Nee Nelson Tuttle; The young Fannie Farwell was only nineteen in 1883 when she traveled by horse-drawn carriage, train, and steamship to Paris to have this gown made for her by Charles Frédérick Worth, the “father of couture.” In the late nineteenth century, many wealthy families took grand European tours that involved visits to the best European fashion houses. These visits were often scheduled at the beginning of the trip to allow for the many fittings that haute couture garments required.