Haute couture. In reading this phrase you are likely thinking one of three things:
... What in the world is that?
It is kind of ridiculous.
I *live* for it.
Haute Couture: An Overview
For those who aren't familiar, haute couture is a french term that translates to "high sewing," commonly known as high fashion. This term is used to describe high-end fashion design that is constructed by hand from start to finish and custom fitted to a model.
A fashion house must meet very specific requirements to label its collections as haute couture.
Overseen by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture - a subsidiary of the Parisian fashion governing body Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) - the opportunity to become an haute couture house is by invitation only. In addition to a house demonstrating they have the skill to compete on fashion's most elite stage, a minimum of fifteen people must be employed by the house and they must present a collection of at least thirty-five pieces for daytime wear and evening wear to the press in Paris each fashion season. The spring/summer shows occur every January and the autumn/winter shows occur every July.
It has proven to be challenging to maintain haute couture status, which has prompted FHCM to adjust the criteria, making it more feasible for new designers to enter the haute couture stage. Fashion houses such as Chanel, Dior, and Givenchy have stood the test of time. Others, such as Schiaparelli, have removed themselves from the haute couture circle and later returned. Newly appointed guest haute couture houses include Aelis, Imane Aiyissi, and Robert Wun.
The Hate Towards Haute Couture
It is fascinating to me how much people *love* to hate on haute couture. "Impractical, ridiculous, oh so opulent!"
- all remarks I've heard time and time again.
It's no secret that creating these high-end garments and hosting the runway shows comes with a high price tag. After the shows, the pieces created go on to sell for tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
But let's reset for a second. Think about the last film you watched. Did you walk away from watching it thinking, “impractical, ridiculous, opulent!”? Probably not, even though that film likely cost millions of dollars to produce. Film is viewed as entertainment, as an art form that is designed to transport us to worlds other than our own. So why should other art forms be judged any differently?
Haute Couture as an Art Form
Just like award-winning films, music albums, and novels, haute couture fashion is both an art form and a vehicle for storytelling. Each fashion house’s collection follows characters, explores themes, and strives to stir something within the viewer. Rather than telling a story through scripts or lyrics, it is through the fabrics, shapes, and movement of garments, handcrafted by the world’s best fashion designers.
Haute couture was never intended to be about practicality. It was and continues to be about creativity, exploration, and narrative.
In the age of mass production, what a gift to have garments and runway events that cannot be reproduced. They are one-of-a-kind, otherworldly, and thought-provoking. The purpose of haute couture isn't to be able to buy and wear the clothes, no more than watching the World Cup is about being able to play on the field. Haute couture is about being brought into the creative journey and moved to consider a new point of view.
コメント