couture
couture — 名詞
1. the craft and business of creating expensive, custom-fitted clothes that are mad
高級訂製
為客戶手工製作昂貴時裝的行業與技術
the craft and business of creating expensive, custom-fitted clothes that are made by hand for individual clients rather than produced in large quantities for shops.
Harper studied couture in Milan before opening her own boutique.
Harper 在米蘭學習高級訂製技術，之後創立了自己的服飾店。
Couture dresses can take hundreds of hours of hand-stitching to complete.
一件高級訂製禮服可能需要數百小時的手工縫製才能完成。
uncountable noun with verb: takes
The fashion house has been creating couture for European royalty since 1920.
該時裝屋自 1920 年起就一直為歐洲王室製作高級訂製服。
Many young designers dream of working in couture rather than mass production.
許多年輕設計師夢想從事高級訂製工作，而非大量生產。
Sumin's grandmother worked as a seamstress in Parisian couture for forty years.
Sumin 的祖母在巴黎的高級訂製界當了四十年的裁縫師。
- haute couture
the full French term, legally protected; more formal than 'couture' alone
- high fashion
broader term; can include luxury ready-to-wear, not just handmade custom pieces
- fashion design
general term for the creative process; lacks the exclusivity and handcrafting emphasis of couture
- ready-to-wear
mass-produced clothing sold in standard sizes, opposite of custom-made couture
- prêt-à-porter
the French term for ready-to-wear, directly opposed to haute couture
用法筆記
Uncountable noun — do not say 'a couture' or 'coutures'. Frequently appears in the phrase 'haute couture', a French term legally protected in the EU for fashion houses that meet specific standards of handmade work.
常見錯誤
2. the companies, designers, and workshops that together form the high-end custom-f
時裝界
從事高級訂製的公司與設計師群體
the companies, designers, and workshops that together form the high-end custom-fashion industry, considered as a group.
The world's finest couture gathers in Paris twice a year for Fashion Week.
全球頂尖的高級時裝界每年兩次齊聚巴黎參加時裝週。
couture as collective: gathers
Several Italian couture houses now produce ready-to-wear lines alongside their custom pieces.
幾家義大利高級時裝公司在訂製作品之外，也推出了成衣系列。
Salma interned at a famous Parisian couture right after graduating from design school.
Salma 剛從設計學校畢業，就到一家著名的巴黎時裝公司實習。
Jenna wrote her thesis on how Japanese designers influenced European couture in the 1980s.
Jenna 的論文探討了日本設計師在 1980 年代如何影響歐洲高級時裝界。
- fashion houses
more concrete; refers specifically to the companies, not the entire industry
- design houses
broader; includes non-couture fashion labels
- ateliers
specifically the workshops where couture garments are made; narrower than sense 2
用法筆記
Used as a collective noun referring to the industry as a whole or an individual fashion house ('a famous Parisian couture'). Distinguish from sense 1, where 'couture' means the craft itself, not the business entities.
couture — 形容詞
1. made or sold as exclusive, custom-fitted fashion that involves careful handwork
高級訂製的
屬於精緻手工量身訂做時裝的
made or sold as exclusive, custom-fitted fashion that involves careful handwork and individual tailoring rather than factory production.
The bride wore a stunning couture gown made from hand-embroidered Italian silk.
新娘穿著一件由手工刺繡義大利絲綢做成的高級訂製禮服，令人驚豔。
couture + garment noun (gown, dress, suit)
Adisa's collection blends couture pieces with everyday basics for a fresh look.
Adisa 的系列將高級訂製單品與日常基本款融合，呈現出新鮮的風格。
That small boutique specialises in couture accessories made by local artisans.
那家小店專門販售由當地工匠製作的高級訂製配件。
Eli paired a simple T-shirt with a couture jacket for the awards ceremony.
Eli 在頒獎典禮上穿了一件簡單的 T 恤，搭配高級訂製外套。
A couture suit can cost more than a small car because of the handwork involved.
一套高級訂製西裝的價格可能超過一輛小車，因為手工製作成本很高。
- designer
much broader; any piece by a recognised designer, not necessarily handmade or custom-fitted
- high-fashion
overlaps but includes luxury ready-to-wear; less emphasis on individual tailoring
- bespoke
tailor-made for an individual; used mainly for suits and menswear, while couture leans toward womenswear and fashion
- ready-to-wear
mass-produced in standard sizes; the commercial opposite of couture
- off-the-rack
bought from a store without custom fitting; informal term
用法筆記
Attributive only — always appears before a noun ('a couture dress'), never after a linking verb ('the dress is couture' is considered informal). Cannot be graded (*more couture, *very couture).