Inside Haute Couture: Why Fashion’s Most Exclusive Club Is More Divided Than Ever

“What is Haute Couture and what makes it different from normal fashion week?” my girlfriend asked yesterday, somewhere along a three-hour drive through the countryside, soundtracked by my running commentary on this week’s shows. My answer—that it’s the moment when ultra-luxury fashion houses get to showcase their design prowess, atelier expertise and boundless imagination, crafting one-of-a-kind pieces far removed from everyday wear and instead destined for red carpets and galas of the ultra-wealthy—didn’t exactly satisfy.

While Schiaparelli, Valentino, Robert Wun, Rahul Mishra and Gaurav Gupta all delivered collections that dutifully aligned with my definition, a quizzical eyebrow was raised when we flicked through images from Chanel and Dior. The meaning of Haute Couture, it seems, is beginning to shift.

Where Schiaparelli constructed a towering sculptural scorpion tail, peacock-like tutus and exaggerated feathered collars inspired by the emotions evoked by art in the Sistine Chapel, Chanel’s offering felt more like a made-to-order extension of its ready-to-wear line—classic Chanel suit included. Together, they highlight how what these historic houses both give to, and take from, the idea of Haute Couture is becoming far more personalised.

As Daniel Roseberry of Schiaparelli notes in his show notes, “Couture doesn’t exist without structure, without the rigor and rules of its own traditions. But within that, it’s up to the designer to find freedom, to push the rules of the medium to its absolute limits.” This season, we’ve seen those limits stretched through Valentino’s exaggerated ruff-collar gowns, Gaurav Gupta’s entwined silhouettes and Robert Wun’s pearl-necklace stand dress, to name just a few highlights.

Continuing that thread, Roseberry adds, “So many people ask me what the point is of couture. It’s certainly not to create clothing for daily life. But for me, couture allows me to connect with the hopeful adolescent I once was, the one who decided to not go into medicine or finance or law, but to chase that singular fantasy that fashion can still provide.”

“Let the rest of the year be about reality, in fashion or elsewhere. But nothing is more powerful—or timeless—or for me, more now, than getting to unchain my imagination…and, I hope, yours. Couture is an invitation. Stop thinking, it tells you. It’s time to feel. You only have to look up,” he adds.

And yet, the somewhat opposite evolving approach taken by Chanel and Dior feels undeniably strategic. As McKinsey’s The State of Luxury report notes, “luxury industry is facing a significant slowdown that has hit even top brands hard, not dissimilar to what the broader fashion industry is experiencing.” In response, many labels are re-evaluating their positioning, placing customer wants and needs at the heart of every decision.

“Haute Couture is the very soul of Chanel–it is the foundation and the full expression of the House," says creative director Matthieu Blazy. "These are clothes that are as much about the wearer as the designer. It’s the clothes worn that give them a true story; their own story and an emotional resonance, giving women a canvas to tell their own story.”

Think sheer skirt-and-jacket sets, transparent trousers and vest tops, and tweed adorned with delicate plumage—all exquisitely made, yet notably more refined and restrained in their design than typical Haute Couture. A reflection, perhaps, of the modern Chanel woman wants herself.

Although this more sellable take on haute couture isn’t entirely new. Cast your mind back to 2023, when Valentino sent a pair of “jeans” and a crisp white shirt down its couture runway—leaning into a more commercial silhouette while still honouring the savoir-faire of the craft. Those jeans, it’s worth noting, were painstakingly constructed from intricate beading. Though at the time, many hailed the house for “re-inventing” the very meaning of haute couture.

When I spoke to Marie Claire’s Fashion Director, Lily Russo-Bah, she said, “There has been much discussion this week around Matthieu Blazy’s first couture collection for Chanel, with many expressing the opinion that he has somehow moved away from traditional couture extravagance. However, he was simply doing what Coco Chanel did best: creating clothes that women could wear every day. Transparent skirt suits in delicate pink mousseline, a sheer reinterpretation of the iconic 2.55 bag, and evening dresses featuring intricate feather-effect devoré that echoed the collection’s bird theme — it was all there. Exactly as it has always been, only better.”