Founded in 1858, the first Couture house in Paris was established by designer Charles Frederick Worth, known as the “father of couture,” who took the art form beyond the confines of royal courts to become the pinnacle of fashion. In the mid-1800s, Paris established the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture to safeguard the art of high-fashion.
By the 20th century, Paris had become home to a number of grand couture houses, including Cristobal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, Madame Gres and Elsa Schiaparelli, among others. Despite the fact that most ateliers were closed and halted by WWII, Christian Dior would reinstate the craft to its proper place after the war in 1947. The untimely death of Dior in 1952 led to the emergence of a young visionary, 21-year-old Yves Saint Laurent. His creations revolutionized the world of couture for women of his generation. Along with Valentino Garavani, Emanuel Ungaro, and Pierre Cardin, he would usher in a new era in couture.
Designers such as Gianni Versace, John Galliano and Thierry Mugler carved their own niches in couture fashion during the 1980s, combining classic style with a contemporary edge, with Mugler at the forefront of technology and storytelling. Giorgio Armani and others come to the roster in the 2000s with a host of noted names like Maria Grazia and Pierpaolo Piccioli bringing their talents to continue the work of many storied couture houses.
This fusion of tradition and modernity continues to be a distinctive feature of the couture today. Here, see photos from the archives of couture collections through the years.
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Cristobal Balenciaga Exhibition and Party at the Costume Institute of Metropolitan Museum of Art
Image Credit: WWD The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s first exhibition devoted to designer Cristobal Balenciaga opened on March 23, 1973.
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Valentino Fall 1967 Couture Collection Preview at The St. Regis Hotel
Image Credit: WWD Giancarlo Giammetti shows off a panther print gown from the Valentino fall 1967 couture collection showing at the St. Regis hotel in New York.
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Paco Rabanne Spring 1977 Couture Collection Advance
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive Paco Rabanne previews his Spring 1977 Haute Couture Collection to Women’s Wear Daily on October 27, 1966.
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Patou Spring 1972 Couture Fashion Show
Image Credit: WWD Patou Spring 1972 Couture fashion show at Maison Patou at 7 Rue St. Florentin on February 15, 1972, in Paris, France.
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Yves St. Laurent Couture Spring 1970 Show – 30 Jan 1970
Image Credit: WWD Yves Saint Laurent Spring 1970 Haute Couture Presentation.
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Christian Dior Spring 1972 Couture Runway Show
Image Credit: WWD Christian Dior Spring 1972 Haute Couture Runway Show on January 24, 1972, in Paris, France. The collection was designed by Marc Bohan.
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Balmain Fall 1974 Couture Collection Preview Fashion Show
Image Credit: WWD A model poses in day wear from designer Pierre Balmain’s fall 1974 couture collection.
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Givenchy Spring 1972 Couture Advance and Presentation with the Designer
Image Credit: Reginald Gray Designer Hubert de Givenchy in his Paris atelier poses with a model in his Spring 1972 Haute Couture Advance.
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Pierre Cardin Fall 1972 Couture Collection Advance with Designer
Image Credit: WWD Pierre Cardin Fall 1972 Couture Collection Advance
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Madame Gres Fall 1974 Couture Collection Fashion Show
Image Credit: WWD A model walks the show in a pleated grecian one-shoulder column gown designed by Alix Gres for fall 1974.
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Hanae Mori Couture – 9 May 1974
Image Credit: WWD Hanae Mori Fall 1974 Haute Couture Collection Fashion Show.
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Yves Saint Laurent Fall 1977 Haute Couture Collection Pre-Showing
Image Credit: Guy Marineau Model Mounia Orsemane poses in an ensemble from Yves Saint Laurent’s fall 1977 “Les Chinoises” haute couture collection presentation at the designers Paris atelier.
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Valentino Fall 1977 Couture Advance
Image Credit: WWD Valentino Fall 1977 Couture advance on July 25, 1977, in Paris, France.
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Chanel Fall 1982 Couture Runway Show
Image Credit: Guy Marineau A model walks in the Chanel Fall 1982 Couture Runway Show in Paris, France.
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Emanuel Ungaro Fall 1985 Couture Collection Advance
Image Credit: WWD Emanuel Ungaro Fall 1985 Couture Collection Advance
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Patou Spring 1986 Couture Fashion Show
Image Credit: WWD Patou Spring 1986 Couture Fashion Show. Designed by Christian Lacroix.
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Christian Lacroix Spring 1988 HC
Image Credit: WWD Model wearing a printed dress from Christian Lacroix’s Spring 1988 couture collection
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Gianni Versace Atelier Versace Spring 1992 Couture Collection
Image Credit: WWD Model Naomi Campbell in a look from the Gianni Versace Atelier Versace Spring 1992 Couture Collection.
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Thierry Mugler Fall 1992 Couture Collection Runway Show
Image Credit: WWD Thierry Mugler Fall 1992 Couture Collection Runway Show
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Valentino Couture Collection 1993-1994 Runway, Accessories Closeups and Front Row
Image Credit: WWD Model Helena Christensen walks the runway in the Valentino Fall 1993 Couture Runway Show on July 21, 1993, in Paris, France.
