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.
Dot and his creative partner Dave Free later designed the set of Chanel’s January 2024 haute couture show. Heran Mamo, Billboard, 21 Apr. 2025 Zendaya at the Schiaparelli spring 2024 haute couture show in Christian Louboutin So Kates. Daniel Rodgers, Vogue, 15 Apr. 2025 Behind the brand: Yves Saint Laurent originally founded his brand as an haute couture house. Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 10 Apr. 2025 Gianni Versace launched his global haute couture line, Atelier Versace, in 1989. Laia Farran Graves, Forbes, 18 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 30 Apr. 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!