Respect the name "Haute Couture'

Haute Couture in fashion these days has become the most loosely used term when infact only a selected few Designers in Paris have earned their stripes to feature a true Haute couture collection. As the shows rounded up in Paris last week, most may be wondering why only a selected few Designers featured a Haute couture Fall 14 collection, this is why....

The term "Haute Couture" is French. Haute means "high" or "elegant." Couture means "sewing," but has come to indicate the business of designing, creating, and selling custom-made, high fashion women's clothes. It literally means everthing done by hand..

Strict Regulations - To be called a haute couture house, the term is protected by law and a business must belong to the ‘Chambre de commerce et d'industrie de Paris. They are a regulating commission who determine which fashion houses are eligible to be true haute couture house.

Criteria

- Design has to be made-to-order for private clients, with one or more fittings.
- Designer must have a workshop (Atelier) in Paris that employs at least fifteen staff members full-time.
- Must have twenty, full-time technical people in at least one workshop (atelier).

- must employ 15 or more people and present collections twice a year. Each presentation must include at least 35 separate outfits for day and eveningwear.

Designers who have earned their stripes - The syndicate has about 18 members, including such fashion giants as Chanel, Christian Dior, Atlier Versace, Ellie Saab, Valentino etc. The houses generate more than $1 billion in annual sales and employ close to 5,000 people. Workers often specialize in one area, such as trims, embroidery, etc.

NOW
Due to economy shifts, today only a selected few can purchase these custom made pieces they are incredibly expensive compared to fashion's "golden age," after World War II were Socialites such as the Duchess of Windsor, Babe Paley, and Gloria Guiness would order an entire collection at a time. Despite the small market, designers maintain haute couture operations partly because the prestige helps sell other products, such as perfume, cosmetics, and their ready-to-wear lines available in stores.