What Is Haute Couture? We Explain the Fashion Category—and Who Actually Buys It

The term “haute couture” is practically synonymous with fashion at this point—countless brands use the word in their marketing, and those who show collections on the official couture fashion week calendar are some of the most well-known in the biz. But did you know that haute couture has a very specific meaning and standards, and many people are using it wrong? If you’ve ever wanted to understand what haute couture truly is, what brands fit within the category, or how it matters in today’s fashion climate, you’ve come to the right place. Read on for our full haute couture explainer, highlighting why this extravagant, complex sector of the industry is also one of the most beautiful and compelling.

What Is Haute Couture?

Just because a brand uses “couture” in its name doesn’t make it official. Haute couture is a high-end fashion category that falls under the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, who dictates what qualifies as haute couture and who lands on the official calendar—in fact, it’s invite-only for participation. Founded in 1911 by Charles Frederick Worth (also known as the “father of haute couture”), the Commission still follows his regulations to uphold the tradition of the craft.

The Criteria

The Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture’s requirements for a brand to qualify for selection as an official member are simple yet specific:

• Each brand must have an atelier in Paris with a minimum of 15 full-time employees.
• At least one of the brand’s workshops must employ at least 20 full-time technical workers.
• The house must produce bespoke, made-to-order clothing items for private clients, with more than one fitting appointment.

Haute Couture Fashion Week

Every January and July, haute couture brands must present at least 50 original designs, including daytime and evening looks. These runway shows happen in Paris on a separate schedule from the ready-to-wear collections, but brands similarly invite an audience of editors, buyers, influential figures, and clients.

This fashion week is haute couture’s biggest moment in the public eye each season, with lots of industry professionals attending and covering as well as widespread discussion of the collections online—often including viral moments as houses showcase their design abilities. From there, clients get in touch with the brands to commission items. Some of these are celebrity red carpet looks you might see at the Met Gala, Cannes, or awards shows, while other pieces are for private clients.

Which Brands Produce Haute Couture?

Due to the strict requirements, not every luxury brand is an official Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture member, even if they produce high-quality or custom clothing. As of 2024, the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode’s official list of members is as follows:

• Adeline André
• Alexandre Vauthier
• Alexis Mabille
• Bouchra Jarrar
• Chanel
• Christian Dior
• Franck Sorbier
• Giambattista Valli
• Givenchy
• Jean Paul Gaultier
• Julien Fournié
• Maison Margiela
• Maurizio Galante
• Schiaparelli
• Stéphane Rolland

Correspondent and Guest Members

If you’ve seen couture shows from major houses like Gucci, Fendi, and Valentino and are wondering why they’re not on the above list, that’s because the Chambre Syndicale also has correspondent and guest categories, through which it invites select members to present collections at haute couture fashion week. Correspondent members are usually established houses, but their operations are outside of Paris—it’s similar to how sparkling wine is only champagne if it’s from Champagne. The guest member category, on the other hand, includes a mix of household and up-and-coming names.

Haute Couture vs. Ready-to-Wear

Haute couture garments are crafted by the industry’s most skilled artisans, who produce each piece in the collection by hand. Contrary to ready-to-wear, haute couture pieces are one-of-a-kind and not mass-produced; therefore, each piece is like a sartorial work of art as clients collect and cherish them as investments.

There’s also a massive difference in price: Luxury ready-to-wear pieces can often be up to several thousand dollars each, definitively categorizing them as investments unless you’re extremely wealthy—but they actually look affordable compared to haute couture. Due to the time and work involved, these pieces of wearable art can run customers upwards of $100,000, definitively the opposite of a TikTok impulse buy.

Who Buys Couture?

When it comes to who is actually buying haute couture, it’s one of the most select groups in fashion: There are roughly 4000 high-profile clients worldwide who actively partake in the industry. You might wonder if couture is relevant in a time when ready-to-wear and other more accessible options are so widely available, but Style Made Simple head stylist and owner Allison Berlin shares that it’s still a practice worldwide. “I usually work with designers to create a couture piece for clients with major events coming up like weddings and birthday bashes; the same applies for bespoke suiting on the menswear side,” she says. She also shares that for special occasions, going this route offers clients the option of fewer fittings, as the couture house crafts the garment to fit their proportions as opposed to altering an existing piece.

For those who can afford it, the perks of haute couture don’t stop at that: “There are other luxury elements like unique and high-end fabrics to choose from, and handmade elements like embroidery or hand-stitching that make these pieces extra special,” Berlin says. “With suits or gowns, we get to play with fun details like selecting the lining and adding monograms.”

Unlike with ready-to-wear, haute couture customers are often in attendance at the shows. In addition, Hollywood starlets and stylists are frequent show-goers, as haute couture pieces are aforementioned red carpet staples.

How to Get Couture Quality on a Ready-to-Wear Budget

If shopping the haute couture runways isn’t quite within your budget, there are other ways to opt into the perks of bespoke attire. “Ready-to-wear clothing is made from a single pattern that is graded up and down to create a size-run; fit and quality control will range depending on designer and price point,” Berlin says. But, this isn’t unfixable: With the help of a tailor, alterations can be quick and affordable to ensure your new favorite pants look like they were made just for you.

The Final Takeaway

Haute couture comprises a select group of Paris-based houses creating bespoke garments, and while it may be inaccessible to most and small in comparison to the ready-to-wear portion of the fashion industry, it remains a celebrated fashion practice due to its high quality and close relationships with regular clientele. Most of us are only able to appreciate couture pieces from afar as works of art on the runways and our favorite celebrities, but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring some of the sector’s best elements to your style. With a good tailor, a bit of styling expertise, and some clever thrifting and vintage shopping, it’s more than possible to put together a whole wardrobe of outfits that look far more expensive than they are.