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Trusted Contributor
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Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

I hear them talk about the gowns at the award shows, but I am not sure what makes something vintage or couture. Vintage sounds as if it came from a 2nd hand store, but I'm sure that can't be right. Is couture different from a design from the runway show?

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Re: Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

Couture means that an apparel was designed by a well recognized, first class designer. Vintage means that it was created at least a few years ago. You might have noticed that Jennifer Aniston wore a vintage couture gown by Galliano. People like her have their pick of designer's new and former styles. Some fashions are elegant and do not "go out of style".

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Re: Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

Vintage can also be couture.

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Re: Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

A vintage garment means it's old. It is not necessarily a couture garment because it could have been designed by some no name person and multiple garments produced for sale. A couture gown was designed by a big name designer. If it was designed as a one of a kind and it is old then it is a vintage couture garment. If it was designed by a big name designer but is not old then it is simply a couture garment.
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Re: Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

A vintage garment means it's old.

Yikes. That describes my things. {#emotions_dlg.thumbup1}

Frequent Contributor
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Re: Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

Haute Couture = Hand made usually, with special fabrics and tailored to the wearer w/ lots of attention to all the details.

Loosely:

Haute= High

Couture=dress making

Vintage= 30+ years old

Vintage may or may not be great, just old.

Couture may or may not be great….depends on your opinion - but it is made to flatter and be fantastic.

Hope that helped!

Valued Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-12-2010

Re: Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

Couture really means hand made, so designers who used to actually custom make clothing and still do for particular clientelle are considered couture ( think Oscar de a Renta, Bill Blass YSL), now many have their brands off the rack, meaning their name is on the item but it isnt custome sewn. A modern designer would be Stella Mccartney.

Vintage simply means from another era, days gone by, all of which the above mentioned designers qualify for admission. Think Madmen, or the 60's.

These words especially, especially couture are used very loosely and have lost their true meaning.

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Re: Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

Now I am really confused.

Who's on first?

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Re: Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

Vintage can be anything that is over thirty years old. It could be a vintage couture gown that a designer made by hand thirty plus years ago. Vintage doesn't necessarily mean that it was made by hand. Couture whether it is new or old is made by hand.

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Re: Can someone explain the difference between a couture gown & a vintage

On 5/1/2015 Kitlynn said:

Vintage can be anything that is over thirty years old. It could be a vintage couture gown that a designer made by hand thirty plus years ago. Vintage doesn't necessarily mean that it was made by hand. Couture whether it is new or old is made by hand.

Kitlynn summed it up here…. no need for confusion- anything 30+ old rather interesting or not is "vintage"- Vintage has nothing to do w/ wonderful only age- having said that, there were some amazing things made 30+ years ago…but obviously not everything was fantastic.

Couture used to mean highest end custom hand made, but now can be that or a little less than that….and in 30 years it will be considered vintage as well.