Decline of Haute Couture

The term “Haute Couture” is one that is tossed around quite often when discussing high-end fashion and clothing, but what exactly is it? The direct translation from French is “high sewing” or “high dressmaking” referring to the creation of exclusive custom fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high quality, expensive fabric, and hand sewn with extreme attention to detail with the use of time consuming, hand executed techniques that one must be highly trained in.
The number of couture houses decreased considerably over the 20th century, from 106 in 1946 to a mere 18 in 2000. By January 2002, at the time of Yves St. Laurent’s sad departure from the fashion industry into retirement there were only 12 couture houses left. In 2003 and 2004 famed designers Donatella Versace and Emanuel Ungaro stopped doing couture shows respectively.  2005-2007 there are 11 official members of the Federation Francaise de la Couture. Those members are Adeline Andre, Anne Valerie Hash, Atelier Gustavo Lins, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christophe Josse, Franck Sorbier, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Maurizio Galante, and Stephane Rolland.
How long until the Federation Francaise de la Couture is gone for good? The exclusivity of the Federation means enhanced values to the status conscious consumer but those who can and still choose to wear Haute Couture are an aging clientele. Even extremely wealthy younger women, who could in theory afford couture, often find ready-to-wear clothes more practical, wearable, and fun.
Because of that there is no way that Fashion Houses can rely on Haute Couture for their main income. For most houses, their twice-yearly Haute Couture shows lose them money. ). By 2007-2009 there were only 9 high-ranking couture houses: Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Gaultier, Lacroix, Mori, Sirop, Scherrer, and Torrente. The listing has been in considerable flux in recent years.By 2010- 2012,the only remaining design houses from those days of grandeur still in operation are Givenchy, Dior, Chanel, and Gauthier. Givenchy opted to have a ‘presentation’ this year on their premises and not a full fashion show.

Givenchy Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2012 jewelry