Haute couture

Pierre Balmain fits Ruth Ford in a haute couture dress, photograph by Carl van Vechten (1947)

As haute couture ( IPA : [ otkutyːʁ ] listen ^?^/^I ; French for, fine tailoring ' ) are - in contrast to the later than in the 1950s established ready-to-wear fashion - from luxurious materials individually crafted custom Designated fashion creations by renowned fashion houses in the top price segment.

In a narrower sense, this refers to the women's fashion of the few fashion houses that have been officially authorized by the Parisian fashion association Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture (since 2017 Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode) to classify their lavish creations as haute couture, subject to certain criteria describe. The term Haute Couture is protected in France . In a broader sense, it is used to describe any type of sophisticated tailoring. The Italian counterpart is the Alta Moda, based in Rome . (English for upscale men's tailoring fine tailoring ) is the London Savile Row internationally known.

History and meaning

The Englishman Charles Frederick Worth , who founded the first major fashion house in Paris in 1857/58, is considered the founder of haute couture . His extremely expensive models, which Worth had presented for the first time by a mannequin , were reserved for a very wealthy clientele. Worth dressed among other things Empress Eugénie , Queen Victoria , the Princess Pauline von Metternich and the Empress Elisabeth of Austria . Charles Worth, whose assistants included the fashion designer Paul Poiret , exerted a great influence on the work of later fashion designers . French fashion designers such as Coco Chanel , Yves Saint Laurent and Christian Dior had a decisive influence on 20th century haute couture . They made Paris the international center of luxury women's fashion.

Haute couture models by Dior in the Moscow Pushkin Museum (2011)

As early as 1868, French Haute Couture organized in Paris to represent the interests of the tailoring trade worldwide in an association , the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Française, which in 1911 became the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. The Chambre opened an exclusive fashion school called École de la chambre syndicale de la couture parisienne in 1927 , which still exists today. The umbrella organization Fédération Française de la Couture, du Prêt-à-porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode was founded in 1973, and since then the representatives of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture (Haute-Couture-Mode, since 1868), the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-porter des Couturiers et des Créateurs de Mode (ready-to-wear fashion for women, since 1973) and the Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Masculine (ready-to-wear fashion for men, since 1973 ) unite. In June 2017, the umbrella organization was renamed the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.

Models from the Chanel Haute Couture collection fall / winter 2011/12

The entire international fashion industry orients itself towards the handcrafted, sometimes imposing creations of haute couture, which are presented during the twice-yearly haute couture fashion shows in Paris and testify to the highest level of craftsmanship. Nowadays - in addition to strengthening the prestige and image of the brand - the main function of haute couture fashion is to advertise less price-intensive and therefore more profitable ready - made clothing , cosmetics and accessories of the respective fashion house through attention in the international media . Unlike in the past, haute couture models with prices of up to one hundred thousand euros per dress are only bought by a small group of wealthy customers worldwide and are often viewed more as works of art or shown in exhibitions and museums .

The fashion houses that afford an expensive haute couture division are becoming fewer. After the end of the Second World War , over 100 fashion houses were full members of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. At the beginning of the 1990s there were more than 20, in 2011 just 15. Significant former members include Jeanne Lanvin , Guy Laroche , Madame Grès , Jean Patou , Nina Ricci , Louis Féraud , Paco Rabanne and Thierry Mugler . The Japanese designer Mori Hanae , whose company was based in Paris (closed in 2004), was the first Japanese woman to call herself a grand couturier and show haute couture fashion from 1977 onwards .

Haute couture criteria

Haute couture model from the autumn / winter 2002/03 season by Christian Lacroix in a retrospective (2008)

The term Haute Couture is legally protected in France. Every season the fashion houses have to reapply for full membership of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, which gives them the right to use the term 'Haute Couture' for their own creations, their own company 'Maison de Couture' and to call the fashion designer 'Grand Couturier'. Other manufacturers are not allowed to call their fashion haute couture. Non-members can only be accepted on the recommendation of members. Since 1945, strict criteria have been in place for the fashion houses (somewhat relaxed in 1997): the respective companies must run a bespoke studio with at least 20 (formerly 25) full-time employees, run the company's headquarters in Paris and at least 35 (formerly 50) different ones , handcrafted models for daytime and evening wear created by a fashion designer , all of which are unique, are presented to the press during the seasonal haute couture fashion shows in Paris. These requirements are checked anew every season. However, if a criterion is not met, the Federation can also approve exceptions. Not all companies that could easily meet the criteria mentioned (e.g. Louis Vuitton or Hermès ) operate their own haute couture division. From the 2000s onwards, it also increasingly happened that recognized haute couture houses, mostly for cost reasons, did not take part in the haute couture shows (e.g. Balmain , Jean Louis Scherrer ), only showing ready-to-wear fashion ( e.g. Ungaro from 2004) or suspend a few seasons (e.g. Givenchy , Lacroix ).

