haute couture

American  

[oht koo-toor, oht koo-tyr] / ˌoʊt kuˈtʊər, oʊt kuˈtür /

noun

1. high fashion; the most fashionable and influential dressmaking and designing.

2. the fashions so created.

3. the leading dressmaking establishments in the world of fashion, considered collectively.

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haute couture British  

/ ot kutyr /

noun

1. high fashion

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Usage

What does haute couture mean? Haute couture refers to the world of high fashion and custom-made garments. The phrase comes from French and translates as “high sewing” or “high dressmaking.” It is synonymous with high fashion. Haute couture can refer to high fashion designers collectively, their profession, the clothes designed by them, or their businesses. The word couture can also be used by itself as a shortening of haute couture or to refer to or describe clothing that was designed by a fashion designer or has that level of quality. Example: She’s known for wearing haute couture looks that are straight from the runway.

Etymology

Origin of haute couture

From French

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

haute couture

Thrifted clothes have become an unlikely fashion flex for Hollywood’s haute couture hoarders and other trend-setters.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

Mabille's collection for haute couture week was all about getting more than you bargained for with its theme of duality.

From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026

Then, for his first haute couture collection, the 41-year-old Northern Irish designer presented a line with punk touches and floral accents, true to his rebellious spirit.

From Barron's ● May 14, 2026

He did a poorly received grunge collection that incoherently tried to marry haute couture with thrift-store shabbiness, and was fired for it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

Then the fad spread to two fashion designers who used the shoes to peddle something else — haute couture.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell