The clothes in these pictures are some of the world’s most exclusive garments. Almost no one can afford them. A good part is then not made to be used either. Nevertheless, colossal amounts of money and labor are invested in them, and they are associated with great prestige. But how much time and effort should one really put into making clothes for … no one? This week, the so-called haute couture fashion shows have gone off the rails during fashion week in Paris. Haute couture means “high sewing”, and these displays will showcase the best of the fashion houses have to offer in terms of sewing and design. Stars such as Zendaya and Jennifer Lopez sit in the chairs in the front row. SUPERSTAR: Actress Zendaya was present during the haute couture show for the house of Schiaparelli, in an outfit with a special train that was hotly discussed on fashion pages afterwards. Photo: Shutterstock editorial Both old fashion houses and newcomers show what they can do, but often they have quite different approaches. At the Chanel, Dior and Armani Privé shows, there were plenty of relatively classic pieces, which it’s not hard to imagine actual people actually wearing. The “high” here lies in the craftsmanship and design. For other fashion designers, such as Thom Browne and Iris van Herpen, haute couture is more about experimentation. These are garments that show off the human body in new ways, reminiscent more of works of art than of commercial goods. NEW TECHNIQUES: Iris van Herpen is inspired by nature and science and uses modern techniques such as 3D printing to create creations that look as if they are alive. Photo: Reuters And then you have those who realize that the age of Instagram, with its tiny pictures that are consumed quickly and in passing, does not create the conditions very well for showing off details in stitching and draping. They are wholeheartedly committed to creating shows and moments designed to go viral. That was definitely the case with Schiaparelli. There, a model was sent down the catwalk with a kind of pearl-covered robot baby in her arms. It was obviously a doll, not a live child, but that didn’t stop the mildly disturbing images from being shared at the speed of light. The term “haute couture” can be thrown around by many people, but it has been a protected term since 1945. You must meet many requirements to be able to use this designation for your collection. ATTENTION: Schiaparelli’s “robot baby” went round after round on social media following the fashion house’s haute couture show. Photo: Christophe Ena / AP The haute couture houses have been selected by the French organization Féderation de la Haute Couture et la Mode. To be chosen, they must create outfits for individuals, that is, outfits of which there is only one. They must have a studio in Paris where at least fifteen full-time employees work. And twice a year they must have a public display of at least 50 original designs. Both day wear and evening wear must be included. A good number of the fashion houses that used to have haute couture shows have stopped doing so, including Christian Lacroix and Thierry Mugler. To this day, only 24 fashion houses meet the requirements. DIFFICULT TO WEAR: There aren’t many uses for Iris van Herpen’s haute couture outfits. Here from the spring/summer 2023 collection. Photo: Christophe Archambault / AFP One of them belongs to Dutch Iris van Herpen. Anyone who asks what the future of haute couture looks like will often get her name in response. The famous dresses of van Herpen are hardly dresses at all, but wild creations where fashion and science meet. She uses modern technology such as 3D printers to create panels and decorations that look like flower petals or wings, or the bodies of strange creatures. It is very beautiful, all together, but the models also have something disturbing about them. They become a kind of mixture of humans and mythical animals. There are few stars who manage to wear the clothes on the red carpet without being overwhelmed by them. But the tall “Game of Thrones” actress Gwendoline Christie has proven time and again to be a good hanger for van Herpen’s violent visions. FLOWER OR BUTTERFLY: This flower-light creation is from Iris van Herpen’s Spring/Summer 2020 haute couture collection. Photo: Michel Euler / AP But beyond the stars donning garments for the red carpet, who are the haute couture pieces really for? The Kering group, which owns luxury brands such as Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, is constantly trying to reassure the industry. On their page, “Luxury Highlights”, they write about their target group, called “ultra high net worth individuals”. These people have more than 30 million dollars available for various investments. The gang is supposed to trade luxury goods worth around 80 billion euros annually. It may be music to the ears of those whose job it is to sell these luxury goods, but in a world where more and more people are concerned with sustainability, the question is whether that sounds like a desirable situation. EYEWEAR: Large transparent hats were part of the Armani Privé haute couture show in Paris this week. Photo: Benoît Tessier / Reuters It is something of a paradox. The wealthy customer group is needed to keep alive an art form that should not be so concerned with the customer. Haute couture is about so many things, but also about seeing what clothes can be beyond being a commodity. The creations sent down the catwalk are not primarily a response to a demand, not primarily part of a trend. They must try something, develop something, work in the fringes. And for the globe, they hardly do more damage than the millions of garments that are flown from continent to continent. So-called “fast fashion” is just that, fast. In a world full of fast things, this is one of the advantages of the high seam: It is slow.
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This is the world’s most exclusive clothing. Who will buy them? – Speech
