{"id":707,"date":"2009-07-16T14:07:15","date_gmt":"2009-07-16T12:07:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/?p=707"},"modified":"2009-07-16T14:07:15","modified_gmt":"2009-07-16T12:07:15","slug":"the-end-of-haute-couture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/fashion-luxury-industry\/the-end-of-haute-couture\/","title":{"rendered":"The End of "Haute Couture?""},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In the good old days, the “Haute Couture”<\/a> shows were the most anticipated of all of the collections. It was akin to the Formula 1 of the fashion world.\u00a0 It is unique to Paris and all of the greatest designers the likes of Hubert de Givenchy<\/a>, Christian Dior<\/a>, Chanel<\/a>, Yves Saint Laurent<\/a>, Valentino<\/a>, Jean-Louis Scherrer<\/a>, Pierre Cardin<\/a>, Emanuel Ungaro,<\/a> Christian Lacroix<\/a>, Louis F\u00e9raud and others would show the epitome of what they were striving for. These were prototypes of sorts and unique pieces of art that were considered the barometer of where fashion was going in the future. These architects of fabric and exotic materials would go to great lengths to establish their identity through their designs.<\/p>\n

The press would come in hordes to get a view of these collections, to be the first to show them in their glossy fashion magazines. Shoots would be set up immediately after the collections and given to those magazines with the greatest influence on the public. Only the finest of glossies were given these collections to shoot and in order of priority. It was usually Vogue that was in place number “1” and the rest would have to wait their turn. The constant bickering between Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar was always omnipresent. You could sense an Arctic chill in the air when the major editors would appear in the same room with each other.<\/p>\n

The pecking order at the shows was very well defined and this was also mirrored in where the editors were positioned during the fashion shows. The first row was always a who’s who of the fashion industry and often, shows would not commence until “THAT” Editor in Chief was seated!<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, times have changed and as a result of the social conditions, financial malaise and a radically shifted mind set, a new paradigm has emerged and “Haute Couture” seems to be unofficially at least, on Life Support. It is the “Pret a Porter” ready to wear collections that are now the “Queen of the Castle”.<\/p>\n

There are a few of the greats and some emerging new designers that are attempting to keep the boat afloat with interesting eclectic designs that are a kind of melting pot of “Haute Couture Meets Pret a Porter”. Alexis Mabille<\/a> is one designer that comes to mind, whom I recently had the privilege to shoot for VOGUE Brasil.<\/p>\n

Who knows, perhaps in a few years when we are out of this financial melt down, designers will have more time\u00a0 and money to play\u00a0 with and again produce pieces of art that will influence and inspire the fashion industry to take artistic risks again.<\/p>\n

I certainly hope so…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In the good old days, the “Haute Couture” shows were the most anticipated of all of the collections. It was akin to the Formula 1 of the fashion world. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":708,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[19],"tags":[228,16,11,12],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/07\/78978205.ODSAGhss.8_G.sized_.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paG8MM-bp","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":27748,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/benjamin-kanarek-work\/castle-model-maud-welzen-haute-couture-november-2012-harpers-bazaar-photographer-benjamin-kanarek-video-frederique-renaut\/","url_meta":{"origin":707,"position":0},"title":""In My Castle" Model Maud Welzen in Haute Couture for the November 2012 Issue of Harper's BAZAAR by Benjamin Kanarek","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"October 29, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Fashion Photographer Benjamin Kanarek photographed Maud Welzen for Harper's BAZAAR en Espa\u00f1ol. Maud is starring in \"In My Castle\" and wrapped lavishly in some of the most exciting, dazzling Haute Couture creations in quite a while.","rel":"","context":"In "Benjamin Kanarek Work"","block_context":{"text":"Benjamin Kanarek Work","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/benjamin-kanarek-work\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Maud-Welzen-in-Haute-Couture-by-Benjamin-Kanarek-for-Harpers-BAZAAR-en-Espanol-Nov-2012-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Maud-Welzen-in-Haute-Couture-by-Benjamin-Kanarek-for-Harpers-BAZAAR-en-Espanol-Nov-2012-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Maud-Welzen-in-Haute-Couture-by-Benjamin-Kanarek-for-Harpers-BAZAAR-en-Espanol-Nov-2012-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Maud-Welzen-in-Haute-Couture-by-Benjamin-Kanarek-for-Harpers-BAZAAR-en-Espanol-Nov-2012-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Maud-Welzen-in-Haute-Couture-by-Benjamin-Kanarek-for-Harpers-BAZAAR-en-Espanol-Nov-2012-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Maud-Welzen-in-Haute-Couture-by-Benjamin-Kanarek-for-Harpers-BAZAAR-en-Espanol-Nov-2012-1.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3191,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/talking-about-bkblog\/demise-christian-lacroix-fashion-house\/","url_meta":{"origin":707,"position":1},"title":"The Demise of Christian Lacroix Fashion House?","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"December 16, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Frederique Renaut's interview by Elizabeth Day a writer for \u201cThe Observer\u201d review, part of the Guardian group about the bankruptcy of the Fashion House Christian Lacroix","rel":"","context":"In "They're talking about us..."","block_context":{"text":"They're talking about us...","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/talking-about-bkblog\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Christian-Lacroix-Haute-Couture-2010","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/Christian-Lacroix-Haute-Couture-2010-560x284.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/Christian-Lacroix-Haute-Couture-2010-560x284.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/Christian-Lacroix-Haute-Couture-2010-560x284.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16044,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/benjamin-kanarek-work\/haute-couture-marlena-szoka-benjamin-kanarek-bonus-images-harpers-bazaar-espanol\/","url_meta":{"origin":707,"position":2},"title":"Haute Couture with Marlena Szoka by Benjamin Kanarek Published with Bonus Images in Harper\u2019s BAZAAR en Espa\u00f1ol, May 2011","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"May 4, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Spring-Summer 2011 Haute Couture fashion editorial with model Marlena Szoka lensed by Benjamin Kanarek published in Harper\u2019s BAZAAR en Espanol, May 2011 Issue","rel":"","context":"In "Benjamin Kanarek Work"","block_context":{"text":"Benjamin Kanarek Work","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/benjamin-kanarek-work\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Marlena-Szoka-Benjamin-Kanarek-Harpers-Bazaar-Espanol-Haute-Couture-May-2011-07-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Marlena-Szoka-Benjamin-Kanarek-Harpers-Bazaar-Espanol-Haute-Couture-May-2011-07-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/Marlena-Szoka-Benjamin-Kanarek-Harpers-Bazaar-Espanol-Haute-Couture-May-2011-07-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4786,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/fashion-weeks-trends\/haute-couture-spring-summer-2010-collections-bk-blog-report\/","url_meta":{"origin":707,"position":3},"title":"Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2010 – BK blog fashion report","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"February 7, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"The Best Of and the Worst Of... 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As a teenager, he would put together theatrical pieces as well as outfits for his friends and family. Graduating from Paris' Chambre Syndicale de la Haute\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Luxury, Fashion Industry"","block_context":{"text":"Luxury, Fashion Industry","link":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/category\/fashion-luxury-industry\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/image_high_def_57758.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/image_high_def_57758.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/11\/image_high_def_57758.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14819,"url":"https:\/\/thebkmag.com\/rebuild\/fashion-luxury-industry\/runway-red-carpet-armani-prive-haute-couture\/","url_meta":{"origin":707,"position":5},"title":"Runway to Red Carpet in Armani Priv\u00e9 Haute Couture","author":"Benjamin Kanarek","date":"March 24, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"While Haute Couture is highly celebrated on the red carpet, many fashion insiders seem confused over the true concept of the term. 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