Comments on: Explain: “Couture”

By: KA

KA — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 17:09:02 +0000

yes yes yes LOVE THIS!!
thank you faran!
couture is beautiful! These shows make you look at the clothing instead of who was modeling what and how many times they came down the runway.

By: Laia

Laia — Sun, 08 Jul 2007 05:22:45 +0000

Yeah Faran, I can definitely understand that point. But I guess I see it in the same way as a painting or a sculpture. Like, there’s no NEED for it, but it’s a beautiful expression of human thought. And I didn’t mean to sound so sarcastic, I realize the quotation marks made it a little bitchy.

By: Anna

Anna — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 22:54:05 +0000

Thank you for this post! Some kids my age tell me what couture is, but they don’t know what it exactly is! I’m like what the heck are you talking about?!

By: casey

casey — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 06:01:57 +0000

Don’t forget that Paris Couture is also very regulated beacue it is subsadized by the government. There are very specific rules about how the garments are mande, by whom, and they much have a certain amount of gowns and a wedding dress.
I love couture!

By: Erin

Erin — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:54:08 +0000

Fantastic explanation, and fitting too as his inspirations seemed to be art and painters. You could also ask what the point of painting is, especially as most artworks are never seen for their true beauty and wealth until after the painter has passed away.
It’s about expression, and it’s like a little invitation into the designer’s minds. You know when you’re a little kid and you imagine living in a world made of lollies and sugar (like willy wonka)? This collection was like that coming true!
I especially love the headpieces, the use of the masks as fascinators, and the jewels in Lily Cole’s hair made her look like a mermaid! Stunning…

By: Keisha

Keisha — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 21:21:23 +0000

That explanation is fiction. This explanation is just awesome.

By: Eura Le

Eura Le — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 20:59:18 +0000

The best explanation is the speech given by the Meryl Streep’s character Miranda Priestly on how a color like cerulean makes it onto the backs of the masses who just describe is as “blue”. The drama invites us to the new season. Enjoy it.

By: Faran

Faran — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 17:41:58 +0000

Laia, it’s not at all unusual for fashion people to question couture’s relevance – in his recent interview with Cathy Horyn, Nicolas Ghesquiere said he would never do it because he didn’t think it was important to Balenciaga or his own vision.

By: Thalassa

Thalassa — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 17:38:21 +0000

I really like Chanel’s commitment to couture work in taking over the Lesage atelier and employing shoemakers like Massaro. But apart from Anne Valerie Hash and Ralph Rucci , have there been any contemporary designers who’ve attempted couture?

By: Laia

Laia — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 17:37:38 +0000

Couture is Art.
It really bothers me when people say stuff like that… “Who wears that? OMG THATS SO CRAZY!! etc etc” and it’s especially weird to hear that coming from someone who’s “into fashion.”

By: Miss Jeffrey

Miss Jeffrey — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 16:46:06 +0000

Great post Faran.
Couture surely has a trickle down effect. John Galliano/Dior does it best.
Valentino couture is best for women who look to buy suits more than gowns.
Armani Prive is meant for celebrities. Remember how Beyonce looked on the red carpet in that gown with all the wric-wrac opn the shoulder??
Although couture really isn’t meant for everyday, there is the rare, excpetional woman (Diana Vreeland, Izabella Blow, Nan Kempner) that can pull it off on the street.
Vive Le Couture…creativity at it’s highest form; it inspires dreams and fashions fantasies.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 16:04:43 +0000

And WWD reported yesterday that couture sales are up. Dior is quoted as saying they’re up as much as 40%, so someone’s buying.

By: brendastarlet

brendastarlet — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 16:03:42 +0000

Isn’t red carpet a form of couture, except for the vintage dresses that are traded around like baseball cards? It strikes me that Armani Prive and some of the dresses Valentino does are a form of couture, only aimed at the cameras and not customers.

By: Faran

Faran — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:18:26 +0000

It does have a trickle-down effect, notably at Dior, but I think that’s part of the brand building that happens every season – if Dior is putting out a collection that’s supposed to be a wearable crest of arms, then of course it will appear in different forms throughout their next fashion cycle. But it’s birthed at couture.

By: helen

helen — Tue, 03 Jul 2007 15:16:56 +0000

“not meant to be worn in everyday life”? tell that to nan kempner, Chi.
the couture /shows/ are, for many houses, distinct from actual couture. when you’re paying $10,000 for a blouse made to a form built specifically for you, it might not ever have walked down the runway, but it’s still an extraordinary piece of craftsmanship that, for a skilled designer, can be a microcosmic showpiece of his abilities.