Haute Couture Asthetics Lesson 2

Haute Couture History Aesthetic Lesson 1

Haute Couture is Art

            Some philosophers view fashion as only an outlet for men and women to express their status and boost their self confidence. Yes this is true to an extent, but we must also realize an important distinction. A specific fashion line, haute couture is a major expression of art. When a viewer is looking at haute couture they must not look at its intrinsic benefits such as cost factors, how much profit it will give a fashion house, or how it would increase an individual’s status in their socialite society. A viewer must first look at an haute couture piece with the aesthetic functionalism definition in mind; realizing the positive or negative emotions one gets when they see the intricate and detailed work of the couturier. Also the viewer could realize the positive or negative emotions about color textures used and the draping of fabric on the mannequin or model. The viewer must be able to have an aesthetic experience. Haute couture is art because it could not be a craft based off the uniqueness of each couture custom made order. Haute couture is a major art form; taking in consideration its complexities and its historic qualities. 

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For a viewer to appreciate the aesthetic value of a couture piece, they must know the history and meaning of haute couture.  Haute Couture is a mastered international art form of major fashion design houses. Examples of designs houses are Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Jean Paul Gaulieter, and Christain Dior. 'Haute Couture' is the French word for the highest, most exclusive work a big fashion house produces. It is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques (dictionary.com).  Developed by Englishman Charles Fredrick Worth in the mid nineteenth century in Paris, haute couture represents the archaic tradition of creating garments by hand with painstaking care and precision. Each couture piece is custom fitted and usually fitted repeatedly to have the perfect form to the person’s body. The process of making and couture item involves numerous steps lead by a couturier (designer). The couturier creates the design with a team of seamstresses, needle workers, and fitters to bring the sketch couture design to life. The amount of detailed handwork needed to create a simple evening dress requires to eight to fifthteen people and seventy to ninety hours, while a grand, embellished, sequence gown may take weeks to complete.

            The couturier must have the ability to be innovative and interpret the mood of the time for the mode the world. He creates beautiful works of art, clothing pieces, using exquisite fabrics and assortments, skill of achieving the perfect cut and fit, and most importantly time. The couture design must rely on balance of the principles of color, texture, proportion; while conforming to the image of the couture house.

            The center of haute couture is Paris where there are work rooms specifically for featherwork, beading, embroidery, braiding, fabric braiding, and custom made dresses. In France the term haute couture is controlled by Chambre syndicale de la couture parisennie (Parisain High Fashion Sydincate) the governing body of French fashion houses (Shaeffer 7).  For a fashion house to qualify itself as a haute couture must adhere to the following requirements: “…member of Chambre syndicale must design fashions that are made to order for private clients, involve one or more fittings, have a workroom in Paris with at least 20 fulltime workers, present a collection of fifty designs day and evening garments to the press in Paris…” (Shaeffer 8). The price range for a couture piece is from eight thousand dollars to two hundred thousand and more.