What Makes Champagne Corsets Couture?

About 60% of a couture garment is meticulously sewn by hand, not by machine, with hand-finished seams, hems, and often intricate hand-beading or embroidery.

Couture clothing requires the utmost precision, knowledge, and expertise. These pieces are not mass-produced; they’re exclusive, custom-made garments that aren’t found on store racks, ready to buy and wear.

A couturier begins with a fabric called muslin to create a mock-up, or “toile,” of the design. This mock-up is crucial to perfect the cut, fit, and silhouette before committing to the final fabric. Through this process, the couturier can gather information and make precise adjustments to ensure a flawless fit and design in the final garment. There’s no limit to the number of mock-ups a couturier may create to achieve perfection.

Each couturier may follow a unique approach, but the general process of creating a couture garment involves these steps:

1. Consultation and Agreement
2. Research and Inspiration
3. Concept Development
4. Design Creation
5. Taking Measurements
6. Draping
7. Pattern Creation
8. Sample Creation (mock-up)
9. Initial Fitting
10. Fabric Selection
11. Second Garment Creation (2nd mock-up)
12. Second Fitting
13. Finishing Touches, (depending on the fit of the second mock-up, additional adjustments or a third mock-up may be necessary)
14. Final Garment

With the highly detailed process of crafting couture, completing one piece usually takes between two to six months. This timeline varies based on the season, garment style, and design details.