Haute [oʊt] means high or elegant.
Couture [kuˈtür] means dress making, by a couturier.
Haute Couture is the French term for upper end fashion design, licensed by the Chambre Syndicale, supported by the Ministry of Industry in France.
Atelier [atəˈlyeɪ] or salon [sa-lawn] is the place of business where a fashionable clientele is catered to. The salon employs approximately 15 people fulltime.
Vendeuse [vahn- dɶz] directly translated means sales person. Her commission does come from making a sale to a client. But neither the client nor the fashion designer are normal. The vendeuse gets involved with a client, once the client has been given an appointment. The vendeuse coordinates calendars and accompanies the client to all, at least 3 fittings. During the first appointment decisions are made about the design of the garment and its materials to be used. Measurements are taken and the work commences. Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the vendeuse not to have two clients order the same garment. Such protection is yet another priviledge, not available to the prêt-a-porter crowd.
Toile [twɑl] is a linen canvas, used in the initial design and fittings.
Mis à plat [miz a: plāt ] – after each fitting the toile is laid on the “cutting table,” taken apart entirely, refitted and then put together for the next fitting. All cutting and finishing proceeds in one room, under the supervision of the same seamstress.
The design of a haute couture garment is at the top level of customized clothing construction. These made to measure exclusive clothes are made by hand and reinforced for wear, after it is fitted the last time. Manual labor may take 100-200 hours for a suit, or daytime wear, and it can take 1000 hours for an evening dress, often with beads sewn tediously by hand.
Materials used are novelty as well as luxurious silk, fine wools, soft cashmere, drapey cottons, linens, leather, suede, furs. They are so specialized that the design and color of the cloth is placed on hold for a couture house before it goes to market.
There are only approximately 3000 clients of which only 1500 might order haute couture garments.
The designer, in addition to the special clients, must create and show 35-50 garments twice a year on the runway, showcasing their creativity and inspiration.
With all expenses increasing and a diminishing client base, a salon routinely operates at a loss. A Chanel outfit may have cost $25,000 in the year 2000. By 2005 the cost has more than doubled. Hence, so many fashion designers are choosing to show twice a year prêt a porter clothing. Such clothing is actually wearable and available as is by any high end retailer, and in the end accessible to a larger audience.
Are you interested in some designer garments that are incredibly priced? The latest designer to lend his name to a small line of designs is Christian Lacroix. Yes. THE Chirstian Lacroix. One of the very few left standing as a licensed haute couture designer. The French catalogue La Redoute has been providing cool clothing by fashion designers such as Courrege, Rene Derhy, Alain Manoukian, Ventilo and many more for some years now in Europe and now in North America. This is the time! Seize the day. Just don’t tell anybody where you got your over the top clothing… Well, I know you will, so I provided you with a link to this site.
In memoriam: Lady Astor died at 105, a queen of society. Brooke Astor was friends with and received medals from presidents, LB Johnson, Reagan, Clinton, she was seen at the arm of politicians like Henry Kissinger, she was known as a great philanthropist, dancing with the likes of David Rockefeller, John B. Fairchild and Andrew Carnegie. She was equally at ease with Lillian Gish and Annette de la Renta, who became her executor.
Her philosophy for life:”Discipline, in every way. You can have fun, but don’t eat so much, don’t drink so much. Flirt a little, but don’t get involved.”
