The History of Haute Couture.

Before we delve into the History of Haute Couture, let us define the term first!

What is H.C.?

Haute Couture is a French term that refers to the art of creating custom-fitted clothing.

Each article of clothing is made with a single client in mind, and done in luxury high-quality materials and fabrics, with an extreme attention to detail, and made by hand by the most experienced and skilled of all designers and tailors.

Charles Frederick Worth, the man credited as the Father of Haute Couture, did he know he would change the world?

Where did it come from?

The art and history of haute couture was brought about by the need for totally unique exclusive custom dresses and gowns for the elite socialites of French society.

Imagine the humilliation of the high-class French lady arriving to a social ball in the same ready-made dress as another lady in attendance. That was an impossibility in the golden age of true Haute Couture.

That is where the history of haute couture was coined, although the art of extravagant haute couture clothing dates back millenniums.

The concept and Couture spread throughout Europe with Paris as the fashion hub where highly acclaimed Haute Couture designers were located.

The wealthy women throughout Europe traveled to Paris to pick out the H.C. model of dress that suited them, and then had it custom tailored:

• With expert precision to the best fit possible to their bodies
• Luxury details and embellishments of the client's choice
• In the luxury fabrics of the client's choosing
• Colors of the client's choosing

Something exclusive for each client, something never-to-be-repeated. As was the GLORIOUS history of haute couture.

VINTAGE COUTURE! Why is it still the RAGE in Hollywood! See it's rich heritage! 

Wikipedia page and definition.

What is Vintage Couture now known as Great Gatsby Couture? 

See the impact an contribution this era of liberation has had on Couture Living FREEDOM!

What has H.C. become?

In France H.C. has become a legally registered term that can only be applied to the Haute Couture Houses that meet the requirements of the French committee of commerce that oversees the industry. This has limited the amount of designers that can say they do H.C. in France.

Under these limiting requirements I cannot even qualify my designs to be true H.C. in France.

However, applying these restrictions to the term has become necessary, because the term has been so generalized and so marketed in recent times that it has lost its original meaning completely!

Couture has come to stand for anything from makeup to music.

Within the confines of clothing, the term is applied more readily to mass-produced ready-made designs. This is totally opposite to the original concept of true Couture which is:

• High-fashion
• Custom-made
• Hand-made
• High-quality
• Exclusive piece to each client

Why H.C. is important to you, your development, and self-concept?

True Couture is important to you because:

• You, my friend are not ready-made. You decide who you are and what you are about.
• You are not mass-produced! You are a very unique individual, with qualities and talents like nobody else!
• You are valuable, not cheap! Neither should what you wear or your image be cheap. Your image is important!
• You, my friend are an exclusive. You strive to excel, to surpass the norm, that is why what you wear should be exclusive as well.

The benefits of being in sync with who you are as an individual inside and out are marvelous! Confidently projecting who you are, and loving who you are, is invaluable.

This is what you can achieve through Haute Couture!

Through my years of creating exclusive one-of-a-kind, never-seen-before Couture accessories for my clients, I have seen it in their eyes, the empowerment this has brought them.

There is a sense of self-discovery when you can come out from hiding behind a ready-made label to display something that was made for you alone, that communicates accurately your persona in high-quality high-fashion mediums.

Even when the resources are lacking for an investment in a complete Haute Couture wardrobe, by having several key couture fashion accessories made, it is enough to bring one up out of the crowd of faceless mass-produced ready-made "copy cats" to the elite group that wears true Haute Couture.

I love it when I can aid a client to transform and take their existing department store "Made in Taiwan" wardrobe to the next level of Couture freedom by designing and hand-making true couture fashion accessories, to properly communicate who they are as an inspiring precious individual.

See the modern day couture history relevant to Coco Chanel, her rise to a global empire has been one of the Nazi's only actual victories.

Learn of the legacy of Jeanne Paquin and the single greatest contribution made to the modern fashion industry. 

Needless to say for me, the whole process is very liberating and it is my sincere wish that it will be a Couture state of mind that you will attain as you browse through the pages and resources available in this website.

It all starts with coming to terms and having appreciation for the history of haute couture!

Regards,

J-na

Inspired by the History of Haute Couture? Return to the home page and start your own personal adventure.

See the legacy John Paul Gaultier left on fashion through his relentless progressiveness. 

Really set yourself free to the possibilities! See what we can do to bring out the best you, in the j-na collections page.