couture: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-frequency in everyday conversation; high-frequency in fashion, luxury, and lifestyle contexts.Formal, professional, and marketing/industry jargon. Connotes exclusivity, high quality, and expense.
Quick answer
What does “couture” mean?
The business and art of designing, making, and selling high-fashion, typically custom-fitted clothing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The business and art of designing, making, and selling high-fashion, typically custom-fitted clothing.
The high-fashion industry; elegant, expensive clothing produced by leading fashion houses; can extend metaphorically to any field emphasizing exclusive, high-end, bespoke creation (e.g., 'couture software').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is virtually identical. Both refer to the same concept of high-end, often bespoke fashion.
Connotations
Identical connotations of luxury, artistry, and high cost in both varieties.
Frequency
Similar frequency in relevant contexts (fashion journalism, marketing). Slightly more likely to be used in British English due to geographic and cultural proximity to Parisian fashion centers.
Grammar
How to Use “couture” in a Sentence
[adj] + couture (e.g., Parisian couture)couture + [noun] (e.g., couture house)verb + couture (e.g., study couture, wear couture)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “couture” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The designer is couturing a wedding dress for a royal client.
- She had her entire trousseau coutured in Paris.
American English
- The atelier coutures only a handful of pieces each season.
- He dreams of having a suit coutured by that legendary house.
adverb
British English
- The dress was made couture, with every seam finished by hand. (Rare, non-standard)
American English
- The jacket was crafted couture, taking over 200 hours. (Rare, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- It was a truly couture creation, with thousands of hand-sewn crystals.
- She has a keen eye for couture details.
American English
- The actress wore a stunning couture gown to the Oscars.
- They offer a couture experience for their top clients.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Referring to the luxury goods sector, marketing strategies, and brand positioning (e.g., 'The company's couture division drives its brand prestige.')
Academic
Used in fashion history, cultural studies, and semiotics of luxury (e.g., 'The paper examines the socio-economic role of couture in post-war France.')
Everyday
Rare in casual conversation. Might be used when discussing very expensive clothing or fashion events (e.g., 'She was wearing what looked like real couture.')
Technical
Specific, legal definition in France (regulated by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture) and in fashion journalism/design education.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “couture”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “couture”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “couture”
- Mispronouncing it as /ˈkaʊ.tʃər/ (like 'cow-chur').
- Using it as a synonym for any nice or expensive clothing, rather than its specific high-fashion/bespoke sense.
- Misspelling as 'cuture' or 'coutuer'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Couture' is the general term for high-fashion, bespoke design. 'Haute couture' (literally 'high sewing/dressmaking') is a legally protected term in France, regulated by the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, and refers to fashion houses that meet specific criteria (like presenting a certain number of original designs twice a year).
It is occasionally used as a verb in fashion contexts (e.g., 'a coutured gown'), but this is a back-formation and is considered non-standard or jargonistic. The standard usage is as a noun or attributive noun (adjective).
In British English, it's /kuːˈtjʊə/ (koo-TYOUR). In American English, it's /kuˈtʊr/ (koo-TOOR). The common mispronunciation /ˈkaʊ.tʃər/ (like 'cow-chur') is incorrect.
Yes, metaphorically. It's used in marketing and branding to suggest something is custom-made, luxurious, and of the highest quality (e.g., 'couture cupcakes', 'couture jewellery', 'couture interior design'). This is an extension of its core meaning.
The business and art of designing, making, and selling high-fashion, typically custom-fitted clothing.
Couture is usually formal, professional, and marketing/industry jargon. connotes exclusivity, high quality, and expense. in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The height of couture”
- “Couture on a budget (oxymoronic/joking)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a **COU**ple at a posh event needing a **TOUR** guide to explain the incredibly intricate and expensive **COUTURE** dresses on display.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLOTHING AS ART / FASHION AS ARCHITECTURE (e.g., 'the architecture of that couture gown is stunning').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST definition of 'couture' in its strictest sense?