What is Haute Couture?

Haute couture is a French term meaning high dressmaking. It refers to creating custom fitted one-off garments of clothing that are made to an extremely high standard, often including hand sewing or other detailed work that would not be found on the more ordinary - and cheaper - garment. The term is protected in France and only garments that fit certain criteria may be called haut couture. 

In fact, you have to be on a special list before you can class yourself as a haut couture designer. Design houses must employ up to 15 people, give more than one fitting per item per customer and present to the Paris press a run of fashions totalling over 35 different styles that include eveningwear, twice a year. So you can't be just any designer to use the term.

In other countries the term can be used more loosely. Many of the famous fashion houses like Gucci now use the term. Haut couture can also be used to describe the fashion houses or designers themselves such as Gucci, Dior and Yves St Laurent. As travel became more widespread and people could shop in any country they chose, the meaning of haut couture has become much more general.