In the footsteps of haute couture…

This year, the Lyon Fabric Museum reopens to the general public after more than three years of closure, offering a unique exhibition:

“Behind the scenes of haute couture in Lyon”

It highlights Yves Saint-Laurent and Lyon , a beautiful story and a long adventure. That of a creator deeply attached to silk who benefited from a unique Lyon industry and art.

This exhibition follows the line of major retrospectives at the Lyon museum. After Mariano Fortuny , Cristóbal Balenciaga , Jeanne Paquin , Madeleine Vionnet , Olivier Lapidus , Léonard and Franck Sorbier , it is the turn of Yves Saint Laurent.

As Lyonnaises and fashion enthusiasts, visiting the fabric museum and discovering this exhibition seemed obvious to us. W e really wanted to share with you everything we learned about Haute Coutre through this article!

Today, you will discover the backstage of Haute Couture . You will understand the main stages of the creation of a Haute Couture piece, highlighted through the Lyonnaise Yves Saint Laurent exhibition.

Discover Haute Couture from the inside.

First of all, what is Haute Couture?

Haute Couture is first and foremost a know-how. It is a "French-style" fashion, with its traditions and innovative techniques. Inspired by the codes of luxury, it is punctuated by creations, each more exceptional than the last.

It is also a very controlled designation, and only the houses that benefit from it can sit in the Chambres Syndicales. Each year, a commission from the Ministry of Industry chooses the houses that will enter this very closed circle. Some are permanent members like Chanel , Dior , Alexandre Vauthier , or Maison Martin Margiela . The other houses have access to the label for one year, and must reiterate their request each year. Finally , there are " corresponding members ", which are foreign houses ( Versace , Valentino , etc.)

When a house has the label, very precise criteria must be respected:

• Each creation must be made by hand , in the house's workshops (which are made up of at least 20 people),
• The house must imperatively parade twice a year , presenting at least 25 models .
• The house has a “blur” workshop (fluid materials and silhouettes) and a “tailor” workshop ( trousers, jackets, coats, etc.).

The journey of a haute couture creation

The first step is to create a sketch . It will launch the spirit of the emerging collection. The designer produces what is called a " bible sheet ", on which he reproduces his sketch and adds other crucial information as the creation develops (name of the model or workshop, name of the supplier, samples and references of materials, etc.).

- sketch sheet , muslin collection by Yves Saint Laurent -

 

The designer then has a canvas constructed by his workshops, to interpret the sketch in volume . Once finalized, this canvas allows the designer to imagine the right material and choose the fabric that lends itself best to it .

The canvas has a primordial role. It serves as a base since it imposes a certain weight, a certain drape. It is also used for important details since it acts on the color, or even the pattern of the fabric.

- Yves Saint Laurent in front of the creation of a canvas on a living mannequin -

In the third phase, the canvas is dismantled to make the pattern of the model.

At the same time, the workshop develops handling sheets . Essential, these are real identity cards for Haute Couture pieces. For example, they include details of supplies with the price, footage and manufacturing time.

- bible sheet and handling sheet for a golden lurex dress by Yves Saint Laurent -

Once sewn in the workshops, the model is presented to the designer, always on a live mannequin. Once it has been validated (often after two or three fittings), the creation is definitively integrated into the collection board . This board is the complete and definitive vision of the creations as a whole.

- Board from the spring/summer 1996 collection -

 

The last step is the fashion show . Suppliers are invited and customers too. The house submits the fashion show program , which has a purely commercial aim, with the names of the outfits or even the fabrics.

- Polaroids of models from an Yves Saint Laurent fashion show -

The stages of creating a Haute Couture piece in pictures

Producing a haute couture creation represents a colossal amount of work and requires meticulous organization. 

Through a career marked by his values, Yves Saint Laurent provides fashion with unparalleled archives. His creations are always accompanied by sketches, working documents, order forms, period advertisements and even photographs of fashion shows.

It is thanks to great designers like Yves Saint Laurent that Haute Couture is recognized by all today and that its international reputation continues to highlight French handwork and know-how, making Paris the "capital of fashion".

We hope you enjoyed this article and that it taught you more about Haute Couture!

Happy sewing and see you soon on the blog!

Gabrielle