#haute couture

Haute couture (from French Haute Couture, pronounced [ot kuty]) 12 is the term used to describe the creation of high-end custom-made clothing. “Haute couture” refers to custom-made, handcrafted clothing that is manufactured entirely by hand, with minimal sewing machine involvement, from start to finish, using high-end, expensive, and uncommon fabrics. It’s made with meticulous attention to detail and finished by the most trained and experienced seamstresses, who frequently employ time-consuming manual techniques.

The word couture literally means “tailoring,” although it can also mean “fashion,” “sewing,” or “dressmaking.”

3 It’s also a typical abbreviation for haute couture, and it’s the same thing in spirit. 4 “High” is the direct translation of haute. A haute couture garment is usually manufactured for a specific client, and it is customized to the wearer’s measurements and body positions. 3 Haute couture clothing are claimed to be “priceless” because of the amount of work, money, and expertise that goes into each finished piece. Not all couture designs are meant to be sold; others are created specifically for the runway, much like an art display.

The phrase was first applied to Englishman Charles Frederick Worth’s work, which was created in Paris in the mid-nineteenth century.

5 In modern France, the term “haute couture” is a trademark that can only be used by businesses who meet particular criteria. In a broader sense, however, the phrase refers to custom-made fashion garments made in Paris or other fashion capitals such as London, Milan, New York, or Tokyo.