House of Gagelin was created by Charles Louis GAGELIN (1789 - 1875) in the early 1830s after having bought the store of VERSEPUY located at 93, rue de Richelieu in Paris. GAGELIN was already a merchant in Versailles, 27, rue de la Pompe before buying back the business of VERSEPUY. In 1839, he sells his business to his wife Marie Elisabeth CHAZELLE (1790 - 1851) and his son-in-law Octave François OPIGEZ (1807 - 1876), from this date the business to takes the name of OPIGEZ-CHAZELLE and Cie. In the same year the house of Gagelin is admitted to the Exhibition of Products of French Industry (a precursor to The Great Exhibition). The store was one of the oldest retail store in paris with a good reputation provided the course of Europe with luxury products. During these years, M. OPIGEZ is in charge of the administration, while his wife Marie Aglaé Lucie GAGELIN (1814 - 1848) takes the textile collections administration and his mother Mrs CHAZELLE takes care of the customers.The house also had a branch in Lyon at 23 Port Saint Clair and a counter in Mumbai, India. In 1845, Charles Frederick WORTH (father of haute couture) found a job there. In 1848, Lucie GAGELIN died at the age of 34 which will allow WORTH to become chief salesman. He will meet in this store, Marie VERNET, whom he marries in 1851 (Octave François OPIGEZ will be the godfather of Gaston WORTH, the first child of the couple). He will develop the clothing department, which will be rewarded at the 1851 World Fair in London and of Paris in 1855. His models are rewarded with prizes which contribute to the reputation of Gagelin but attract also attention on WORTH himself. He founded his own house in 1858, at 7 rue de la Paix, with a partner Otto BOBERGH also a seller at Gegelin. In 1875, with the death of Charles GAGELIN, Octave OPIGEZ, then aged 69 and with two military children, liquidated the company.