couture

1 of 2

noun

cou·​ture kü-ˈtu̇r How to pronounce couture (audio) -ˈtᵫr How to pronounce couture (audio)
1
: the business of designing, making, and selling fashionable custom-made clothing
the world of Paris couture
2
: the designers and establishments engaged in couture
For more than a century, the couture was the undisputed fashion source for women in the Western world.Bernadine Morris
3
: the clothes created by couture
For them, buying French couture has become a status symbol, something to rack up along with their brand-new BMWs and their hacienda-style villas …Vogue

couture

2 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or being high-end custom-made fashion
Neither are these designers unduly concerned about styles that lend themselves to being folded and packed—the couture clientele travels with trunks, not duffel bags, and, presumably, there is always someone on the other end to take care of the wrinkles.Bernadine Morris
However, Owens credits his success to the ease of what he calls his "T-shirt versions of couture dresses."David Colman

Examples of couture in a Sentence

Noun The book discusses the relationship between culture and couture. I can't afford to wear couture.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Florence Pugh—ever a proponent of the trend—turned to Simone Rocha’s Jean Paul Gaultier for her diaphanous look, and Anitta opted for a sleek chainmail Fendi couture. Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2024 Grande was the last star to sit at the show's beginning, plopping into her seat with her flowing pink Giambattista Valli couture dress just as the giant onstage clock showed four seconds until broadcast. Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 Megan Jacobs will portray a French couture designer armed with a team of dancer/seamstresses devoted to all of the accessories and details of high fashion glamour. Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2024 Ever since, the Tinseltown tradition has seen stars attend film premieres, festivals and award ceremonies bedecked in couture, debuting new looks or new relationships (or, perhaps, subtly hinting at a breakup) with photographers capturing their every move. Marie Lodi, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 Most impressively, her last look — a chrome suit of armor from Mugler’s Fall Winter 1995 couture collection — reportedly generated $13.3 million in media exposure after wearing the piece to the Dune: Part Two premiere in London. Lindzi Scharf, The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2024 Fashion Week continued in Paris with more stars attending couture shows. Alexandra Schonfeld, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 Although the wins in both categories went to actors from The Bear, Waddingham was the talk of the night, thanks to her Tony Ward sculptural red foil couture gown and one-of-a-kind cardboard clutch designed by her nine-year-old daughter. Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 27 Feb. 2024 Simone Rocha Less than a month ago, Simone Rocha was the guest designer for the Jean Paul Gaultier couture show in Paris, which saw 35 models turned into folkloric fairies. India Espy-Jones, Essence, 21 Feb. 2024
Adjective
Focus showed a sneak peek of its brand-new trailer for Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, a whimsical, heartwarming comedy starring Lesley Manville as a British housekeeper whose dream of owning a couture Christian dress and travels to Paris. Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Apr. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'couture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

French, from Old French cousture sewing, from Vulgar Latin *consutura, from Latin consutus, past participle of consuere to sew together, from com- + suere to sew — more at sew

First Known Use

Noun

1908, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1916, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of couture was in 1908

Dictionary Entries Near couture

Cite this Entry

“Couture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/couture. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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