haute couture

/ˈoʊt ˈkuˌtʊər/

Haute couture is the most expensive and fashionable kind of clothing made by designers. At least part of every haute couture design is sewn by hand.

You can't find haute couture in a mall or department store — it's a one-of-a-kind fashion that's usually made for a specific person to wear. If you've ever looked at photos of the annual Met Gala, where celebrities wear elaborate outfits, you've seen haute couture. In French, haute means "high," and couture means "sewing." The term has come to mean "high fashion" in general, although a Parisian commission regulates which designs can officially be considered haute couture.

Definitions of haute couture

1. noun

   trend-setting fashions
   synonyms: high fashion, high style

   type of:

   fashion

   the latest and most admired style in clothes and cosmetics and behavior