A controlled French designation for fashion houses meeting specific requirements for made-to-order clothing and its presentation.
Haute couture combines a formal French designation with a tradition of highly specialised clothing made for individual clients. The designation is controlled, so its use carries a more specific meaning than a general description of expensive or elaborate fashion. Handmade work in house workshops is central to the practice, and skills are transmitted within the atelier environment. For someone entering the industry, the useful distinction is between the status of a house, the clothing it produces and the skills used to make or fit it. Experience with fine tailoring alone does not establish the designation.
In job listings
Alaïa’s Senior Sales Associate role in London described ready-to-wear experience as its orientation and Haute Couture experience as advantageous. The requirement shows how familiarity with this specialist clothing sector could be valued in local client service. The role itself was in sales. Search local jobs for “haute couture”.
