Background information
This old-fashioned accessory is currently making a big comeback
by Stephanie Vinzens
Fashion lingo: Haute couture and prêt-à-porter – which is which?
11.10.2022
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
One is extravagant and not exactly suitable for everyday use, the other trendy and often quickly sold out. Find out here which of those details make the difference between haute couture and prêt-à-porter collections.
Twice a year, New York, Milan, Copenhagen and Paris are all about fashion. Fashion Week, to be exact. Either for autumn and winter or for upcoming spring and summer collections. Makes sense, that basically covers everything. Well… there is one unanswered question: why does Paris get special treatment? The city on the Seine is the only metropolis to distinguish between prêt-à-porter and haute couture. But why, and what distinguishes one collection from the other?
Prêt-à-porter
It’s quite simple, actually. It basically just means «clothes ready-to-wear». Collections are manufactured in the usual, standardised ready-to-wear sizes – for the masses, so to speak. Or rather, the slightly smaller masses that can and want to afford brands such as Saint Laurent, Loewe or Jil Sander.
The kicker: what you see on the catwalk is exactly what you see in stores, both on- and offline. You can order or buy an item, hope it fits well and then look like everyone else who can afford the same thing. Quite a contrast to…
Haute Couture
High fashion, or more precisely «upscale tailoring», describes exclusively made-to-measure and handmade pieces for an exquisite, I’d say filthy rich, clientele. Fast-moving consumerism and ill-considered consumption are foreign here. Instead, beads are precisely placed by hand, fabrics are woven according to centuries-old tradition, and each piece is cut exactly to the customer's measurements. So meeting someone in the same dress at your next cocktail party is therefore impossible.
The interesting thing about haute couture? And this exclusivity doesn’t only refer to a small circle of elite, wealthy clients. Even fashion houses themselves, which officially adorn themselves with the title «upscale», must meet some criteria. These are decided by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, an institution founded in Paris all the way back in 1868. For example, brands must be headquartered in Paris and employ a minimum of 15 people there. They must present a collection of at least 35 pieces each season and also strive to receive their clients for fittings in their atelier in order to be able to create truly bespoke one-of-a-kind pieces.
And if a brand dreams of joining this illustrious circle? Well, they’ll first need a recommendation from one of the (currently 45) already recognised «Maisons de Couture». These include:
- Alexandre Vauthier
- Balenciaga
- Chanel
- Christian Dior
- Ellie Saab
- Giambattista Valli
- Schiaparelli
- Valentino
*In the «Fashion lingo» series, I try to shed light on the dark that is language in the fashion industry. If you also feel like the words sometimes gets lost in translation, I’ll do my best to help. Just drop your question in the comments.
Header image: Schiaparelli Haute Couture Fall/Winter '22 via Spotlight
Laura Scholz
Senior Editor
Laura.Scholz@digitecgalaxus.chAlways in the mood for good hits, great trips and clinking drinks.
Fashion
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