haute couture
Noun: 1. High fashion; exclusive, trend-setting custom clothing: Refers to the design and creation of exclusive, custom-fitted, high-end fashion. It is characterized by high quality, intricate workmanship, and often, a high price. The term is also used for the industry and the fashion houses that produce such garments.
Haute couture is a formal, specialized term used in the context of the fashion industry, luxury goods, and cultural commentary. It describes clothing that is made to order for a specific client and is often seen as wearable art. It is not used to describe ready-to-wear or mass-produced clothing.
- The Paris Fashion Week is famous for its spectacular shows.
- She saved for years to afford a single gown from her favorite designer.
- That dress is a beautiful example of , with its hand-sewn beads and custom fit.
- The museum's exhibition traces the history of from the 19th century to the present.
- "The world of haute couture": Refers to the entire industry, community, and cultural sphere surrounding high fashion.
- She has been a influential figure in the world of haute couture for decades.
- Used attributively (as a noun modifier) to describe things related to this high fashion.
- The haute couture collection was breathtaking.
- They attended a haute couture event.
- Couture (noun): Often used as a shorter, sometimes less formal synonym for , or more broadly to refer to high-fashion design and dressmaking.
- She studied couture techniques in Paris.
- Couturier (noun): A person, typically a man, who designs .
- Couturière (noun): A person, typically a woman, who designs .
- High fashion
- High-end fashion
- Designer fashion (though this can also include ready-to-wear lines)
- Custom tailoring (emphasizes the made-to-order aspect)
The term has a specific legal definition in France, governed by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. To be officially classified as haute couture, a fashion house must meet certain criteria, including creating made-to-order garments for private clients with multiple fittings, employing a minimum number of full-time technical staff, and presenting a collection of a minimum number of original designs twice a year. In broader, non-legal usage, it refers to any exceptionally high-quality, custom-made, and trend-setting fashion.
- trend-setting fashions