In the Middle Ages, if you called yourself a Prince, you were announced an imposter and eventually got beheaded.
Nowadays, you can call yourself anything you want – well, except for a Prince still, unless you can make the rain cry a purple tears.
Skipping the shameless verbal abuse of monarchical titles, including the color “royal blue” or a king- and a queen- size mattress.
Today I’d like to talk about an often loosely used French term “Haute Couture”.
The only country in the world where that term is protected by law is France, so the designers are free to outdo each other in the “Name It Couture” Sweepstakes in any other place.
Mind you, I am not talking about using “Haute Couture” as an adjective, as the highest degree of evaluation, as an “omg, it’s so Couture!” kind of way.
Because it would be complimenting what Couture is about, as the Wikipedia quotes: “couture is …constructed by hand from start to finish, made from high-quality, expensive, often unusual fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable sewers, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques.”
These are only the qualifications to get considered to be allowed to avail yourself of the label haute couture.
So while it’s very flattering to hear that your work is all those admirable things from above, actually inserting that term into your company name is like taking a title without permission or consequences or responsibilities entitled.
The most famous American designers never claimed that title, and wrote their own page into the history of fashion – an American look, or sportswear, the essence of relaxed elegance in the Land of the Free.
But try to google word “couture” next to your town’s name and you’ll feel surrounded by French sophistication. Almost like you’re in Paris. Almost.
So I think a new term is in order, something that would define all the qualities of HC: intricately handmade by the most experienced professionals or innovative in nature with high-end exclusive techniques fashion articles, but without having to be a member of a club.
I could recommend my favorite hashtag #FashionArt as the fusion of the energy and the concept with skill and technique.
But it probably wouldn’t help. New “couture” labels will be appearing to offer us clothes, shoes, jewelry or even (?!) food.
And so be it. It long has surpassed the irritation point for me and crossed into amusement territory.
By the way, I personally know a cute girl named Princess, so all the power goes to her parents who made their daughter a Princess.
Except… well, maybe only Meghan Markle might disagree with this and say nope, you actually have to marry a Prince to become one.