Hosted bi-annually in Paris,
Haute Couture fashion week is one of the most renowned events in the calendar of the fashion world. Haute Couture translates from French to English as “High Fashion” and is arguably the most luxurious style of catwalk. The term Haute Couture has actually been protected by the French ministry of industry since 1945. The French Ministry of Industry (also referred to as
FHCM) is responsible for holding a tight list of requirements and deciding who is allowed to showcase a Haute Couture collection.
According to
Vogue, at present there are only 4,000 active Haute Couture customers worldwide, so with such a small clientele base, often people question why the fashion world still insists on keeping Haute Couture alive.
At present, there are 16 French designers holding Haute Couture labels, with 8 correspondent designers (international designers) and a handful of guest designers who are invited to showcase at the bi-annual Haute Couture fashion shows. The full list of members can be found here but includes the likes of Chanel, Giambisti Valli, Elie Saab, and Miu Miu.
Fashion united define Haute Couture as “a celebration of skills and craft that must be honed, sustained and kept alive”, haute couture is less about generating sales to the masses, and more about the celebration of craftsmanship and the art form we know as fashion. Haute couture promotes a fantasy of fairytale-esque gowns that are often only worn once, perhaps to feature in a magazine. The key to Haute Couture is to promote a fantasy to help sell a product- for example, a model wearing a Haute Couture gown may be used to promote a perfume, which is a more realistic price point for the average consumer.
A great example of the luxury that Haute Couture fashion week promotes is showcased through the intricacy and delicate nature presented through
Elie Saab’s spring 2022 luxury Haute Couture collection. The collection is said to be i
nspired by the Garden of Eden, consisted of bold bright colours, floral-inspired shapes and textures, and the brand’s signature luxurious hand embroidery.
Another brand that regularly showcases the beauty of Haute Couture is Jean Paul Gaultier who emphasises the importance of structure and craftsmanship through Haute Couture fashion. Gaultier is infamous for its use of optical illusion prints, and this spring’s collection continued to pay homage to that, with hourglass silhouettes and corsets being used throughout to showcase the brand’s classic style.
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