Not that it concerns me in the least, but in this post I am determined to introduce the possibility that I may not be the shallow dumb blond that I might, from time to time, appear to be.   Not that I think that my cybersona requires intellectual padding, but rather I would like illustrate that part of my love of fashion goes beyond the aesthetics of shapely shoes and shiny bobbles.  It is also the grace, the prestigious respect, and the world of the extravagant, over the top, eccentricities of the vain.   I am convinced that Dante took excellent dictation, and while some cardinal seven fearin folk may interpret pride as vanity, it is definitely not a sin.  Furthermore, I wanted to throughout some fashion factoids to justify things like spending $978.95 on an amazing pair of Guiuseppe Zanottis. 

A common misnomer, Haute Couture is not some casual reference that can be thrown on any pret-a-porter (ready to wear) item simply because you will it to be so, nor do clothes or shoes become Haute Couture when they travel down the cat.  The term is actually legally protected in France, by the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Paris. Each year the prestigious list is drawn with the names of the chosen companies that are allowed to consider themselves as Haute Couture or to use the term in any reference whatsoever!  According to the rules, to become a house of Haute Couture you must design made to order fashions for private clients with one or more fittings, have a workshop in Paris with at least 15 employees, and each season are required to present a collection to the Paris press consisting of a minimum of 35 runs with both day and evening wear!  I can imagine it!  The atelier elders stand after days of serious deliberation, all proper considerations met, and the fragile gold encrusted scroll is opened as the house names are called out as if being knighted!  If that doesn’t titillate you, then, well you’re dead!

The inline photos are Dior, Lacriox, and Gaultier.  These seasonal presentations go far beyond the beyond.  They are limitless examples of the fashion imagination of the most exalted of designers.  Celebrated by the whole world and snatched up by the Robin Leech subjects of the world, the one of kind creations end up in the private collections of the financially eminent or in fashion museums to be revered over for centuries to come. 

Here is a delicious gift of 411 to salivate and awe over: 

Official haute couture houses

There are many fashion houses who were once official haute couture members:

1. Atelier Versace
2. Balenciaga
3. Elsa Schiaparelli
4. Guy Laroche
5. Jean Patou
6. Lanvin
7. Loris Azzaro
8. Marcel Rochas
9. Nina Ricci
10. Paco Rabanne
11. Pierre Cardin
12. Torrente Julien Fournie being the house’s last couturier
13. Yves Saint Laurent

As of early 2007, there are ten official haute couture member houses:

1. Adeline Andr�
2. Chanel
3. Christian Dior
4. Christian Lacroix
5. Dominique Sirop
6. Emanuel Ungaro
7. Franck Sorbier
8. Givenchy
9. Jean Paul Gaultier
10. Jean-Louis Scherrer

As of early 2007, there are three correspondent (foreign) member houses:

1. Elie Saab
2. Giorgio Armani
3. Valentino

Kiss Kiss,

Dawngrrl Gametart

This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 at 9:47 pm and is filed under Grrl Stuff. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.