Haute Couture Clients

[Boomer]

^ Thank you- I totally agree! I sometimes wonder with the Internet and 24 hour news channels, how many of the things we see and hear are editor generated: "My editor said he needs a piece on the end of couture even though I am a food critic, but I have to keep my job, so..."

 

[mikeijames]

the demise of the haute couture tracks right along side the death of the newspaper, the end of the fashion magazine, the evaporation of book publishing, the irrelevance of the major awards' shows, and so many other things that will change not die.

i agree with the article in that it's clear that galliano helped create a spectacle around the couture, but that spectacle got an entire generation of fashion fans interested in fashion in the first place.

they just need someone to grab the reins of this thing and make aggressive changes to keep it relevant. from my point of view, both the clientel and the fashion community at large would like if they got fashion's current luminaries -- olivier theyskens, nicolas ghesquiere, alber elbaz, narciso rodriguez, yohji yamamoto, et al -- to participate.

 

[KKnardi]

I feel like I've been reading that same article too many times before. and season after season there is a Couture week in Paris!

This season was truly one of the best in some years. I didn't like Dior, because it was something in the middle, not too boring but neither too exciting. and couture is all about extremes.

chanel, armani and gaultier showed really great and wearable clothing, that is made for women.

I do hope that couture will survive, because it's the best thing about fashion.

 

[Dkammern]

a Dying Swan, the WSJ called it not too long ago...
as most of you have already said, the topic is tired and has been discussed over and over again.
No, there's not a 100 couture houses any more. And no, there's not thousands of clients... but as karl once said, before, each woman bought a dress or a suit each season. Now, one (oligarch wife) comes in an places an order of over 20 dresses!
ka-ching! that's how it works now, so who died?

seasonfive.typead.com

 

[agee]

I commented before that I don't think that haute couture is dead (or terminally ill) however I think the more salient issue is its relevance and I think that it is haute couture's relevance that is on life support. Yes there are haute couture designers and houses that are well respected and directional, but there are also non-haute couturiers who are directional. At the same time, there are members of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture who are sneered at for their lack of creativity and even quality and others who some fashion followers find interesting but they are still nowhere near the top of the food chain. The connection between occupying a lofty perch in the high fashion world and being a haute couturier is increasingly becoming a matter of coincidence.

 

[fashionista-ta]

^ Agreed ... I respect Armani (mostly for past achievements), but I'm sure you remember how he got his knickers in a twist over the criticism of his sending knickers down the runway some seasons ago. He went on the record hotly defending them (why do so many fail to understand the elegance of silence) ... and this guy is one of 'the chosen.' Well let's face it ... they must have asked practically everyone, and he accepted. And good for him for making it work.

It used to be that haute couture was much more accessible. It was affordable for well-to-do women who had the time and inclination to be where they needed to be for the shows, fittings, etc. Now, prices have skyrocketed & most of the women who can afford it think that spending that kind of money on clothes is unnecessary and perhaps obscene (well, whatever they think, they're mostly not doing it).

I certainly don't think that something worn by so few is 'the best thing about fashion.'

Also agree that it's RTW that's influential ... and relevant.

 

[CommanderTMugler]

I have a quick question, we see that celebrities are always loaned haute couture dresses and pieces by designers. It's great advertising for the Haute Couture houses. I'm wondering though if any celebrities are actually Haute Couture clients? I'm referring to personalities who are seen in various Haute Couture pieces but they can also afford it.

Someone who comes to mind is Beyonce.

She is seen in various Haute Couture pieces by Armani, JPG, Elie Saab, Stephane Rolland, Atelier Versace, Thierry Mugler, some straight from the runway and sometimes modified.

The modified pieces that she is seen in, would she have to buy those pieces or will the designer just modify them for her for the publicity?

 

[Boomer]

^ I think almost all of them are loaners, and many are put back in stock at a discount for women who may be interested...I know they sell the dresses from the shows at a steep discount, but I would imagine few actual HC customers are 5'11", size 2 and interested in a previously worn $30,000 dress...

 

[eternitygoddess]

Catherine Deneuve purchases, from what I hear.

 

[Boomer]

Cool...I'll bet between being the face of Chanel at one time and Yves best friend, she got some nice dresses...Daphne Guinness buys as well from what I have read...