Since 1997, in addition to the full members, other members of the Federation have been invited as guests ( membres invités ) every season , who may not adorn their fashion with the expression 'Haute Couture', but with the term 'Couture'. Many of them, such as Jean-Paul Gaultier , Anne Valerie Hash , Adeline André , Elie Saab or Franck Sorbier , were finally made full members in the past after several seasons as guests.

In addition, the membre correspondant status was introduced in 2001 . This can be awarded to established fashion companies that do not necessarily have to be based in Paris, but play a major role in the Parisian fashion world. These members have the same status as other full members, they are also allowed to call their fashion 'Haute Couture'. As a graduate of the Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, Valentino produced haute couture fashion as early as 1962. The Italian house Versace was a corresponding member of the Atelier Versace fashion line in the mid-2000s . Versace withdrew from the official haute couture shows in 2004, but kept the Atelier Versace couture collection and returned to the Paris shows at the invitation of the Chambre Syndicale in early 2012. The company Maison Martin Margiela, whose founder Martin Margiela had been producing handmade women's fashion since 1989, was a corresponding member from 2006 and, as a company based in Paris, received full membership in the Haute Couture Association at the end of 2012.

From the spring / summer 2009 season, a further category was established in addition to haute couture fashion, haute couture accessories , which was discontinued a few years later. From spring / summer 2010, the Haute Joaillerie category for luxury jewelry manufacturers was added.

Recognized Maisons de Couture

Notes:

¹Corresponding member ( membre correspondant, non-French / foreign members with full membership status )

²Invited member ( membre invité, with restricted membership status )

