OFM Style: Haute Couture and Exclusivity

Pronounced “ot kotur,” Haute Couture is French for high dressmaking and sewing. It is usually reserved for certain brands and clientele and is usually custom-made. There are many rigorous rules and regulations established by the Paris Chamber of Commerce, but Haute Couture is not exclusive to only Parisian fashion houses. 

As defined by the Paris Chamber of Commerce, each piece in a collection of Haute Couture needs to be custom-fit to a client, usually privately listed and high-profile, with at minimum two fittings before the finalized design. For the Couture to even be considered, the fashion house needs to employ at the very least 15 full-time staff members and 20 full-time technicians in a workshop, called an Atelier, which has to be located in Paris. Additionally, the makers must hand-fit and hand-sew the piece for the client.

Mind you, each Atelier needs to showcase the custom pieces created. At least 50 pieces are to be showcased to the public every Fashion Week that occurs in Paris. So that means in both Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter, Paris Fashion Week will include a baker’s dozen of shows putting full display of the hard work and craftsmanship of the designers and technicians. It is the ultimate hand-made collaboration.

Haute Couture, in a more contemporary sense, is used to describe most pieces of custom made high fashion. Even the illustrious Met Gala hosted at the beginning of May was used as the vehicle to showcase the best of Haute Couture. However, many pieces will never meet the “standard” set by Ateliers and the Paris Chamber of Commerce. Though, that has not stopped many fashion start-ups and indie designers from following the steps to achieve that Haute Couture air that is so prestigious.

Not only is the process of making Couture elaborate, but the fabrics chosen to work with are just as prestigious. The finest silk, cashmere wool, vicuna, or charmeuse are some of the world’s most expensive fabrics which are usually the tools used to create both plain and eccentric designs based on the clients’ taste. Of course, textiles like linen and 100% cotton are used as well, but the point of Haute Couture is to showcase both the handiwork of the Ateliers and the opulent taste of clients and designers. 

Mind you, the point of it all is not practicality, but rather a sense of pride and inspiration toward craftsmanship and design between fashion houses and aspiring designers. In a word, Luxe can be used to describe what Haute Couture is: expensive and high quality. Though, the best part of Haute Couture is how it inspires designers big and small to create high-quality pieces for clients. Essentially, it is the antithesis of fast fashion. Couture is not a feasible purchase for everyone, but it does make one wonder about the quality and production of the things you wear and where they come from.