 

[ultramarine]

Celebs buying couture? I think hey may get freebies .. but being actual customers? I doubt it ...

Tho Diane Kruger may purchase, dont you think?

And yes, its very disturbing to see less and less couturiers ... maybe the Chambre Syndicale should devise a new plan ...

 

[Meg]

But why would they purchase? Only someone who really loved fashion for the art of it (like Daphne Guinness mentioned above) would buy - because they only need the dresses for events, and if they get the dresses loaned, what's the point of paying to have the dress sit in your closet?

It's possible that Diane Kruger does, probably the Traina sisters do, but I can't think of anyone else off the top of my head who strikes me as the type who would buy.....

 

[liberty33r1b]

i once saw an interview with Diane on German TV where she explained that her Chanel couture dress was always only borrowed for the day and that she had to return it the next.....

 

[Chris_Couture05]

Honestly I dont think there are many celebrities that are so deep into fashion that they would purchase couture. We all know the Daphne Guinness purchases couture but thats different she is more of a socialite than a big celebrity. She most likely has dozens of places and events that she can opt to wear couture but I also remeber her saying on The Secret World of Haute Couture documentary that she sometime pairs couture peices with jeans.

Now with celebrites like Beyonce, the only reason I think she might buy some couture peices is because I remember her saying in an interview a while back that she has an entire wearhouse filled with garments but beyond that Im not sure. Those garments could be ready to wear peices.

Im almost positive that Naomi Campbell has bought or been given couture peices because she has an apartment full of just clothes that she sometime donates to schools or museums per a Vouge interview I read a while back.

So in my opinion I guess its pretty rare that would would find an actually celebrity that collectes couture but Im sure they are out there.

 

[Boomer]

^ And, a celebrity buying a really expensive dress from one designer may find herself under contract for a different design house a year later- what a shame to have a beautiful gown that you could never wear!

 

[D A N A]

I know a lot of Arabs buy lebanese couture for their weddings, wedding parties etc

 

[CommanderTMugler]

What about celebrities that get Haute Couture pieces custom made?

Will they pay for that or is it enough publicity for the brand that they'll make it for free?

 

[Chris_Couture05]

^ That would depend on the celebrity and why they are getting the peice made. Mind you Im just going off what I know about haute couture. If your a well known celebrity who wants to get a peice made it is possible that they could get it at a discount depending on why they are getting the garment made.

Usually for events like The Cannes Film Festive and the Oscars, depending on who the celebrity is they could possibly get it at a discount. This could be because of the publicity it would generate or like Boomer said the celebrity could just enter into a contract with the desinger in order to get a discount price in exchange for wearing that dress amoung others at certian events. For example this would apply to celebs like Beyonce for Elie Saab,Diane Kurger for Chanel and Eva Green for Dior.

On the other hand if u have a lesser known celebrity like anyone who does not have a major earning power for example who wants to buy a couture garment will usually have to pay full price for it because of the fact that she does not have the status as the other major celebrites that wear haute couture.

So when it comes to celebrities and couture its uaully a status thing based on which celebrity will help elevate the status of the fashion house that they want to represent

 

[CommanderTMugler]

^ Thank you for that. I did insinuate it depended on the situation, I was just wondering if anyone knew a bit more on that.

It would be interesting to see what goes on behind the scenes with these "deals" and so on.

One thing though, I'm not sure if Beyonce had a contract with Elie Saab in 2006/7 or if she actually just "collaborated" with him since she did have some sort of deal with Armani at the same time. I can understand Eva Green for Dior since she was the face for the brand.

Diane is such an interesting case since she has built great relationships with designers.

Would this be the most appropriate place to talk about this (Celebs and their relationships with designers) or should this be moved to a different place?

 

[mikeijames]

one also has to factor in that fashion houses literally go to los angeles to compete for these celebrities. red carpet dressing is EXTREMELY competitive among these huge fashion houses. and they pull out all of the stops to get top-billed celebrities to wear their gowns.

further, there exist instances that celebrities will borrow a dress for an important event and then purchase the dress later when they win. if i recall correctly, gwyneth paltrow did this with her ralph lauren gown (in which she won the oscar) and halle berre did this (in the elie saab she wore to win her oscar).