51³Ô¹Ï

Advertisement

Advertisement

couture

[ koo-toor; French koo-tyr ]

noun

  1. the occupation of a couturier; dressmaking and designing.
  2. fashion designers or couturiers collectively.
  3. the clothes and related articles designed by such designers.
  4. the business establishments of such designers, especially where clothes are made to order.


adjective

  1. created or produced by a fashion designer:

    couture clothes.

  2. being, having, or suggesting the style, quality, etc., of a fashion designer; very fashionable:

    the couture look.

couture

/ kuËˈtÊŠÉ™; kutyr /

noun

    1. high-fashion designing and dressmaking
    2. ( as modifier )

      couture clothes

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Discover More

51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of couture1

1905–10; < French: literally, sewing, seam < Vulgar Latin *³¦Å ( n ) ²õÅ«³ÙÅ«°ù²¹, equivalent to Latin ³¦´Ç²Ô²õÅ«³Ù ( us ) past participle of consuere to sew together ( con- con- + suere to sew 1 ) + -Å«°ù²¹ -ure; suture, accouter
Discover More

51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of couture1

from French: sewing, dressmaking, from Old French cousture seam, from Latin consuere to stitch together, from suere to sew
Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The techniques borrow from couture craftsmanship and Hollywood magic.

From

Also borrowing from history was Valentino's haute couture show, which was one of the most anticipated events of the week.

From

Is now really the time to contemplate celebrities flaunting borrowed diamonds and haute couture, delivering emotional speeches while clutching coveted statuary?

From

Our fascination with reality stars rests in the illusion that, if not for their endless money and couture bags, they'd be just like us.

From

We’re treated to a series of the magazine's front covers from the early days, black and white footage of the first catwalk shows and images of the couture salons of the early twentieth century.

From

Advertisement

Discover More

More About Couture

What doesÌýcouture mean?

Couture most commonly refers to or describes clothing that was designed by a fashion designer or has that level of quality.

Couture can also refer to fashion designers collectively, their profession, the clothes designed by them, or their businesses. Couture is found in (and can be used as a shortening of) the term haute couture, which refers to the world of high fashion and custom-made garments.

Example: She’s known for wearing couture looks that are straight from the runway.

Where doesÌýcouture come from?

The first records of couture in English come from the early 1900s. Couture is a French word that means “sewing†or “dressmaking.†The phrase haute couture translates as “high sewing†or “high dressmaking†and is synonymous with high fashion.

In France, clothing cannot be labeled haute couture unless it meets certain standards set by an official organization. Couture sometimes refers to haute couture garments, but it can also be used in a more general way to refer to high fashion clothes. Still, garments that are considered couture are often handmade, or at least designed by a fashion designer. Couture is often custom-made for the people who will wear it, typically models and wealthy clients. While couture is often used as a noun, it is also used as a modifier in phrases like couture look and couture collection. It is also often used in high-fashion brand names.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to couture?

What are some synonyms for couture?

What are some words that share a root or word element with couture?Ìý

Ìý

Ìý

What are some words that often get used in discussing couture?

How isÌýcouture used in real life?

Couture is always used in the context of fashion, especially to refer to the most high-end or exclusive designer and designs.

Ìý

Ìý

Try usingÌýcouture!

Is couture used correctly in the following sentence?

The couture that has been featured at fashion week took hundreds of hours to make by hand.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement