Couture is something special and magical. High fashion attracts, captivates not only with an abundance of expensive decorative elements and delicate fabrics, but also with its inherent inaccessibility. Haute couture clothing is an expensive pleasure that is created for a single person in one copy. What caused such noise around the described phenomenon, read on.
History of occurrence
The concepts of "haute couture" and "high fashion" appeared in the middle of the nineteenth century, when the first fashion salons began to operate. Then fashion designers gained power over the world and dictated their own requirements to society. Created toilets from satin and silk fabrics, decorated with pearls and precious stones, turned the heads of the beautiful half of humanity, especially the representatives of the nobility.
The founder of haute couture is Charles Frederick Worth, an Englishman who opened his own fashion house in Paris, where a secular salon and a luxury store were combined. Wonderful work on the dress for madamMetternich brought Worth unprecedented popularity and an excellent assessment of Empress Eugenie Montijo.
It can be said that Charles formed the principles of "high" sewing: the attitude to clothing as a separate art form and exclusively handmade. His creations have been preserved and today adorn places of honor in museums.
In 1868, the Paris Committee of the Trade Union of the Clothing Industry (High Fashion Syndicate) was opened, which still unites the famous fashion salons and companies in Paris. Here the fate of fashion trends is decided, legal issues in this industry are resolved.
General Requirements
Couture is not made-to-measure brand-name clothes or things that are easy to find in store shelves. First of all, this is uniqueness in the literal sense. In order for a fashion house to create haute couture clothes, the following requirements must be met:
- Production necessarily falls under the jurisdiction of the French Department of Industry. So, the main studio, all workshops and company stores should be located in the capital of France - Paris. This guarantees legal security.
- The staff has at least twenty employees.
- The collection will be shown twice a year (two seasonal lines). Moreover, the defile shows more than thirty dresses for day and evening. Haute Couture Week has nothing to do with ready-to-wear shows and takes place in January and July (usually at the Croiselle du Louvre).
Also existsthe concept of "corresponding members" - foreign houses with headquarters in other states. They are invited to shows, but due to the fact that the firms do not meet all the criteria, they are simply called "couture".
The main feature of haute couture clothing:
- tailoring according to the client's parameters (the minimum number of fittings is 3);
- unique design;
- using exclusively exclusive fabrics;
- decoration with precious stones (often family jewels).
Basic rules
A haute couture outfit is not just a purchase. It is also a great responsibility, knowing certain rules and responsibilities:
- Couture dress is bought only for a specific occasion (red carpet, royal ball, etc.).
- You can only wear a dress once. A re-output in an outfit is allowed after ten or even fifteen years, when the thing can also be called vintage.
- To buy a lady must be at least sixteen years old (etiquette is already involved).
- Waiting patiently for the result.
It is worth noting the fact that many stars (singers, actresses, models) rent a dress. Such a move helps the house find more influential buyers.
Founders of haute couture houses
Famous fashion designers who can create haute couture creations:
- Giorgio Armani is the Italian couturier who founded Armani. In 2005, he first launched his own haute couture collection called Armani. Prive.
- Cristóbal Balenciaga is a Spanish fashion designer who created the haute couture house Balenciaga. He is considered the only creator who is able to independently model, cut, cut and sew.
- Pierre Balmain is a French fashion designer whose outfits have conquered not only fashion catwalks, but also the scenes of great movies.
- Gianni Versace is a man who combined two wonderful phenomena: music and fashion.
- Christian Dior is a French couturier about whom various directors created legendary films.
- Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy is once again a fashion designer from France, whose fashion understanding and worldview were embodied by two stars and idols of youth: Audrey Hepburn and Jacqueline Kennedy.
- Coco Chanel, the founder of the Chanel fashion house, had an unrealistic influence on the development of European culture. Demonstrated "luxurious simplicity" in her own creations.
It turns out that it is not for nothing that there is so much noise and attention around haute couture clothes. High fashion is magic and originality.
