Haute Couture Clients

[Fontenrose]

This is from a fascinating thread on a London couturiere around 1900, who expanded to NY and Paris.

These dresses will take 12-15 days for delivery as they are all custom made. Delivery charges prepaid by us.

http://www.thefashionspot.com/forums/f116/1863-1935-lucy-lady-duff-gordon-62332.html#post4847427

Elinor Glyn photo scanned from the book "High Society Photographs 1897-1914" by Terence Pepper via Sacheverelle

 

[liberty33r1b]

^wow, that dress would still look modern today, i love it

 

[helmut.newton]

This thread is very interesting and informative. However one thing I don not understand is why one must be admitted to Federation Francaise de la Couture before being able to purchase a Haute Couture piece?

If a woman suddenly decided to, say purhcase something from Chanels Haute Couture Atelier at Rue Cambon, would they say "No. We're sorry, you'll have to go through the Federation Francaise de la Couture"? Would a business turn away a potential million dollar profit?

Is it against the law to sell Haute Couture to non-registered clients or is it simply ill-advised?

 

[ilaughead]

I'm ninety-nine percent confident that the federation only regulates the businesses themselves and anyone with enough money could be a potential customer.

 

[Sea Of Love]

You know that list of things to do before you die, one of mine is to own something couture. Better dream big right.

So how much does couture cost. I know the price is significant and I am asking a question like "how long is a piece of string" but I hve always wondered.
So for example how much would a Dior couture gown cost (ball park), or say a chanel couture suit. I know my question is very vague and the answer could be even more vague but I'm just after price ranges and what are the starting prices for garments.

oh and i'm not buying anything, it is for inteest sake.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ My impression is that you could spend anywhere from car money to house money on a piece of couture.

 

[Sea Of Love]

ahhhhh thanks ta-ta
good way of putting it!

 

[Boomer]

^ My impression is that you could spend anywhere from car money to house money on a piece of couture.

Would this include my '89 Nissan? It's worth at least $400...! Several Chanel buttons, maybe?

 

[Sea Of Love]

^^^ I hope so, I could definitly afford couture if this is the case.

 

[fashionista-ta]

Would this include my '89 Nissan? It's worth at least $400...! Several Chanel buttons, maybe?

I had in mind more a new car But the Nissan should get you a feather or two ... maybe a couple lengths of handspun silk embroidery thread ...

 

[Sea Of Love]

Maybe I could just get a few strategically placed buttons and feathers and call it couture.

 

[Boomer]

^ Yes!! In fact, you could just call yourself John Galiano!!

 

[Leeroi]

I think couture has gotten way out of hand in terms of design, maybe that's why prices have sky rocketed. Couture back then weren't overtly embellished and designers didn't spend massive amounts of money on this now so called "publicity stunt". And don't give me that "it's a wearable piece of art that's why it's expensive" BS, because the main point of Couture is to be WORN not displayed on some boring glass box in the corner of a Museum.

 

[Sea Of Love]

^^^^That is a really valid point but i can sort of see both sides of the argument. I think times have changed significantly since couture was something rich women wore on a daily basis. Back then it was about having somehing unique and basically seeling that you were rich.
Today we have ready to wear and accessories with huge logo's to show this off or feel like we are part of something when we wer designer things. As a result of this introduction of ready-to-wear garments it has really propelled the idea that couture is all about the art of designing and that makes the garments more extravangant and therefore, harder to wear.

The amount of detail that goes into any couture piece certainly warrants a considerable price tag since at least 20 people are working on it. I once saw a doco on making chanel couture and to just get the tweed, this little old lady sits in her house in the middle of rural france, twining the tweed (in between harvesting hay I kid you not). The difference between couture art and a painting that you hang on the wall is that it is intended to be worn and therefore it should really, be wearble. So in this instance I can see where you are coming from that it is an outfit and therefore should be able to be worn. I think there needs to be grey area.

^ Yes!! In fact, you could just call yourself John Galiano!!

 

[Leeroi]

^^^^That is a really valid point but i can sort of see both sides of the argument. I think times have changed significantly since couture was something rich women wore on a daily basis. Back then it was about having somehing unique and basically seeling that you were rich.
Today we have ready to wear and accessories with huge logo's to show this off or feel like we are part of something when we wer designer things. As a result of this introduction of ready-to-wear garments it has really propelled the idea that couture is all about the art of designing and that makes the garments more extravangant and therefore, harder to wear.

The amount of detail that goes into any couture piece certainly warrants a considerable price tag since at least 20 people are working on it. I once saw a doco on making chanel couture and to just get the tweed, this little old lady sits in her house in the middle of rural france, twining the tweed (in between harvesting hay I kid you not). The difference between couture art and a painting that you hang on the wall is that it is intended to be worn and therefore it should really, be wearble. So in this instance I can see where you are coming from that it is an outfit and therefore should be able to be worn. I think there needs to be grey area.

That was the Signe Chanel documentary, correct? I can't imagine that only ONE person in the world could learn how to do that type of braiding. Poor woman, I hope she is getting paid well.

I think the reason why Chanel is one of the only few brands who make decent money from Couture is the fact that Karl still makes most of the collection very wearable, especially the classic suits. Unlike Gaultier, Galliano (for Dior), and Lacroix.... I mean, look at the anniversary collection of Dior at Versailles, barely any of those pieces could be wearable. And when you say this people then make the argument that "the pieces put on the runway is not what will be sold". So what then? Hundreds of thousands of dollars spent and thousands of man labor just for 30 minutes of models strutting their stuff and only a few people would even buy? It's outrageous and a waste of perfectly good money. I feel terribly bad for the Ateliers who have to work under such conditions and really get the lowest end of the deal.

 

[Crimson C.C]

Leeroi, i think you should rethink about Haute Couture wasnt "overly embellished". Go have a look at Valentino and alot of other designers. They would have had more embellishing then today.

 

[Leeroi]

Leeroi, i think you should rethink about Haute Couture wasnt "overly embellished". Go have a look at Valentino and alot of other designers. They would have had more embellishing then today.

I was thinking of the style of the times. Those feathers and big pom pom skirts were a norm then. But now? It's as if these major brands were still making clothes for the same people.

Ofcourse there are exceptions.

 

[Boomer]

That was the Signe Chanel documentary, correct? I can't imagine that only ONE person in the world could learn how to do that type of braiding. Poor woman, I hope she is getting paid welll.

I'm sure she is...and Chanel has admitted they do not know what will happen when she is not around anymore- they have sent several people to learn her techniques and they have all failed- she and her brother invented and built the loom and no one can follow her system! Amazing!

 

[Leeroi]

I'm sure she is...and Chanel has admitted they do not know what will happen when she is not around anymore- they have sent several people to learn her techniques and they have all failed- she and her brother invented and built the loom and no one can follow her system! Amazing!

Why is it that the French are always inventing dress making techniques no one else can copy!!?? Haha. There was an article I read where a designer had his ruffles done in France so it cost alot of money, but when he tried to cut cost by having American sewers copy the technique, they said it was impossible for them to. I thought ruffles were just ruffles, I guess the French way is much better.

 

[fashionista-ta]

I've mentioned before the Balenciaga couture exhibit I went to that was clothes mostly from two women's wardrobes (starting in about the 50s). They were normal clothes ... even the party things weren't wildly embellished.