haute couture

noun

haute cou·​ture ˌōt-ku̇-ˈtu̇r How to pronounce haute couture (audio)
: the houses or designers that create exclusive and often trend-setting fashions for women
also : the fashions created

Examples of haute couture in a Sentence

a fashion designer who's a renowned master of haute couture
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Donatella’s debut haute couture collection took place a year and three days after her brother’s passing in the usual location: the Ritz Hotel in Paris, with the runway over the hotel’s swimming pool. Laia Farran Graves, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 Naomi Watts and Kai Schreiber at Balenciaga haute couture fall 2024 Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Getty Images Schreiber at Balenciaga haute couture fall 2024. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2025 Down a corridor lined with fragrance and skin-care products is the salle de bain, or bathroom, with displays of makeup, and a boudoir with fine jewelry, eveningwear, and haute couture. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 7 Mar. 2025 King has a strong relationship with Schiaparelli and previously attended the Italian luxury fashion house’s spring haute couture 2025 show in January. Julia Teti, WWD, 7 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for haute couture

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, high sewing

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of haute couture was in 1908

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Haute couture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haute%20couture. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on haute couture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!