carriage trade

noun

1. wealthy patrons of a store, restaurant, theater, etc.; elite clientele.

carriage trade

noun

1. trade from the wealthy part of society

Word History and Origins

Origin of carriage trade¹

First recorded in 1710–20

Example Sentences

“The Aviator and the Showman” is a lavish, layered narrative, a primer on early aviation and the transition of publishing from genteel carriage trade to an industry increasingly reliant on blockbusters.

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New York-based Marino was described by Architectural Digest as “a leading architect for the carriage trade, and the architect for fashion brands.”

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Season after season, she makes clothes suitable for the clientele of a brand that started in 1837 as a saddlery and remains a purveyor of goods for a traditional carriage trade.

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“All the hotels in L.A. are just a little tired,” said the New Yorker, who was once described by Architectural Digest as “a leading architect for the carriage trade, and the architect for fashion brands.”

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In 1973, two years before it went out of business forever, Arnold Constable, a carriage trade establishment on 40th Street and Fifth Avenue, offered working women lunchtime exercise classes.

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Related Words

• aristocracy 
• celebrity 
• establishment 
• society