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Haute Couture. Maybe you’ve heard of it?

Sunday, January 24 kicks off Couture Week in Paris. This is by far the highest-end fashion week of the entire year. Many designers claim to put out haute couture fashions, but it’s actually a very specific genre. What exactly is haute couture?

Haute Couture (pronounced “oat koo-toor” – thank you, seven years of French class) literally means “high sewing.” It is the highest of high fashion – custom-designed and custom-made clothing of the most elegant standard.

To be considered Haute Couture, a design house must meet strict regulations. The business must belong to the Syndical Chamber for Haute Couture in Paris, which is regulated by the French Department of Industry. Members must have a workshop in Paris with at least 15 employees and they must present their collections twice a year (January and July). Each presentation must include at least 50 original designs for day and eveningwear. According to Mode a Paris, “Haute Couture is a legally protected and controlled label that can only be used by the fashion houses which have been granted the designation by the French Ministry of Industry.” And that list is reviewed annually.

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Clearly designing fancy dresses – no matter how intricate and beautiful – does not a couture house make. There are officially less than 20 members in the Syndicate, including the big names – Chanel, Christian Dior, Givenchy. Haute Couture pieces are made from scratch for the customer, usually requiring one to three fittings. A dress can take from 100-400 hours of work by skilled seamstresses. Every last bead and sequin is hand-sewn. These pieces are true works of art. The costs, therefore, are justified but still faint-inducing: an evening gown would start at $60,000 (up to $100,000).

Considering those prices, it makes sense that the customer for Haute Couture fashion is part of a very select group. There are only about 2,000 women in the world who wear couture, 200 of which are regular customers and 60% of which are American.

When a dress costs as much as a luxury car, you might wonder if couture is relevant. It’s most definitely excessive. However, couture designers are the crème of the crop. They are truly the most accomplished, technically talented designers in the entire industry. They create art. For visual proof, watch “Valentino: The Last Emperor.” You can’t help but be impressed at the level of skill and creativity.

Now if only I had an extra $60K lying around…

~ Silva

If you have questions or topics you’d like to see addressed in this blog, please email me at [email protected]. You can read more from me atonmyshoebox.

To read more Style Session, check out Style Session No. 13 – Golden Globes Roundup.