What is haute couture?
Haute couture (also known as “couture”) is a term that refers to handmade, made-to-measure garments made from only the most luxurious fabrics, such as the finest cashmere, fur, suede, leather, and silk, and sewn with extreme attention to detail by the most skilled seamstresses, often using hand-executed techniques. Haute couture is derived from the French words for “high sewing” and “high fashion.”
Costume meets high fashion in this hybrid look, which is often seen on the most affluent and renowned individuals in the world.
In the Haute Couture industry, the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture is an organization whose members include businesses that have been designated as haute couture ateliers or houses by the government.
Haute couture is a legally protected and restricted label that may only be used by fashion businesses that have been awarded this certification by the French Ministry of Industry. Haute couture is a term that is used to describe the highest level of craftsmanship and design.
This governing body conducts a yearly evaluation of its membership base, which must adhere to a high degree of norms and criteria in order to remain a member of the organization.
As a consequence of the organization’s high membership standards, the membership list is updated on an annual basis.
The couture house is managed by a fashion couturier who supervises a workroom of experienced employees who are professionals in either dressmaking or tailoring and who perform their hand-made art in their respective fields.
It is possible that the designer will begin with a drawing, an illustration, or a draped and cut muslin or toile, depending on his or her inclination. Couture pieces are finished with delicate trim, embroidery, and embellishments, many of which are obtained from outside suppliers who are experts in their respective fields, and then carefully sewed into each item by hand.
A couture piece’s exquisite fit is a trait that is inherent in the design. The customer will be subjected to a series of fittings in order to guarantee that correct measurements have been obtained, as well as to ensure that the garment is fashionable and comfortable, both of which are equally important.
In the beginning, haute couture collections were displayed in a trunk show style in a designated salon, where they were seen by members of the press, buyers, and high-end clients.
Those in attendance could easily take note of the clothing that they liked since each model carried a card with a look number on it.
The customer would then sit down with the designer, who would then custom fit the clothing to that client’s precise dimensions and preferences, or a buyer would replicate the outfits for their own retail shop once the choices were made.
Fashion Week in Paris is now taking place, and the couture collections are on display on the runways. Pricing for these high-end clothing normally starts in the thousands of dollars and may soar into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Numerous fashion houses utilize the grandeur and attractiveness of their couture collections, which account for a tiny portion of their total company, as a trigger to increase sales in their ready-to-wear, accessories, and fragrance divisions, which account for the vast majority of their income.
In order to generate enthusiasm about a brand and encourage sales of the more economical ready-to-wear collection, couture collections are sometimes employed as “visual advertisements.”
When it comes to previewing the couture runway events, Style.com, the online home of Vogue magazine, is an excellent resource, including both photographs and videos of the presentations.
Armani Privé, Atelier Versace, Chanel, Christian Dior, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Valentino are just a few of the couture houses that are well-known worldwide.
However, while the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture welcomes “international” members, there are just a few of fashion designers outside of Paris that are skilled in the delicate art of couture crafting.
Designers such as Elie Saab, Giorgio Armani, and Paul Smith are instances of this. The French Ministry of Fashion allows for the participation of outside members in an attempt to demonstrate their strong confidence in the significance of globalization in the fashion sector.
There are just a few of American designers who have earned haute couture status, including Ralph Rucci, Rick Owens, Adam Kimmel, Zac Posen, and Mark Mainbocher.
They have all been invited by the Ministry of Culture to exhibit their collections in Paris, and they are all present or have been members of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture.
A nonmember of the Paris Fashion Week was Thom Browne, the New York-based menswear designer. This was an interesting twist on the usual fashion week format. The website www.modeaparis.com has a comprehensive list of the organization’s current members.
