Couture
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All You Need to Know about Couture Fashion
Couture fashion is a rather mis-understood term. That’s because, unlike Bohemian fashion, Gothic fashion or Vintage clothing, a couture dress doesn’t reflect a style from a particular era or period in time. And like Preppy style or Punk fashion, which cater to a particular demographic, there’s couture for everyone!
Here’swhat you should know about couture, and why couture is so respected around the world.
Here’swhat you should know about couture, and why couture is so respected around the world.
Couture Fashion 101
So, the first question that you probably have is: How is a couture dress making different from other types of clothes that you might buy? Well, to understand that, you need to realize that not every designer is able to create couture fashion. In order to become a “couturier”, the designer must have certification from the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture Paris.
Roughly translated, the term “Haute Couture”, included in the name of the certification body referred to above, means “high fashion” in French. Generally speaking, here’s what you should know about HauteCouture:
And while fashion-houses can design couture for everyone, they’ll only receive certification under specific conditions, including:
What you should also know about couture is that, while the first couturier was, in fact, a Brit - Charles Frederick Worth. Worth had perfected the art of designing and sewing the couture dress to such perfection, that socialites from New York would cross the Atlantic just to have a Worth dress stitched for them.
Today however, there are only primarily French designers certified to create couture for everyone. Some of those include household names like:
Additionally, couture fashion can also be created by a select group of “correspondent members”, such as Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab and others. There are also a number of rotating “guest designers” who fashion couture for all ages. Frances’ Ministry of Industries publishes an annual list of couture dress designers eligible to use the couture label.
Roughly translated, the term “Haute Couture”, included in the name of the certification body referred to above, means “high fashion” in French. Generally speaking, here’s what you should know about HauteCouture:
- It may be used to refer to high-end fashion
- It might distinguish couture fashion from ready-to-wear clothes
- It might indicate a specific couture dress style produced by a certified couturier; or
- It might refer to a specific couturier who is certified to fashion couture for all ages
And while fashion-houses can design couture for everyone, they’ll only receive certification under specific conditions, including:
- If they cater to the private client made-to-order market
- If the couture dress is formalised over several fittings
- If the designer operates a Paris-based atelier with a full-time staff of at least 15 people
- While they fashion couture for all ages, their annual collections must feature a minimum of 35 day and night designs each year
What you should also know about couture is that, while the first couturier was, in fact, a Brit - Charles Frederick Worth. Worth had perfected the art of designing and sewing the couture dress to such perfection, that socialites from New York would cross the Atlantic just to have a Worth dress stitched for them.
Today however, there are only primarily French designers certified to create couture for everyone. Some of those include household names like:
- Christian Dior
- Givenchy
- Dominique Sirop
- Chanel
- Anne Valérie Hash
- …and a handful of others
Additionally, couture fashion can also be created by a select group of “correspondent members”, such as Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab and others. There are also a number of rotating “guest designers” who fashion couture for all ages. Frances’ Ministry of Industries publishes an annual list of couture dress designers eligible to use the couture label.
Parting Thoughts
We’ve said above that couture fashion is all about producing custom-made clothing, usually for high net-worth clothes lovers. But here’s what else you should know about couture. Today, designing and producing the customised couture dress is no longer the primary source of revenue for most couturier’s. Many of them make most of their income through licensing agreements and designing other fashion accessories – like shoes and jewellery.
And while many couturiers create couture for everyone, they guard their domains very jealously. For example, in the 1980s when Cardin overly liberalised his use of the coveted couture label, he lost his cachet. As a result, while couturiers today are eager to fashion couture for all ages, they are careful not to over-extend their brand.
And while many couturiers create couture for everyone, they guard their domains very jealously. For example, in the 1980s when Cardin overly liberalised his use of the coveted couture label, he lost his cachet. As a result, while couturiers today are eager to fashion couture for all ages, they are careful not to over-extend their brand.
