Haute couture is a fashion term that is used frequently in the media. What exactly does haute couture mean?
First of all it is French and is pronounced ot kuchure, like “hot” but without the “h”. In French it means literally “high sewing”. Haute means high or elegant. Couture means dressmaking, sewing or needlework. Haute couture refers to the exclusive creating of custom handmade clothing. Haute couture is made from very expensive fabrics and sewn with great attention to detail.
The original use of the term dates to Paris in the 1800s. English fashion designer Charles Frederick Worth moved to Paris in 1846 and started designing dresses for wealthy women and French nobility. In 1873 he opened the House of Worth.
The term haute couture has legal protection in France and can only be used by certain designated firms. But in practice, it is often used more broadly.
Because of the amount of labor the cost of haute couture is very high, so there is a limited clientele for haute couture items. Prices for a haute couture blouse might set you back $20,000. A haute couture wedding dress may be $200,000, depending on the length of the train.
Today haute couture often refers to taking fashion design to a level of art. In that case there is often no requirement for practicality or servicability. What you see on the runway in Paris or Milan is often called haute couture–the fashion designer showing the limits of artistic expression.
Here is a link to an excellent article about haute couture from Fashion Era.
Haute Couture Fashion History