year	Spring / Summer Collection	Fall / Winter Collection
2001		Balmain , Chanel , Christian Dior , Christian Lacroix , Emanuel Ungaro , Givenchy , Jean Louis Scherrer , Jean-Paul Gaultier , Philip Treacy , Valentino ¹ , Versace ¹ ( ² ), Yves Saint Laurent
2002	Balmain, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Emanuel Ungaro, Givenchy, Jean Louis Scherrer, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Valentino, Versace, Yves Saint Laurent	Anne Valerie Hash, Balmain, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Emanuel Ungaro, Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean Louis Scherrer, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Valentino ¹
2003	Anne Valerie Hash, Balmain, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Emanuel Ungaro, Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean Louis Scherrer, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Philip Treacy, Torrente , Valentino ¹	Adeline André ² , Anne Valérie Hash ² , [[Marie-Louise Carven \| Carven ² ]] 2 , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Dominique Sirop , Elie Saab ² , Emanuel Ungaro, Eymeric François ² , Franck Sorbier ² , Fred Sathal ² , Givenchy, Grimaldi Giardina ² , Hanae Mori, Jean-Louis Scherrer, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Ji Haye ² , Libertin Louison ² , Nicolas Le Cauchois ² , Ralph Rucci ² , Torrente, Valentino ¹ , Versace ¹ ( ² )
2004	Adeline André ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Dominique Sirop, Dupresantabarbara ² , Elie Saab ² , Emanuel Ungaro, Franck Sorbier ² , Givenchy, Grimaldi Giardina ² , Hanae Mori, Jean-Louis Scherrer, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Ji Haye ² , Maurizio Galante ² , Ralph Rucci ² , Torrente, Valentino ¹ , Versace ¹ ( ² )	Balmain, Adeline André ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Dominique Sirop, Dupresantabarbara ² , Elie Saab ² , Emanuel Ungaro, Franck Sorbier ² , Givenchy, Grimaldi Giardina ² , Hanae Mori, Jean-Louis Scherrer, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Ji Haye ² , Maurizio Galante ² , On aura tout vu ² , Ralph Rucci ² , Stéphanie Coudert ² , Torrente, Valentino ¹ , Versace ¹
2005	Adeline André, Armani Privé ¹ , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Dominique Sirop, Emanuel Ungaro, Elie Saab ² , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean Louis Scherrer, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Laurent Mercier ² , Marc Le Bihan ² , Maurizio Galante ² , On aura tout vu ² , Ralph Rucci ² , Stephane Saunier ² , Valentino ¹ , Versace ¹	Adam Jones ² , Anne Valérie Hash ² , Adeline André, Armani Privé ¹ , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Dominique Sirop, Emanuel Ungaro, Elie Saab ² , Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean Louis Scherrer, Jean- Paul Gaultier, Laurent Mercier ² , Marc Le Bihan ² , On aura tout vu ² , Valentino ¹ , Versace ¹
2006	Adeline André, Anne Valérie Hash ² , Armani Privé ¹ , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Christophe Josse ² , Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ² , Emanuel Ungaro, Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jean -Louis Scherrer, Maurizio Galante ² , On aura tout vu ² , Valentino ¹	Adeline André, Anne Valerie Hash ² , Armani Privé ¹ , Carven ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ¹ , Emanuel Ungaro, Eymeric François ² , Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean Louis Scherrer , Jean-Paul Gaultier, Maison Martin Margiela ² , On aura tout vu ² , Valentino ¹
2007	Adam Jones ² , Adeline André, Anne Valerie Hash ² , Armani Privé ¹ , Boudicca ² , Carven ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Christophe Josse ² , Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ¹ , Emanuel François ² , Eymericois ² , Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Gérard Watelet ² , Givenchy, Gustavo Lins ² , Jean Louis Scherrer, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Lefranc.Ferrant ² , Maison Martin Margiela ² , Marc Le Bihan ² , Maurizio Galante ² , Nicolas Le Cauchois ² , On aura tout vu ² , Richard René ² , Valentino ¹	Adam Jones ² , Adeline André, Anne Valerie Hash ² , Armani Privé ¹ , Boudicca ² , Carven ² , Cathy Pill ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Christophe Josse ² , Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ¹ , Emanuel Ungaro, Eymeric François ² , Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Gérard Watelet ² , Givenchy, Gustavo Lins ² , Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jean Louis Scherrer, Lefranc.Ferrant ² , Maison Martin Margiela ¹ , Marc Le Bihan ² , Maurizio Galante ² , Nicolas Le Cauchois ² , On aura tout vu ² , Richard René ² , Udo Eling ² , Valentino ¹
2008	Adam Jones ² , Adeline André, Alexis Mabille ² , Anne Valérie Hash, Armani Privé ¹ , Boudicca ² , Cathy Pill ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Christophe Josse ² , Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ¹ , Emanuel Ungaro, Eymeric François ² , Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Gérard Watelet ² , Givenchy, Gustavo Lins ² , Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jean-Paul Knott ² , Josep Font ² , Lefranc.Ferrant ² , Maison Martin Margiela ¹ , Marc Le Bihan ² , Maurizio Galante, Nicolas Le Cauchois ² , On aura tout vu ² , Richard René ² , Stéphane Rolland ² , Udo Eling ² , Valentino ¹	Adam Jones ² , Adeline André, Alexis Mabille ² , Anne Valérie Hash, Armani Privé ¹ , Boudicca ² , Cathy Pill ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Christophe Josse ² , Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ¹ , Emanuel Ungaro, Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jean-Paul Knott ² , Josep Font ² , Lefranc.Ferrant ² , Maison Martin Margiela ¹ , Marc Le Bihan ² , Maurizio Galante, Richard René ² , Stéphane Rolland ² , Udo Eling ² , Valentino ¹ , Wuyong ²
