Haute Coutre

VIETNAM

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO

HAUTE COUTRE? “A COLLECTION INSPIRED

BY THE OLDEST KNOWN TAROT CARDS.”

DIOR

GOES MYSTICAL FOR HAUTE COUTURE SPRING-SUMMER 2021 COLLECTION

ISSUE NO.01

Table of Content HAUTE COUTURE

A brief introduction to Houte Couture

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Spring-summer 2021 Houte Couture collection by DIOR

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A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO

HAUTE COUTURE Haute couture has entered a new era, with a governing body—Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode—that’s switched up its style to bridge the gap between heritage and contemporary design. Vogue speaks to those in the know, including Legion d’honneur recipient and Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri, about the inner workings of this highest echelon of fashion.

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here are few more things grander in the fashion even than haute couture.

With a minuscule of big client base (approximately is 4,000 worldwide) and an exclusive allocation of industry tickets for runway presentations, the practice can seem entirely fanciful and out of reach. In truth, the art of couture is a really tightly controlled, invite only application, governed by Paris’s Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode (FHCM) with widespread influence on the fashion industry at large.

Founded in 1868, the FHCM preserves the exacting standards of French fashion culture by presiding over Paris women’s and men’s fashion weeks, as well as endorsing and nurturing designers who exhibit a quality of craftsmanship that meets the level required to show on the Page 4

official haute couture schedule.

Vogue speaks to key figures within the organisation and as well as Dior’s artistic director Maria Grazia Chiuri, who was awarded France’s Legion d’honneur this week—about the inner workings of this enigmatic French institution. Also, haute couture is a much misused phrase that actually has very specific rules for qualification.

Translated literally, couture is French for dressmaking, while haute means high. These are garments created as one off pieces for a specific client. 19th century Englishman Charles Frederick Worth is considered as the father of Haute Couture and today members are selected by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture. To qualify as an official Haute Couture house, members must design madeto-order clothes for private clients who in need.

Who are couture’s key designers?

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he Fédération has approximately 100 members and comprises three Chambres Syndicales, or central bodies (Haute Couture, Women’s Fashion and Men’s Fashion). FHCM president Ralph Toledano works alongside the board of directors—Pietro Beccari (Christian Dior), Delphine Bellini (Schiaparelli), Riccardo Bellini (Maison Margiela), Philippe Fortunato (Givenchy), Bruno Pavlovsky (Chanel) and Sophie Waintraub (Jean-Paul Gaultier)—for haute couture alone.

Approved fashion houses can be supported in strategic, communication, marketing, and economic, technological, cultural and even political possibilities—and Haute Couture members also gain a position on the official couture schedule. As of January 2019, the couture members include Adeline André, Alexandre Vauthier, Alexis Mabille, Chanel, Christian Dior, Franck Sorbier, Giambattista Valli, Givenchy, Jean Paul Gaultier, Julien Fournié, Maison Margiela, Maison Rabih Kayrouz, Maurizio Galante, Schiaparelli and Stéphane Rolland.

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What is the purpose of haute couture?

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ince the advent of ready-to-wear at the start of the 20th century, haute couture’s relevance had been slowly diminishing. The demanding guidelines and labour intensive practices (today, one Giambattista Valli couture gown can take approximately 240 hours and 6,000 metres of fabric to create) render it inaccessible to anyone outside of the 0.001 per cent target audience. Guided by the FHCM, haute couture has evolved to be an Insta-friendly showcase of craftsmanship and creative grandeur, an ode to what can be achieved by the industry’s foremost designers and artisans, its creations providing a trickle-down effect of inspiration on ready-to-wear and fast-fashion collections.

“Haute couture is a spearhead in terms of creation, a fantastic laboratory for research, both in terms of craftsmanship and design innovation,” explains Toledano. “Haute couture is a land of free expression for designers, as well as an image builder for brands.”

Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri continues: “Creatively, FHCM is an incredible support because it is capable of coordinating a very rich and diversified body without getting involved in the vision of each house. I began working with FHCM while I was creative director at Valentino, although I wasn’t in such close contact as I am now. Since being at Dior, I’m frequently in touch with FHCM and the collaboration has been fundamental in my understanding of how French fashion works and performs, what its cultural and political appeal is and how they are brought forward.”

She adds: “Support for fashion culture here is extraordinary: something other countries should really look at in order to think about their own policies, and the weight and significance they give fashion as an essential part of focusing on national identity.”

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uch mythology exists around the strict rules and regulations required of haute couture houses by the FHCM. ‘Haute couture’ is a legally protected term first set in 1945 and a label can only be awarded (or withdrawn through failure to meet the requisite regulations, outlined below) by a commission appointed by the Ministry of Industry.

What are the rules of couture?

In order to be eligible for haute couture status, members must create made-to-order garments in an atelier of at least 15 fulltime staff, as well as 20 full-time technical workers in one of their ateliers. Collections must be presented with a minimum of 50 original designs, including day and evening looks, presented to the public in January and July and created for private clients, with each piece requiring more than one fitting. Guest members are invited each season, and if a brand is invited four times in a row, it becomes eligible to be a member.

There are those who challenge the institution—see Chiuri’s autumn/winter ’18/’19 collection for Christian Dior, with its precision internal structure and finishings realised in comparatively humble silhouettes—however, she did have the support of the FHCM. My message was linked to the fact that rules—strict, yes, but necessary—must help to stimulate creativity and find solutions and new paths more than simply standardise.”

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hen founded in 1868, the FHCM was known as the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture or des Confectionneurs et des Tailleurs pour Dame (clothing manufacturers and tailors for women). Following a few (equally wordy) iterations, the name was changed to today’s slightly sleeker Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode in June 2017 and includes the three aforementioned cabinets: Mode Féminine, Mode Masculine and Haute Couture.

To ensure the next generation of couture clients remains connected, the FHCM pays close attention to societal trends, technological advances, digital platforms and their links with fashion and creativity. “In a turbulent world such as ours, it is very important for our audience to rely on points of reference in which it believes, pillars on which it can count.This is the way the FHCM sees its role.” explains executive president of the FHCM, Pascal Morand.

In recent years, the FHCM has spearheaded changes, including: the merger of the École de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne with the Institut Français de la Mode; opening up higher education opportunities in couture; and establishing selection committees for womenswear and menswear for Paris fashion weeks via representatives from brands, buyers and journalists to promote objectivity and transparency throughout the membership process.

How has the FHCM evolved from 1868 to now?

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HAUTE C

SPRING-SUMMER 2 Page 8

COUTURE

DIOR

2021 COLLECTION Page 9

DIVINE GOLD A true source of inspiration for Maria Grazia Chiuri, the Visconti-Sforza tarot – developed by Bonifacio Bembo for the Duke of Milan in the 15th century – heightens the collection with its visual force.

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These magnificent dresses adorned with gold, Symbolizing the transition from paper to fabrics, enamel, vegetal and geometric interlacing brought the volumes and cuts of the silhouettes evoke the added enchantment to the creations thanks to the aristocratic-looking outfits of characters depicted virtuoso excellence of the Dior Ateliers. in this deck, a masterpiece of illumination.

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RENAISSANCE A dream-like invitation to follow one’s lucky star, and an exceptional tribution of nature.

Illuminating creations with its delicate nuances, especially when combined with shantung silk

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The iconic Miss Dior dress is reinvented in a magnificent all-gold version.

An emblem of refinement, gold punctuates the collection with its aura.

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POETIC STRENGTH A symbol of protection and strength, and both armor and adornment.

The plastron adorns several silhouettes in the collection, illustrating by turns the tarot’s major arcana.

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Human figures thus enhance the dresses and skirts in the collection, like an ode to the symbolic richness of fauna and flora.

Designed by Pietro Ruffo and embroidered by the House’s petites mains, it illuminates creations with a touch of daring.

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HAUTE COUTURE