This article from Threads #180 (August/September 2015) by Kenneth D. King tells the fascinating story of Mariano Fortuny and those that came after him.

I learned the name Mariano Fortuny during a college study trip to New York City decades ago. One stop was the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The curator who guided us through the collections brought out a group of small hatboxes. Inside were wondrous pleated dresses. These silk Delphos gowns were in a range of subtle, beautiful colors, their edges trimmed with Venetian glass beads to give the dresses weight when worn. I was enchanted. When people think of Fortuny fabrics and designs, it is these gowns that come to mind first, but that’s only a small part of the Fortuny story.

WEB EXTRA: Embroidered Fortuny Frock Coat