Haute Couture Born in the 19th century Paris with the pioneering business model of British couturier Charles Frederick Worth, haute couture reemerged after WW II under Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy. Their elegant "houses" could show biannual collections and had ateliers where garments were hand-sewn. Couture garments are developed from sketches or draping cloth, but their designs must be original. They will be ordered by individual clients and are never mass-produced by the House.