Haute couture, Prêt-à-porter, and Confection.

Fashion design today is divided into three categories: haute couture, prêt-à-porter, and confection. At the top are the exclusive, made-to-measure creations of haute couture, high class tailoring. For a fashion label to describe itself as a couture house, it must present at least thirty-five new models every season (for both day and evening wear), which must have been manufactured by at least fifteen full-time staff members in a proprietary studio in Paris. haute-couture models for private clients must be made to measure after at least one personal fitting. Adherence to these criteria, laid down and protected by the French state, is annually checked by the French Chamber of Commerce. Also to be seen at the fashion weeks are prêt-à-porter collections. In contrast to haute couture, the models are not made to measure, but produced in standardized sizes. And although they generally dispense with luxury details such as St. Gallen lace and hand-sewn pearls, prêt-à-porter models are distinguished by high quality, unusual details, and precision cutting. They, more than haute couture, are the source of inspiration for everyday fashion, which is generally retailed under the name of confection. The latter is manufactured in large quantities by mass-production methods from ready-made model designs.