Strict Regulations To be called a haute couture house, a business must belong to the Syndical Chamber for Haute Couture in Paris , which is regulated by the French Department of Industry. Members must employ 15 or more people and present their collections twice a year. Each presentation must include at least 35 separate outfits for day and eveningwear. The syndicate has about 18 members, including such fashion giants as Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, and Pierre Cardin.
Workers often specialize in one area, such as feathers, fabric, buttons, shoes, etc.
Staggering Prices Made from scratch for each customer, haute couture clothing typically requires three fittings. Only 200 are regular customers. Often, designers will loan clothes to movie stars or other public figures for publicity. Socialites such as the Duchess of Windsor , Babe Paley, and Gloria Guiness would order whole collections at a time. Life expectancy for women in the United States is almost seven years longer than for men.