What is Haute Couture?

Directly translated "Haute Couture" is "Sewing at a high level" But the best translation for the phrase could be "finest high fashion sewing".

During the fashion seasons Haute Couture normally has it's own show separate from other collection. These shows are often highly anticipated due to the very over the top exaggerated designs that seem unfit for normal everyday wear, however they are really fun to watch.

A lot of times certain aspects of the garment are tuned down and modified to be recreated for the masses. (See image)

These garments are truly walking works of art . Haute Couture represents a very old tradition of creating garments by with pain stacking care. Although we enjoy the luxury of sewing machines first introduced in about 1755. Those who practiced the art of fine sewing used their hands for the entirety of the garment. This technique made each design more intricate and special...but, it must have taken ages to complete! The higher the price of the clothing equals, the more hand sewing involved, even to this present day!

Haute Couture is mainly located in Paris and although a lot of designers like to toss around the word "haute couture" only a very select few can actually genuinely claim the title. In France the term "haute couture" is strictly controlled by the Chamber Syndicate De La Parisienne, (Parisian High Fashion Syndicate) the governing body of fashion house. The use of the term is reserved exclusively for the groups members. Who meet the strict qualifying rules. Here they are, (you may be familiar with some of the names);

-Adeline Andre

- Anne Valerie Hash

-Chanel

-Christian Dior

-Christian Lacroix

-Dominique Sirop

-Frank Sorbier

-Givenchy

-Jean Paul Gaultier

-Maurizio Galante

-Stephanie Rolland

Additionally there are also five correspondent (foreign members)

-Eli Saab

-Giorgio Armani

-Maison Martin

-Margiela

-Valentino

And lastly 14 guest members, (Two of them Americans)

-Mainbocher

-Ralph Rucci

So what does it take to qualify?

-*Fashion Houses must design fashions that are *made to order, for private clients and involve one or more fittings

-Have a workroom in Paris without least 15 full-time employees

-Present a collection of at least 35 designs including day and evening garments.

-A press showing in Paris, in January for spring/summer season and July for autumn/winter season.

-Show the *collection to potential clients in the respective couture houses.

Pretty hefty requirements, were there any names on the list you recognized? Were there names you were surprised not to see?

How much does a Haute Couture Garment Cost?

Short answer, a lot, a whole lot. A simple day dress can go upwards from $8,000 to $20,000 and an evening gown $15,000 up to as much as $500,000.

Why do they cost so much?

Many factors are responsible for the cost of the garment, including the exclusive fabric used, the design, the cut and finish.(remember the handwork? its's time intensive and labor is not cheap).

Well that's all for the Haute Couture module of our class, the next few modules will cover some key designers of Haute Couture. Their revolutionary designs and influence.

For more current information on Haute Couture and its designers, feel free to visit my blog after class. Where I cover more on Haute Couture.

Glossary

-*Made To Order- Specially made according to a customers specifications.

-Fashion House- A company specializing in the design and sales of high fashion clothing and accessories

-Collection- A thematically cohesive group of garments created by a designer for a season, e.g Sportswear, swimsuit collection

Module Attachments

-Lesson Plan

-Key Differences between Haute Couture and High End Ready To Wear, PDF

-Video summarization

-Cover page for binder to class resource book.

Fashion Templates, are a great way to practice your skill and keep your projects organized, head to the link templates start as low as $1.

https://www.laidiecloth.com/fashiondesigntemplates