2009	Adam Jones ² , Adeline André, Alexis Mabille ² , Anne Valérie Hash, Armani Privé ¹ , Boudicca ² , Cathy Pill ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Christophe Josse ² , Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ¹ , Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Gustavo Lins ² , Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jean-Paul Knott ² , Josep Font ² , Lefranc.Ferrant ² , Maison Martin Margiela ¹ , Marc Le Bihan ² , Maurizio Galante, Richard René ² , Stéphane Rolland, Udo Eling ² , Valentino ¹ . New category fashion et accessoires : On aura tout vu	Adam Jones ² , Adeline André, Alexandre Matthieu ² , Alexis Mabille ² , Anne Valérie Hash, Armani Privé ¹ , Boudicca ² , Cathy Pill ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Christophe Josse ² , Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ¹ , Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Gustavo Lins ² , Jean-Paul Gaultier, Josep Font ² , Lefranc-Ferrant ² , Maison Martin Margiela ¹ , Maison Rabih Kayrouz ² , Marc Le Bihan ² , Maurizio Galante, Richard René ² , Stéphane Rolland, Udo Eling ² , Valentino ¹ . Fashion and accessories : Loulou de la Falaise , Maison Michel , Massaro , On aura tout vu
2010	Adam Jones ² , Adeline André, Alexandre Matthieu ² , Alexis Mabille ² , Anne Valérie Hash, Armani Privé ¹ , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Christophe Josse ² , Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ¹ , Felipe Oliveira Baptista ² , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Gustavo Lins ² , Jean-Paul Gaultier, Josep Font ² , Josephus Thimister ² , Lefranc-Ferrant ² , Maison Martin Margiela ¹ , Maison Rabih Kayrouz ² , Marc Le Bihan ² , Maurizio Galante, Stéphane Rolland, Valentino ¹ . Fashion and accessories : Loulou de la Falaise, Maison Michel, Massaro, On aura tout vu. New category Haute Joaillerie : Boucheron , Cartier, Chanel, Chaumet , Dior, Mellerio dits Meller , Van Cleef & Arpels	Adam Jones ² , Adeline André, Alexis Mabille ² , Anne Valérie Hash, Armani Privé ¹ , Bouchra Jarrar ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christophe Josse ² , Dominique Sirop, Elie Saab ¹ , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Gustavo Lins ² , Jean- Paul Gaultier, Josephus Thimister ² , Lefranc-Ferrant ² , Maison Martin Margiela ¹ , Maison Rabih Kayrouz ² , Maurizio Galante, Stéphane Rolland, Valentino ¹ . Fashion and accessories : Loulou de la Falaise, Maison Michel, Massaro, On aura tout vu. Haute Joaillerie : Boucheron, Chanel, Chaumet, Dior, Mellerio dits Meller, Van Cleef & Arpels
2011	Adeline André, Alexandre Vauthier ² , Alexis Mabille ² , Anne Valérie Hash, Armani Privé ¹ , Bouchra Jarrar ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christophe Josse, Elie Saab ¹ , Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Gustavo Lins, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Josephus Thimister ² , Julien Fournié ² , Lefranc-Ferrant ² , Maison Martin Margiela ¹ , Maison Rabih Kayrouz ² , Maurizio Galante, Maxime Simoens ² , Stéphane Rolland, Valentino ¹ . Fashion and accessories : Loulou de la Falaise, Maison Michel, Massaro, On aura tout vu. Haute Joaillerie : Boucheron, Chanel, Chaumet, Dior, Mellerio dits Meller, Van Cleef & Arpels	Adeline André, Alexandre Vauthier ² , Alexis Mabille ² , Anne Valérie Hash, Armani Privé ¹ , Azzedine Alaïa ¹ , Bouchra Jarrar ² , Chanel, Christian Dior, Christophe Josse, Elie Saab ¹ , Franck Sorbier, Giambattista Valli ² , Givenchy, Gustavo Lins , Iris van Herpen ² , Jean-Paul Gaultier, Julien Fournié ² , Maison Martin Margiela ¹ , Maison Rabih Kayrouz ² , Maxime Simoens ² , Stéphane Rolland, Valentino ¹ . Fashion and accessories : Loulou de la Falaise, Maison Michel, Massaro, On aura tout vu. Haute Joaillerie : Boucheron, Chanel, Chaumet, Dior, Mellerio, Van Cleef & Arpels
2017	Chanel, Alexis Mabille, Julien Fournié, Alexandre Vauthier, Stéphane Rolland, Maison Margiela, Franck Sorbier, Jean Paul Gaultier, Givenchy Corresponding members: Atelier Versace, Giorgio Armani privé, Viktor & Rolf , Valentino Invited members: Maison Rabih Kayrouz, Iris van Herpen, Georges Hobeika , Francesco Scognamiglio , Ralph & Russo , Yuima Nakazato , Vetements , Zuhair Murad , Ulyana Sergeenko , Guo Pei , Xuan , Antonio Grimaldi , Hyun Mi Nielsen , Galia Lahav
2021		Alexandre Vauthier, Alexis Mabille, Bouchra Jarrar, Chanel, Christian Dior, Franck Sorbier, Giambattista Valli, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Julien Fournié, Maison Margiela, Maison Rabih Kayrouz, Maurizio Galante, Schiaparelli , Stéphane Rolland Corresponding members: Alaïa , Atelier Versace, Elie Saab, Fendi Couture , Giorgio Armani Privé, Iris van Herpen, Valentino, Viktor & Rolf Invited members: Adeline André, Aelis , Aganovich , AZ Factory , Azzaro Couture , Charles de Vilmorin , Christophe Josse, Georges Hobeika, Imane Ayissi , Julie de Libran , Rahul Mishra , RVDK Ronald van der Kemp , SR Studio. LA. Approx. , Ulyana Seergenko, Yuima Nakazato, Zuhair Murad Haute Joaillerie: Anna Hu , Boucheron, Bulgari , Chaumet, Chopard , De Beers , Dior Joaillerie, Louis Vuitton Joaillerie, Mikimoto

