Fashion news from New York, Paris and Milan... It seems like ifthere's not a month that goes by without shows or new collections from one of those major fashion cities: haute couture, prêt à porter, cruisee collections… But what is actually meant by all those names?

A lesson on fashion and the different collections.

Haute Couture

is high-end tailoring and custom-made clothing designed for a select market. Only one or sometimes a few pieces of the custom-made garments are made, often from exclusive fabrics and using the most refined techniques. The name “Haute Couture” is legally protected. If you want to be admitted as a designer to the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture, you must meet a number of criteria:

• Clothing must be produced in your own ateliers
• At least twelve people must work in the ateliers
• The collection must be presented on the catwalk twice a year
• That collection must consist of at least 50 different, new garments
• There must be a special space where clothing can be shown to regular customers

Although the customer base of women willing to spend thousands of euros on such an outfit is small - estimated at 2000 customers - haute couture collections are mainly seen as a marketing showcase for the brand. Thanks, of course, to the red carpet moments. The real money is made with the licenses associated with the couture name, cosmetics, perfumes, and accessories.

Alta Moda

is the Italian equivalent of French haute couture. However, the term “Alta Moda” is not protected and is used in Florence, Milan, and Rome. Unlike the French couture shows, there is no fixed schedule regarding time and location in Italy. The fashion week “AltaRoma AltaModa,” for example, takes place twice a year and offers famous labels as well as young Italian talent a platform, while Dolce & Gabbana presents their AltaModa collection in Milan.

Pret-à-Porter

is distinguished from couture because it is produced in factories in series and in different sizes. Most designers of couture collections also create a prêt à porter collection that is accessible to a broader audience. Another term for prêt à porter is ‘ready to wear’ and in good Dutch, we call it ready-to-wear clothing. These collections are presented twice a year by designers in the various major fashion cities, during a period known as Fashion Week. The shows are the biggest marketing and PR showcase for the designers with the goal of creating an image and setting trends.

Cruise collection - Resort wear

is a special clothing line initially designed for the travel-loving jet set who escaped to warmer places on cruise ships during the winter months. Nowadays, these collections are mainly intended for customers who spend the whole year in luxury holiday resorts like Saint Barth, Dubai, or the Bahamas.

Pre Fall

is the autumn/winter equivalent of the cruise collection, which often hangs in stores as early as July.

Capsule Collection

is a collection that has nothing to do with regularity or seasons. It concerns separate collections such as special editions or unique collaborations. For example, the major designer collaboration with H&M or the exclusive collection from Proenza Schouler for the online store Net-a-Porter.