Chapter 8: Creators of Fashion

1. Chapter 8: Creators of Fashion Chapter 8.1: Haute Couture Chapter 8.2: Everyday Designers

2. Key Terms • Fédération Françise de la Couture • Custom-made • Vendeuse

3. What is Haute Couture? • Haute couture is high fashion • Branch of the fashion industry that creates the most fashionable, expensive, and exclusive designer clothing • Paris is the birthplace of haute couture

4. Haute-Couture Designer Houses • Designers have fashion houses where haute couture is created • Many are in Paris • Few operate showrooms and boutiques in New York on Manhattan’s Seventh Avenue • A fashion house is named after it’s designer and originator • Example: Coco Chanel and her House of Chanel

5. The Fédération Françise de la Couture • There are specific requirements for a designer and design house to be included in this category • The Fédération Françise de la Couture, or the French fashion federation, is the organization that regulates the haute-couture industry • Membership Rules Include: • Control copying • Number of showings allowed • Minimum number of original styles in collections • Staffing and shipping dates • Each presentation must include 35 separate designs for day and evening wear • Members include: • Coco Chanel • Christian Dior • Pierre Cardin

6. Federation Branches • Branches of the French Fashion Federation: • Chamber Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne- promotes and protects the couture houses • Chamber Syndicale de Prêt-à-Porter- represents ready-to-wear branches of couture and the best of French prêt-à-porter • Chambre Syndicale de la Mode Masculine- represents men’s wear industries of couture

7. Federation Education • It sponsors a school to educate individuals seeking apprenticeships in the couture industry

8. Federation Fashion Shows • Coordination and scheduling of fashion shows • The press and individual customers are allowed to attend at no charge • However, a caution fee is charged to trade buyers from apparel manufacturers, retailers, and pattern companies • The fee serves two functions: • Discourages copying of designs • An agreement to purchase specific amounts and can be applied to these purchases • Larger fees are charged to trade buyers than to individual customers

9. Purchasing Haute Couture • An individual purchasing a haute-couture design buys a garment that is custom-made • Customer made is made specifically to the customer’s measurements • Chanel has 150 regular clients who buy couture each year • A house such as Dior will make about 2 couture bridal gowns annually

10. The Purchasing Process • Schedule an appointment with a design house prior to a visit to Paris • Customer previews samples of garments in the design salon • Choose garments • Tailoring process begins- usually takes 3 fittings

11. Sales and Service • The customer is assigned a vendeuse, the haute-couture sales associate who works with the customer and is paid by commission of the purchase • They help smooth out any problems that may occur • Makes sure that no one in your city purchases the same designs as yourself

12. The High Cost of High Fashion • 100 to 1,000 hours and thousands of dollars to make 1 haute-couture garment • One dress can cost from $26,000 to over $100,000 • Tailor made suit = $16,000 • Chanel suit = $30,000 • Evening gown = $60,000

13. Garment Expenses • Reasons for the garments expense: • Service • Workmanship • Originality of designs • The specific designs could be made from: • color used by ONLY that design house • Luxurious fabrics • Expensive silks, fine wools, leather, and furs • Embroidery • Beading

14. The Era of Modern Haute Couture • The Academy Awards serves as the event for celebrities to showcase the best designs • Designers like Vera Wang, Elie Saab, and Narciso Rodriguez are seen Narciso Rodriguez Gown Vera Wang Gowns Elie Saab Gowns

15. The Father of Haute Couture • Charles Fredrick Worth • Principal player in Parisian fashion of the 1800’s • 1st professional clothing designer for women • Born in England, moved to Paris at age 20 • Opened his own design house- 1st to show designs on live models • Began designing for the royal family- Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III

16. The Father of Haute Couture • Known for using: • Detail • Special fabrics • Colors • Trims • Introduced the hoop skirt, and walking skirt • In the 19th century the cost of his designs was up to $2,500

17. Haute Couture in Today’s World • Haute-couture houses produce extravagant outfits, which are seen on runways but rarely worn in real life

18. Markets for Haute Couture and RTW • Only 2,000 people in the world buy couture clothes • 60% are American • 200 people are regular customers • Due to expenses and a decreasing cliental, haute-couture designers have shifted to ready-to-wear lines • Examples: • Emanuel Ungaro • Gianni Versace • Yves Saint Laurent • Louis Féraud • Nina Ricci

19. Haute Couture Advantages • Serves as a place of creativity and inspiration • Young designers train and showcase their talents • It helps sale other products such as: • Perfume • Cosmetics • Ready-to-wear lines

20. Chapter 8: Creators of Fashion Chapter 8.2: Everyday Designers

21. Key Terms • Demi-Couture • Ready-To-Wear (RTW) • Bridge Line

22. Demi-Couture • Many design houses are employing young designers • Resulted in a new trend of demi-couture • Demi-couture is ready-to-wear designs produced by fashion houses but not massed-produced • They are not specifically fitted for the customer • Records are kept of the customers and their purchases to help prevent showing up in the same dress • Prices are about $6,000 instead of $60,000 • Designers Include: • Stella McCartney • Chloe

23. Prêt-à-Porter Apparel • Prêt-à-Porter is the French designers ready-to-wear • It is lesser-priced but still but costly haute couture • It bridges the gap between ready-and haute couture by bringing couture to those who want to wear designer fashions but will not pay the higher prices • Differences include: • Styles are not as extravagant or eccentric • Fabrics are not unique

24. Ready-To-Wear • Ready-to Wear (RTW) are standard-sized garments made in advance and offered for sale to any purchaser • Some designers offer a bridge line • A bridge line is a secondary line that is the most expensive category of ready-to-wear • Examples include • Tommy Hilfiger • Perry Ellis • Calvin Klein

25. Categories of Ready-to-Wear • Better • Moderate • Budget • While offering collections at better store, even high-fashion designers have ventured into discount markets • Ex. Isaac Mizrahi Discount Market: Target Stores High-Fashion: Couture

26. History of Ready-To-Wear • 19th century women made their own clothing • There was only 96 factories producing ready-to-wear garments • Manufacturing procedures improved rapidly • The invention of the sewing machine by Elias Howe in 1845, with improvements by Isaac Singer, allowed for volume of clothing in factories Elias Howe Isaac Singer

27. Design Awards • Each year various fashion associations and businesses present awards to designers for their achievements and contributions to the fashion industry • Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA): trade association for top U.S. designers. It also recognizes fashion achievements in various fields, such as publishing, retailing, photography, and entertainment • The Coty Award: most prestigious U.S. fashion award from 1940 to the 1970s. Renamed Cutty Sark Awards in the 1980s, then discontinued. Recipient include: • Designer Donna Karan • The Neiman Marcus Award: created by well-known retail store. It is an award for a designer who has designed, publicized, or worn fashion that has influenced the public. Recipients include: • Coco Chanel • Christian Dior • Princess Grace of Monaco

28. The Importance of Affordable Fashion • Fashion designers are creative and technical professionals whose designs leave a lasting impression on fashion • People are being able to enjoy fashionable clothing • More haute couture designers moving to ready-to-wear designs

29. THE END