haute couture

[ oht koo-toor; French oht koo-tyr ]

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.

haute couture

/ ot kutyr /

noun

1. high fashion

Word History and Origins

Origin of haute couture¹

From French

Word History and Origins

Origin of haute couture¹

literally: high dressmaking

Example Sentences

She has since tested many different looks, leaning into eccentric haute couture and pin-up throwbacks.

From Time

But while that level of ‘haute couture’ is building the market, we want to be seen as more prêt-à-porter.

From The Daily Beast

Jacqueline Kennedy helped change all that in the 1960s, with her unflappable chic and wardrobe full of haute couture.

From The Daily Beast

After the drabness of the 1950s, her clothes were chic and slightly transgressive, but not haute couture.

From The Daily Beast

There are collections for Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter and Haute Couture and Resort.

From The Daily Beast

Yet, despite his recognition by the Syndic de la Haute Couture, very few in the west have heard of Valentin Yudashkin.

From The Daily Beast

More About Haute Couture

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.

Where does haute couture come from?

The first records of haute couture in English come from the early 1900s. In French, haute means “high” and couture means “sewing” or “dressmaking.”

In France, clothing cannot be labeled haute couture unless it meets certain standards set by an official organization. Garments that are considered haute couture are designed by a fashion designer and handmade. Such garments are typically custom-made specifically for the people who will wear them, usually models and wealthy clients. While haute couture is often used as a noun, it is also used as a modifier in phrases like haute couture look and haute couture collection.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to haute couture?

• couture (noun, adjective)

What are some synonyms for haute couture?

• high fashion
• couture

What are some words that share a root or word element with haute couture? 

 

• couturier

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing haute couture?

• fashion
• designer
• garment
• clothing
• collection
• look

How is haute couture used in real life?

Haute couture is always used in the context of fashion, especially to refer to the most high-end or exclusive designer and designs.

Meet Launch Nigeria’s #WomanCrushWednesday:

Deola Sagoe is an haute couture fashion designer and one of Nigeria’s most sought after designers, home and abroad. pic.twitter.com/814suzPtzr

— Launch Nigeria (@LaunchNigeria) June 17, 2020

Can we bring back real Haute Couture and get rid of fast fashion.
Let's rewind fashion and make it important again.

— Sew-Ho Chic🧵 (@Skinflint_) June 15, 2020

 

Try using haute couture!

Is haute couture used correctly in the following sentence?

The haute couture that has been featured at fashion week took hundreds of hours to make by hand.