Couture

6/21/2026

When one hears the French word “couture” (or, as it’s often more fully termed, “haute couture”), one generally thinks of the concept of “high fashion,” a symbol of sophistication and elegance expressed through clothing. In turn, the word also often connotes the industry that grew up around this sartorial artform, one that got its start through the craft of sewing and has since spawned the alternative meaning “stitches” or, when applied more metaphorically, “connections,” particularly where the women who have become the representatives of couture are concerned. And, over time, the women of couture have become a diverse sisterhood of sorts, one connected by their commonality as symbols of fashion and as exploited participants in the industry in which they work. It’s a complex set of variable