literature

Rudolf Kinzel, 1990: The fashion makers, history of haute couture. Paul Zsolnay, Vienna / Darmstadt, ISBN 3-552-04202-4 .

Web links

Wiktionary: Haute Couture - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Website of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode

Individual evidence

^ Eva-Maria Krech, Eberhard Stock, Ursula Hirschfeld, Lutz Christian Anders: German pronunciation dictionary . 1st edition. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York 2009, ISBN 978-3-11-018202-6 , pp. 571 .
↑ Master of the Tailors , diepresse.com, January 21, 2011
↑ AltaRoma: Haute Couture in Italian , madonna.oe24.at, July 12, 2010
↑ Lexicon: Haute Couture ( Memento from September 6, 2010 in the Internet Archive ), spiegel.de, accessed: February 27, 2021.
↑ Haute couture defies the economic crisis , welt.de, July 21, 2009.
↑ Japanese Hanae Mori gives her farewell performance , rp-online.de, July 8, 2004.
↑ The beautiful plaster of the crisis , zeit.de, January 27, 2009.
↑ When do you belong to haute couture? , vogue.de, June 27, 2008
^ Parisian haute couture loses three fashion houses , rp-online.de, June 3, 2004.
↑ Haute Couture - Chichi, as chic can , faz.net, January 25, 2007.
↑ Miles Socha: Versace Back on Couture Calendar , wwd.com, November 15, 2011.
↑ 'Maison Martin Margiela' model Haute Couture ( Memento from January 15, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), gala.de, December 19, 2012. Accessed on February 27, 2021.
↑ Haute Couture: Didier Grumbach décode les évolutions du calendrier ( Memento of January 15, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), fashion.dailynews.com, December 19, 2012. Accessed February 27, 2021.
↑ Chambre Syndicale de la Couture with new members , textilwirtschaft.de, May 20, 2009.
↑ Jeroen van Rooijen: Haute Couture meets Haute Joaillerie ( Memento of April 8, 2010 in the Internet Archive ), magazin-z.ch, November 24, 2009. Accessed on February 27, 2021.

[1] Eva-Maria Krech, Eberhard Stock, Ursula Hirschfeld, Lutz Christian Anders: German pronunciation dictionary . 1st edition. Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, New York 2009, ISBN 978-3-11-018202-6 , pp. 571 .

[2] Master of the Tailors , diepresse.com, January 21, 2011

[3] AltaRoma: Haute Couture in Italian , madonna.oe24.at, July 12, 2010

[4] Lexicon: Haute Couture ( Memento from September 6, 2010 in the Internet Archive ), spiegel.de, accessed: February 27, 2021.

[5] Haute couture defies the economic crisis , welt.de, July 21, 2009.

[6] Japanese Hanae Mori gives her farewell performance , rp-online.de, July 8, 2004.

[7] The beautiful plaster of the crisis , zeit.de, January 27, 2009.

[8] When do you belong to haute couture? , vogue.de, June 27, 2008

[9] Parisian haute couture loses three fashion houses , rp-online.de, June 3, 2004.

[10] Haute Couture - Chichi, as chic can , faz.net, January 25, 2007.

[11] Miles Socha: Versace Back on Couture Calendar , wwd.com, November 15, 2011.

[12] 'Maison Martin Margiela' model Haute Couture ( Memento from January 15, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), gala.de, December 19, 2012. Accessed on February 27, 2021.

[13] Haute Couture: Didier Grumbach décode les évolutions du calendrier ( Memento of January 15, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), fashion.dailynews.com, December 19, 2012. Accessed February 27, 2021.

[14] Chambre Syndicale de la Couture with new members , textilwirtschaft.de, May 20, 2009.

[15] Jeroen van Rooijen: Haute Couture meets Haute Joaillerie ( Memento of April 8, 2010 in the Internet Archive ), magazin-z.ch, November 24, 2009. Accessed on February 27, 2021.