Haute Couture Paris by Admin
Haute Couture is French for ‘high sewing’, it refers to a specialist part of the fashion industry that makes clothes on a luxurious and grandiose scale. All pieces are handmade in ateliers in Paris using no fewer than twenty people. Everything is custom made and tailored specifically for each client, therefore the collections shown at the event are for the current season, unlike all other Fashion Week events, since there in no need for production lead time.
The event is held twice annually in January and July. Models, stylists, socialites and celebrities gather at the French capital to appreciate some of the finest dressmaking in the world. In France, designers have to meet certain requirements set by the French Ministry of Industry to be able to call themselves ‘couture’. These include catering to private clients and keeping a full-time workshop in Paris with no fewer than twenty dressmakers. In recent years many fashion houses have cut back on their Haute Couture production due to the high costs and small to no profit as many of the garments are not for sale as they are mainly unwearable and solely serve editorial purposes. Haute Couture shows are used to attract press coverage and publicity for the brands rather than earn profit.