Haute couture is exclusive, custom-fit high-end fashion design. It involves designing and making a garment inexpensive, often unusual fabric with extreme attention to detail using time-consuming hand-executed techniques.
You may have seen couture pieces on the red carpet or runway, but how can you wear them in your everyday life? Try mixing couture pieces with more casual clothing like a leather moto jacket and jeans. Visit the latest clothing magazine.
1. Tie-Dye
Psychedelic and colorful, tie-dye is back with a modern twist. This fabric dyeing technique is a form of resist dyeing that has been used for centuries by many cultures worldwide. There are a variety of ways to tie and fold fabrics for tie-dye, from the simple scrunch and rubber bands to more intricate Japanese Shibori and Indian Bandhani methods.
When using fiber-reactive dyes, which are the most common type for commercial dyeing of cotton and other cellulose fibers, soda ash is added to raise the pH of the solution so it can chemically bond with the cellulose fibers and set the color. This process creates covalent bonds that can withstand washing and repeated use, making the colors long-lasting.
Sheer fabric is one of the newest trends to make a big impact on fashion couture designs. From delicate tulle accessories to sheer dresses, this trend is the epitome of romance.
2. Dip-Dye
It may have been a '10s trend, but dip dye has reclaimed the spotlight this year. The technique creates a gradation of color along the hem of a garment, and the look is easy to do at home.
Simply stretch your fabric taut and submerge a few inches of it into the dye bath, leaving a couple of inches dry on top. Allow it to soak until you've reached the desired color saturation, then lift it and rinse. Repeat the process a few times for even gradations of color and to achieve ombre effects.
Unlike tie-dye, which creates a multi-tone color story, dip dye focuses on one solid shade and allows for a soft line where the dark and light colors meet. The effect is particularly beautiful on hems of dresses, shirts and blouses.
3. Puff Sleeves
Puff sleeves have long been a fashion staple, with their history stretching back to the 16th and 17th centuries. They are also a transeasonal style staple, with designers such as Ulla Johnson, Carolina Herrera and Erdem incorporating them into their spring dresses and summer tops.
They can vary in size and volume, from delicate soft puffs to in-your-face ham and flashlight-sized sleeves. Whatever your preference, they are definitely an eye-catching look that adds a sense of drama to any outfit.
They can be dressed up for an evening out, worn with a fitted top and skinny crop ankle pants or midi skirt. Or go boho casual and pair a billowy puff sleeve blouse with denim cutoffs, heels and fun jewelry. Then accessorize with a straw bag and hat for a perfect summer look.
4. Color Clashing
The word couture evokes images of Parisian runways and high-end fashion collections. However, couture actually translates to "high dressmaking," which refers to the production of custom-fitted clothing by hand.
Color clashing may seem like bad news for your wardrobe (or at least something that would elicit a snarky comment on Hinge), but these bold pairings can actually be quite pleasing to the eye. To understand why, take a look at a color wheel: colors that are on opposite sides of the circle will clash.
From spring green and princess pink to electric orange and pale lavender, these offbeat palettes exemplify the latest trend in fashion couture. To learn more about this style, check out Colour Clash: Exploring the Use of Color in Design, published by Counter-Print.
5. Corsets
The latest fashion trends in couture take inspiration from various textures. The runways were filled with fabrics from rough spikes to soft sherpa. Jean Paul Gaultier used the texture trend to his advantage as he experimented with all kinds of materials.
Corsets were re-imagined as armor-inspired looks for fall. This look was seen on the runways of Armani Prive and Balenciaga.
A corset is a waist-length garment made of a flexible fabric that covers the rib area and front of the torso, with back lacing. It's typically worn over a chemise, or sleeveless low-necked dress that can absorb perspiration and keep the corset clean.
The corset has experienced several revivals, including the push-up bust style that Vivienne Westwood popularized in the late 1980s and early 1990s. More recently, steampunk culture has re-popularized these Victorian-inspired shapes.
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