Haute couture is known worldwide for being extravagant, eccentric, luxurious and spectacular. Representing the pinnacle of fashion from the masters themselves, haute couture and their brands are often revered by budding fashion designers for their creativity and expressiveness. The haute couture houses are often completely unafraid to make pieces that break gender norms, that blends the idea of seasons, and that experiment with textures and materials.
There are some commonalities between all haute couture houses and that is that they are unafraid of being original. This means that they often experiment with all kinds of materials including crepe. If you are in the mood to be a little bold and would like some clothes that incorporate crepe, go ahead and check out crepe knit jackets and dresses
So, what are haute couture houses? they are a group of fashion designers that focus on making handmade garments tailored for specific clients using the highest materials. Haute couture can’t just be used by any fashion house however. It requires that they follow specific standards. These standards are, they must make specific, made to order designs (often at exorbitant cost) for private clients. They must have a workshop in Paris, France, and they must submit a collection of 35 pieces twice a year. The members of this exclusive club include well-known names such as Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier Etc.
Haute couture has been around for ages and was originally used in the 19th century, however with the great depression of the 1950s, haute couture declined in popularity and made way for ready-made attire. Thankfully we are past all that and haute couture is back in style. The primary benefit of having a garment of haute couture pedigree, if you are able to afford it, is that you will have what is essentially a wearable work of art. Haute couture pieces are entirely unique and as such, you can rest comfortably knowing that you are the only person in the world who has that particular outfit. The outfits are often so well made and sturdy that they are passed down through generations. The downside of some haute couture pieces is that they can be very over the top, beautiful and stylish, but if you’ve seen a few runway shows you would know that they can be a little bit much, especially if you just want to have a quiet night out at a restaurant. They can however usually be auctioned for very handsome amounts of money, especially if they represent something really unique for that particular atelier.
During tough times economically, you will notice that fewer people wear very exuberant clothes simply because they are saving money, and with good reason, some of the haute couture outfits can go for upwards of $40000, and some dresses can take upwards of 1000 hours to make. The clothes are often made of the most expensive materials in the world, like suede, silk, cashmere, and some exotic furs as well.
