Every couture season, it's the same story: chroniclers of fashion invariably question the future of the tiny industry. Usually, they point to the dwindling number of couture clients throughout the world and surmise that it's only a matter of time before there are none left and legendary couture houses are forced to shutter their ateliers forever. Of course, the fact that the future of Christian Lacroix's couture house looks increasingly bleak hasn't helped matters. "Was the sunset at Chanel symbolic of couture’s fading light?" asks New York Times' fashion critic Cathy Horyn.
The truth is nobody knows. Moreover, the same question is asked every time there is a recession of any magnitude. From where I'm standing, it seems to me that haute couture has proved itself fairly resilient throughout its history surviving world wars, the advent of pret-a-porter and previous recessions. The clients may hail from different parts of the world and different milieux than during the industry's golden years but they still keep coming. I also don't think the current recession is any different. The reality is that there are still plenty of high-net worth individuals out there with money to spend and while the current uncertainty of financial markets are inhibiting them from doing so now, they will eventually spend again. They also seem to be increasingly seeking out luxury products and brands that embody luxury's core attributes: fine craftsmanship, history and artistry. In other words, the very cornerstones of haute couture. So, while the experts and critics debate the future of haute couture, I intend to simply enjoy the spectacle albeit from afar.
Sincerely,
The Luxe Chronicles
Just to point out another victim of "dying" culture: people have been saying the same thing about classical music for a while now, and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere either.
Posted by: Lindsay Gomes | Thursday, July 16, 2009 at 03:15
Exactly.. which is Why I'ma going to go study to be a petit main!...lol
no really!
Posted by: et | Tuesday, July 14, 2009 at 05:24
As long as there are people of means, there will always be a demand for the best. Perhaps haute couture will morph into something smaller, perhaps much smaller venues and not so many PR bells and whistles. But it's very difficult to imagine the end of made to order clothing.
Posted by: John Agee Paris | Friday, July 10, 2009 at 13:35