What makes Couture designers authentic?

As far as "Couture designers" go, in the world of Haute Couture there are a vast array of them claiming to be the real thing!

First we are going to list for you the fundamentals of how you can identify an authentic Haute Couture fashion designer. There are several qualities that the designer must possess on the inside that will reflect, in their concept and art, that are very important.

The designer must possess a Passion for true Haute Couture.

The designer must be much more art-motivated than money-motivated.

The designer must have altruistic values and care about their clients as unique individuals.

1.PASSION

Haute Couture fashion is all about passion, raw passion. Without passion it can‘t be couture, maybe ready-made.

Only extreme passion can drive a haute couture dressmaker to spend countless hours of painstaking highly-detailed couture sewing techniques on a single couture design yet alone an entire haute couture collection.

Click here for a thorough overview on couture tailoring..

As a couture accessories designer I specialize in haute couture hand-knitting, hand-beading, and handbag and jewelry design. See the photo of of my Treasures collection wraps.

How much time did it take to create the one model on the right start-to-finish?

Conceptual Planning: 72hours

Actual hand-knitting: 72 hours

Hand-beading 8 hours

Grooming of the haute couture fabric 2 hours

Click here to find out how important fashion accessory design is to the world of Haute Couture..

That is a total time investment of 154 hours in this single model wrap

Would you call me crazy?

I would call myself PASSIONATE!

Imagine the time investment involved in the hand-making and beading of this luxury haute couture gown by designer Amal Sarieddine!

2. It MUST be more about the ART than about the MONEY!

Only Couture Designers that are motivated by the luxuriously glamorous art of Couture will put fourth the initial investment in creating a couture collection through painstaking and long hours of hand-making each couture model.

The market for true haute couture is less than 3% of the total market. The designers are making a very high investment in a very limited market of elite haute couture club buyers. The designer has to love the art as it will not be, at first, a very profitable business venture.

If the designer is just about the money, he or she will make a line of ready-made "for the masses" merchandise headed for a department store and mislabel it "Couture". That is definitely the easiest and most efficient way to do it.

With the technology available in our day, a money-motivated, ready-made fashion designer can have a collection mass-produced in China for a fraction of the cost of creating a complete haute couture collection.

Haute Couture designers use only the very best materials and fabrics for their luxury designs because they are the only materials worthy of the time and care that the art demands.

True couture designers would gasp at the idea of using low quality or inferior materials.

For example, see the materials illustrated in the photos of the purple headdress/shawl below and the gold Prussian wrap...both from my Treasures fashion accessories collection.

They are made of fine mohair and silk adorned in Amethyst and Citrine gem stones, 14 Karat gold, pearls, and gem beads.

What was the initial investment in materials in creating my first season's collection models alone?

Wouldn’t you like to know!
It was more than you are thinking.

Click here for my confessions from a couture junkie through the world of Haute Couture Design to find out!.

I love the art!

3. The fashion designer MUST view and CARE about each client as an INDIVIDUAL.

If the designer did not care about the individual, he or she would just simply hand them a ready-made piece in their size.

Instead the Couture designer not only takes their measurements, but also knows how to draw out the client to find out how a masterpiece can be made in their size that is a tribute to the uniqueness of each client. Something truly exclusive!

An ensemble that broadcasts the melody of each individual!

Click here for more j-na fundamentals of couture design..

The Main Haute Couture requirements in France

To advertise the term in France and to qualify as an exclusive member of the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture under the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris a H.C house must apply the following rules:

• Design made-to-order for private clients, with one or more fittings.
• Have a workshop (atelier) in Paris that employs at least fifteen people full-time.
• Each season (i.e., twice a year), present a collection to the Paris press, comprising at least thirty-five runs/exits with outfits for both daytime wear and evening wear.

For a comprehensive list of all the H.C. houses that currently qualify in Paris as Haute Couture Designers click here..

See the extravagant j-na 2012 haute couture collections

For the latest in Couture Reviews.

For an overview of couture history and why it's so key to your self-development and image.