You guys, here’s your first fashion lesson!!! Also known as, how I fill the void of not being able to afford getting a Master’s degree in fashion and textile studies!!(-:
I’m fine, really.
So many people say they LOVE fashion, but what I really think they mean is that they love clothes. Which like, fine, but… not the same thing.
You’ve probably heard the word couture before. Maybe even seen that some shows during fashion week are labeled ready-to-wear, while others are labeled couture. Maybe you know that a couturier makes couture clothing. But you probably don’t know what the word is like actually trying to tell you, you feel?
I AM HERE TO HELP. Let’s get into it bbys.
So couture, haute couture, high fashion if you will, is basically the creation of custom-fitted clothing. She’s exclusive. She’s rich. She’s art. It’s clothing that is created by hand and with the highest quality fabrics.
Haute couture pieces are tailored specifically to the person wearing it… at least they should be. Sometimes nowadays I feel like people wear couture on the red carpet, straight off the runway and without making any adjustments, which truly is just a missed opportunity.
An Englishmen by the name of Charles Fredrick Worth, born in the 1800s and who founded the House of Worth, is known by many fashion historians to be the father of haute couture. He would allow his clients to basically pick all the details and elements of their pieces before he even began his design process; something that was totes unheard of at the time. He was the first to replace fashion dolls with actual people to display his designs for clients. During his peak, he reformed crinoline, which is a structured petticoat that helps hold the shape of a skirt. He made the crinoline more narrow and let the largest part gather in the back. This made it so much easier for women to literally just function in every day life. Eventually he said fuck crinoline and created a straight shaped gown without a defined waist that become known as the princess line. ALSO, he shortened the hem of his dresses (the walking dress). This was actually a suggestion of Empress Eugénie, one of his esteemed clients, who loved long walks but not long skirts. This was, of course, seen as radical and scandalous but like #FreeTheAnkle, and it obviously was adapted over time because of its practicality.
Worth might be thought of as the father of haute couture, but if you really think about it, couture can be seen as far back as the 17th century. Think of all the royal aristocrats that had all of their clothing custom made!
And following Wroth came amazing, well known names like Patou, Poiret, Lanvin, Chanel, Balenciaga, Schiaparelli, Balmain, Dior, etc. Then stemming from these houses came people like Yves Saint Laurent, Pierre Cardin, and André Courrèges. Let’s also not forget Lacroix, Jean Paul Gautier, and Thierry Mugler. Need I name more?
A lot of these houses still exist today, and some like Balenciaga just came back for their first couture season since 1968; very worth the wait, I have to say. Claps for Demna!!!
In Paris, the term haute couture is literally protected by law, and to call yourself a couture house you HAVE to follow specific rules set by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. They include:
design made-to-order for private clients, with one or more fittings
have a workshop (atelier) in Paris that employs at least fifteen staff members full-time
have at least twenty full-time technical people, in at least one workshop (atelier)
present a collection of at least fifty original designs to the public every fashion season (twice, in January and July of each year), of both day and evening garments
Althoughhhh, the term is also used to describe custom, high-fashioned pieces produced in Paris and all of the other fashion capitals of the world.
And you’re probably wondering… who even wears these things? Well, not many people (approximately 4,000 people WORLDWIDE are clients), but that’s not reaaallly their purpose. Couture shows are meant to be looked at, their meant for you to pay attention to a brand. To maybe look at their ready-to-wear designs, accessories, or perfumes. It’s publicity. It’s brand image.
So that’s that. Hopefully that was a quick little lesson and easy to digest. Let me know what you though. I for one had very much fun writing this and nerding out. I will be doing it again regardless of what you say, but you know… it would be nice to be on the same page.
LOVE YOU.
xx