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Pierre Balmain adjusting a dress on model Ruth Ford in 1947 (photographed by Carl Van Vechten)

A simple haute couture evening gown designed by Marc Bohan for the House of Dior, Spring 1983

The catwalk at a Paris show, 2012

Haute couture (pronounced 'OHT koo-TOOR') is a French term for high fashion. It refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. The term refers to:

• the fashion houses or fashion designers that create exclusive and often trend-setting fashions.
• the fashions created by them.

Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer. It is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish by the most experienced and capable seamstresses, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. Couture is a common abbreviation of haute couture.