haute couture

noun

haute cou·​ture ˌōt-ku̇-ˈtu̇r How to pronounce haute couture (audio)
: the houses or designers that create exclusive and often trend-setting fashions for women
also : the fashions created

Examples of haute couture in a Sentence

a fashion designer who's a renowned master of haute couture
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Prior to her Self-Portrait appointment, Martin made her fashion debut at the Chanel spring 2023 haute couture show in Paris, and attended a Gucci x Goop dinner in the Hamptons hosted by Elizabeth Saltzman and her mother’s wellness company Goop. Tianwei Zhang, Footwear News, 9 Sep. 2025 Instead, Couture plays almost like a joyless mood-piece response to Robert Altman’s Fashion Week satire, Prêt-à-Porter, which interwove a more expansive gallery of characters into the frantic haute couture circus. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025 Matthieu Blazy for Chanel After a three-year stint as creative director of Bottega Veneta, Blazy was chosen the new artistic director of fashion activities at Chanel—a role which appoints him responsibility for all haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessory collections under the brand. Elizabeth Grace Coyne, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025 And in recent years, Venice has offered its share of memorable red-carpet looks (think Lady Gaga and her haute couture headpiece) and viral moments that draw the attention of the world (a teary Brendan Fraser basking in a standing ovation). Brent Lang, Variety, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for haute couture

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, high sewing

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of haute couture was in 1908

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Cite this Entry

“Haute couture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haute%20couture. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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