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Haute couture

2 stages from French to English.

Today it means expensive, fashionable clothes made by leading fashion houses

Where does the word "haute couture" come from? It comes from French haute couture, adopted directly into English (1900s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
haute couture
French · 1800s
"high dressmaking"
'high sewing'; the Englishman Charles Frederick Worth founded Paris haute couture in 1858
2
Stage 2 of 2
haute couture
English · 1900s
"high fashion"
borrowed as Paris dominated world fashion
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Haute couture’s story begins in French: haute couture meant “high dressmaking.” 'high sewing'; the Englishman Charles Frederick Worth founded Paris haute couture in 1858. It reached English by 1900s as haute couture. Borrowed as Paris dominated world fashion. Today, haute couture means expensive, fashionable clothes made by leading fashion houses.