Charles Worth died in 1895 but his influence in the creation of costumes for the world’s rich and famous women continued through his two sons, Gaston-Lucien and Jean-Philippe, with their work for the House of Worth in Paris.

Jean-Philippe's designs in particular followed those of his father with his use of dramatic fabrics and lavish trimmings which was evident in one of his most famous creations especially made for Lady Curzon and which became known as the peacock dress.

Mary Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston, was the wife of Lord Curzon (1859-1925) who served as Viceroy of India from 1899 until 1906 when Lady Curzon became Vicereine.

As Viceroy, Lord Curzon also organized the second Delhi Durbar to celebrate the 1902 coronation of King Edward VII, the Durbar being the historical Moghul court in India which was also used for ceremonial gatherings under the British Raj.

On this occasion, which was described as "the grandest pageant in history", Lord Curzon’s wife attended as the Vicereine wearing the famous peacock gown that caused a sensation around the world, thus giving it the name of the Delhi Durbar Coronation dress.

The gown was made from gold and silver thread and became known as the peacock dress because of the many precious and semi-precious stones sewn into its fabric. It was assembled from panels of chiffon that had been embroidered by Delhi and Agra craftsmen in a method known since the time of the Moghuls and shipped to Paris where the House of Worth styled the dress with a long train edged with white chiffon roses. The worked panels were overlapped with peacock feathers that had a blue-green beetle wing at the centre. Over time, the metal thread in the dress has tarnished but the beetle wings have not lost their lustre.

The dress was also featured in a Chicago Tribune article, Lady Curzon being an American who came from Chicago. State portraits were ordered from the English painter and Royal Academician William Logsdail but Lady Curzon died prematurely in 1906, aged 36, and her portrait was completed posthumously.

The peacock gown is preserved at the Curzon family home at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire, now administered by the National Trust, where visitors are informed that it weighs ten pounds and although the precious and semi-precious stones sewn into its fabric have been replaced by imitations, the effect is no less dazzling. Another of Lady Curzon’s embroidered court creations assembled by the House of Worth in 1903 is on display at the Fashion Museum in Bath.