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Atelier Versace Spring 1993 Couture Runway Show
Image Credit: WWD Model Kate Moss
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Yves Saint Laurent Fall 1998 Couture Runway Show
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni Frankie Ryder at Yves Saint Laurent Fall 1998 Couture Runway Show
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Jean-Paul Gaultier Spring 1999 Couture Runway Show
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni A model walks in the Jean-Paul Gaultier Spring 1999 Couture Runway Show on January 22, 1999, in Paris, France.
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Yves Saint Laurent Fall 1998 Couture Runway Show
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni Model Chrystele Saint Louis Augustin on the runway at the Yves Saint Laurent Fall 1998 Couture Fashion Show.
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John Galliano for Dior Fall 1999 Couture Runway Show, Paris – 19 Jul 1999
Image Credit: WWD John Galliano for Dior Fall 1999 Couture Runway Show at the Palace of Versailles, Paris.
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Thierry Mugler Fall 1997 Couture And Ready To Wear Runway Show
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni Model Adriana Karembeu presents the La Chimere ensemble from Thierry Mugler’s Fall 1997 Couture Collection.
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Christian Dior Spring 1998 Couture Runway Show
Image Credit: WWD Model Eugenia Silva walks the runway in the Christian Dior Spring 1998 Couture Runway Show at the Palais Garnier on January 26, 1998, in Paris, France.
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Christian Dior Couture Spring 2004 Collection, Paris
Image Credit: Fairchild Archive/Penske Media Model on the runway of the Christian Dior spring 2004 couture collection on January 19, 2004 in Paris, France.
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Giorgio Armani Prive Spring 2005 Couture Advance
Image Credit: WWD Designer Giorgio Armani and model in the debut collection of Giorgio Armani Prive Spring 2005 Couture in Paris on January 24th, 2005.
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Chanel Haute Couture Fall 2005
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni Chanel’s fall 2005 haute couture show.
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Backstage at Viktor & Rolf Haute Couture Spring 2019
Image Credit: Delphine Achard for WWD A model backstage at Viktor & Rolf Spring 2019 Haute Couture Collection Runway Show in Paris on Jan 23, 2019.
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Alexis Mabille Couture Fall 2018
Image Credit: Stephane Feugere for WWD Ambiance at Alexis Mabille Fall 2018 Couture Collection Runway Show on July 3rd, 2018 in Paris, France.
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Balmain show, Runway, Spring Summer 2019, Haute Couture Fashion Week, Paris, France – 23 Jan 2019
Image Credit: WWD Model on the runway at the Balmain Spring 2019 Haute Couture Fashion Show on January 23, 2019 in Paris, France.
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Runway at Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring 2019
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni for WWD Runway at Elie Saab Haute Couture Spring 2019, photographed in Paris on Jan 23, 2019.
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Balenciaga Couture Fall 2021 Preview
Image Credit: Vanni Bassetti for WWD Preview of Balenciaga Couture Fall 2021
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Valentino show, Runway, Fall Winter 2018, Haute Couture Fashion Week, Paris, France – 04 Jul 2018
Image Credit: WWD Kaia Gerber on the runway at the Valentino Fall 2018 Haute Couture Fashion show in Paris, France.
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Runway at Guo Pei Haute Couture Spring 2019
Image Credit: Dominique Maitre for WWD Runway at Guo Pei Haute Couture Spring 2019, photographed in Paris on Jan 23, 2019.
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Christian Dior Couture Fall 2022
Image Credit: Delphine Achard for WWD Backstage at Christian Dior Couture Fall 2022 photographed in Paris on July 4th, 2022.
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Thom Browne Fall 2023 Couture Collection Runway Show
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni for WWD Model on the runway at the Thom Browne Fall 2023 Couture Collection Fashion Show on July 3, 2023 in Paris, France.
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Fendi Fall 2023 Couture Collection Runway Show
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni for WWD Model on the runway at the Fendi Fall 2023 Couture Collection Fashion Show on July 6, 2023 in Paris, France.
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Giambattista Valli Fall 2023 Couture Collection Runway Show – Ambiance
Image Credit: Aitor Rosas Sune for WWD Ambiance at the Giambattista Valli Fall 2023 Couture Collection Runway Show on July 3, 2023 in Paris, France.
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Valentino Fall 2023 Couture Collection Runway Show
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni for WWD Kaia Gerber on the runway at the Valentino Fall 2023 Couture Collection Fashion Show at Chateau de Chantilly on July 5, 2023 in Paris, France.
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Rahul Mishra Fall 2023 Couture Collection Runway Show
Image Credit: Dominique Maitre for WWD Models on the runway at the Rahul Mishra Fall 2023 Couture Collection Fashion Show on July 3, 2023 in Paris, France.
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Chanel Fall 2023 Couture Collection Runway Show
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni for WWD Model on the runway at the Chanel Fall 2023 Couture Collection Fashion Show at on July 4, 2023 in Paris, France.
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Maison Margiela Couture Spring 2024 – Runway
Image Credit: Giovanni Giannoni for WWD Model on the runway at Maison Margiela Couture Spring 2024 as part of Paris Couture Fashion Week held at Pont Alexandre III on January 25, 2024 in Paris, France.
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Chanel Fall 2010 HC, Paris
Image Credit: Chanel Models on the runway at Chanel’s fall 2010 haute couture show at Grand Palais.
