Chapter 8: Creators of Fashion

Chapter 8.1: Haute CoutureChapter 8.2: Everyday Designers

Key Terms

• Fédération Françise de la Couture• Custom-made• Vendeuse

What is Haute Couture?

• Haute couture is high fashion• Branch of the fashion industry that

creates the most fashionable, expensive, and exclusive designer clothing

• Paris is the birthplace of haute couture

Haute-Couture Designer Houses

• Designers have fashion houses where haute couture is created

• Many are in Paris• Few operate showrooms and boutiques in

New York on Manhattan’s Seventh Avenue• A fashion house is named after it’s

designer and originator• Example: Coco Chanel and her House of

Chanel

The Fédération Françise de la Couture

• There are specific requirements for a designer and design house to be included in this category

• The Fédération Françise de la Couture, or the French fashion federation, is the organization that regulates the haute-couture industry

• Membership Rules Include:– Control copying– Number of showings allowed– Minimum number of original styles in collections– Staffing and shipping dates– Each presentation must include 35 separate designs for day and evening

wear

Members include: Coco Chanel Christian Dior Pierre Cardin

Federation Branches

• Branches of the French Fashion Federation:– Chamber Syndicale de la Couture

Parisienne- promotes and protects the couture houses

– Chamber Syndicale de Prêt-à-Porter- represents ready-to-wear branches of couture and the best of French prêt-à-porter

– Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Masculine- represents men’s wear industries of couture

Federation Education

• It sponsors a school to educate individuals seeking apprenticeships in the couture industry

Federation Fashion Shows

• Coordination and scheduling of fashion shows• The press and individual customers are allowed to attend at

no charge• However, a caution fee is charged to trade buyers from

apparel manufacturers, retailers, and pattern companies• The fee serves two functions:

– Discourages copying of designs– An agreement to purchase specific amounts and can be

applied to these purchases Larger fees are charged to trade buyers than to individual

customers

Purchasing Haute Couture

• An individual purchasing a haute-couture design buys a garment that is custom-made

• Customer made is made specifically to the customer’s measurements

• Chanel has 150 regular clients who buy couture each year

• A house such as Dior will make about 2 couture bridal gowns annually

The Purchasing Process

1. Schedule an appointment with a design house prior to a visit to Paris

2. Customer previews samples of garments in the design salon

3. Choose garments4. Tailoring process begins- usually

takes 3 fittings

Sales and Service

• The customer is assigned a vendeuse, the haute-couture sales associate who works with the customer and is paid by commission of the purchase

• They help smooth out any problems that may occur

• Makes sure that no one in your city purchases the same designs as yourself

The High Cost of High Fashion

• 100 to 1,000 hours and thousands of dollars to make 1 haute-couture garment

• One dress can cost from $26,000 to over $100,000

• Tailor made suit = $16,000• Chanel suit = $30,000• Evening gown = $60,000

Garment Expenses

• Reasons for the garments expense:– Service– Workmanship– Originality of designs

The specific designs could be made from: color used by ONLY that design house Luxurious fabrics Expensive silks, fine wools, leather, and furs Embroidery Beading

The Era of Modern Haute Couture

• The Academy Awards serves as the event for celebrities to showcase the best designs

• Designers like Vera Wang, Elie Saab, and Narciso Rodriguez are seen

Vera Wang Gowns Elie Saab GownsNarciso Rodriguez Gown

The Father of Haute Couture

• Charles Fredrick Worth• Principal player in Parisian

fashion of the 1800’s• 1st professional clothing

designer for women• Born in England, moved to Paris

at age 20• Opened his own design house-

1st to show designs on live models

• Began designing for the royal family- Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III

The Father of Haute Couture

• Known for using:– Detail– Special fabrics– Colors– Trims

Introduced the hoop skirt, and walking skirt

In the 19th century the cost of his designs was up to $2,500

Haute Couture in Today’s World

• Haute-couture houses produce extravagant outfits, which are seen on runways but rarely worn in real life

Markets for Haute Couture and RTW

• Only 2,000 people in the world buy couture clothes• 60% are American• 200 people are regular customers• Due to expenses and a decreasing cliental, haute-

couture designers have shifted to ready-to-wear lines

• Examples:– Emanuel Ungaro– Gianni Versace– Yves Saint Laurent– Louis Féraud– Nina Ricci

Haute Couture Advantages

• Serves as a place of creativity and inspiration

• Young designers train and showcase their talents

• It helps sale other products such as:– Perfume– Cosmetics– Ready-to-wear lines

Chapter 8: Creators of Fashion

Chapter 8.2: Everyday Designers

Key Terms

• Demi-Couture• Ready-To-Wear (RTW)• Bridge Line

Demi-Couture

• Many design houses are employing young designers• Resulted in a new trend of demi-couture• Demi-couture is ready-to-wear designs produced by

fashion houses but not massed-produced• They are not specifically fitted for the customer• Records are kept of the customers and their purchases

to help prevent showing up in the same dress• Prices are about $6,000 instead of $60,000• Designers Include:

– Stella McCartney– Chloe

Prêt-à-Porter Apparel

• Prêt-à-Porter is the French designers ready-to-wear

• It is lesser-priced but still but costly haute couture

• It bridges the gap between ready-and haute couture by bringing couture to those who want to wear designer fashions but will not pay the higher prices

• Differences include:– Styles are not as extravagant or eccentric– Fabrics are not unique

Ready-To-Wear

• Ready-to Wear (RTW) are standard-sized garments made in advance and offered for sale to any purchaser

• Some designers offer a bridge line• A bridge line is a secondary line that is the

most expensive category of ready-to-wear– Examples include

• Tommy Hilfiger• Perry Ellis• Calvin Klein

Categories of Ready-to-Wear

• Better• Moderate• Budget• While offering collections at better store, even

high-fashion designers have ventured into discount markets – Ex. Isaac Mizrahi

Discount Market: Target Stores

High-Fashion:Couture

History of Ready-To-Wear

• 19th century women made their own clothing

• There was only 96 factories producing ready-to-wear garments

• Manufacturing procedures improved rapidly

• The invention of the sewing machine by Elias Howe in 1845, with improvements by Isaac Singer, allowed for volume of clothing in factories

Elias Howe Isaac Singer

Design Awards

• Each year various fashion associations and businesses present awards to designers for their achievements and contributions to the fashion industry Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA): trade association for

top U.S. designers. It also recognizes fashion achievements in various fields, such as publishing, retailing, photography, and entertainment

The Coty Award: most prestigious U.S. fashion award from 1940 to the 1970s. Renamed Cutty Sark Awards in the 1980s, then discontinued. Recipient include:

• Designer Donna Karan The Neiman Marcus Award: created by well-known retail store. It is an

award for a designer who has designed, publicized, or worn fashion that has influenced the public. Recipients include:

• Coco Chanel• Christian Dior• Princess Grace of Monaco

The Importance of Affordable Fashion

• Fashion designers are creative and technical professionals whose designs leave a lasting impression on fashion

• People are being able to enjoy fashionable clothing– More haute couture designers moving to

ready-to-wear designs

THE END