What does couture mean to you?
"Couture is custom-made fit and custom-made style. It's fashioned into reality by the highest authority of it, style, color, shape and carftsmanship to render the finest garment and enhance the best visual aspect of the wearer."
Carolina Amato, July 24, 2007
I'm a faithful subscriber to Sew News magazine and would like to recommend that you pick up a copy of the January/February 2008 issue. It features 15 Ideas: Turn Cast-Offs Into Courture. This is a great issue.
Couture Spotlight:
Secondhand Steals
Vintage Revival
Make It You
Stitch to Stage
Eye on Interfacing
Final Detail
Haute or Not?
The Spotlight
Wellll - I'm pretty strict in my definition! To me it means only 2 things: (1) A particular and very specific type of business model for custom clothing manufacture unique to France, where it was invented and still maintained in a much diminished state from its heyday in the 1950's, and (2) it's a particular type of sewing that primarily uses hand sewing for most of the garment construction . It does not apply to: accessories, home dec, cosmetics or anything made in a factory.
ReplyDeletePhyllis, Thanks so much for commenting on this post. It's great having others give their definition on the subject. Robert Doyle, who is the author of the "Haute or Not?", gives a similiar definition within the body of the article. He also provides some history of how haute couture started. I'm very intested in learning more about haute couture and welcome any comments or discussion about the topic. Thanks again,
ReplyDeleteCennetta
I have read so many definition about what couture means. My definition of Haute Couture is a one of a kind garment, completely hand made and custom fit. Now, just like everything in life, the meaning of couture changes as we become a culture of here today and gone tomarow. There is a video on You-Tube about the House of Channel and how the collection for the next fashion show is prepared. The video gives you the inside information about the time, effort and attention to detail it takes to create a couture garment. Mr.Valentino was interview and he said "Couture does not have the appeal of years gone by, people are more relaxed and demand for this type of garment is declining".What is Haute Couture? for me is the beautiful red wool skirt I made for my daughter with the zipper sewed in by hand, and waist tape applied to the waist to keep it from stretching, its the custom fit of the garment that was made from a sloper that was drafted for her body measurements..... on and onnnnnnnn.
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