Production, fashion weeks and exclusivity: haute couture versus ready-to-wear fashion

The background article The contrast between haute couture and ready-to-wear analyses haute couture and ready-to-wear fashion and what makes the two so different. Haute couture is synonymous with exclusive craftsmanship, tailored for a select clientele seeking personalised luxury. In contrast, ready-to-wear fashion offers mass-produced designs for a wider consumer base.

Production of haute couture versus ready-to-wear

Ready-to-wear clothing, also known by the French term prêt-a-porter, is typically manufactured in large quantities in special ready-to-wear factories located all over the word. On the other hand, haute couture is handcrafted in limited quantities in fashion ateliers.

The article offers an answer to questions such as: What is the history of haute couture, how did ready-to-wear come to be in the US and elsewhere? How does a fashion designer become a couturier? Are there specific haute couture fashion weeks and separate ready-to-wear fashion weeks and why is this the case?

This article text has been partially generated with an AI tool, and then edited by Veerle Versteeg.