Tudo sobre a alta costura: Quanto custa, quem faz e quem compra?

Haute couture – How much it costs, who makes it and who buys it

Fashion

Haute Couture is nothing more than exclusive luxury fashion, made by hand, with the highest quality materials.

Paris will host another Haute Couture Week from January 25th to 28th, 2021. For those who don’t know, haute couture is made up of a select group of designers, who create luxurious pieces, at the highest level of sophistication and exclusivity, which, in fact, are anyone’s dream.

The pieces produced are made in Paris, by hand, to measure and have a high value, due to the degree of care and skills required to produce them. Currently, there are more than 4,000 customers who wear haute couture, most of them from China and the Middle East.

Everything about haute couture: How much does it cost, who makes it and who buys it?
Image: Globo

It is estimated that the production of a haute couture piece can take up to 1000 hours of work. However, there are strict rules for being part of this event and having an atelier in Paris, such as employing a full-time staff of at least 15 people and presenting collections with 35 looks for day and night, every year.

So, do you want to know a little more about haute couture? Anyway, continue reading this article, which we, at the Women’s Area, have separated, with everything you need to know!

Haute Couture – Main questions

Everything about haute couture: How much does it cost, who makes it and who buys it?
Image: Uol (African stylist Imane Ayissi)

How much does it cost?

The value of a piece can start at US$10,000, according to an article published in “The Telegraph”. Furthermore, haute couture dresses, such as those by Yves Saint Laurent, can cost up to US$100,000.

Who does it?

The houses that are part of the French Haute Couture Federation are: Chanel, Dior, Schiaparelli, Maison Margiela, Atelier Versace, Zuhair Murad, Elie Saab, Bouchra Jarrar, Stéphane Rolland, Jean Paul Gaultier, Viktor & Rolf, Adeline Andre, Ulyana Sergeenko, Fendi, Giorgio Armani Privé, Alexis Mabille, Maurizio Galante, Alexandre Vauthier, Giambattista Valli, Ralph & Russo, Franck Sorbier and Iris Van Herpen.

Who buys?

There are around four thousand people who buy Haute Couture pieces in the world. Following Jeans Paul Gautier, his studio has around 60 clients, or rather, collectors.

In addition to young heiresses of fortunes, it is estimated that a large number of women who are consuming luxury pieces are technology entrepreneurs and artists.

Important facts about Haute Couture

Image: Fashion Frisson
  • British couturier Charles Frederick Worth is considered the “father of haute couture”, as he was the pioneer in exhibiting his creations;
  • Additionally, up to 6 employees can work on a single piece;
  • Many of Haute Couture’s clients are Arab women who want to wear pieces for weddings and parties;
  • 35% of clients are under 40 years old;
  • There are only 2,200 tailors in the world who are qualified to produce couture items;
  • Above all, the year 1950 is considered the golden age of haute couture, as there were more than 20 thousand customers;
  • Finally, a couture wedding dress can cost around $1 million.

Anyway, did you like this article? You’ll also like this: Famous bags, what are they? 6 most popular brands in the world.

Sources: Folha uol, Metrópoles, Revista Officiel.
Image sources: L’Officiel, Fashion Frisson, Uol, Globo.