MAIN Home Life Shopping Clothing Designer

Haute couture ('high sewing') originated in Paris in the late 19th century.

Fast forward a century and the playing field has been leveled. Today, traditional fashion designers concentrate on more profitable lines - like shoes, perfume, handbags and ready-to-wear.

The eyebrow-raising runway creations? For the vast audience of fashion consumers, they are simply a means of bringing attention to what's offered off-the-rack.

Similar to sparkling wine from the Champagne region, France still tries to protects haute couture as a "protected name" that can be used only by firms that meet certain well-defined standards. Today, however, the label is commonly given to any custom-made fashion line from New York to Milan or Paris.

The super-rich still engage the top designers for a custom frock, but they basically remain a very distinct and very small market.

Around the Web, find out more about the world of high fashion with insider info on who's hot, what's coming down the runway right now, or take time to window shop online luxury stores with additional links to the world's top designers.

More about haute couture around the Web:

Haute Couture News.com - What's hot right now.

Fashion.net - All things design, with information on the major fashion houses in New York, Paris, Milan and Tokyo plus more online browsing for the current art & design scene, together with a directory of the world's most elegant and chic online shops.

Fashion 411 - An eyeful of the latest trends from the runways of New York, London, Paris and Milan, along with a fashion calendar of events, shopping guides and fashion tips, and a directory of the world's top designers.

New York Fashion Guide - From New York Metro.com, featuring fashion news and celebrity story articles, the latest fashion trends and an extensive library of designer bio's.

The Cult of Couture - Archived survey from Forbes.com covering the insider world of haute couture fashion designers and their rarified customers.

The Golden Age of Haute Couture - Archived online exhibit from London's Victoria & Albert Museum beginning with Christian Dior's rise to prominence in 1947 and featuring an interactive timeline of top design houses of the 40's and 50's.

Top haute couture design houses online:

also in Fashion | Clothing -> Jewelry Perfume Purses & Handbags

Scarves Tuxedos Watches Women's Clothing

Pop Culture: Fashion New York Fashion Week