couture

noun

cou·ture | \ kü-ˈtu̇r

Definition of couture

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

adjective

Definition of couture (Entry 2 of 2)

: 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

A week after the Oscars, Pierpaolo Piccioli’s focus shifted from Gemma Chan’s couture and Frances McDormand’s custom Birkenstocks to his new, impassioned ready-to-wear collection. — Brooke Bobb, Vogue, "Pierpaolo Piccioli Tapped Four Famous Poets to Interpret His Fall 2019 Collection for Valentino," 3 Mar. 2019 Often times Valencia is tasked with restoring the corsets, a process that can take up to two weeks and several different hands, including a couture cleaner, a corset maker to fix boning, and a threader who will patch up loose threads and holes. — Liana Satenstein, Vogue, "Johnny Valencia Is Instagram’s “King of Corsets”," 20 Feb. 2019 Endura Roses, a shop focusing on couture arrangements in the U.K., is currently selling a V-day bouquet for a serious chunk of change. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "This May Be the World's Most Expensive—And Extravagant—Flower Bouquet," 14 Feb. 2019 Wearing a blue Valentino couture gown Lady Gaga matched her hair color perfectly to her gown. — Alyssa Hardy, Teen Vogue, "Lady Gaga Matched Her Hair EXACTLY to Her Dress," 7 Jan. 2019 In this couture candy shop, especially delicious are the miniature versions of beloved stunners like Junon, Dior’s petaled gown of fall-winter 1949. — WSJ, "‘Dior: From Paris to the World’ Review: Timelessly Elegant, Yet Avant-Garde," 27 Nov. 2018 There’s also a floor dedicated to Vietnamese fashion, from hill-tribe costumes to contemporary couture. — Peter Jon Lindberg, Condé Nast Traveler, "Hanoi, Time and Again," 20 Nov. 2018 Stella McCartney In keeping with her commitment to sustainability, McCartney chose sustainable viscose as well as modern versions of couture fabrics like lace and chiffon to craft her debut bridal line. — Sally Holmes, Marie Claire, "Stella McCartney's New Bridal Collection Includes Meghan Markle's Wedding Dress," 13 Nov. 2018 The dreamy white gown is by couture designer Galia Lahav, who shared a screenshot from Bey's video on Instagram. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Beyoncé Wore the Coolest Wedding Gown for Her Vow Renewal with Jay-Z," 2 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'couture.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.