greater comfort was also provided by kimono sleeves. In 1911, Poiret organised a fashion tour around Europe, during which he stopped in Vienna. Envelope of magazine (Les Modes 1912)