Couture: Class, Cost, And The Red Carpet

We dive into the value, and best celebrity moments of the luxuriously elite practice of French haute couture.

- Daphne Ng

The usual time the public gets to feast their eyes on the creations of couturiers is when they’re on the backs of celebrities gracing the red carpet. Rihanna draped in Chinese haute couturier Guo Pei’s imperial yellow cape around her shoulders waltzing in with the confidence of a queen at Met Gala 2015; Janelle Monáe dolled up in a black number by Elie Saab with enough tulle, diamonds, beading, sequins, and crystals to be proclaimed a modern day princess at the 2017 Oscars; and who could forget Jennifer Lawrence’s voluminous Dior number – the one that (despite having already chopped six inches off the tail) led to her memorable stumble on the steps just moments before she accepted Best Actress for Silver Linings Playbook at the 2013 Oscars.

If you’ve ever wondered what happens to the dresses after the glitz and the glamour of these galas and award nights – the beautiful gowns return into the arms of its rightful fashion house, despite being custom-made for each A-lister. Rarely do designers gift the gowns to celebrities – one notorious exception is Jennifer Lopez’s barely there Versace dress at the 2000 Grammys. The practice of wearing haute couture is not one new to our eyes; but the concept of owning one is practically unheard of.

VALUING COUTURE

To honour one of the world’s oldest and most respectable fashion houses, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne presented an exhibition which showcases the House of Dior’s haute couture creations between the years of 1947 to 2017. Among those garments is the runway version of Nicole Kidman’s iconic 1997 Academy Awards chartreuse gown. Designed by John Galliano for Christian Dior, Kidman said that she loved the dress despite its unorthodox colour. Immediately after the awards ceremony, it made its way up to become one of the most iconic red carpet looks of all time.