How "Haute" is Couture?

A sneak peak into Fall's Couture designs have never seemed so bold! It is always an exciting collection to view, as combinations of fantasy and reality blend to create the highest form of art that the body can display. A vast array of colors and exaggerated figures make up a large portion of each Designer's Fall 2006 Couture lines. This fall, Christian Dior introduces a fantasy land collection incorporating gothic-themed dresses and a fairytale-esque display of ball gowns that are too extravagant to be worn for almost any occassion, except Halloween. When labels create Couture lines and feature them in their fashion shows, are they meant to be seen... or worn?

So many clothing lines have introduced the word 'couture' in it that we rarely ever realize the original meaning of the term. The term 'couture' means fashionable clothing that is made to fit the wearer in terms of exact measurements and requirements. The origin of the word dates back as late as the beginning of the 20th Century in France, where Haute Couture meant "High Dressmaking". On the other hand, the term 'pret-a-porter' means ready to wear, and are not made to fit the wearer down to the exact measurements or requirements. Simple T-shirts and jeans bought at the local Gap are ready to wear in that they aren't specifically made for the customer. Although 'couture' justs sounds that much better, it gives the impression that mass-produced clothing can become just as desireable as high-end fashion. What lines get crossed and/or blurred are suddenly those of the marker of high end, superior quality and well-fitted clothing and those of everyday apparel and items made within a minute or two at a clothing factory. In the future, it is important to distinguish those differences and separate high end fashion with fast fashion.